Puccini Festival & Tuscan Wine

PreviousNext Image 1 of 3

Puccini Festival & Tuscan Wine

Puccini

Puccini Festival & Tuscan Wine

Puccini Festival & Tuscan Wine

26 - 29 July 2007, 11 - 14 July 2008, 24 - 27 July 2008

Arblaster and Clarke are very pleased to offer this Opera and Wine tour based in Lucca, Tuscany, featuring the Puccini festival at Torre del Lago.

Most years since 1930, a stage has been set up by the Massaciuccoli Lake to host a handful of performances of Puccini’s Operas and this year some of his greatest works are being staged.

The Tour

We stay in an excellent, traditional 4* hotel in Lucca, which is only a short drive from our evening Opera venue. The tour includes one first class ticket to La Boheme, with the option to attend Tosca on the last evening. Our wine visits will show the best now coming from the Lucchesi Hills, with tastings and lunches at several estates in the region. Our first lunchtime will be at the superb estate of Tenuta di Capezzana, in Carmignano in the hills towards Florence. We are also visiting some of the other leading names in this relatively unknown wine section of Tuscany, such as Montechiari and Valgiano. If you would like to extend at the end of the tour for a few days, perhaps in the glorious renaissance city of Florence, please call the office to discuss.

Lucca

Puccini’s birthplace, was an independent city-state until the nineteenth century. The complete 16th century walls enclose a labyrinth of medieval streets, Romanesque churches and stately palazzi along with designer shops, mouth-watering delis and great trattorias and wine bars.

Sites include the C12th and C14th San Michele in Foro church on the site of the Roman Forum, with its magnificent towering facade; the Cathedral with a striking green and white marble facade and the Piazza del Anfiteatro, a ramshackle oval of medieval buildings incorporating elements of the Roman Amphitheatre that stood here.

The Puccini Festival

Just 18 kms away is Torre del Lago, where Puccini lived and wrote many of his Operas. Most years since 1930 a stage has been set up over the Massaciuccoli Lake to host a handful of performances of some of Puccini’s most loved works.

2007 will be the 53rd Festival and we have included one first class ticket to La Boheme, with the option to attend Tosca on the last evening if you wish for an additional cost.

The Hotel

Our hotel, a family run four star, is between the outer and inner city walls of Lucca. You can either stroll the short level walk into the centre or get around, like the locals do, by bicycle as these are on loan from the hotel.

Includes

Scheduled flight Gatwick / Florence. 3 nights 4* hotel; breakfasts, 4 meals with wines; visits & tastings; Coach transfers throughout. Wine Guide & Tour Manager. (The tour is available without the flights from the UK too).

The Opera tickets

First tier tickets to La Boheme are included.
Options to purchase ticket and transfer to Torre del Lago for Tosca at £90 per person first tier or £70 per person second tier.