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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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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Excellent accommodation, really well-equipped kitchen, clean and well furnished, friendly on-site English owners.

Fantastics views of Lucca from house. Couple of minutes to Lucca centre and from shops. Good Tuscan restaurant in village. Convenient too for visiting Pisa, Florence, the beach, golf, etc.

Offers B&B in out-of-season too.

www.luccatuscany.com

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Great little 2nd floor guest house, right in the heart of Lucca. Very clean, spacious rooms & very helpful staff. Excellent.

142 - 2° piano
Tel: +39 (0583) 49.53.61
www.casa-alba.com

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Recently opened hotel: beautifully restored villa just outside Lucca. It's idyllic! A four-star hotel that is friendly and welcoming. Perfect attention to detail in every respect. Run by a husband and wife team - both warm and hospitable - excellent cooks, too! Imaginative weekend "offers" out of season, including Christmas and New Year. Perfect for a longer stay in the area, or for a weekend escape. Bliss! I can't wait to go back!

www.albergovillamarta.it
Nearest station: Lucca, Italy
Nearest airport: Pisa

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