La Prima Estate review: Stellar music can’t make up for the lack of activities on this festival-holiday hybrid

A festival on the Tuscan coast sounds like a dream. The idyllic town of Camaiore, just a 30-minute drive from Pisa, provides a lush backdrop for La Prima Estate, a festival still very much in its infancy. (The first-ever edition took place last year). The sandy coast of Versilia stretches for miles to the west of Camaiore, while the Apuan Alps hug the city towards the east. It’s hot, dry and salty; the glittering sea beckons.

It’s the right place for a festival that bills itself as “more than a music festival… a holiday experience”. Last year, La Prima Estate took place over six consecutive days, bringing in big names including The National, Bonobo, Duran Duran, Anderson Paak, and Jamie xx. This year, the organisers have split the festival over two weekends in an attempt to draw more long-weekenders. Nas and Bon Iver headline the first weekend, with Alt-J, Jamiroquai and Metro Boomin fronting the second. Other artists on the line-up include Japanese Breakfast, Kings of Convenience, Chet Faker, and Bicep, as well as a smattering of Italian bands and DJs.

The stage is set in the Bussola Domani park, an expansive green space that had been a cornerstone for live music in the Seventies and Eighties. Given the organisers’ experience with the month-long Lucca Summer Festival, one of the most anticipated events in Italy, the excellent sound quality and staging is hardly surprising. The music on offer is faultless, from Nas’ fiery 90-minute performance to Bon Iver’s emotional rendition of “Skinny Love”, which prompted tears from some of the audience. Norwegian indie darlings Kings of Convenience put on a standout show, taking the crowd from twee acoustic singalongs to a mass dance party with their fan favourite “I’d Rather Dance With You”.

But there is something missing. La Prima Estate hopes to differentiate itself by offering experiences beyond the music (the site advertises day activities from “art to sport, to food and wine”) but in reality, these are few and far between. Sure, festival-goers can book into a 9am yoga class or a 10am surf lesson, but these aren’t particularly special or interesting activities – particularly given it’s a calm sea with no waves in sight to actually surf. One activity that did stand out was a three-hour cycle around the Versilia hinterland with Italian professional cyclist Manuel Quinziato. Be warned, though: this specific offering only appeals to those in tip-top physical shape.

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Where are the cooking lessons? Where are the wine and craft beer tastings? Even an excursion into the mountains would have gone down a treat, or simply a guided walking tour around the historic sites of Camaiore. These are activities that would have helped La Prima Estate fulfill the “holiday” part of their “festival-holiday hybrid” promise. There are some special moments – the fact that attendees can book a special lunch at a partner restaurant is a nice touch, as is the opportunity to speak with leading figures in the music industry – but most of the incredible experiences and activities La Prima Estate had advertised turn out to be non-existent.

The festival leans heavily on its musical attractions – which makes sense given how the experiential elements of the event are in need of some refining. La Prima Estate 2023 showcases the festival’s ability to attract brilliant artists and put on some seriously stellar shows but if it wants to be seen on the same level as say, the UK’s Wilderness festival, then the organisers have a long way to go. The vibes of Camaiore are immaculate, and La Prima Estate would do well to make full use of its incredible location if it wants to, as it says, show the world that it’s “one of the big boys” on the festival circuit.