Celebrating the Luminara of San Ranieri in Pisa

This is a very special evening not to be missed. It takes place in Pisa, on the Lungarni, on the evening of 16 June every year, the eve of San Ranieri, the city's patron saint. It is a very old tradition, in fact the first historical document attesting to the tradition of the Luminara dates back to 1337.

Thousands of wax candles, there is talk of a hundred thousand, are lit to project the Tuscan city into a magical atmosphere and are reflected in the water of the Arno. And every year, these candles draw the architectural forms of churches, palaces and towers along the Lungarni.

Once lit and thanks to the switching off of public and private lighting, the effect of these flickering lights offers a unique suggestion with an ancient flavour. It is truly a magical evening that you don't expect.

And it is nice to wander around this unique city in the late afternoon, waiting for the moment of darkness to see that magical spectacle, and to find street performers enlivening the evening hours with their singing, dancing and games, and the many small restaurants and stalls to eat and sit down to rest in the warm June evening.

The only problem is that there are too many people, a tide of people that takes your breath away, and getting to the banks of the Arno where you can see both the Luminare and the fireworks very well is really a feat.

Very beautiful fireworks that end a memorable evening. But from the banks of the river you can see very well the fireworks shot off from the Citadel and in recent years also from floating platforms on the Arno, which create a truly unique scenography with the flames of the lanterns. And all this accompanied by music, which can be heard from everywhere.