Feast, Fireworks and a Million Lights: 72 Hours at Italy’s Notte delle Luci.

One of the coolest thing about modern travel is being able to fly thousands of miles in just hours. Take for instance our trip to Europe this summer. One moment we’re walking among giants in Amsterdam (the Dutch are among the tallest in the world), and the next we are sipping cappuccinos with a grey-haired singing barista in Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci (or, as it’s more commonly refereed to, Rome-Fiumicino Airport) killing time until our departure to Bari in the high heeled boot of southern Italy. Within hours of leaving Amsterdam, everything changes–the language, the smell of the air, and the culture. Fumbling through the few Italian words we know with the rental car agent, as we walk with the rental car agent, we embrace the sizzling blue skies and stifling heat of Bari; we are foreigners in a not so foreign land, and it feels so good.

It’s estimated that Italy gets nearly 40 million visitors a year, and if I had to place a bet, I’d say the north gets the majority of that number. But, for those willing to take a chance on southern Italy, in particular, Salento, which makes up the southeastern peninsular extension of the Puglia region (you know, the “heel of Italy’s boot”), you’ll find a section of Italy that has no equal. Salento is full traditional Italian goodness–olive, grapes and grazing fields and soft, golden beaches hidden by twisted pines; medieval castles illuminated by bright blue seas and home cooked peasant cuisine; empty coastal roads and ancient villages, where neighbors sit around their stoops talking; and a light festival that’s so bright I’d be surprised if you couldn’t see its twinkle from the moon. And actually, that’s why we came to Puglia, to witness Notte delle Luci and the masterful glow of gigantic light displays known as Luminarie.

As we stand next to Giuseppe De Cagna as his family’s Luminarie comes to life in a choreographed light show to a musical soundtrack, he’s got a big grin on his face as a million lights twinkle in his eye. For the moment, his work his done. After nearly a year of conceiving the design and theme of this year’s Luminarie, and then creating the ornate structures that are filled with millions of bulbs, he can finally admire his vision. Luminarie is in De Cagna’s blood. He’s third generation and still works side by side with his father, Cesario, who is recognized as one of the best in the world when it comes to the Luminaries. For the De Cagnas and the other Luminarie families, displaying in Scorrano for the day of Santa Domenica is tradition and has become a way to showcase their work to the world. Yep, you heard me right, for a few days in July, all eyes are on the sand-colored village of Scorrano. Below, Giuseppe and Cesario take us into their workshop to show us firsthand how their designs come to life.

So, how the heck did this tradition get started? Good question! According to our awesome translator and guide, Melissa Nutricato, the Luminarie dates back to the 16th century, when the the queen of Poland and Lithuania visited the city, which had been decorated with floral motifs around the village’s wooden archways in her honor.

But wait, there’s more. In the 17th century, the plague hit Scorrano; luckily, the village was saved by Santa Domenica, who is now the town’s patron saint. She had one request, though: Santa Domenica asked that each family light a candle to remember the deceased. The people of Scorrano did one better, and added oil-based lights to the town’s wooden arches, which eventually became oil lamps and are now electric bulbs, LED lights, and lasers placed on frameworks (no nails or bolts are used; instead, wires and a system of mass distribution hold the pieces together) that represent religious motifs and church facades, as well as iconic architecture and themes from around the world.

And while the Luminaries are the main draw, swelling the town to music festival-like levels, regional cuisine and delights, such as local craft beer, as well as fireworks (turns out the locals love fireworks more than a pre-pubescent teen on the Fourth of July) help turn the town into a wonderland of awesome. We expected the former, but the fireworks were a nice surprise. As we pulled into town on the afternoon of the first day, we heard what sounded like cannon fire, and after parking followed a huge group to the outskirts of the small town, only to find what seemed like all of Scorrano with their heads’ cocked to the sky in delight, as mortars–um, fireworks–shook heaven and earth, making the extravaganza feel more like a bombastic dogfight than a fireworks show.

We had a blast at Notte delle Luci, which is also known as the Feast of Santa Domenica. It’s an impressive festival, and like the Salento itself, something that will stay with you long after you go home.

Know Before You Go

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Disclosure:Puglia Tourism is a Must Love Festival Partner, and provided our accommodation and transportation while we were in the region to cover Notte Delle Luci. As always, though, our thoughts and opinions are entirely our own.