Tuscany 2012

Tuscan cooking lessons in Tuscany

2012-02-16T12:28:00.005-08:00

We all know that an important part of every visitor's experience of Tuscany is Tuscan food. A way to expand on this highly enjoyable aspect of your trip to Tuscany is to take a Tuscany cooking lesson in Tuscany. Cooking lessons generally involve a whole morning or afternoon and culminate in a sit-down meal where you consume the products of your efforts. Morning lessons can often be preceded by a visit to a farmers' fruit and vegetable market where you receive useful tips on how to buy the best and freshest constituents for your meal. Some Tuscan cooking classes accept all applicants up to a certain upper limit in terms of numbers while others confine themselves strictly to your group only. The latter are not necessarily more expensive since price depends pretty much on the number of participants.

We are able to recommend two excellent Tuscan cooking teachers:

Elisa Berghi specialises in pasta and antipaste: Elisa - your personal chef in Tuscany.

Jacopo and Anna who cover the entire range of Tuscan cuisine: Tuscan cooking lessons with "Let's Cook".

Both Elisa and also Jacopo and Anna will also cater a dinner at your own accommodations in Tuscany. All you need is a well-equipped kitchen. They will do the rest.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Winter weather in Chianti and Tuscany

2012-02-05T21:32:00.000-08:00

Well, as you've all experienced or read in the newspapers, the warm weather of Christmas through New Year has changed dramatically and it is now VERY COLD throughout Europe, including here in Chianti, with temperatures as low as -5 C in the middle of the day. In some places, quite a bit of snow has fallen but in essence it's the low temperatures that have caused problems all this week. This winter weather in Chianti and Tuscany looks like continuing for another week.

If you have been planning a stay here and haven't received replies to your emails, please be patient. Telephone lines and hence internet connections have been lost throughout the region.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Lucca Italy

2012-02-01T03:34:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to remind everyone that Lucca Italy is one of the most enjoyable and interesting cities to visit in Tuscany. Lucca holds its place among the Tuscan art cities along with Florence, Sienna and Pisa, but shares top spot with or perhaps is even superior to Sienna in terms of ambience. Lucca is flat, has moderate traffic and above all has enormously wide and intact walls which are ideal for strolling or bicycling. And of course Lucca is packed with beautiful art and architecture, as well as good eating and good shopping.

Lucca Tuscany

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Ferienwohnungen in der Toskana

2012-01-18T02:41:00.000-08:00

Für unsere Deutsch-sprechende Leser:

Toskana, Italien

FeWo in der Toskana. Unterkünfte und Sehenswürdigkeiten für Ihren Urlaub in der Toskana, Italien.

Landkarte der Toskana. Eine Karte der Toskana das zeigt Orte von Interesse in der Toskana und Umbrien, Italien.

Unterkünfte in der Toskana

Unterkünfte in der Toskana. Toskanische Villen und Bauernhäuser, Hotels, Agriturismi und Pensionen für Ihren Urlaub in der Toskana.

Unternehmungen in der Toskana. Villen, Ferienwohnungen, Ferienhaüser und Ferienzimmer in der Toskana.

Agriturismi in der Toskana. Ferienapartments im Bauernhaus, Ferienwohnungen und Zimmer auf dem Bauernhof.

Frühstückspensionen in der Toskana. B&B (Bed und Breakfast) Zimmer und Ferienunterkünfte in Chianti.

Unterkünfte in der Umgebung von Florenz. Selbstversorgungs-Ferienunterkünfte in der ländlichen Umgebung von Florenz, Toskana.

Luxus-Hotels in der Toskana. Villen und Boutique-Hotels in der Toskana.

Toskana, Italien.

Warm Christmas and New Year weather in Chianti

2012-01-17T03:21:00.000-08:00

Well, we had great weather from mid-December into January this year. The days were very short, of course, but from 10.30 am until 2.30 pm, I routinely sat out on my terrace without a jacket, that's how warm the sunshine was. As soon as a shadow fell, it was very cold. In other words, cold ambient temperature but lots of radiant heat. At night I kept the fire going in the kitchen. A friend in Florence told me that they had several deluges there but here in the country there was just a bit of drizzle every now and again.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Public swimming pool in Tuscany

2011-12-20T06:56:00.000-08:00

If your accommodations in Tuscany don't offer a pool, you might well feel like cooling off and/or relaxing at a public swimming pool in Tuscany. The municipal pools in Greve in Chianti are highly recommended. The two outdoor pools, one for small children, are spotlessly clean and sun umbrellas and comfortable plastic chairs are available. The two indoor pools are reserved for swimming classes, clubs etc. The Greve pools are located a15 minute walk (flat, not hilly!) from the main piazza of Greve.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Accommodations in Tuscany

2011-12-18T06:01:00.000-08:00

Now is the time to consider reserving your accommodations in Tuscany. As soon as Christmas and New Year are over, everyone will be starting to plan a vacation for 2012. If you'll be coming to central Italy, be sure to consider the option of staying for at least part of the time in Tuscan vacation accommodations in the country. There a numerous agriturismi, as these rural holiday homes are called, within easy reach of the bigger art cities by car or bus, and their prices can be extremely reasonable - as little as 65 euros per night for an apartment sleeping 2-3 people - that's with a fully equipped kitchen and often access to a pool. Add to this tranquility, panoramic views and, during summer, significantly cooler temperatures, and a stay in the country becomes a very attractive option.

One of the most popular areas to stay in is the Chianti area between Florence and Siena, with numerous agriturismi being located in the hills around Greve in Chianti. Florence is easily accessible by bus although a car makes it easier to visit Siena. The entire Chianti area is packed with history in the form of castles, fortified mediaeval villages, abbeys, monasteries, Romanesque churches and tower houses. And of course Chianti Classico wine is available directly from the wineries throughout the area.

To obtain the best rates, OWNER DIRECT reservations are recommended. You can ask the owner questions and at the same time avoid middleman fees any dodgy rental agencies that might be out there on the internet.

Click this link for accommodation in Chianti and elsewhere in Tuscany.

For information on almost every town and village in Tuscany and Umbria: www.bella-toscana.com

For information on the Chianti Classico area and Tuscany in general: www.chianti.info

Calcata, Italy

2011-12-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

The fortified village of Calcata, Italy is not in Tuscany, but rather it is near Rome. Nevertheless, we mention it here because of our interest in castles and fortified villages. Calata in on the outshirts of the Valle del Treja Natural Park which is an easy 40 km drive from Rome. The village is a large castle that stands high up on a tuffa volcanic plug. The fortifications, especially the gate passage, are extremely well-preserved and the entire village is worth exploring. The population consists largely of "fricchettoni" meaning roughly "freaks", artists, bohemians, aging hippies and New Age types, with their associated galleries and cafes. These latter might or might not appear to you, but Calcata is definitely worth a visit if you are in the region of Lake Bracciano.

Rome Information :: Accommodations and vacation rentals Rome

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Tuscan events and festivals 2012

2011-12-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

Visitors planning their trips to Tuscany for 2012 will probably be keen to attend any 2012 Tuscan festivals and events coinciding with their vacation dates and location. Some of these festivals are spectacularly good and even the smallest of village festas are fun and provide an insight into life in Tuscany.

The major festivals are described at: Festivals of Tuscany.

As comprehensive a list as is possible of events in Tuscany (there are literarily thousands of festivals every year in Tuscany) is give at: Events in Tuscany.

Another way to enter into Tuscan life a bit is to buy your supplies at the nearest weekly open air market - or at least go there and have a look around. Markets are very informative about life in the community you're visiting! A list of the days of the week when these open air markets are held is give at: Market Days in Tuscany.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Tuscany Italy - tourist information

Brolio Castle

2011-12-04T04:41:00.000-08:00

Castello di Brolio or Brolio Castle, as it is known in English, is one of the most famous inhabited castles in Chianti, indeed, in all of Tuscany. This is quite strange in a sense because although a manor house or castle has been documented on the site since before the year 1000, the current structure is in large part a mid 19th century product of the Gothic Revival. Even the gardens are 19th century, despite one part being in 16th century italianate style. Brolio Castle has been the property of the Ricasoli family more or less continuously since 1141. The most famous member of this family was Baron Ricasoli, an important politician in the early days of the newly united Italy and also an agronomist who systematised a grape blend that remained the definition of Chianti wine for more than 150 years.

The gardens and ramparts of the Castello di Brolio can be visited for free and the views are definitely spectacular. The chapel and museum of Brolio Castle require a ticket, and there is also a wine tour. Whether either of these tours are worth the money draws mixed reviews.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Tuscan culinary specialities

2011-12-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

There's an excellent page devoted to Tuscan culinary specialities on the Greve in Chianti web site that's worth a look. It provides a brief introduction to the following topics with links to more comprehensive information.

Tuscan olive oil - some good advice on making sure that your olive oil is the real thing. There seems to be a certain amount of low grade oil, some of it not originating from olives, on the market labelled as extra virgin olive oil.

Tuscan bread - unsalted and misunderstood.

Schiacciata con l'uva - a delicious sweet version of focacci, a kind of flatbread, prepared during the grape harvest in September.

Porcini mushrooms - delicious in endless dishes as well as fried in olive oil with some nipitella.

Tuscan truffles - when fresh and the real thing, they add a wonderful aroma to pasta or poultry (e.g. under the skin of a roasted pheasant).

Tuscan saffron - like truffles, very expensibe but needed in only small quantities to provide a unique flavour. Buy from the grower to be sure you're getting unadulterated saffron.

Bistecca alla fiorentina - Florentine grilled steak - learn how to cook it and how to order it in a Tuscan restaurant.

Tuscan prosciutto crudo - cured ham slice off the bone and accompanied by Tuscan bread.

Tuscan pecorino - ewes' milk cheese.

Chianti Italy

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Best way to buy Euros in Italy

2011-11-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

For American and other visitors to Italy, the most convenient and least expensive way to buy euros is to use a debit card at an ATM (called a "Banc-o-Mat" in Italy). This is also where you will obtain the best rate of exchange. You can withdraw a certain maximum of Euros per withdrawal or per day (determine this before you leave, although it depends both on your bank and the ATM) and your bank will charge a per withdrawal ATM fee from as low as $.75 up to $5.00 or more, depending on your bank. Some debit cards do not charge fees for international transactions, while most Visa cards and Mastercards charge a 3% transaction fee per withdrawal. Ask about these fees before departure so that you know whether to withdraw a maximum amount infrequently or smaller amounts as needed.

Capital One is reputed to be the only major company to not add on a foreign transaction fee. Almost all other Visa/Mastercards have a total of 3% foreign transaction fees.

It's always a good idea to obtain, say, € 200 in small notes before you leave, so that you don't have to look for an ATM as soon as you arrive.

Try not to use ATMs in large railway stations and crowded places to avoid the problem of pickpockets.

Traveler's Cheques are no longer in common use in Europe. Hardly any shop or hotel will accept them and most banks refuse to take them because of redemption problems.

Try not to use currency exchange offices ("Cambio"). Although somewhat regulated, these places charge huge fees. Up to 20% is not unheard of. If you must exchange bank notes, it's by far best to use a bank. On rare occasions, very good deals are offered in airports but usually it's the opposite. Zurich airport has exchange offices that charge no exchange fee, but this is the exception the proves the rule.

Be sure to let your bank and/or credit card company know that you will be traveling in Europe, (destinations and time periods) so that the anti-fraud protection software does not block your use of the card in Europe.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

The Cinque Terre of Liguria, Italy

2011-11-05T22:48:00.000-07:00

The Cinque Terre are a group of five fishing villages located along an eleven mile stretch of steep coastline between Levanto and La Spezia, in Liguria, Italy. They are accessible by boat and train, the train passing mostly through tunnels excavated from the cliffs, and by mule trails which are now extremely popular as tourist hiking paths. The views along the coast and over the villages of the Cinque Terre from these walking paths are truly spectacular. Until twenty years ago, fishing, wine and olive oil were the main source of income to the villagers, but tourism is now extremely important to the local economy, to the extent that during parts of summer the number of tourists visting the Cinque Terre somewhat spoils the ambience. Nevertheless, the area is still well worth a visit and is easily accessible by train from Florence and other parts of Tuscany.

Tuscany Italy

British Consulate in Florence to close

2011-11-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

After being represented diplomatically in Florence for 555 years with few breaks, the UK will close its consulate in Florence at the end of 2011. The official duties of the Florence consulate will be taken over by the Milan office. This was one of Britain’s oldest international diplomatic seats, tracing its roots back to 1456 when an English legation was based in Florence. The list of consuls begins in 1698 with Sir Lambert Blackwell, “consul at Leghorn”, as the port city of Livorno was then known, and continues through Sir Horace Mann, who as consul in Florence from 1760 to 1786 turned the consulate into a salon, receiving all Britons of rank who passed through the city. In the meantime, since 2007, the UK Foreign Office has opened consulates in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo; Antananarivo, Madagascar; and Juba, Sudan. I wonder if they really have their priorities right.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Annual Events and Festivals in Tuscany

2011-10-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

Italy is famous for the variety and high quality of the annual events and festivals in Tuscany and other regions. These feste fall into two broad, sometimes overlapping, categories: festivals of Christian (and sometimes pagan) origin and seasonal and/or food- and wine-based sagre (fairs).These annual festivals are characterised by a high level of local participation (often cited as contributing to the generally low youth crime rate in Italy outside of the big cities), high quality of costumes, floats and spectacles, and the great atmosphere and food. It is definitely worthwhile to make a note of any festivals taking place in your vicinity when you're visiting Italy - they form an important part of the "Italian experience".

The festivals of Tuscany website lists and describes the most important and popular events taking place in Tuscany during the course of the year.

Some important festivals of Umbria are listed on the Orvieto web site.

And there is a comprehensive list of major and minor events in Tuscany with dates but no descriptions on the Tuscany, Italy web site.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Public Toilets in Florence

2011-10-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

A great many tourists visiting Tuscany sooner or later have to ask about public toilets in Florence. In fact, there are many of them and they are on the whole perfectly useable and in some cases remarkably clean and practical. There is a link to a map of public WCs in Florence on the Tuscany Italy website as well as a description of the locations of true public restrooms and the protocol when using the toilets of bars and restaurants where you are not a customer.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Market Days in Tuscany

2011-10-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

When spending your vacation in Tuscany, Italy, it's always a good idea to know the dates and locales for your local market days in Tuscany. These are usually weekly markets dominated by fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, cheese and cooked meat (whole roast chickens, roast pork - porchetta) and shoes, clothing, household items and hardware. These Tuscan local markets are normally held in the largest (or only) piazza in the town or village and can be for half a day only. Prices are generally very good especially for items such as household linen, table cloths and shoes. This is where you can come to stock up on provisions if you're renting a self-catering vacation rental in Tuscany. Linen makes good presents for the folks back home and is light and easy to transport without risk of damage.

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Guided tours in Tuscany

2011-10-18T06:15:00.000-07:00

I've just done a tour with a driver guide that I hadn't met before. That's Sergio Ceccherini who does guided tours in Tuscany, both traditional and some with a very original twist. His English is flawless and it was a great tour. I've done private guided tours in Tuscany before and this was equal with the best of them.

"Traditional" Tours

Chianti Scenic Tour. Wine Tasting. Everything the Chianti region has to offer.

Arezzo and Cortona. Under the Tuscan Sun Tour.

Sienna and San Gimignano Tour. In addition to the town tours, includes top quality wine tasting.

Pisa and Lucca Tour. The famous tower of Pisa plus a visit to the less touristy but very charming town of Lucca.

Brolio Castle and Chianti Wine Tasting Tour. A very "castle-like" castle, the history of Chianti, wine tasting, Tuscan lunch.

"Novel" Tours

Val d'Orcia Tuscan Postcard Tour. A photographic safari through southern Tuscany's most beautiful and famous scenery.

Tuscan Marble Tour. Discovering the world of marble by visiting a working quarry at Carrara and a sculpture studio.

Cheese Making and Olive Oil Tasting Tour. Traditional pecorino cheese making and olive oil tasting with an expert.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Chianti Classico vendemmia 2011 :: Chianti Classico grape harvest 2011

2011-09-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Chianti Classico vendemmia 2011 - Chianti Classico grape harvest 2011 is in full swing. The whole of the grape-growing period of 2011 has been at good temperatures and with very little rain. However, there was a very hot period during the last week of August (in the 30's) which scorched some of the grapes, making them shrivel. This will mean selection of grapes will be important and production will be a bit less than expected. Otherwise the crop is excellent and we can expect an outstanding 2011 Chianti Classico vintage.

Imported varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet suffered more from the heat than Sangiovese clones which, being indigenous Chianti and Tuscany wine grape varieties, are well-adapted to the heat. This is good news since Sangiovese grapes contribute 90% of the composition of Chianti Classico wine.

Be sure to check our post on shipping wine from Tuscany.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Weather in Tuscany

2011-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Visitors to Tuscany often ask about the weather in Tuscany before they plan their trip. Well, it rained today, lightly, for the first time in months. The weather pattern used to be very stable here in Chianti but it has slowly changed. There's noticeably less persistent snow in February, for example. Nevertheless, a rule of thumb is that the rainy months in Chianti and Tuscany generally are April and October. August is traditionally hot but this year, for example, it was quite mild with cool evenings while we had a boiling week in June and another at the end of August. Don't be put off visiting Tuscany in August just because you've heard it's hot but do note that Florence, in its valley, can boil while life is pleasant in the hill towns of Chianti.

The days become noticeably short by mid-October and it is cold but clear during much of November and December. In the hills it can snow in January and February, usually more often in February, but a fall rarely remains on the ground longer than four days. If you are thinking of renting an agriturismo in Chianti - a farm house vacation rental - don't completely dismiss the idea of coming here in winter. Sightseeing is definitely possible and the museums are much less crowded. In addition, there's a lot to be said for sitting in front of a fire in your cosy farmhouse looking out over the cypress trees and olive groves.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Tuscany Italy Tourist Information

2011-07-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

The expanded Tuscany Italy Tourist Information website puts a number of new and interesting articles online, alongside its excellent list of owner-direct Tuscany vacation rentals. This website is a must for anyone planning a vacation in Tuscany outside of the main art cities.

Tuscany Italy

Volterra

2011-07-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

The relatively isolated Tuscan hilltop town of Volterra remains a place of inexhaustable enchantment, despite having been "discovered" by a well-known writer of guide books a few years back. Volterra preserves its mediaeval ambience with its 12 C city walls and mediaeval urban layout of narrow streets, palaces, tower houses and churches. The Renaissance had an important influence on Volterra but without changing its mediaeval character. The superb palaces of Minucci Solaini, Incontri-Viti and Inghirami, as well as the imposing Fortezza Medicea and the Convent of San Girolamo, which are all integrated into the mediaeval city, date from the Renaissance. Definitely worth a visit.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Tourist tax in Florence - Tassa di Soggiorno a Firenze

2011-06-23T03:08:00.000-07:00

A tourist tax in Florence will be introduced on 1 July 2011. This is a tax on any tourist - in fact, any visitor - sleeping over night in commercial premises within Florence, including camping grounds. The amount of the tourist tax ranges from 1 euro to 5 euros per person per night, depending on the star rating of the accommodation in the case of hotels, and will range from 1 to 3 euros for other forms of accommodation. The Florence tourist tax maximum is 5 euros per person per night, for five nights maximum. It will be the accommodation that is responsible for collecting the tax. Some hotels are listing the tourist tax as a separate item and adding it to their charges while others are silently swallowing it. A similar tassa di soggiorno will be introduced in Venice, and I think we can be sure other municipalities will follow suit.

This is an unfortunate consequence of the widespread tax evasion practised by individuals and small businesses in Italy. The municipal tax take is simply too small to finance the upkeep of the attractions and facilities on which tourist cities such as Florence depend for a significant part of their business. It could also be that Florence and, especially, Venice are less interested in budget tourists. Unjust but understandable.

One of the complaints levelled at this tourist tax by the hotel owners of Florence is that it gives even further advantage to the agriturismi, B&Bs and farmhouse apartments in the countryside that are already able to offer prices with which city hotels have no possibility to compete. This complaint is justified. Country accommodations remain one of the great tourist deals in Italy.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Tuscan village holiday - vacation in a wine village in Tuscany

2011-06-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Tuscany is dotted with tiny inhabited nuclei known as "borghi" (singular "borgo"). These are villages or, even better, hamlets, and are ideal for a Tuscan village holiday if one or two of the houses are available for rent. These Tuscan villages usually take the form of a large farmhouse or villa, the original manor, with a number of smaller farmhouses clustered around it or stretching along a short road. It is this short road that, strictly speaking, characterises a true "borgo", hence the use of the word "borgo" in the names of suburbs of quite large towns (e.g. Borgo San Lorenzo), reflecting their rural origins. Other hamlets originate from castles or fortified manors and typically lack a road but are clustered around a small piazza or a house built in the remains of the keep. These hamlets are often referred to as "castelli" (singular "castello") - castles. Classic examples of a borgo are Castellinuzza and Antico Borgo di Sugame, while a typical castello of this kind would be Tignano or Montefioralle. These borgi offer great opportunities for a vacation in a wine village in Tuscany since a great many of them are still active wineries or are the locations of wineries. They are usually very quiet with almost no traffic so that children can safely run free. They are also very frequently high up in the hills, providing spectacular views and cool breezes in summer.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy

Gaiole in Chianti - main sights

2011-06-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Gaiole in Chianti is a favorite place for lunch during wine tasting visits to the Chianti Classico wineries east of the Chiantigiana road.The town of Gaiole itself is quite attractive, with the Castello di Barbischio visible above it on the forested slopes. The surrounding hills are mainly woods with vineyards and terraced olive groves near the villages. The entire area is dotted with interesting sights including castles, fortifed mediaeval villages, abbeys and tower houses. One of the most famous is the former abbey of Badia a Coltibuono which is now a well-known winery and offers a quite original restaurant. It's possible to take a tour of the Badia that includes its italianate herb garden. The area of Chianti around Gaiole is well-provided with tourist accommodation in the form of agriturismi.

More about Gaiole in Chianti.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy
Main sights of Tuscany

Radda in Chianti - things to see

2011-06-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

The small town of Radda in Chianti, along with Gaiole and Castellina, is one of the three original members of the Chianti League which dates back to at least 1384. All three towns are worth a brief visit while you explore the castles of Chianti and other things to see in the surrounding territory. Radda in Chianti is surrounded on every side by vineyards and almost every winery has a "degustazione" sign at the gate, making it easy for those of you who wish to organise your own wine tasting in Tuscany. The area is dotted not only with castles, some ruined, some still inhabited, but also by abbeys, Romanesque parish churches and tower houses. There is also plenty of economical accommodation in the area around Radda in Chianti, most of it in the form of agriturismi, meaning accommodation offered on working farms (usually wineries) in the form of farm houses or farm house apartments. These agriturismi are almost univerally beautifully restored and comfortable locations for your vacation in the area. Some of them have swimming pools. There are restaurants within Radda in Chianti and also several out in the country. More about Radda in Chianti

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Farmstays in Tuscany

2011-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

I'm quite often asked about farmstays in Tuscany where children will find some animals to play with. The Italian word for a farmstay or accommodation on a working farm is "agriturismo". The situation here in Tuscany is that most "farms" and therefore most farmstays are actually vineyards which grow only grape vines and olive trees but don't keep any livestock. Basically they are producers of wine and olive oil. HOWEVER there are a few farmstays where small animals are kept (mostly destined for the pot, I have to say.) and which children can play with. Here are two very nice agriturismi in Chianti which provide exactly the kind of farmstay that families with children who are keen on small animals can stay. The animals are mostly chickens, goats, rabbits, guinea fowl, cats and dogs (the latter two NOT bound for the pot!).

Podere Barberino Farmstay accommodation in Tuscany. Podere Barberino vacation rooms at Chiocchio in Chianti near Florence.

Podere Tegline Tuscany Holiday Home - Farmstays in Tuscany near Radda in Chianti, Tuscany.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

2011-06-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

In Tuscany, Italy, bistecca alla fiorentina rules as the most popular and delicious beef dish. Bistecca alla fiorentina, as its name implies, is a grilled beefsteak in the Florentine style. Outside of Tuscany, it's commonly referred to simply as a fiorentina. It is, in fact, a porterhouse or T-bone steak, traditionally from calves of the chianina ox but these days very likely Spanish beef, grilled at high heat over charcoal so that it has a brown, almost charred exterior while being quite rare in the middle. (Don't ask for a well-done bistecca alla fiorentina - even if the chef agrees to cook it that way it will be tough.) It should be brought to your table on a very hot, iron serving tray or a block of wood and then cut off the bone and into strips in front of you. It should be salted after being grilled and might be flavoured with rosemary and/or some olive oil. The traditional accompaniment is a bowl of fagioli, Tuscan white beans.

It's actually not that easy to find a good bistecca alla fiorentina, sometimes because not enough care has been taken in selecting the meat, but more often because it hasn't been grilled exactly as it should be. Ask local people for a recommendation on where to go to try this great Tuscan treat.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Porcini mushrooms

2011-06-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

Although porcini mushrooms grow throughout the northern hemisphere and are very popular in France (cèpe), Germany and Switzerland (Steinpilz), perhaps it is in Italy, with its myriad local cuisines, that you have the chance to try the widest variety of porcini dishes. And in fact if you stay at an agriturismo in the Chianti countryside, you can easily go out and pick your own porcini and cook them up at your accommodation. In Tuscany, porcini mushrooms are served alongside fried meat dishes (vitella, for example) and as the flavouring constituent of pasta sauces and ragouts. Porcini risotto is also commonly on the menu even though risotto is a speciality of Milan and its environs. While on holiday in Tuscany, on no account miss trying one or more dishes containing porcini.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Chiocchio and the castles of Mugnana and Cintoia in Chianti

2011-06-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

Chiocchio is a village on the Via Chiantigiana that wanders from one villa and farm to another along the ridges of Chianti, Italy between Florence and Siena. In early times it was a fairly important crossroads with a road running to the castle of Mugnana which was probably built on the remains of Ad Aquileia, a Roman way-station on the Via Cassia. The castle represents a typical case of the 14 C transformation of a castle into a single-family, private residence. It belonged to the Bardi family of Florence during Renaissance times and later. The Pieve (Parish church) of San Donato a Mugnana is located nearby and as for long a depenency of the castle of Mugnana.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Romanesque Parish Churches of Chianti

2011-06-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

A one day driving tour of the Romanesque parish churches (Pievi) of Chianti is a great way to introduce yourself to the highways and byways of Chianti Italy as well, of course, to see some of the oldest and most evocative architecture and works of art in Tuscany. One good route is simply to follow the Via Chiantigiana and make the appropriate detours. The historic pievi (singular: pieve) are for the most part mediaeval although the Pieve di San Vincenti near Castelnuovo Berardenga dates form the Dark Age - it was a Basilica in the 7 C. They range from the magnificent (e.g. San Polo in Rosso) to the simple, single nave structures such as the Pieve di Santa Maria a Pacina, dating from the 8 C and characterised by a highly unusual cylindrical campanile (bell tower).

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy tourist information

Traffic fines in Italy - Limited Traffic Zones

2011-05-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

Every year, a certain number of tourists to Italy get a nasty surprise when a fine notification arrives at their home address months after they return from their vacation in Italy. These Italian traffic fines invariably result from driving in to the ZTL limited traffic zones of historic cities in Italy. BEFORE your holiday in Italy, take the trouble to inform yourself about these limited traffic zones, and especially how to recongise the warning signs at their entries. There are procedures to follow if for some reason you have a recognised reason for entering. Read more about traffic violations in Italy.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Planning a wedding in Tuscany

2011-05-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

Tuscany provides some great opportunities for a wonderful wedding, and indeed a Tuscan wedding venue is hugely popular with couples from England and Ireland, as well as from as far away as the USA and Australia. Many rightly hope to save some money by making the arrangements themselves but after a short time all the things that have to be done in a fragmented market start to take the fun out of the whole thing. If you reach that point, you might want to find a wedding planner in Tuscany to make all these tasks go away.

An experienced wedding planner in Tuscany can smoothly attend to wedding venue, religious and state ceremonies, paperwork, catering, flowers, outfits, accommodation, transport and so on and on.

We recently attended a wedding at a castle in Tuscany which was an excellent experience both for the bride and groom and their families and for the guests. A really memorable occasion. The wedding coordinator in Tuscany was Valentina Boyer whom we recommend very highly. Thanks Valentina!

San Donato in Poggio

2011-03-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

San Donato in Poggio is one of those little Tuscan hilltop towns that has never attracted the attention it deserves. The town itself retains some of its mediaeval walls, including two gates, and much of its original layout. The town was strategically important and a number of treaties between Florence and Sienna were signed here. Nowadays, San Donato in Poggio is a tranquil village surrounded by the beautiful Chianti countryside. Accommodation within San Donato in Poggio is provided by the magnificent Palazzo Malaspina and nearby is the extremely photogenic Badia a Passignano.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Cruise ship shore excursions from Livorno

2011-02-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

If your cruise will visit Livorno for a day, I have a good recommendation for a cruise ship shore excursion from Livorno. Giovanni Sirabella was ship's purser on several famous cruise ships until he decided to leave the sea and work with smaller groups on dry land. He founded Sunflower Tours and specialises in shore tours of Tuscany. He has a number of themed routes (wine tour, cinque terra tour etc) but since he guides and drives almost exclusively private tours, you can organise your itinerary with him before arrival. Giovanni is a cautious driver, is highly knowledgeable about Tuscany and is a very pleasant person with whom to spend a day.

Sunflower Tours with Giovanni Sirabella.

Livorno Shore Excursions.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

New Cultural Centre in Chianti

2011-02-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

A private initiative by Villa Melazzano, an estate located near Greve in Chianti, adds to the tremendous range of opportunities for visitors to Tuscany. The Anichini family, who have owned Villa Melazzano for over 300 years, have set up the Melazzano Cultural Centre and are offering a one week residential course with Tuscan cooking classes and Italian language lessons. The courses take place at Villa Melazzano and the participants are housed in self-catering apartments in the old farm buildings adjoining the villa and in the villa itself. There's a swimming pool for relaxation and since Greve lies at the centre of the Chianti Classico wine zone, halfway between Florence and Siena, there's every opportunity to visit the interesting sights of this zone. I can't think of a better way to learn some Italian and gain hands-on experience into the art of Tuscan cuisine.

Cultural vacation in Tuscany

Italian lessons in Tuscany

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Valdorcia Val d'Orcia

2011-02-05T20:19:00.000-08:00

The Val d'Orcia of southern Tuscany is famous for its sweeping landscapes. For many visitors, this aspect of the Valdorcia makes the area more attractive than the more intimate and more densely populated hillscapes of Chianti. However, it's important not to let the photogenic landscape of the Val d'Orcia distract from the beautiful towns of the area. Among these are San Quirico Val d'Orcia, Bagno Vignoni and Pienza. In addition, there two not-to-be missed ecclesiastical structures - Sant'Antimo and Abbadia San Salvatore - plus innumerable castles, among them Castiglione d'Orcia. Another sight well worth a visit is Villa La Foce, a villa and farm created and made famous by Iris Origo and her husband, and still owned by their descendants. Monte Amiata, an extinct volcanic cone, dominates almost any view towards the south.

Valdorcia Accommodations.

Crete Senesi.

Rocca d’Orcia - Rocca di Tentennano.

Rocca di Castiglione d’Orcia.

Castello di Ripa d’Orcia.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Valtiberina

2011-01-25T13:25:00.000-08:00

The expression "Valtiberina" - meaning the valley of the river Tiber - usually refers to the Upper Tiber Valley of Tuscany, where it forms the eastern border of Tuscany and meets Emilia Romagna, The Marches and Umbria. This area is unjustly neglected by tourists in comparison with most parts of Tuscany, and in fact there are many charming sights in the Valtiberina. Among them are:

Anghiari has one of the most spectacular views, in terms of height and distance, in all Italy. As someone who suffers from mild vertigo, I felt distinctly shaky walking down the main street and looking out towards its extension as Via della Battaglia. Anghiari retains much of its walls and is well worth a half-day visit.
Sansepolcro, home of Piera della Francesca and still housing some of his most spectacular paintings, lies, in contrast to Anghiari, on the flat bottom of the Valtiberina. Inside its quadrilateral of protective walls it maintains a mediaeval appearance, with splendid Renaissance and Baroque additions. The Palio della Balestra is a great Tuscan festival held in Sansepolcro every year on the second Sunday of September.
Monterchi is not to be missed by anyone interested in the art of Piero della Francesca whose mother was born here. A small museum in Monterchi houses the famous fresco of the Madonna del Parto, an extraordinary portrait by Piero della Francesca of a pregnant Virgin Mary.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Italian grape varietals

2011-01-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

The fascinating story of Italian grape varietals hinges, of course, on wine production rather than edible grapes. Among the most famous Italian grape varietals are Sangiovese for the red wines of Tuscany and Nebbiolo for Barolo, where it competes with Barbera as the most popular red wine grape in Piedmont. But there are a host of lesser grape varieties that produce excellent wines. There are probably over 3000 red grape varieties indigenous to Italy with 50 to 60 of these being used in the production of popular wines. In major wine producing areas of Italy, there are now specialised nurseries devoted to salvaging neglected varietals - sometimes discovered as a single remaining vine - and testing them for wine-making value, usually foreseen as contributing to blends. Tuscany and especially Sicily are prominent in this field. Some widely used grape varietals are also going out of fashion, mainly because, although easy to grow and prolific producers, the resulting wines are of indifferent quality. An example is Trebbiano, used to make white wine in Tuscany (and previously a mandatory constituent of Chianti red wines) and in Sicily.

For descriptive lists of Italian wine grape varietals we recommend:

Don't forget to visit our new blog about Umbria Italy!

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Chianti Italy - tourist information

Florence Museum Cards :: Florence Museum Passes

2011-01-15T08:40:00.001-08:00

Visitors to Florence might want to consider buying a Florence museum pass if they're planning an intensive immersion in Florentine art during their stay. The idea is partly to save money but, more importantly, to not have to join the sometimes long queues outside popular museums. A pass allows you to bypass these queues. There are now two museum passes available - see below.

The Amici degli Uffizi card gets you into all the more important museums, except the Palazzo Vecchio. It is valid until the end of the year in which you buy it. You can pick up your Amici degli Uffizi pass at the welcome desk at the Uffizi - don't forget to bring a passport-sized photo for each person to be included.

Individual: valid for one adult cost 60 euro.
Family: two adults and two children up to 18 years of age costs 100 euros.
Young people: up to 26 years of age costs 40 euros.

The Florentine mayor's office announced a new type of museum card, the Florence Museum Card, known as the Firenze Card, that is now available. National and Florentine municipal museums are all included and the pass will cost 50 euros for 3 days (72 hours) (tourist pass).

The Firenze Card is valid for 72 hours from the moment of its first use in a museum or on city public transportation. So, for example, if you use it for the first time at 3pm on a Tuesday, you'll be able to enter the museums until 3pm of the following Friday.

The Florence Museum Card provides entry into 33 museums, reservations included. The museums are the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi, the Accademia, the Pitti Palace - Boboli Gardens, Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Museo Archeologico, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Stibbert, Horne, Bardini, Cappella Brancacci, Alinari Photo Museum and others. Private and other museums are still in negotiation.

However, although 33 is a lot of museums, not all are included. Note that the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, for example, does NOT participate in this programme.

The Firenze Card allows you to enter the Uffizi even when there are no time slots left on the official booking site. Waiting time at the "reserved" queue of the Uffizi will probably be not more than 10 min and sometimes no waiting at all, compared with an hour or more on the open queue at popular times of day. That means the card is essentially as good as having reserved a particular timespot on-line - better, actually, since you don't have to show up at a particular time.

Note that children who under 18 enter free when accompanied by an adult cardholder ONLY if they are citizens of the EU.

Note also that an ordinary ticket and a Firenze card allow yopu to enter any given museum once only. With the Amici degli Uffizi card you can enter as often as you wish.

The Firenze Card can be bought online - click the link Firenze Card.

It will be important for you to do your arithmetic. For example, for a family of four, the Amici degli Uffizi pass costs 100 Euro and is good until 31 December of the year you buy it. The Museum Card, good for three days, will cost 200 Euro for the same family.

And finally, many museums offer free entry for everyone on the last Tuesday of the month.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Tuscany Italy - tourist information

Wine tasting tours in Tuscany

2011-01-11T05:43:00.000-08:00

How to organise wine tasting tours in Tuscany is often at the top of the list for any wine lover visiting Tuscany, particularly the Chianti area and the wine-producing areas around Montalcino and Montepulciano. A do-it-yourself tour is perfectly practical but be sure to work out your route and ascertain opening times if you are planning to visit specific wineries. A completely "spontaneous" diy wine tasting tour is also possible. This means taking your chances and dropping in at any vineyard displaying a 'degustazione' sign on the roadside.

The alternative is to take a guided tour. These cost quite a bit of money but a good one means you get an excellent commentary both during the actual wine tours and also in transit between wineries, access to castles and similar wineries not always open to the general public, and the certainty that the winery will be open when you arrive with someone there to tell you about the grapes, wines and wine-making. In other words, with a guided tour, your guide does the organisational work for you and drives you after you've "tasted" quite a bit of wine. This last point should not be forgotten.

More about Tuscany wine tours and winetasting.

Don't forget to read our review of a great organised Tuscan wine tour.

Tuscany wine tours information.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Bed & Breakfast accommodation in Tuscany

2010-12-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Tuscany, Italy, provides an excellent and often very economical alternative to a hotel for those who have no need of the additional facilities offered by hotels and/or who would like to stay in a village or the Tuscan countryside where hotels are not very commonly found. Most Tuscan B&Bs offer just a few rooms in a farmhouse or, rarely, in a classic Tuscan villa (for example Corte di Valle), often with access to a swimming pool and a terrace or garden for relaxing in the sun. Sometimes they are air-conditioned although air conditioned vacation accommodations in Tuscany are not common, in large part because air conditioning is not really necessary and is incredibly expensive to run because of the high cost of electricity in Italy.

Here are some useful links to information about Tuscan B&Bs:

Travel accessories that help you protect your important items when on the move.

2010-12-19T07:26:00.001-08:00

Over the years I've travelled to more than 60 different countries. In almost all of them, I found it a good idea to organise some security for my money, credit cards, passport and camera. Thirty years ago it wasn't all that easy to find the right accessories other than neck pouches, but now there are excellent products available - money belts, pouches and, more recently, reinforced purses, tote bags and small backbacks, all of which are designed to help you ward off successful attention from pickpockets and sneak thieves. It's generally agreed that best collection of these offered on-line in one place and at reasonable prices is at Magellan's. Click the image below to explore their range of travel accessories.

Useful information on handling pickpockets in Italy.

Visit Tuscany in winter

2010-12-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

Now seems an appropriate moment to discuss the question of whether to visit Tuscany in winter. The final answer will be a strong 'yes', but let's look at the details. Cons first. Days are short, meaning that you're likely to set out and return from a day of sightseeing in the dark. Weather can be very cold so gloves, scarves and warm coats are necessary. Could be snowy roads at higher altitudes. The larger vacation villas will be closed because of the cost of heating them, and you will need to take care about who pays the heating costs wherever you stay. Pros. Often brilliantly clear days with magnificent views into the distance. No tourist crowds. Despite fewer offerings, accommodation will be easy to find and might have low season prices or heating included. South-facing terraces can be quite warm in the middle of a clear day - definitely warm enough to sit out and enjoy the view. The opportunity to enjoy major features of 'the real Tuscany' such as meals based around the hunting and truffle seasons, enjoying the evening at home or in a restaurant in front of a roaring fire. And of course plenty of Christmas and New Years celebrations, private and public. So yes - it's well worth spending some time in Tuscany during winter.

There's plenty of winter accommodation listed on the Greve in Chianti web site. These are all owner direct offerings, so you're getting the best prices, and Greve is the centre and market town of the Chianti Classico wine zone between Florence and Sienna.

And there are no mosquitoes in winter!

Truffle festival at San Giovanni d’Asso

2010-12-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

The Tuscan truffle festival at San Giovanni d’Asso takes place during the second and third weekends of November. The Tuscan truffle season lasts roughly from September through December. I went there this November and can strongly recommend it. It's a smaller occasion that the truffle fair in San Miniato, on the same intimate scale as the truffle fairs in the villages around San Miniato, and tremendous fun for anyone interested in Tuscan food and folklore. There is a group of stalls selling white truffles, plus food stalls and restaurants selling truffle-flavoured specialities. During the festival, it's a good idea to book your restaurant. If you buy a truffle, make sure you're in a position to use it within three days - next day if possible - because their incredible aromatics disperse into the atmosphere at a rapid rate. San Giovanni d'Asso is located about 80 km southeast of Florence and about 30 km southeast of Siena in the picturesque area known as the Crete Senesi. It's a small village dominated by a large castle which now houses the truffle museum.

Sometimes the "Nature Train", a steam engine with antique carriages, makes the journey to and from the San Giovanni d'Asso truffle fair with an option to book a truffle lunch.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Tuscan villas to rent

2010-12-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

Tuscan villas to rent - what are they? For architects, the villas of Tuscany are patrician residences set in a garden and integrated visually into the wider Tuscan landscape, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, and derived during the Renaissance from a concept of country life in Augustan Rome. For many tourists visiting Tuscany, however, a Tuscan villa seems to equate with any free-standing house - hence the many advertisements for "Tuscan villa vacation rentals". Both usages are common practice and perfectly acceptable, but tourists should be sure not to narrow their search too much by over-reliance on the expression "Tuscan villa". Most houses and, indeed, most free-standing vacation rental accommodations in Tuscany are in fact farm houses - case coloniche - and not villas. For a small family, a farmhouse or a farm apartment (both are referred to as "agriturismi") provides more than enough space. Several families travelling together or a wedding party, for example, might reasonably seek a genuine Tuscan villa - not a Renaissance villa, but one of the many 19th century villas that dot the Tuscan landscape.

Poggio alle Croci is a typical and beautiful Tuscan villa available as a self-catering holiday home.

Corte di Valle, in contrast, is a Bed and Breakfast accommodation located in a magnificent villa in Chianti - an opportunity for a couple or a family to experience villa living.

The Roman Theatre beneath the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence

2010-11-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

The Roman Theatre excavated beneath the Palazzo Vecchio opened to the public for the first time from 25 September 2010. It dates back to the first century BC and is one of the most interesting Roman remains in the area of Florence. The theatre took twenty years to excavate and is now part of the Museum of the Palazzo Vecchio. One-hour guided tours take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 11, 14,30, 15.30 and 16.30. When the Palazzo Vecchio is open in the evenings, there are also tours at 17.30 and 18.30. The tours must be booked in advance (booking is free) by calling the Museo dei Ragazzi at 055 2768224. The entrance ticket is 8 euro and includes entrance into the rest of the Palazzo Vecchio museum.

Super Tuscan wines

2010-11-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

Super Tuscans - Super Tuscan wines - what are they?

Very simple - they are wines made in Tuscany that are very good to drink and that do not conform to one of the standard wine compositions - meaning the percentage of certain grapes used to make the wine.

They originated in the 50's and 60's when Chianti wine was not all that good - indeed, when it was plonk. A few lateral thinkers decided to grow non-native grapes and in some cases the results were phenomenally good. Since then, the wine consortia that set the composition rules have become more flexible but nevertheless there are still excellent wines with grape composition outside the rules. These are designated IGT (the former "Vino da Tavola"). Most are good, some are outstanding. More about Super Tuscans.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Chianti Classico 2010 vintage

2010-10-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

The 2010 grape harvest in the Chianti Classico wine zone together with the initial analysis of the wine suggests an unexpectedly good year. Winter was very cold for the zone and spring was wet and cool, so that the vines blossomed later than usual. However, July was hot and vine growth accelerated. Growth proceeded somewhat slowly in August and September, which were also hot but not scorching. The second half of September and early October offered splendid days of normal weather with temperatures close to seasonal averages but also several hours of rain. The sunny days during the harvest in late September and early October, bringing high temperatures especially at midday, contributed to the good results of the harvest. Nevertheless, grapes had to be picked in batches, depending on the ripeness of individual vines. By agreement via the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, growers lowered harvests by 20% in 2010 in an effort to maintain a reasonable price for bulk wine. This will also contribute to the quality of bottled wine.

All in all, the grapes arriving in the cellar this year are really good. Initial impressions from the winemakers are that fermentation proceeded without hitches and the wines emerging have intense colours and fragrances, with acidity levels high enough to predict a good aptitude for aging; alcohol content is high but not excessive, to the benefit of balanced wines leaving room for a wealth of aromas.

Be sure to check our post on shipping wine from Tuscany.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Vasari Corridor in Florence

2010-10-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I visited the Vasari Corridor in Florence for the first time. The Vasari Corridor connects the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. It begins on the south side of the Palazzo Vecchio and then joins the Uffizi Gallery where the tour begins. It crosses the Lungarno dei Archibusieri and then, following the north bank of the Arno, it crosses the Ponte Vecchio. The corridor covers up part of the façade of the Church of Santa Felicità. The corridor then snakes its way over rows of houses in the Oltrarno district, becoming narrower, finally to join the Palazzo Pitti. It was designed by Vasari - hence the name - and completed in 1564 in the astonishingly short period of 20 months.

Small groups (max. 25 persons) are conducted through the Vasari Corridor from the Uffizi and reservations several weeks in advance are essential. Make your reservation directly with the Uffizi by phone - this is simpler and MUCH less expensive that booking through the various agencies that make this offer. Phone the booking office at +39 055 2388651. I was surprised to discover that they included 3 hours in the Uffizi itself in the ticket. I picked up my ticket at 8.50 am, wandered the Uffizi and then started the corridor tour at 11.30. It cost 16 euro

The official website for the Uffizi tickets is http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/- once again note that many other official-looking web sites offer Uffizi tickets at enormous markups.

The corridor is lined with paintings, the more interesting ones being an amazing series of self-portaits by famous and not so famous artists, including a surprising number of the Pre-Raphaelites - for example, a very fine self-portrait of William Holman Hunt. The corridor had a doorway and still has a window opening into a balcony high up in the church of Santa Felicita so that the Medici family could attend mass privately, without being seen or subject to attack. No photography of the corridor itself is allowed, but you can take pictures through the windows. The especially large windows overlooking the Ponte Vecchio were specially created for a visit by Mussolini in the late 30's. Part of the corridor snakes around the Torre Mannelli which belonged to the only family that Cosimo I was unable to buy out. Instead of building through the tower, Vasari built around it using a system of supporting brackets. Cosimo was quite sanguine about this - every man is king in his own house, he reportedly observed. The meat market on Ponte Vecchio was moved to avoid its smell permeating the passage, its place being taken by the goldsmith shops that still occupy the bridge.

More on what to see and do in Florence.

Festa dei Macellai a Panzano in Chianti

2010-09-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Festa dei Macellai or Butchers' festival at Panzano in Chianti WILL take place this year. This excellent festa took a bit of time to organise this year but it will take place. It will be held on 10 October 2010, 11 am to 5 pm in the main square of Panzano and the nearby Via XX luglio. Butchers and other food preparers come from all over Italy to publicise their creations by providing samples for tasting. There is sometimes music and the food is excellent. You buy an inexpensive ticket and can then sample everything you wish. The proceeds go to charity. The extraverted Dario Cecchini, who owns a very good and very expensive butcher's shop in Panzano, is the inspiration behind the Festa dei Macellai a Panzano in Chianti.

August in Tuscany - not hot this year!

2010-09-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

August in Tuscany is often described as a month of overwhelming heat. This is not always the case. August this year was quite cool in Tuscany, other than in the flat and populated valley of Florence. It rained heavily several times here in Chianti and the nights were noticeably fresh. Right now, in September, I need a blanket to sleep.

In any case, all of these things are comparative. It doesn't help if a guidebook describing August in Tuscany as hot is being read by someone in Texas who might naturally think it's even hotter here in summer than it is in Texas. In fact, there are probably only two days a year when air conditioning would be good to have here in the Chianti hills.

Similarly, we noticed that there were few tourists here in August this year compared with July and even with now. Some who were here told us that they had read that the towns of Tuscany basically close down in August as everyone goes to the seaside. This is ridiculous, of course. For parts of August, some lucky people go to the beach for a break, but there are still plenty of people here keeping the place running.

Italian lessons in Tuscany, Italy

2010-09-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Taking Italian lessons in Tuscany has meant I haven't posted for a while. I did an intensive course with Lorella Federico who is a professional Italian language teacher based in Panzano in Chianti. She was great! I learnt basic Italian years ago using tapes (there were no CDs at that time) and then became fluent in Italian talking to my neighbours, workmen etc. However, my grammer really left a lot to be desired so I took this Italian course and the results have been dramatic. It was one-on-one and Lorella is a skilled teacher - no doubt about that.

If you're coming here on vacation, you can even take a single lesson with her so that you can pronounce places names correctly and use a few useful phrases. Those are her beginner-level Italian lessons. She has a good programme where you can continue your Italian lessons back home via Skype.

Neighbourhood dinner in Montefioralle

2010-07-25T02:54:00.000-07:00

Montefioralle was the scene of our neighbourhood dinner last night. Tables ran along the middle of our narrow and only street - enough for 200 people. Good food, good wine and good company. These dinners are open to anyone who buys a ticket (15 euros) and there are usually tickets available until 2-3 days before the event.

On Friday night, I went to Lamole to hear a selection of operatic pieces sung by students attending Daniel Ferro's vocal music course. A good selection starting with the younger students and progressing to the more advanced singers. These concerts are great fun because usually there's some wine and nibbles provided afterwards and the students all seem to be keen to talk. Lamole is in any case well worth a visit if you're in the area, not least for the beautiful drive up from the turnoff from the Chiantigiana highway between Greve and Panzano.

Shipping wine from Tuscany

2010-07-11T04:53:00.000-07:00

To ship wine from Tuscany to distant countries such as the States, Australia or New Zealand is quite easy but might not make economic sense. In the first place, bulk wholesalers are often able to bring wine to market outside Italy for the same price or even less than what it costs at the vineyard. This is because of the substantial discounts they obtain by buying in large quantities. However, you might find a wine you love the taste of that is not going to be available in your home country or home area. Your options include getting the winery to ship a case for you - some but not all do this. Post offices in wine-producing areas sell special wine cartons, allowing you to handle everything by yourself. If you pack it well, putting wine in your checked baggage is an option - maybe each one well wrapped in plastic in case it breaks. Of course, currently, carrying bottles of wine onto the plane is not an option - no liquids allowed. One day this ridiculous rule will disappear and bringing home a few bottles in your hand luggage will once again the the cheapest and safest method of importing small quanities of wine. Visitors within train distance are not limited - yet another reason to travel by train.

Some wineries are more experienced than others in shipping wine. Terre di Melazzano, a producer of good Chianti Classico, will ship cases or even whole pallets of wine for you. You can buy Chianti Classico wines directly from Terre di Melazzano winery without going there.

Bibliophile Bookbase - antiquarian books for sale online

2010-07-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Talking of good sources for rare books, one of the best rare books listing sites is Bibliophile Bookbase. They're quite selective about what they list in terms of out of print books, maps and prints and there are dealers listing on the Bookbase who don't list anywhere else. I've found some great stuff there, particularly early traveller accounts of Italy

Good list of useful books about Italy

2010-07-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Books about Italy, including maps - there is a good ready-prepared list of books about Italy available on Amazon at Books About Italy. Covers guide books and maps but also villa architecture, gardens, interior decorating, FOOD and WINE. Two other and excellent related websites are Gardens of Tuscany and Villas of Tuscany. Both have good pictures, descriptions and bibliographies. The latter also includes some of the villas of the Venteto (palladio) and of Rome.

And here's a CD, a good guide book and the latest version of Kindle for your ebooks!

Making wine in terracotta jars

2010-07-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Wine made in terracotta? Seems they've been making wine in terracotta vessels successfully in the Caucasus for the past few thousand years. The idea was taken up by Josko Gravner, a famous and innovatory wne-maker located in Friuli. He uses huge terracotta giare buried in the ground to ferment his grapes - no additives except a bit of sulphur. Well, I bought a case of his Breg Anfora. As soon as they've had time to "settle down" in my cellar, I'll report back on how the wine tastes.

There's a terracotta-maker near Impruneta, at Ferrone, who makes terracotta fermentation barriques (Terracotta Artenova). If this wine is any good, I might be paying him a visit. The market is currently awash in good wine - everyone is looking for novel wines to produce, including me.

Hot weather in Tuscany

2010-07-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Tuscan days can be hot and today in Chianti the temperature went up to 33 C. I stayed down in the cantina for most of the afternoon cleaning up my strimmer and then when the day cooled down a bit, I used it to buzz away the grass around the olive trees. Disturbed a couple of grass snakes that were resting in the sun, strung along the tops of the grass, and also saw a slow worm (legless lizard) - they're not really slow! The slow worms hibernate quite deep in the ground - I dug one up last winter. They're much rarer than grass snakes and vipers.

The summer and harvest festivals seasons are only a couple of months away. The Festivals of Tuscany website lists many of the famous ones as well as a few minor but interesting fetivals.

June Bugs in Tuscany

2010-06-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

June Bugs in Tuscany - well, June is just ending, but the fireflies are still flashing away on warm evenings in Tuscany. Many tourists, worn out by a day of sight-seeing, miss the pleasures of a stroll along a country road during late evening in Tuscany. Fireflies now, and throughout the summer owls, bats and nightingales. The most commonly seen and heard owl is the civetta, Athena noctua, but with a bit of luck you might also see a gufo, Asio otus, the southern eared owl, which is significantly larger and habitually sits on top of telegraph poles. When the grapes are ripening, you can also hear and sometimes see cinghiali, wild boar, munching away on the grapes.

If it's bugs in Tuscany about which you're seeking information - for example mosquitoes - here's what you want: mosquitoes in Tuscany.

Public WiFi in Tuscany

2010-06-26T00:48:00.000-07:00

WiFi in Tuscany

Heard that there's an anti-terrorism law in Italy that requires anyone who logs in to the internet to have an individual password. This implies that the authorities, in the appropriate circumstances, have the right to access server logs and trace the author of any online activity - email, blog, web page etc. Unfortunately, it currently costs a lot of money to have this multi-password system if you use WiFi in your agriturismo or small hotel, so a lot of owners are not advertising on their web pages that they offer WiFi access. If you need WiFi acces while on holiday here, be sure to ask. It might be available right where you're staying.

UPDATE: As of early 2011, this law is no longer applicable with the consequence that many more agriturismi and B&Bs are offering free WiFi connectivity. Don't expect this deep in the country where ADSL is either not available or works badly, but within a mile or two of any small town, you should have broadband WiFi available.

Vacation rentals in Chianti

Chianti Italy - tourist information

Great Tuscan wine tour

2010-06-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Tuscan wine tours.

Yesterday and today there was torrential rain in Florence and throughout Tuscany. Luckily we had a clear evening in Greve on Thursday for the long-table dinner for the "rione" of Montefioralle and the "rione" of San Francesco. Food was average, wine was good, company was great. There were tickets available up until only a couple of hours before 8 pm when we started, so when you're visiting a Tuscan town, look for hand-written notices pasted up around the place and referring to "rione" and "cena". If you see one and don't read Italian, ask in a nearby shop for the details. The dinner with wine and spumante cost 15 euros.

Today, I took a group on wine tour with Angela Saltafuori of Tuscan Wine Tours. Both I and my friends were extremely pleased with this wine tasting tour. I've been on her tours before but this one was new with tastings at Castello della Paneretta.

More on wine tasting tours in Tuscany.

Neighbourhood dinners in Chianti

2010-06-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night I'll be eating out in the street! Here in Chianti, we have neighbourhood clubs that organise dinners that are served at tables set up in a continuous strip down the middle of the main road of our quarter. Since all the labour is voluntary, for €15 we eat a five course dinner with wine and mineral water, and the opportunity to yak to all of our friends and neighbours. These dinners are open to anyone who buys a ticket which are available from shops in the quarter. So when you're visiting Chianti, look for hand written notices annoucing the event. This is a fabulous way to get to know genuine Tuscans in their native habitat - the dinner table.

Montefioralle village in Chianti

2010-06-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

The Castello di Montefioralle is quite rightly on the official list of "Most beautiful villages in Italy".

Just about a mile uphill from Greve in Chianti there's a great little fortified village named Montefioralle. This is not to be missed by anyone visiting this part of Tuscany. We took the opportunity offered on www.montefioralle.info to join a local family for dinner - we paid, of course. But it was a great meal and a great experience. The food was unlike anything we'd tried in local restaurants - whole wheat pasta, game cooked in wine for a long time, and so on, plus we were able to see the interior of one of these mediaeval houses with its terrace and garden. Here's the link to the contact details to arrange a dinner with a family in Chianti.

Summer is finally here in Tuscany

2010-06-14T04:29:00.001-07:00

After a cold and very rainy start to 2010, warm weather has arrived in Tuscany. If you're planning your visit here, be sure to take into account the correlation between altitude and cool breezes. Air-conditioning is rare in Tuscany but the thick walls of the traditional Tuscan farmhouses act as giant heat sinks so that they cool down at night and little heat prenetrates inside during the day if the shutters are kept closed. If your accommodation is up in the Chianti hills, you'll have a refreshing base to return to after a hard day of sight-seeing. In addition, many "agriturismi" offer a swimming pool for the use of ther guests. For a really good deal, you best consider "owner direct" accommodation where you contact the onner of the property directly without an agent (and price mark up) between you and your Tuscany vacation rental. One of the best local websites in the whole of Tuscany is the Greve in Chianti website which not only displays a good range of holiday villas and vacation apartments, but a huge fund of information on what to see and do in Chianti.