Lucca – Giovanni Boldini: The Seduction of Painting – from December 2, 2025 to June 2, 2026

La Cavallerizza, Piazzale Verdi, Lucca

An exhibition of over 100 works tracing the evolution of Giovanni Boldini's painting through the lens of feminine beauty—the focus of his continuous aesthetic exploration and deep psychological investigation. Boldini crafted an idealized model of grace and elegance.

An undisputed master of elegance and portraiture between the 19th and 20th centuries, Boldini placed the female image at the heart of his artistic world. With vibrant brushstrokes and a refined play of light and movement, he captured not only the outer grace of his models—their fashion, their social allure, the very spirit of their era—but also their inner psychological depth, giving life to a timeless ideal of femininity and charm.

He portrayed the vital spirit, the grace of gestures, and the intensity of their gazes, transforming his subjects into icons of sensuality and modernity.

Curated by Tiziano Panconi, the exhibition will be open from December 2, 2025, to June 2, 2026, at La Cavallerizza, Piazzale Verdi, Lucca.

Free Guided Tours, Special Openings, Special Initiatives.

Discover a historic building in the heart of the city

Every first Saturday of the month, Palazzo de’ Rossi opens its doors to visitors interested in exploring the rooms of this 18th-century residence of an ancient Pistoian family.

The palace houses a collection of masterpieces created during the 18th and 19th centuries and is now the headquarters of the Fondazione Caript.

Discover spaces usually closed to the public by joining the scheduled free guided tours.

📍 Where: Palazzo de’ Rossi, Via de’ Rossi, 26

Saturday Night Spa

Saturday, April 12 and 26

from 7:00 PM to midnight

For an evening of pure relaxation, pamper yourself with a soothing bath under the stars in the thermal pool with rejuvenating whirlpools and

reinvigorate yourself with a steam bath in Europe's largest thermal cave at 34°C.

Includes:

Steam bath in natural thermal cave at 34°C (20 minutes)

Bathing under the stars in the 750 sqm thermal pool at 34°C with underwater whirlpools

Bathing in the Bioaquam thermal path at 34°C with rejuvenating whirlpools

Access to the Thermarium area

Access to the "Bioaquam Pavilion" the new covered and heated relaxation area of 310 m2

Lounge music

€35.00 by reservation

Bioaquam Café poolside open with à la carte menu

(payment upon consumption)

For more information, call 

+39 0572/9077992 or email terme@grottagiustispa.com

The Explosion of the Cart is Florence’s most famous traditional religious festivity held since 150 years. The ceremony begins at 10 am when the Cart known as “il Brindellone”, loaded with fireworks, is carried in a procession that winds its way through the city streets with the flagthrowers and arrives in front af Santa Maria del Fiore.

Here, at 11am, the colombina, a rocket in the shape of a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, will fly out of the cathedral and then ignite the upper part of the Brindellone, creating an extraordinary fireworks show. The various ways in which the cart catches light are reputed to bode well, or ill, for the year’s harvest. 

The Sacred Belt of the Prato Cathedral is a thin strip of green fabric with gold brocades and a green tassel and band at the ends. As told in an ancient oriental apocryphal text after the Blessed Virgin's death St. Thomas was carried by angels to the mount of Olives; there he contemplated the Virgin while she was taken up into the Heaven, and received the gift of the belt in proof of the event. According to Prato medieval tradition the sacred belt was then entrusted to a priest and preserved by his descendants. After the first crusade, a Prato pilgrim of modest origins called Michele, fell in love with Maria, the daughter of an oriental priest and married her in secret, against her father's wish and received as dowry the "Sacred Belt" in a small basket made of rushes. After returning to Prato around 1141, Michele spoke to no one about the holy relic and only on his death bed (1172), he donated it to the provost of the nearby church of St. Stephen. The sacred Belt furthermore was considered the most valuable treasure of the entire city, so much so that its public display was established by the bylaws of Commune which still today has in custody a set of the keys required to take it out of the altar. Up to the end of 13th century the holy relic was kept close to the high altar but in 1346 it moved to the left of the main entrance of the ancient church and later Cathedral where in 1386-90  was built, on a project by Lorenzo di Filippo, the chapel that stores the holy relic. The chapel is decorated with frescoes of Stories of the Virgin and of the belt (1392-95), a series of amazing figurative unity painted by Agnolo Gaddi with a faultless technique and luminous colors. On the corner of the façade is the amazing pulpit by Donatello and Michelozzo which was finished in 1438 and created for the display of the Sacred Belt in order to show it to the congregation gathered in the Cathedral square. 

The Easter Monday Craft Market is an annual event held in Greve in Chianti, offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Tuscan artisanal tradition.

The market is dedicated to artisans and hobbyists who showcase and sell their own handmade creations.

Piazza Vassallo will transform into a lively exhibition space, where visitors can discover and purchase unique items crafted with local artisanal skill. From handwoven textiles to artistic ceramics, as well as jewelry, sculptures, and traditional food and wine products, the market is a must-visit event for anyone wishing to take home an authentic piece of Tuscan heritage.

The famous Antiques Fair of Arezzo is one of the most important and largest antique fairs in Italy, held every first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday.

Pictures and paintings, small jewels, ancient and modern furniture, carpets, clocks, silverware, toys, books and vintage prints, collection stamps, musical instruments, gramophones and radios: it is easy to be charmed and indulge in discovering one of the biggest and oldest Italian Antiques Fairs. 

In 1968 a famous antiquarian and collector of Arezzo, Ivan Bruschi, gave birth to this fair which still today fills with its curious bric-a-brac the old town centre, its streets, yards, Vasari Loggia and wonderful Piazza Grande, every first weekend of the month.

For two days the town changes into a multicolor scenery of treasures waiting to be discovered by tourists and collectors: over five hundreds exhibitors from all over Italy meet here with their furniture and objects of all periods and styles, while antiquarians and restorers have multiplied their business, opening their shops during the fair and showing their best items. Experts of antiques and

modern antique collecting find here plenty of particular specializations, such as, for instance, scientific tools, Art-Nouveau stained glass windows, Art Deco furnishing.

First Sunday of the month: museums free entrance

It is a very important event involving all the State Museums with specials and free tickets access. Therefore, if you plan to visit Florence, Pisa, Lucca or any other Tuscan town our countless masterpieces without spending one Euro!

For instance in Florence you can visit: the Uffizi Gallery, Academy Museum, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, Bargello Museum, Medici Chapels, and many other attractions. All of them free of charge!

List of  State Museums in Tuscany HERE. 

Until April 6th, the exhibition "MARINO MARINI: PAINTING" is on view at the Museo del Novecento e del Contemporaneo in Palazzo Fabroni, Pistoia.

Visitors are presented with a colorful selection of paintings by one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Marino Marini (1901–1980). The works span from the mid-1920s to the mid-1970s.

The exhibition allows guests to fully appreciate the richness and variety of Marini’s pictorial research, also thanks to selected comparisons with sculptures and drawings.

The displayed works highlight the expressive power of Marini’s use of color and the versatility of his line: at times finely outlining Pomonas, jugglers, or graceful ballerinas, at others powerfully capturing the dynamic energy of horses and riders — all the way to the radical expression of the "cry".

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Saturday, Sunday, holidays, January 2 and 5: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed on Mondays.

Villa La Quiete reopens its historic garden to the public, inaugurating a new season of visits in a place that preserves memory, beauty, and history.

Among 18th-century geometries, pathways, views, and evocative presences, a space deeply connected to women’s history is once again accessible: that of grand duchesses, Medici princesses, and the young women who lived and studied here.

Villa La Quiete is a magnificent place that returns to being a space for meeting, culture, and discovery.

Please note that the historic garden of Villa La Quiete is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays until July 12, from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with free admission and no reservation required (except on Easter and April 25).

Padule di Fucecchio: Le Morette Nature Trail

Guided Excursion (Open Week)

This guided tour explores the Nature Reserve, particularly the area of Le Morette, accessible via a scenic trail starting from Castelmartini.

A pleasant and completely flat walk, suitable for everyone, offers the chance to admire beautiful landscapes, passing for a long stretch through the Bosco di Chiusi with its centuries-old oaks, all the way to the ancient Porto delle Morette.

The route continues along the Terzo embankment, deep into the heart of the wetland, and reaches the Casotto del Biagiotti, a traditional hut that has long served as a wildlife observation point within the protected area. It offers an excellent view over the wetlands of the Nature Reserve.

At this time of year, the Reserve is home to various species of herons, ibises, and spoonbills nesting in nearby colonies. Along the banks, you can spot Black-winged Stilts, while on the water, Great Crested Grebes perform their spectacular courtship dances.

All these waterbirds benefit from the habitat restored over the years through targeted conservation and maintenance interventions within the Reserve.

Participation is free but limited; booking is required by email at: oasidiarnovecchio@gmail.com

Please include a contact name, number of participants, and a phone number.

Difficulty: none; flat trail, approx. 6 km round trip

Recommended gear: hiking shoes, long trousers, binoculars

Participation fee: free of charge, offered by the Municipality of Larciano

From 9am to 12 am.

From March 7 to July 26, 2026, Palazzo Buontalenti in Pistoia hosts a major exhibition dedicated to Ettore Sottsass, a key figure in 20th-century Italian design.

The exhibition brings together over 1,400 works, including drawings, objects, photographs, and documents, tracing thirty years of research from the post-war period to the 1970s.

The exhibition follows a chronological path: from early artistic experiments, to ceramics created with Bitossi, through to innovative design for Poltronova and the collaboration with Olivetti. Significant space is also dedicated to the turning point of the 1960s, when Sottsass’s work became more symbolic and radical, anticipating the Memphis movement.

📅 Visitor Information

Dates: March 7 – July 26, 2026

Opening hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 – 19:00

Special openings: Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, April 7 and 25, May 1, June 1 and 2

📍 Venue: Palazzo Buontalenti, via de’ Rossi 7, Pistoia

Sales exhibition of gardening, local products and outdoor living 

An exhibition of traditional plants and flowers but also little-known, unusual, rare and curious seeds and bulbs, products of traditional crafts, gardening and country clothing, unprocessed fruits and vegetables, typical food of smaller places of our country and garden furniture. 

The event takes place on the city walls of Lucca – Baluardi San Regolo – la Libertà – Botanical Garden of Lucca

Exhibition times

Friday April 10 from 10.00am to 7.30pm

Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April from 9 am to 7.30pm

Dogs can enter on a leash

Tickets

Full daily ticket €. 10.00

Reduced daily ticket € 8.00 over 65, minors between 8 and 14 years, disabled carers

www.verdemura.com

In the heart of the Pistoia Apennines, “Intrecci di memoria” (Weaving Memories) is a series of traditional craft workshops promoted by the Associazione Museo della Gente dell'Appennino Pistoiese together with the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese.

In the past, knowing how to re-seat a chair, weave a basket, or make a cavagno was part of everyday life. 

Today these skills risk being lost. The museum therefore becomes a living space for learning, connection, and exchange between generations.

Workshops

Chair caning – with Vincenza Lo Monaco

📅 February 21 & 28, 2026

The cavagno basket – with Vasco Sisi

📅 March 14 & 21, 2026

Willow basket weaving – with Enzo Ceccarelli

📅 April 11 & 18, 2026

📍 Museo della Gente, Rivoreta

🕒 Saturdays, 3:00–6:00 pm

💶 €10 per workshop

📜 Certificate of participation

An opportunity to rediscover the value of working with your hands and to reconnect with time, materials, and tradition.

📞 +39 800 974102

📧 ecomuseopt@gmail.com

In Pistoia, the second Saturday and Sunday of the month an antique fair is held which attracts  many dealers from all over Tuscany. Here you can find very valuable antiques: furniture, majolica, porcelain, jewelery, clocks, coins, old lacework, crystal goblets and profane and religious period paintings.

On the stalls you can find clothing, utensils and ethnic products, as well as magazines, comics, used garments and other items from the past. 

The market takes place in the so called Cattedrale - not to confuse with the real Cathedral - (Via Pertini) - eccept July and August.

There are about 100 exhibitors who animate the historic city center with various kinds of antiques every second Saturday and Sunday of the month except July and August.

You will find ceramics, glassware and cutlery for a romantic table setting and a very good range of embroidered linen (perhaps an untouched trousseau from a failed marriage). Also sepia paintings, watercolours, vintage  postcards (full of insight into how we lived in the past and complete with shaky handwriting), out-of-print books for the attentive book collector, silver and gold coins from every corner of the globe and much, much more.

Where: Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri, Piazza Garibaldi

GUIDED TOUR

Friday, April 17 (6:30 PM - 9:30 PM)

An evocative sunset (and beyond) excursion is scheduled, ideal for families with children, offering the chance to discover unique and unusual aspects of the wetland.

The first part is dedicated to birdwatching: with personal binoculars brought along for the walk and the guide’s expertise, you will be able to observe and learn to recognize herons, ducks, marsh harriers, and many other species that inhabit the marsh environment.

The excursion continues after sunset, when the fading light is replaced by a symphony of sounds from the many creatures of the wetland: from the songs of small reed-dwelling birds like the Great Reed Warbler and Reed Warbler, which become more intense at dusk, to the crepuscular call of the Little Bittern—resembling a hoarse bark—and the harsh croaks of the Black-crowned Night Herons, which nest in large colonies known as "heronries."

Once it is dark, the walk retraces its steps through the Chiusi Woods, where you can hear and learn to identify the calls of various nocturnal birds of prey such as the Little Owl, Tawny Owl, and the Long-eared Owl—despite the name, a rather rare species.

Participation is free but limited in number, with mandatory booking via email at info@naturaintoscana.it

Please include a contact name, the number of participants, and a phone number.

Difficulty: none – flat trail, approx. 3 km round trip

Gear: hiking boots and long pants, binoculars and a small flashlight (a sandwich is also recommended)

Participation fee: free event, offered by the Municipality of Larciano as part of Open Week 2026

The excursion will take place even in uncertain weather or light rain. In case of cancellation, all participants will be notified by phone.

All excursions are led by a qualified Environmental Hiking Guide.

Born in Borgo a Mozzano to promote and incentivize the cultivation of the azalea, typical of the area, the exhibition has now become a much-anticipated event for both producers and hobbyists dedicated to cultivating this plant.

In addition to the numerous exhibition stands, there are also collateral initiatives related to gardening and local craftsmanship.

The Azalea Market and Exhibition held in the municipality of Borgo a Mozzano owes its inception to the Agricultural Study Center of Shell Italia, which in 1954 decided to consider the aspects and possibilities of small peasant properties in a economically depressed municipality, choosing Borgo a Mozzano as the location for the experiment. The technicians who settled in the village noticed that numerous azalea plants were being cultivated in the courtyards of the houses, developing and reproducing with the utmost spontaneity and ease, thus discovering that the entire area constituted an ideal habitat for this type of plant, and decided to promote its commercialization. In 1970, the 1st Azalea Exhibition was organized, involving all those who owned one or more plants, and it was attended by numerous nurserymen and floriculturists from Pescia, Pistoia, Montecatini, Pontedera, and Pietrasanta, invited for the occasion.

After this initial small success, the Agricultural Study Center offered to help all those who declared themselves willing to undertake this particular floriculture, providing azalea cuttings and technical assistance to start cultivation and commercialization, thus leading many farmers to become true cultivators. Since then, this floricultural event has taken place every year in May, increasingly involving collateral sectors, leading to increasing success in terms of both public engagement and critical acclaim.

Second among the antique-dealers' market places of Tuscany for the number of its exhibitors and length of life, the Antique market of Lucca can boast of a solid tradition of quality and reliability thanks to professional antiquarians of high prestige who have always been an important presence in town. 

At the third weekend of each month (on Saturday and Sunday), from 8 am to 7 pm, Lucca opens its gates for a joyful event involving a large portion of the historical centre: from Piazza S. Martino, Piazza Antelminelli and Via Del Battistero - the historical antique dealers' street- ‚ to Piazza San Giusto, and Piazza S. Giovanni up to Piazza Bernardini. It is a gorgeous display of colorful stalls offering not only past vestiges of remarkable artistic value, but also traces of souvenirs impressed on a post-card, on a book, on a knick-knack or on an ornament. 

Furniture, clothes, fabrics, paintings, rare components of old instruments, lamps and chandeliers, old working tools, records..... a wide pattern of old or antique objects‚ patiently gathered and collected after explorations which

are getting more and more difficult. All these things speak to both the tourist and the lover, of a world, which has gone, but not willing to be forgotten yet.

Two unforgettable days around the most charming

streets of the town. It is Art facing Art, History meeting History. A really unique occasion to know Lucca better and taste the pleasure of peeping through the stalls in search of something beautiful to take home and - why not?- probably also making a good bargain! 

S. Zita is one of the patron saints of Lucca. The Market is an important flower show which takes place in Piazza Anfiteatro from April 23 to 27 from 9 am to 8 pm. 
The event is particularly striking for the colors of spring flowers on display and for the place where it is located: the ancient roman amphitheater encompassed by buildings of the typical medieval town of Lucca, and in Piazza S. Frediano.

The Festival is devoted to classical music and opera fans, its main purpose is to highlight the town’s musical  tradition, especially the great operas. 

This  season’s program, from April to October, presents 19 events, set in the most attractive thermal building of  Montecatini Terme, the Terme Tettuccio, which welcomes everybody as in a warm hug and where you can still hear the musical echo of the great composers  who have made Italian classic music famous all over the world.

Free admission to all the State Museums on Italy's Liberation Day.

List of State Museum of Tuscany HERE. 

Next to the panorama that can be admired from Piazzale Michelangelo, a stone's throw from David, the symbol of Florence appears. In fact, more than 1500 varieties of the flower are grown in the Iris garden, which since 1251 has been a symbol of the city. The varieties of Iris, coming from all over the world, are cared for by the Italian Iris Society, owner of the garden and organizer every year of the competition that for over half a century has awarded the most beautiful and particular specimens and the most new and original varieties.

The garden can be visited from April 25 to May 20, the month in which the lily or iris bloom. This year it will open its gates every day from 10am to 6 pm, last admission at 5.30pm.

Also this year at the International Handicrafts Trade Fair, the best of the arts and crafts from the various Italian regions as well from all over the world will be on show. 

Carefully selected traditional and innovating works will be on show, between originality and design, following an itinerary privileging productive traditions as well as the main territory attractions – local crafts, tourism, food & wine, landscape identities, and so on.

Florence - The International Handicrafts Trade Fair

When: April 25 - May 3, 2026

Where: Fortezza da Basso, Florence

More information:

☞ https://mostrartigianato.it/

De Gusto – The Flavours of Montalbano

Serravalle Pistoiese (PT)

An event dedicated to the wines and typical products of the Montalbano area, which can be tasted in the charming medieval setting of the ancient village of Serravalle Pistoiese.

Free entry, tastings for a fee

www.visitserravalle.it

From April 25th to May 3, 2026, the historic plant and flower show organized by the Tuscan Horticultural Society will take place at the Horticultural Garden of Florence. The event will run continuously from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm and admission is free.

Throughout the duration of the show, you will find a wide variety of plants and flowers from over 75 specialist exhibitors in the Italian floriculture sector.

There will also be a rich cultural program featuring numerous free activities for both adults and children, including educational workshops, botanical illustration sessions, talks, book presentations, artistic performances, and guided monument and botanical walks. Additionally, there will be free specialized courses on orchids, acid-loving plants, air plants, roses, succulents, and many more, conducted by our expert instructors from the Tuscan Horticultural Society (these specialized courses are reserved for 2024 members of the Tuscan Horticultural Society APS). Membership registration is available at the stand located at the entrance of the garden on Via Vittorio Emanuele II.

Admission to the garden and the show is free and open to all. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and the fascinating world of horticulture!

"Lucca Classica"  is a festival of classical music and opera, featuring numerous performances by internationally renowned artists in various locations throughout the city of Lucca, such as the Church of Santi Giovanni and Reparata, the Teatro del Giglio, and the Basilica of San Frediano. The program also includes lectures, meetings, exhibitions, shows for children, and many other cultural initiatives. The event attracts many classical music enthusiasts also from abroad.

Complete Program:

☞ https://www.luccaclassica.it

Arti e Mestieri is an arts and crafts market in the historic center of Lucca, with a big number of exhibitors that meet every last weekend of the month in Piazza San Giusto, Piazza Cittadella and Piazza XX Settembre with many traditional and original products from Tuscany.

At Arti e Mestieri there are ceramists, painters, sculptors, leather, glass and papier-mâché artisans, weavers, jewelers, cabinet makers, seamstresses and embroiderers, knitting and crochet experts. The artisans-artists offer their exclusive products in a colorful market: bijoux in silver, ceramic and crochet, natural products for body care, fountain pens worked on the lathe, bags, belts and leather bracelets, painted stones, scented lavender, splendid paintings and sculptures.

Champagne for Everyone

Thermal Establishment Tettuccio, Piazza Domenico Giusti, Montecatini Terme (PT)

Tasting of champagnes from independent French producers: enthusiasts and professionals in the field will have the chance to discover artisanal products by independent champagne vignerons that are not available on the Italian market. The event includes free masterclasses conducted by the Italian Sommelier Association, live music, and artistic performances.

Contribution: from €20

Time: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM