Magliano Spring Festival

A village festival in the heart of the upper Garfagnana

The Magliano Spring Festival is one of those traditions that captures the most genuine soul of the Tuscan mountains. It takes place in the village of Magliano, a small hamlet within the Municipality of Sillano Giuncugnano, in the Province of Lucca, located in the northernmost edge of the Garfagnana, where Tuscany borders Emilia and Lunigiana.

Perched at an altitude of over 800 meters at the foot of Monte Tea, between the springs of the Aulella and Serchio di Soraggio rivers, Magliano is an authentic mountain village divided into two historic cores—Magliano a mattina and Magliano a sera—composed of stone houses overlooking typical medieval alleys. It is in this setting that, with the arrival of spring, the community gathers for its festival.

The atmosphere of a local feast

The Spring Festival belongs to the rich tradition of Garfagnana village festivals, moments when an entire hamlet rallies around its streets and its church. For the occasion, the town center is closed to traffic: Via San Luigi, Via della Chiesa, and Via del Forno become the natural stage for the event for one day, returned to pedestrians and residents.

It is a festival designed for conviviality: an opportunity to reconnect, rediscover the flavors of Garfagnana cuisine, and enjoy a day in the open air in one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Although it is a small-scale event, it is precisely this intimate and genuine dimension that makes it precious for those seeking the most authentic side of Tuscany.

The village of Magliano

Those who climb up to Magliano discover a surprising heritage for such a small village. The Church of Sant'Andrea Apostolo, with origins dating back to the 12th century, houses altars, a baptismal font, and a ceiling decoration featuring the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew and the Four Evangelists. Nearby, the oratory dedicated to the Madonna di Loreto preserves a 16th-century altarpiece. Documented since the medieval era and long linked to the Este domains, Magliano is an ideal stop for those who want to combine the festival with a walk through history and nature.

When it takes place

The Spring Festival is traditionally held in late spring, during the month of May. On the day of the festival, the village gathers around its streets in a cheerful atmosphere that marks the transition to the summer season in the Lucca mountains.