Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle
Music, theatre, and literature amidst the fortresses of Garfagnana
About Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle
A festival beneath the stars of Garfagnana
Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle is one of the gems of the Tuscan summer: a music, theatre, and literature festival that enlivens the summer evenings for over a month in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca, in the heart of Tuscany. Performances take place in settings of rare beauty, most notably the monumental Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso, which overlooks the village of Castelnuovo, and the striking Fortezza delle Verrucole in the nearby municipality of San Romano in Garfagnana.
Between art and nature
The spirit of the festival lies in the dialogue between art and the environment: the event is nestled in a landscape that enchants lovers of hiking trails, silent peaks, and unspoiled nature, between the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Attending a concert at sunset or dawn, with the fortress walls as a backdrop and mountains on the horizon, is an experience that blends great songwriting with the magic of these locations.
A multidisciplinary programme
Each edition weaves together different genres and styles: singer-songwriter music, pop, and jazz coexist with narrative theatre, monologues, comedy, and literary readings. Over the years, the festival has hosted leading names from the Italian scene, alternating major concerts within the fortresses with free previews (by reservation) in Piazza Luigi Carli, in the centre of Castelnuovo, designed to engage a wider audience.
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana and its valley
The historic capital of Garfagnana, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is a village that houses the Rocca Ariostesca, linked to the memory of the poet Ludovico Ariosto, who served here as commissioner for the House of Este. The Garfagnana valley, crossed by the Serchio river, is a land of chestnut groves, local products, and mountain traditions, increasingly becoming a destination for slow and cultural tourism. The festival enhances this heritage by turning the fortresses, symbols of local history, into vibrant stages for the summer.
Why attend
- Concerts and shows in historic fortresses immersed in nature
- A programme ranging from music and theatre to literature
- Free admission previews (by reservation) in the town square
- An opportunity to discover Garfagnana and its valley
Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle — edition 2026
2026 Edition
The seventh edition of Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle runs from July 22 to August 24, 2026, with performances at the Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso (Castelnuovo di Garfagnana), the Fortezza delle Verrucole (San Romano in Garfagnana), and Piazza Luigi Carli for the free previews. The programme confirms the formula that blends singer-songwriter music, theatre, literature, and comedy in a dialogue between art and the environment.
Programme Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle 2026
Free previews (Piazza Luigi Carli, free admission by reservation)
- July 22 – Stefano Massini, with a story from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
- July 23 – "Viola", a tribute to Dino Campana with Elisabetta Salvatori
- July 27 – "Bruna è la notte" with Alessandro Riccio and Alberto Becucci
- July 29 (9:15 PM) – Fabio Genovesi, monologue dedicated to cycling
Paid performances
- July 31 (8:30 PM) – Vinicio Capossela, Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso
- August 6 (8:15 PM) – Gatti Mézzi, Fortezza delle Verrucole
- August 7 (9:15 PM) – Teenage Dream, Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso
- August 11 (9:15 PM) – Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, tribute to John Williams
- August 15 (4:45 AM) – Patrizio Fariselli, solo piano dawn concert
- August 16 (9:00 PM) – Marco Masini
- August 18 (9:00 PM) – "La sera dei miracoli", tribute to Lucio Dalla
- August 20 (9:00 PM) – Giorgio Panariello
- August 21 (9:00 PM) – Federico Buffa, story about Michael Jordan
- August 24 – Paolo Ruffini, "Il Babysitter"
Highlights Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle 2026
- Vinicio Capossela at the Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso (July 31)
- Ferragosto dawn concert with Patrizio Fariselli (August 15)
- Marco Masini, Giorgio Panariello, and Federico Buffa in the line-up
- Free previews in Piazza Luigi Carli
Prices Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle 2026
Practical information — Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle
How to get there
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana can be reached by car from the A11 motorway (Lucca) and then along the SS12 and SR445, travelling up the Serchio valley. By train, it is connected via the Lucca-Aulla line. The Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso is located on the hill above the town centre; the Fortezza delle Verrucole is in the municipality of San Romano in Garfagnana.
Tickets
Tickets for paid performances can be purchased on the official website festivalmontalfonso.it, on TicketOne, at BoxOffice Toscana outlets, and at the Pro Loco in Castelnuovo (Piazza delle Erbe, tel. 0583 641007). Free previews require mandatory reservation.
Tips
We recommend comfortable clothing for reaching the fortresses and a light jacket for evenings at altitude.
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Where does it take place — Mont'Alfonso sotto le stelle
Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso