A magical festival of Puccini opera during July and August at the open-air theatre of Torre del Lago, on the shores of Massaciuccoli Lake, between Viareggio and Pisa, 75 minutes’ drive from Villa San Michele.

Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858 and died in Brussels, Belgium, in 1924. He was originally interred in Milan, but in 1926 his son Antonio had his remains transferred to Torre del Lago, to a little private chapel in the lakeside villa where he had written most of his masterpieces.

The Puccini Festival welcomes about 40,000 spectators every year to its open-air theatre, just a stone's throw from the Villa Mausoleum, to enjoy the masterpieces of this musical genius.

The first Puccini opera performed here was La Bohème, in 1930, which was organised by two of the leading cultural figures of the day, Pietro Mascagni and Giovacchino Forzano.

To find out more about the festival, please visit www.puccinifestival.it