Events in Tuscany >
Tuscan Folklore in June
Spring is easing into summer, a period full of events such as the Palio of Siena, the Joust of the Saracen in Arezzo, and Calcio in Costume or the historical football of Florence...
Beyond these more famous events, there is a myriad of minor appointments throughout the countryside and in small Tuscan towns. These events are worth a visit because it's the simple things that remain truly genuine and popular with locals and tourists alike.
We are going to tell you about some of the more famous events to whet your appetite starting with Florence's football in fancy dress, or calcio in costum ... learn more
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Legends and Mysteries >
The Secrets of Villa Demidoff
A few days ago, I visited one of my favourite places, which brims with magic: the garden of Villa Demidoff in Pratolino, just north of the built up area of Florence. The park opens from May to September of every year. This is too short for us to enjoy so much beauty, which is of a kind not found on the usual tourist itinerary. A beauty which is, however, tinged with slight melancholy.
The present villa was once the Piaggeria, bought in 1872 and then restored by the Russian Prince Paolo Demidoff, who made it his residence. All that is left of the magnificent sixteenth century villa, whose ne ... learn more
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Made in Tuscany >
Tuscany in the Movies
If there is a land that is particularly loved by directors of films and documentaries, this is without doubt Tuscany, which was quickly discovered and exploited by the world of cinema for it's beautiful locations. Tuscany's career in the cinema began at the beginning of the 1900s, and in order to mention all the films made in Tuscany, you'd need a whole book!
Tuscany has "starred" in a multitude of films, from Romola (Henry King 1924) set in Florence in the 1500s starring the legendary Gish sisters, Le repos du guerrier (1962 Vadim) filmed in the stunning Abbey of San Galgano and starring ... learn more
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Recipes from Tuscany >
Pici Homemade Pasta
Pici
Pici are relatives of the spaghetti family. They are made by hand and can reach 3 metres in length. They are the speciality of the Siena region. In Romagna they are called 'Strozzapreti'.
Ingredients for 10 people
800g of Flour
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Salt
Quarter of a litre of tepid water.
Put the flour in a bowl. Add the egg and olive oil with a little water. Slowly adding more water. Mix with the hands. Form a dough with, a little oil and cover it with a cloth and leave it for 30 minutes. Afterwards, roll out the mixture, and cut it into thin strips with th ... learn more
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Sacred Tuscany >
Vallombrosa, the monastery and the forest: God's greenery
For those of you who have already visited this area, you'll know very well that every corner of central Italy is filled with holy stories. Religious leaders have lived here for centuries, including San Benedetto, San Romualdo, and San Francesco. The steep mountains are home to hermits who live their lives of loneliness, in a place which was discovered by monks. We could say that each part of this magical land has been part of some sort of mystical dialogue between the divine elements for a long time now.
This land represents, more so than other places, a bridge between our world, and that of ... learn more
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Tuscan Characters >
Andrea Bocelli, a DOC Tuscan!
There are plenty of DOC, well-known Tuscans, in the world, and I don’t just mean wines like the Classic Chianti, which delights top oenology lovers, but also all those very important people that hail from Tuscany. Among them, one in particular satisfies all music-lovers thanks to his enchanting voice.
Without a doubt, his fans will already know that this month’s newsletter is about Andrea Bocelli, who has gained international claim for the last 16 years of his life, and will be celebrating his 51st birthday on September 22nd
He first came to our attention in 1993, when he sang Miserere al ... learn more
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Tuscan Cooking >
At the table in Arezzo
Some say that Arezzo is the place with the golden goose. But, that is without including its cooking, and its clear economy. No other city in Tuscany, in the past 30 years has made as much progress as Arezzo. Not only has it always had a number of saints in paradise but it is also renound for its recovery after the war, when they had to build the city up from starting point. It was at this point that Amintore Fanfani played his best card. Of course, we all know how. He built up the confection industry and the goldsmith industry.
Today, Arezzo is the italian capital of valuable metals. Furthe ... learn more
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Tuscan Itineraries >
The crete of Siena
We are in an area mainly covering the municipalities of Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d'Arbia, Rapolano Terme and San Giovanni d'Asso, known as "Le Crete" (around here "creta" is synonymous with "clay"). An incredible place that is immense and bare, where nature appears to play with the surrounding elements. The countryside is almost lunar with occasional, red brick farmhouses and even fewer trees, particularly cypress trees that heroically stand out against the blue sky resting on barren hilltops. "Le Crete" can leave visitors disorientated, especially after seeing other Tuscan hillside ar ... learn more
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Villas and Gardens of Tuscany >
Villas de' Medici around Florence
What makes the Tuscan landscape around Florence amazing and unique worldwide is the block of villas disseminated in the green hills. Almost all the villas date back to the XV and XVI centuries, in full Renaissance, when Florence and the whole Tuscan probably lived the most famous, glorious and prestigious time of their history.
The peculiarity of these wonderful places is their hybrid fusion between the history that characterises them (some of them date back to the XIV century) and the modern actuality of their use: a lot of these villas are today private business properties that host private ... learn more
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Read: The madonna of the flying saucer
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Focus on:
Apartments in Villa Vicchio [263]
Vicchio 263 stands in lightly wooded grounds above the river sieve beyond the 13th century bridge to vicchio.
the family chapel with its little bell-tower forms one wing of this architecturally distinguished building. the grounds offer shaded places to sit out and enjoy the superb views of the apennine mountains. independent youngsters can investigate in safety what vicchio has to offer, or make ... learn more
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