I love Puccini (1858-1924), he’s my favorite composer. Mozart is a close second.
Lucca is the birthplace of Puccini and it is my misfortune that his house is closed for renovations! However, he spent most of his life and wrote at his villa near Viareggio at Torre del Lago Puccini. So, that is a likely side trip for me. It is about 30 minutes from Lucca.
As you might imagine, there are many restaurants around town named for Puccini, “Turandot”, “La Boheme”, etc. I even came across a Panetteria (bread shop) with a loaf sculpted like music sheets inscribed with “Madama Butterfly” (my favorite opera).
Not Quite a Mid-Life Gap Year 