March Weddings in Lucca: Something different to do

Pieve Di Compito This year is the 20th anniversary of the Antique Camellias Festival in Pieve di Compito and Sant Andrea di Compito, two small villages about a 15 minute drive from down town Lucca. If you happen to be marrying in Lucca this March and you and your guests have an extra day free, I would highly recommend a visit to this most unusual festival.

For three consecutive weekends from March 14-15 to March 28-29 you can take a shuttle bus from the Centro Culturale Compitese that will bring you to these not so easy to reach villages. There, you will receive a map of the suggested routes to follow that allow you to view the most and best camellias. The villages are closed down to traffic for the event, so you can bring small children without having to worry about traffic. Also, the fact that there are no cars, makes the festival quite pleasant, as there is a kind of precious silence that you don't get to appreciate much theses days.

I don't know much about the flower, but what I've gleaned from previous visits is that there are many different varieties and the actual plant can be several hundred years old if well looked after. The villages of Santa Andrea di Compito and Pieve di Compito, because of the relative shade they receive throughout the year and their fairly damp (for Tuscany) climate, apparently proved to be the perfect place to grow camellias, and as a result, we now find some of the oldest camellia plants in Italy here. They are truly impressive flowers, and even though I've been covered in rain on several of my visits, I never fail to walk away from the festival feeling strangely uplifted.

Red Camellia So, If you are having a wedding in Lucca this month and are looking for something unique to do with your guests, I'd highly recommend checking out this unique festival. In addition to the flower gazing, the municipality of Capannori has arranged for tea ceremony demonstrations of both the Japanese and Chinese tea ceremony, as well as tea tastings of various Japanese, Chinese and European teas. You can taste freshly pressed olive oil at the local mill, participate in a wine tasting, view local crafts and art at small stands that line the route, and enjoy menus featuring local cuisine and products at the village restaurants. A full list of events for the entire festival can be found on: www.camelielucchesia.it or www.comune.capannori.lu.it

As of today, I could find zero information in English about this year's calendar of events, (although I found plenty from previous years) so I've done my best to translate the highlights for you here:

Saturday 14 March
10 am to 6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, Japanese Tea Room sponsored by the Japan Tea Exporters Association
Sunday 15 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, Japanese Tea Room sponsored by the Japan Tea Exporters Association
11 am-6 pm	Old Olive Mill at Capo di Vico, the “Piazzetta del Gusto”, offers a host of local products, including the famous Lucchese Olive Oil, free to taste and enjoy.
3 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Puppet show based on local children's stories
4 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Quartet of Accordions playing a piece entitled, “Ance Libere”
Saturday, 21 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha) (also held on the 22, 28th and 29th, same time).
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Demonstration of Chinese calligraphy given by master Ip Wing-chigi
3:00 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Demonstration of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana sponsored by "Artikebana".
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it
Sunday, 22 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
10:30 am	Conference Room of Centro Culturale Compitiese, The long voyange of Tea. Presentation on the history of tea from its origins to the present day.
11:00 am	Centro Culturale Compitese, Demonstration of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana sponsored by "Artikebana".
11 am-4 pm	"In the Hamlet of the Camellias, a quest to discover local flavors": Tastings of local products brought to you by Slow Food Compitese and Gardens of Lucca. (Please Note, participation in this event requires the purchase of a voucher which is not included in the price of the entrance pass. Please inquire when purchasing your entrance ticket.)
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:30-3:30 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Creative workshop entitled "Regards from....." with support from the Associazione Culturale Manidoro
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:00 pm	The Fantomatik Orchestra, Playing throughout the hamlet
2:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Demonstration of Chinese calligraphy given by master Ip Wing-chigi
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
3:30 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Concert of a choir with instrumental accompaniment
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)
Saturday, 28 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:00 pm	Conference Room of the Centro Culturale Compitese, Conference: A thousand colors of tea-presentation on the manufacture of tea and its various types.
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)
Sunday, 29 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
10:30 am	Conference Room of Centro Culturale Compitiese, The long voyange of Tea. Presentation on the history of tea from its origins to the present day.
11 am-6 pm	Old Olive Mill at Capo di Vico, the “Piazzetta del Gusto”, offers a host of local products, including the famous Lucchese Olive Oil, free to taste and enjoy.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:00 pm	Alberto Benicchi Jazz Quartet- Concert (location T.B.A.)
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:30 pm	Conference Room of the Centro Culturale Compitese, Conference: A thousand colors of tea-presentation on the manufacture of tea and its various types.
3:00 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Children's Theatre Company puts on a play that includes three popular folk tales entitled, “Gosto e Mea,” “La gallina secca, and “Pochettino”.
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)

(Please Note, the program of events can be subject to last minute changes due to weather or organizational necessity).

There are a lot more events on offer, but these are the ones I thought might interest non-Italian speakers the most.

Getting there without a car

There are two free shuttles that depart from the Historic Center of Lucca at the Piazzale Verdi Bus Stop and go directly to the festival:
Morning Shuttle: 9:30 am departure from Piazzale Verdi with a 1 pm return departing from "Borgo delle Camelie".
Afternoon Shuttle: 2:30 pm departure from Piazzale Verdi with a 6 pm return departing from "Borgo delle Camelie".

If you don't have a car, but would like to visit the festival, you can arrange for a van or taxi to pick you up, drop you off at the shuttle and then fetch you at the end of the day by contacting Tau Touring( a local taxi and van rental company) www.tautouring.it/english.html Or call the owner's wife, Morena at : 328-58-17110 If you can't get your point across to her, just tell her that Gina "l'Americana di My Tuscan Wedding" sent you and she'll have an English speaker call you back and take down your information for you. If you are willing to meet the van at Piazzale Verdi, then the cost for round-trip transport should be €20.

Getting there with a car

Driving Directions to the ticket sales office and parking lot:

From the highway:
Take A11 (Firenze-Mare) exit at Capannori. Follow directions for Lucca and at the first round about exit for Pontedera and continue straight until you pass S. Leonardo in Treponzo. After this town, the Cultural Center will be on the left, in the town of Pieve di Compito. Park on the side of the road or in the large parking lot and enter the center to purchase your entry tickets and find a shuttle bus that will take you the rest of the way.

From Downtown Lucca:
Follow the SS12 bis in the direction of Pisa until you hit Pontetetto. From Pontetetto, enter on the left the "via di Sottomonte" heading in the direction of "Pontedera". Follow the via di Sottomonte until you reach, on the right the SS439 and exit onto this road following directions for Pontedera until you reach San Leonardo in Treponzo. After this town, the Cultural Center will be on the left, in the town of Pieve di Compito. Park on the side of the road or in the large parking lot and enter the center to purchase your entry tickets and find a shuttle bus that will take you the rest of the way.

There are two places where you can buy tickets and catch the shuttle to the towns if you have a car:

Saturday and Sundays
Pieve di Compito in front of the Mill Social Club of the Compitese. In Italian you'll want to say: "Frantoio Sociale del Compitese"
Sundays Only
San Leonardo in Treponzio, in front of the District 4 head office, in Italian you want to say, "davanti al alla sede della Circoscrizione"

Japanese Tea Makers On a side note, I've been to this festival several times now, and I have to say, there is something very Japanese about it. Firstly, the location, two small, green hilly villages almost always covered in a bit of mist at this time of year, reminds me of the small villages where I used to go plum tree viewing in February when I lived in Japan. But then there is the simple act of choosing to spend the day just strolling and admiring the flowers, which I find incredibly Japanese. For anyone who has ever visited Japan in April for the blossoming of the cherry blossoms, you'll know what I mean.

If you happen to be marrying in Lucca this March and you and your guests have an extra day free, I would highly recommend a visit to this most unusual festival that blends a Japanese esthetic with a very Italian approach to enjoying good food and company.