Lucca tour guide newsletter: Your spring 🌸 update from Paola
March newsletter from Lucca: students-storytellers, a "new" square" and the magnolia in bloom
Ciao,
I hope this letter finds you well!
Spring is making its first tender appearances in Lucca, and I'm excited to share some wonderful updates with you all.
A New Generation of Storytellers
February and March have brought me a rewarding experience: a collaboration with the local tourism high school. The students aged 15-16yo had to create an innovative escape room experience connecting three of Lucca's main churches: Saint Michael, Saint Martino and Saint Frediano. I can’t wait to see how they will connect them, and what’s storyline they will choose. I have promised I will test it during a tour!
We had some classes in school and outdoors so they could collect the material photos, and videos and gather information from my explanations. I hope that their young fresh minds will design challenges and engaging puzzles. It is so amazing how technology can help to blend education with entertainment. Their perspective reminded me why I fell in love with guiding in the first place.
Instead with students in their senior year, we have done another project about hospitality, cruise tourism, and incentives. Much more focused on a future job opportunity. I appreciated their tutor/teacher insights. These students will have a big tough exam in June. They have just discovered they will have English as the second written test, instead of Economy. They were quite scared! However, 100 days before the exam, on March 10th, I met them in Pisa to touch the lizard’s tail and to go around the baptistry 100 times for good luck!
Piazza Napoleone's transformation
In 2024, it was Piazza del Giglio's turn to become more beautiful. 2025 started with Piazza Napoleone renovation!
As you know the square is where the main events are held, so there were many cracks on the pavement. The new surface will be light gray and then the big change will be the removal of the iron brackets around the Maria Luisa di Borbone statue. They will be replaced with large marble benches. I have some doubts about it… but let’s see! Do you like it?
The works are expected to be completed by early April, so the artists for the Summer Festival will have a new place to perform. Have you checked the lineup?
Discovering Lucca's Spirit: The Story of 'Libertas'
The afternoons at the Agorà or San Micheletto libraries have been quite productive, so for the history buffs I've just published a new blog post to explain the meaning of the word 'Libertas' in the city's identity.
I am sure you have spotted this word on many historical buildings. It is a simple yet powerful word even for our present day. You can find the full article on my blog .
Spring's First Hello: Magnolias
When I go up on the walls for a giro di mura these days, I'm looking out at Corso Garibaldi, where the magnolia trees are putting on their annual show. Their pink and white blossoms are the first heralds of spring in Lucca. Stunning! But I still remember a young boy’s comment last year on tour: “This is the the largest road I have ever seen in Italy so far"!
So until we meet again in Lucca’s large and small streets,
yours,
Paola - your smiley Lucca tour guide.