Puccini Opera Festival Short Break

This short break to the Tuscan seaside town of Viareggio includes tickets to the world-famous Puccini Opera Festival in nearby Torre del Lago. Giacomo Puccini is one of Italy’s greatest opera composers, and each summer his former hometown hosts a festival with his works performed at the Teatro All’Aperto Puccini. Staying in Viareggio will put you within easy reach of the festival and allows you to explore a bit of Tuscany, too.

At a glance

Viareggio - 3 nights

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Trip Itinerary

: Day 1

After flying into Pisa, we will transfer you to your chosen hotel. We recommend staying in the town of Viareggio, a short distance from the Puccini Opera festival. Unpack your bags and explore this seaside town.

Points of interest:

Walk Along the Promenade

: Day 2

Ahead of tonight’s performance, pay a visit to the Puccini Museum in Lucca. Located just off the Via di Poggio Seconda, and houses all sorts of memorabilia, from original costumes to Puccini’s draft musical scores. From here you’re within easy reach of Lucca’s most famous sights, including the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro (an oval-shaped piazza built on the ruins of an ancient amphitheatre) and the Torre Guinigi, a medieval tower with a tiny garden on its rooftop terrace.

This evening, it’s time for a night at the opera. For 2019’s Puccini Opera Festival, you can choose between five fantastic operas – classics La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot.

La Fanciulla del West: 12th & 26th July

Turandot: 13th & 19th July, 17th August

La Bohème: 20th July, 3rd & 10th August

Tosca: 11th, 18th & 24th August

Madama Butterfly: 27th July, 12th & 23rd August

Aida: 2nd August

Manon Lescaut: 4th August

Le Villi: 16th August

The drive to Torre del Lago takes around 10 minutes; performances start at 9.15pm. The open-air theatre seats 3,400 people and looks over Lake Massaciuccoli, adding to the incredible atmosphere of the performances (you’ll instantly see why Puccini fell so in love with this area).

People do tend to dress up, but remember to bring something to keep you warm as it can get chilly later in the evening. As it’s an outdoor venue, be aware that the acoustics will not be as good as in an opera house, so we’d suggest paying a little more for a seat closer to the stage.

Points of interest:

Visit Lucca

: Day 3

Make the most of the public transport and explore the surrounding areas of Tuscany. There are dozens of beautiful towns and villages to discover, you are also an hour and a half away from Florence by train. You’re also only 20 minutes from Pisa if you fancy seeing the famous Leaning Tower. If you don’t fancy heading out and about you could always spend the day relaxing on the sandy beach.

Points of interest:

Leaning Tower of Pisa

After a whirlwind few days, it’s time to transfer back to Pisa Airport for your flight home.

Practical Information

Flight Information

The majority of international flights arrive into Pisa airport (PSA). Direct flights to Pisa are available from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, Manchester and Newcastle and take approximately 2 hours.

Visa Information

At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.

Tipping

You don’t have to leave a tip in Italy – most Italians don’t tip for restaurant meals, bar drinks, taxi rides or hair and beauty treatments. However if you do leave a tip, you might receive quicker service.