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As a town of living traditions, Lucca has a busy calendar that is worth planning your trip around. Most of Lucca's highlights—like walking the walls and shopping on Fillungo—can be experienced any time of year. Even the city's Puccini festival bills itself as "the only permanent festival in the world," running 365 days a year. Others require more advance planning:

Annual events

• March
  Antiche Camelia della Lucchesia, a festival devoted to Lucca's favorite flower
• The day before Ash Wednesday
  Viareggio, a nearby city on the western coast, hosts Italy's largest Carnival celebration
• April-July
  Sagra Musicale Lucchese; sacred music festival in the city's Romanesque churches
• Late April
  Santa Zita flower festival, including the exposition of her body on the 27th.
• June-August
  World-class Puccini festival at Lago di Massociucoli
• July
  Summer Festival; major music acts perform in Lucca's Piazza Napoleone
• July 12
  Feast of San Paulino; a torchlight parade and crossbow contest in honor of one of the city's patron saints
• Late August-Early September
  Vinaria Wine Festival in nearby Montecarlo
• September-October
  Lucca Film Festival
• Early September
  Murabilla; Lucca's famous botanical show, takes place atop the city walls
• September 13
  Feast of Santa Croce; the procession of the ancient Volto Santo, a crucifix that represents Christ as the king of Lucca.
• October-November Comics and Games festival; the annual event that, along with its Italian Museum of Comics, makes Lucca Italy's city of comics.

Other events

• Third weekend of every month
  Antique market at Via del Battistero