Firenze at Christmas: Lights, Sparkle, Magic

It is hard not to compare Christmas this year with last year’s holiday in Italy. Hands down, this year wins! In 2020 the holiday came with increased COVID restrictions which prevented travel between cities. That meant no trip to Firenze (Florence) to marvel at the Christmas decorations (a small thing in light of the more serious issues associated with the pandemic, but still, one more small loss). A little bit of sparkle would have been most welcome at the end of last year!

As of mid-December 2021 no such restrictions on travel are in place. Firenze is aglow and welcoming visitors. There are precautions in place, including a requirement to wear masks outdoors in the main piazzas during certain times (I actually witnessed local police enforcing this rule). And while there were definitely crowds when I visited in early December, by Florentine standards they were fairly modest. Best of all, Firenze at Christmas is as magical as ever!

By day there is un sacco (a whole lot) of things to see and do. I started my day in Firenze with a lunchtime stroll through the Mercato di Natale. The market sits in front of the church of Santa Croce and brings a blend of Italian and German holiday celebrations to the city. After a year’s absence, the 2021 market marked a return to tradition. Plus I enjoyed a German flavored lunch from one of the many stalls.

Many hours can be spent along the streets of Firenze peeking into shops filled with Christmas goods, seeing the elaborately decorated shop windows, and enjoying all the greenery that frames the doorways of shops, cafes, and hotels. (Some of my favorites below)

There are many other things to see during the day - the stunning terra cotta nativity in front of the Duomo, the nearby Christmas tree made even more beautiful by the back drop of the marble clad cathedral, happy kids riding the carousel in Piazza della Repubblica. In Firenze, Christmas is everywhere.

Life size terracotta figures make a simple but beautiful nativity scene outside of the Duomo. Note that there is no infant Jesus yet - he arrives Christmas Eve.

For a time out, I recommend a stop at Caffè Gilli for a pot of tea and a little dolce (sweet). Gilli has an old world elegance and provides the perfect setting to sit, catch your breath, and appreciate the Italian Christmas spirit. An added bonus is that the cafe offers a view of the carousel in Piazza della Repubblica and also has one of the best windows in town, full of whimsical Christmas chocolate creations.

As wonderful as the city is by day, it is at night that the magic really happens.

Once the sun goes down the streets sparkle with lights. A walk down Via dei Servi, from Piazza SS Annunziata toward the glowing lantern atop the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo), is a breathtaking sight.

Another not-to-be missed sight is a nighttime view of the ever-changing display on the facade of the Rinascente department store in Piazza della Repubblica.

For intense sparkle, head to the area around the intersection of Via Tornabuoni and Via degli Strozzi and prepare to be amazed.

The lights here are intertwined with gold and silver ornaments. They dazzle and seem to fill the sky. It is impossible to stand here and not smile.

I was in Firenze the night of the tree lighting, which meant there were some special celebrations. Drummers and flag bearers in medieval costume and a brass band attended the ceremony. Afterwards, a train load of Santas arrived and then wandered through town throughout the evening, delighting adults and children alike.

I love Firenze any time of year. But at Christmas, and especially this year, it made the perfect holiday excursion. Grazie Firenze!

Lucca Biennale Cartasia: Artistic Expression in Paper

Lucca has a long history of paper production, producing household paper goods and cardboard for much of Europe. That history makes Lucca the natural host city for Cartasia, a biennial celebration of art and design in paper. The event premiered in 2004 and has been held every two years since, with a one-year delay in 2020 due to the pandemic.  

 The art of Cartasia ranges from ethereal to whimsical, from statements of social commentary to massive creations with subtle meaning. The exhibit includes visual art, fashion, architecture – all created entirely from various forms of paper.  The last two programs have included a focus on an individual country, this year Japan was selected and an entire room of the indoor exhibit is devoted to Japanese paper art.

“First of All Movement”. Factoria Papel , Claudio Acuña. Displayed in Piazza San Francesco

 After a 2020 marked by so many cancelled events, it’s a joy to have Cartasia return for its 10th edition.  This year’s theme, Paura e Desiderio (Fear and Desire), explores the competing human experiences of fear and desire as interpreted by the various artists.  Also included this year is a retrospective of the first 10 editions of the festival.

“In Between” Paper Atelier (Turker Akman and Deniz Yilmaz Akman). Displayed in Piazza Cittadella

 Although the delicate nature of art made with paper requires a definite “hands-off” viewing experience, the art is not hidden away and hard to access.  In fact, the largest and sturdiest cardboard pieces are displayed outdoors throughout Lucca.  They are built during a month-long stay in Lucca by the artists and then moved to the beautiful piazzas and courtyards of the city to be enjoyed by all. 

“Crossing Borders” Sebastian Blomqvist. Displayed in Piazza Santa Maria

 It’s hard to choose a favorite among the large outdoor pieces, but there is something especially enticing about the work called Hybris, placed high above the street under the Porta dei Borghi at the north end of Via Fillungo.  I can’t pass by without stopping to marvel at its graceful sense of movement.

And who could pass by the expressive face of the dog in “Risky Rewards” by Emma Hardy (below) found under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. Delightful!

Next week I’ll write more about Cartasia, with a look at the indoor exhibits. These include the special section of Japanese paper art and some amazing and creative paper fashions.  

Frittelle for San Giuseppe

Italians must be the world champions of celebrations. There seems to be a festa (party) or a celebration for just about every occasion - saint’s days, onomastic (name) days, major religious holidays, national holidays, birthdays, sagras to celebrate regional foods. When you live in Italy, you festiggiare (celebrate) all of life’s special events. It is one of the things I love about living here. As an added bonus, many of these events include special foods. And although the pandemic has for the last year limited gathering for most of these events, small celebrations and culinary specialities continue to mark the occasions.

March is generally a quiet month in terms of celebrations. Epiphany is long over, the Carnevale season has ended (and this year it was cancelled almost entirely), Easter is not yet here. Food wise, the Carnevale sweets are gone and Easter cakes and chocolates are just beginning to show up in shop windows.

But all is not lost! In mid-March there is the Feast Day of San Giuseppe. It is the official onomastic day for the name Giuseppe and so a special day for anyone who carries that moniker. Because of San Giuseppe’s religious role as a father, the Feast of San Giuseppe has also become the Italian Father’s day. And … falling on March 19th it is also on the cusp of the spring equinox. Certainly this day deserves a special culinary treat!

A frittella makes a perfect sugary treat

To mark the day, pastry shops across Lucca are filled with Frittelle di San Giuseppe. Frittelle are delicious! A sweet batter, often flavored with a bit of lemon peel, is dropped by spoonfuls into hot oil (fritta = fried), filled, and then rolled in sugar. The traditional filling in Lucca is riso (a second cousin to rice pudding but more firm). Other varieties include chocolate, Nutella, and (my personal favorite) a delicious pastry cream. Some are vuoto (empty) with no filling to distract from the sugary treat.

Frittelle are crisp and sugary outside, light and often cream filled inside. Yum!

It was hard work having to taste test frittelle before writing about them, but I made the sacrifice. Crisp on the outside with a slight crunch from the sugar crystals, airy dough on the inside, and a delicious eggy custard filling. Scrumptious. In fact, I just may need another one to go with my coffee this afternoon. I think I’ll invite a friend to share !

A Winter Without Carnevale

It should be starting this week - the annual late winter celebration of Carnevale. Unfortunately, the on-going COVID crisis has forced cancellation or delay of the festivities, including the two best known events here in Italy - Venice (cancelled) and Viareggio (postponed until fall).

Venice 2020

In the past few years, I’ve experienced both the craziness and political / social mischief of the Viareggio celebration (photos below) and the drama and elegance of the festivities in Venice.

Last year I enjoyed Venice during the opening weekend of Carnevale, just before the first wave of virus arrived in Italy and shut it all down. What an air of excitement! Such a spectacular weekend - from the opening night time water parade with its aerial performers and light shows (below), to the next morning’s parade of boats on the Grand Canal, to all the costumed and masked people in the Piazza San Marco. And - though it seems strange this year - we didn’t worry at all about crowd size and we still found the idea of masks charming (those masks being a huge step up from this year’s standard Covid ones). Carnevale is Venice’s big annual event and this year, without the spectacles, the glamour, the balls and visitors, will have a huge impact - economic, cultural, and psychological.

Last February, I think we all expected that by 2021 things would have returned to normal and we would once again be celebrating Carnevale in the usual way. But - here we are a year later, approaching the season of Lent without Carnevale celebrations to usher it in.

This week I found many of the traditional Carnevale sweets in the pastry shop windows, but that seemed sad knowing that all the events were canceled. Still - I felt it my civic duty to purchase some (any excuse for a sweet, right?)

As I returned home with my Carnevale mask cookies on a cold, rainy, late January day, I soon found myself looking at photos of past Carnevale events. The photos reminded me of the exuberance of Carnevale and all of a sudden the day didn’t seem so dreary. I hope these photos might brighten your winter day too.

And let’s all hope that, by next year, Carnevale will return. I imagine the floats and costumes will seem even more grand after a year’s absence.

The Luminaria of Santa Croce - 2020 Style

 In Lucca, September is traditionally a month of festivals including street fairs, music performances, and – most importantly – the Festival of Santa Croce. The Santa Croce festival venerates the Volto Santo (Holy Face), an ancient wooden crucifix which is the most important religious relic in Lucca. The famous crucifix is housed in a small chapel within the larger Cathedral of San Martino.  For most of the year it is viewed through the openings in the small chapel walls, beautiful in its simplicity.

The Volto Santo dressed in gold vestments for the Feast of Santa Croce on September 13th.

 But for the September festival the crucifix is anything but simple. Instead, it is adorned with gold vestments – from crown to shoes – and the small chapel is opened for up-close encounters with what is, depending on your personal beliefs, a holy religious artifact or an important cultural and historical object. (For a more detailed description of the legend of the Volto Santo see “The Legend of the Volto Santo” post from September of 2017). Unfortunately this year, while the gold vestments are in place, entrance to the cathedral is limited which means that most of us will have to make do with memories and photos from past years.

The beauty of a candle-lit piazza during the 2016 procession

The highlight of the festival is the September 13th luminaria procession through the historic center of Lucca.  It begins in front of the Basilica of San Frediano and slowly makes its way across town, illuminated by the sea of candles which line the buildings along the narrow streets, and ends with a special ceremony upon its arrival at the Cathedral of San Martino.  

Imagine thousands of these luminaria lighting the streets of Lucca. Magic!

The luminaria procession is an important event - calling home from around the world those with Lucchese roots - and has only rarely been cancelled. The last two cancellations were due to a terrible storm in 1976 and before that a disruption towards the end of World War II.  This year the cancellation of the procession is due to concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19 through the crowds of on-lookers that typically line the streets and the many participants in the procession. The candles were lit, but there was no procession this year.

The beginning of the 2017 procession, on the steps of the Basilica of San Frediano.

 Although we could not witness the luminaria procession, and could only watch today’s religious services via Italian TV rather than from inside the Cathedral of San Martino, a look back at previous processions can remind us of the beauty of the event. With luck, we will be able to experience the joy of the luminaria once again next year. Let’s make a date for September 13, 2021 in Lucca.

A banner with the representation of the Volto Santo begins the procession each year (the actual crucifix is too large, and too valuable, to be part of the procession).