A series of open-air concerts in Lucca, Tuscany each July, the main 'venue' being Piazza Napoleone, also known as Piazza Grande.
For such a small, albeit perfectly formed, town, this event has attracted some big names over the years - Oasis, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Alanis Morrisette, Black Eyed Peas, James Brown - to name a few, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Concerts usually begin at around 9pm; it's still warm, and the main square is closed off from early evening. During concerts most of the bars and shops around the square remain open, and the majority of the events are standing only - but not all.

The official website is notoriously late in announcing the lineup, but for 2008 some names are confirmed already - Sheryl Crow, Leonard Cohen, Alicia Keys, Chicago, Erykah Badu and Mick Hucknall. The latter is a fixture by now, be it as himself or Simply Red. Elton John is also a frequent visitor. It's rare for tickets to sell out, so you can usually be sure of showing up and buying on the day, but the official site also explains how to get tickets.

Below are some links - the official site, a blog post about the 2008 festival, and our favourite site for Lucca hotels:

www.summer-festival.com/
blog.ahotelinitaly.com/italy/2008/03/18/lucca-festival-2008-new-concerts/
www.ahotelinitaly.com/italy/hotels/tuscany/lucca/lucca/

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy - main venue is Piazza Napoleone, inside the famous city walls.

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It's the tower with the tree on top! One of the most recognisable landmarks within the walls of Lucca. Well worth the climb for views from the top.

Via S.Andrea – 55100 Lucca
Tel 0583 316846
Winter opening: daily 9.00 – 17.30
Summer opening: daily 9.00 – 20.00
October opening: daily 10.00 – 18.00

Lucca hotels - www.ahotelinitaly.com/italy/hotels/tuscany/lucca/lucca/

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A highly-affordable four-bedroom 'tavern' in the Lucca countryside run by a delightful couple always ready to help out. They even left the preparation of a big New Year's Eve meal halfway through to drive us 20km away to collect our broken-down car. The rooms are welcoming and individually furnished with local antiques. Pets and children are very welcome. A gem!

www.locandasanginese.it/

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A restaurant near Porta Elisa that employs disabled people alongside trained staff. Highly recommended by local friends, I was unable to test it as it was fully booked on the night. Affordable local fare.

Piazza S. Francesco 4
Lucca

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