Discover how the quiet town of Lucca transforms into the European capital of pop culture at Lucca Comics & Games, and learn how to plan your trip.

Every year, between the end of October and the beginning of November, the quietest medieval town in Tuscany transforms into the biggest comic book, gaming, and pop culture festival in Europe. If you're thinking of going, here's what I'd tell you before you buy your ticket.

The origin: older (and more wandering) than it seems.

The event didn't originate in Lucca. Its first edition took place in 1965 in Bordighera, Liguria, under the name Salone Internazionale dei Comics. In 1966 it moved to Lucca, where it has remained ever since, undergoing reformulations over the decades until adopting, in 1995, the name Lucca Comics & Games that we know today. That is to say: almost 60 years of history, most of it spent in the same city.

What to expect from the city during the event

During the festival, Lucca transforms into a city. The city walls are adorned with temporary structures, historic palaces become exhibition spaces, theaters host lectures and meetings with international artists, and the streets and squares are filled with thousands of cosplayers. A medieval knight walking alongside a superhero, manga characters sharing space with costumed families, illustrators drawing live: the contrast between Renaissance architecture and the creativity of the participants is, by far, the most unique aspect of the event.

But the festival goes far beyond cosplay: it brings together publishers, writers, illustrators, game developers, eSports championships, RPGs, board games, film, and animation. For a few days, Lucca becomes one of the world's leading centers for the creative industry.

The impact on the city (and why this matters for its planning)

The city's population doubles during the event. Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through Lucca over the days, boosting hotels, restaurants, and all local businesses. In practice, this means: book accommodation well in advance. Hotels inside and around the walls fill up quickly, and prices go up.