This article offers some ideas for visiting Lucca and getting to know the musician not only as a composer but also as a man and a style icon.
Manifesto Exhibition
Yes, Giacomo was an elegant man, an ambassador for the legendary Borsalino hat company and other stylish items like the Parker pen, with which he is said to have written many of his works.
His Lucca, in 2024, set up the Manifesto exhibition at the ex-Cavallerizza.
Teatro del Giglio e Cattedrale di San Martino
After visiting the museum, a must-see stop is Teatro del Giglio, with its restored façade and the addition of the Maestro’s name in celebration of Puccini events.
From the theater, I would recommend heading to San Martino’s Cathedral, where generations of the Puccini family, including Giacomo, played as organists.
Birthplace (house museum)
Exploring the Puccini places, one cannot miss Piazza Cittadella, home to the statue of the Maestro sculpted by Vito Tongiani. Just a few steps from the square, you can his birthplace, located on the second floor.
Here, you can see the composer’s piano, furniture, photographs, and numerous letters and postcards, as Giacomo was a great fan of letter-writing, sending messages from all the cities he visited.
The museum also houses a magnificent Turandot costume.
Torre del Lago
However, Puccini’s places are not limited to Lucca.
You can travel from the city to Torre del Lago, where the Maestro lived for a long time, considering this village his little piece of paradise.
Puccini was a passionate hunter and loved the lake, often navigating it by motorboat. Motorboats, cars, and cameras—modern technology fascinated the Maestro.
His Viareggio
The last stop, to conclude this journey in the Maestro’s footsteps, is Viareggio, with its Passeggiata and Caffè Margherita, a favourite meeting place for the Maestro and a circle of artist friends.
Giacomo founded Club la Bohème, a group of artists who cherished the joys of life, and good company.
Since you are in Viareggio, I would also recommend taking a look at the beautiful villa, currently under restoration. Even if you can only see it from the outside, it offers insight into another of Giacomo’s passions—houses.
The Maestro used to say he suffered from “mal del calcinaccio”—a love and obsession for building beautiful homes where he could compose and draw inspiration for his art.
This concludes our tour of the Puccini places.
I hope this article has inspired you to plan a weekend discovering Giacomo Puccini—not just as an internationally renowned composer, but also as an elegant and witty man.
Ilaria Lera
+39 347 7599292