Vitigliano is the name of a tiny “borgo“, an ancient farming hamlet, grouped around an ancient watch tower that formed part of the defences of the castle of Panzano in central Chianti. In fact, although the first documentation of Vitigliano dates back to 1085, the original settlement was probably Roman. This year, 2014, the restoration
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The two pictures below of the exterior of the Vasari Corridor in Florence encapsulate some of this city’s recent history. In the 19 C photo, we see the supporting arches of the then-closed corridor packed with workshops that hang out over the River Arno. This was the traditional location of the gun makers’ workshops, the
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Manarola, pictured here, is one of the Cinque Terre which are actually in Liguria but are frequently visited from a vacation base in Tuscany. Cinque Terre means the “five lands” and refers to five fishing villages perched on the high and steep coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Although at least one or two nights are
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If you’re interested in terracotta, a visit to Impruneta, the home of terracotta in Tuscany, is well worth it. The artisans of Impruneta are producing more and more hand-painted terracotta in addition to their traditional raw clay ceramics. However, in addition to floor and roof tiles, the terracotta manufacturers of Impruneta and nearby Ferrone have
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Here we have a classic view of a group of farmhouses in Umbria, the “green heart” of Italy, with a typical strada bianca running between the hedges. A strada bianca (plural strade bianche) means neither more nor less than a “dirt road”. The significance of the term, which is widely used, is that we have
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The hamlet of San Leolino very near Panzano in Chianti is home to the parish church of the same name. The Pieve di San Leolino is first recorded in the year 982, under the name of San Leolino in Flacciano in a parchment held in the Abbey of Passignano, but two sculptural fragments housed in
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Tuscany is undoubtedly the land of castles. The combination of a turbulent history of contending city states and marauding foreign armies with a ready supply of stone and stone masons has produced a huge number of picturesque Tuscan castles – fortresses, walled hamlets, fortified abbeys and towers in Tuscany. The amazing variety of fortified stone
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This exquisite painted and glazed terracotta Madonna with Child by Giovanni della Robbia is located in a marble tabernacle in the presbytery on the left of the entrance to the Church of San Michele in Volterra. It’s one of the most beautiful masterpieces to be seen in this fascinating Tuscan hilltop town. La Chiesa de San
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If you’re in search of great material for scenic photography (plus some history and architecture), pay a visit to Spaltenna, the castle and the parish church near Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany. Spaltenna is a classic example of a Tuscan fortified settlement consisting of a monastery (previously a castle), a parish church and a cluster of
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When you’re exploring Tuscany to the southwest of Florence, the old town of Certaldo in Tuscany, known as Certaldo Alto, is definitely worth a visit. This is the hometown of Boccaccio, author of the Decameron and contemporary of Petrarch, and it retains much of its mediaeval architecture and charm. Boccaccio’s house for the last years
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One of my strongest recommendations for getting the most out of your vacation in Tuscany is to choose a single base and explore Tuscany from there. Why do I say that? I find that many visitors to Tuscany greatly underestimate the amount of time that will be lost each time they change accommodation. That includes
One of the most photogenic and atmospheric sights in Tuscany is the Abbey of Sant’Antimo near Montalcino. The abbey, abbazia in Italian, is located in a beautiful valley within easy reach of Montalcino in the Val d’Orcia. This is also one of the few churches in Tuscany at which you can regularly hear Gregorian chant,
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Italy offers some of the best folk festivals in the world, with Tuscany among the leaders. Tuscan folk festivals and historical re-enactments should not be missed if the opportunity arises. Almost every town and village has its own costume event, often with a mediaeval or Renaissance theme, or a reenactment of a famous battle or
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Lisa del Giocondo, née Gherardini, Mona Lisa, was born on the 15th of June, 1479. On the road between Greve in Chianti and Lamole there is a magnificent Renaissance villa. This is Villa Vignamaggio – NOT where Mona Lisa was born! Lisa was born in Florence on Via Maggio. The family originally lived near Santa Trinita
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Brolio Castle (Castello di Brolio, home of modern Chianti Classico wines) is located near Gaiole in Chianti and is a major attraction for visitors to the area. Historically, the castle is very famous as the ancestral home of Baron Ricasoli who was an important political figure in the new Italian nation during the late 19
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The Tuscan farmhouse is among the most attractive of all forms of vernacular architecture, perhaps equalled in aesthetic appeal only by the villages of the M’zab in the Algerian Sahara. In contrast to the M’zab, Tuscany is, of course, easily accessible to all and a great many of these beautiful Tuscan farmhouses have been sensitively
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Anna Maria Baldini has recently posted that Tuscany could be Europe’s most affordable vacation destination. In terms of value for money, I agree with that 100%. There’s no doubt that Tuscany provides inexpensive, even cheap, options in terms of vacation accommodation, food, wine and transport. Plus, of course, all the things that were always free
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Butteri were the cowboys (formerly also mounted shepherds) of the coastal Maremma plains of Tuscany. The buttero was a herdsman, the man in charge of watching over, taking care of, taming and breaking in large herds of cows and horses bred in the wild. However, the land reclamation works carried out under Mussolini in the
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In early May each year, the main piazza of Greve is transformed into a flower and shrub market for the Festa dei Fiori. The Festa dei Fiori is a commercial market where local people buy shrubs, roses and annuals for their gardens and window boxes. It is also a great moment to visit Greve in
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Greve (pronouced “Greh-veh”) is the market town of the Chianti Classico wine zone and a great base from which to explore this part of Tuscany. Piazza Matteotti, the main piazza of Greve in Chianti, Tuscany is characterised by its unusual triangular shape, the graceful arcades running along the two longer sides and a majestic statue
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A great many readers were introduced to the Tuscan hilltop town of Cortona via a popular memoir, “Under the Tuscan Sun“, written by Frances Mayes about impulsively buying and then restoring an abandoned house, Casa Bramasole, near this beautiful town. The book was the basis of the film of the same name and one of
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I readily admit to being a garden nut, with a special love for the formal gardens of the Tuscan villas. Among these, I rank near or at the top of my list the garden of Villa La Foce, created by Cecil Pinsent for Iris Origo in the Crete Senese of Tuscany. This garden is one
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The Church of San Miniato al Monte, above Florence in Tuscany, Italy, was Michelangelo’s favorite church and it’s easy to see why. Both inside and out, this Basilica is an architectural gem that should not be missed by anyone visiting Florence, both for the church and the magnificent view out over Florence. The facade was
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For anyone interested in truffles or, indeed, Tuscan gastronomy in general, San Miniato in Tuscany, location of a great truffle fair during November, is a name to conjure with. San Miniato is about 45 km from Florence (one and a quarter hours by car) and the time to visit is during October and November when
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If ever a building was deserving of its spectacular location, the duomo (cathedral) of Orvieto is it. The duomo of Orvieto, one of the great buildings of the world, towers above the palazzi, villas and houses of Orvieto while the town itself is perched high on a tufa butte above the surrounding hills. The
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From time to time, I post about sights outside of the Chianti region but within easy reach for visitors who are making Chianti their Tuscany base. One of the most famous and beautiful regions of Tuscany is what my friend Anna Maria Baldini calls “big sky country” – the Val d’Orcia. In contrast to the
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The Hermitage of Montesiepi near San Galgano in the Val di Merse was built between 1182 and 1185. This is one of the most remarkable churches in all of Tuscany and is definitely worth a visit. In addition, it overlooks the famous ruined Abbey of San Galgano which is within easy walking distance. San Galgano
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Villa Medici at Fiesole, the first true classic Renaissance villa in Tuscany, Italy, was commissioned by Giovanni, the second son of Cosimo il Vecchio and, among other owners over the centuries, belonged to the mother of Iris Origo in the early part of the 20 C. Life there during that period is described by Iris
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One of the most spectacular and historically interesting Roman sights in central Italy is the Roman bridge of Augustus at Narni in Umbria, Italy. The bridge spans the Nera river and was one of the largest bridges in the Roman Empire. Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot famously depicted it in a painting of 1826. The bridge at
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Usually I confine my posts to bite-sized morsels of practical Tuscany tourist information. However, today let’s try something cultural and historical. I’ll try to provide some pointers on one way to think about the huge topic of the history of Tuscany and Tuscan culture. One approach is to see the culture of Tuscany in terms
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We’re now nearing the end of a successful first year of on-line publication of our “travel guide for visitors to the Chianti Classico wine region of Tuscany” and we’re looking forward to year two. As you can see, our posts provide information for travellers not only to the Chianti Classico wine region lying between Florence
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Tuscany, and the Chianti Classico area between Florence and Siena in particular, provide an ideal destination for a family vacation. Both Florence and Siena are readily accessible for day trips to museums, famous architecture and shopping, while at the same time the open spaces, fresh air and swimming pools of rural Chianti vacation accommodations provide
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This is the Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo a Passignano, the photogenic Tuscan abbey known as Badia a Passignana, located on the road from Greve in Chianti to Sambuca in Chianti, Tuscany. It contains a major fresco of the “Last Supper” by the Ghirlandaio brothers and can be visited on the infrequent days when it’s
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The Biblioteca Laurenziana (Laurentian Library), one of the great libraries in Florence, Tuscany, is a part of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, which includes the main cloister, the vestibule with Michelangelo’s staircase leading up to the reading room, the reading room itself and the vestibule that was added to the reading room in the first
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The word salumi is a collective term for dried and cured meats such as prosciutto and sausages of the salami family, among others. It’s very similar but not identical in meaning to the French expression charcuterie. Lardo, cured lard, is an exotic type of salumi. A Tuscan salumi selection as antipasto is typical fare in
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Pienza is one of the gems of Tuscany and should on no account be overlooked. Although located near the Val d’Orcia south of Sienna, it is readily accessible as a day trip from Chianti. A beautiful Tuscan garden, the Piccolomini Gardens at Pienza in southern Tuscany, overlooking the Val d’Orcia with Monte Amiata in the
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This is the Abbey of Santa Mustiola near Torri in Tuscany. The Abbey is otherwise known as the Chiesa della Santissima Trinità e di Santa Mustiola, first recorded in 1070, with its cloister dating from 13-14 C. The Abbey of Santa Mustiola is unique in Tuscany in having preserved its Romanesque character, including its beautiful
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Podere Torre is a small Chianti wine and olive oil producer located high above Greve in Chianti and offering vacation accommodation for 1 to 4 persons in the form of an apartment or B&B rooms with attached shower. The location of Podere Torre is the secret of its success. The vineyard is situated among a
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Hotel Villa Le Barone is a wonderful four star villa hotel located very near Panzano in Chianti, in central Tuscany. The ancient Tuscan villa that houses this boutique hotel in the Chianti Classico wine zone belonged to the Della Robbia family of Renaissance painted terracotta fame and was converted from a farm into a boutique
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Of all the Renaissance villa gardens of Tuscany, perhaps none is so perfect as the garden of Villa Gamberaia in Tuscany near Florence. The garden of Villa Gamberaia represents one of the finest examples of the integration of an italianate garden into the architecture of a Tuscan villa. Among the outstanding villa gardens of Tuscany,
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Not only out of this world rooms but a gourmet restaurant – not surprisingly since the Villa is owned by David Gardner who owns and manages two excellent restaurants in Florence. Villa Bordoni luxury Chianti Classico getaway, has only 10 rooms and suites, all are furnished with flair and originality with furniture and fabrics of
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The Joust of the Saracen (Giostra del Saracino) is a famous mediaeval costume festival held twice a year in Arezzo, Tuscany. In this joust, knights on horseback, representing different areas of the town, charge at a wooden target attached to a buratto, a revolving carving of the Saracen king. Like the other festivals of Tuscany,
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The Temple or Church of Saint Michael Archangel (Tempio di San Michele Arcangelo, Chiesa di Sant’Angelo) near Perugia, probably dates from the 5 C but was constructed on the remains of a Roman temple which in its turn was built on a site sacred to the Etruscans. This extremely attractive building has twin fascinations for
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This is a view of the ruined Castello di Pierle from the Tuscan village of Borgo di Vagli near Cortona in Tuscany. Borgo di Vagli is a beautifully restored vacation village and, in fact, it’s possible to buy a share in a vacation home at Borgo di Vagli in the form of fractional ownership in
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One of the great things about renting a Tuscan villa or farmhouse for your vacation in Italy is that an excellent range of villas to rent in Tuscany with private pool is available to choose from. Yes, spending time in the museums and churches of Florence is important, but relaxation also plays a role when
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Most of the vacation rentals in Tuscany that are described as Tuscan vacation villas are in fact not villas at all but rather Tuscan farmhouses. A genuine villa accommodates more than just a small family – that’s the easiest way to distinguish between these two classes of holiday home. Podere Felceto, once a monastery, is
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The town of Norcia, in the highlands of Umbria, is the source of some of the best pork products in all of Italy – also, strangely enough, a source of excellent lentils and black truffles. Norcia is famous in part because Saint Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine monastic order, and his twin sister, Saint
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An interesting new winemaking trend – making wine in terracotta jars. Not really new – the Romans used this method to make their wine. Now artisans based in Impruneta in Tuscany are creating terracotta fermentation giare and barriques for wine making. We expect that within two to three years, you will be able to try
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Porcini mushrooms of Chianti are not to be missed. With the exception of morilles, funghi porcini are the most delicious of the mushrooms. Try to find or buy them fresh and cook them sliced in a bit of olive oil with nipitella (a kind of catamint or catnip that grows wild in Chianti). Serve over
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Schiacciata (“squashed”) is a flat bread about 2 cm thick that was originally cooked in the embers of the hearth. Variations of schiacciata are made throughout Italy. In Tuscany, it is often simply brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Here in Chianti, we enjoy schiacciata con l’uva, sometimes called focaccia. (In ancient Rome,
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To make porchetta in Chianti, you start with a big pig – some say it should be at least 120kg! This is not a suckling pig we’re cooking, it’s the real thing! The pig is carefully deboned and dressed with abundant rosemary, fennel and garlic, and filled with its own minced sweet meats, although the
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Tuscany is famous for its hilltop towns and villages, and, among the latter, one of the best preserved and most photogenic is Montefioralle, a Chianti walled mediaeval village. Montefioralle was once the main inhabited location of this area, at a time when Greve, down in the valley, was no more than a market place. As
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Before beginning your visit to Tuscany, it will be worthwhile to “bone up” on bistecca alla Fiorentina, the grilled steak of Tuscany – how to select the steak, how to cook it, how to eat it. Not every visitor to Tuscany has heard that steak is a very popular speciality here. The meat classically come
Posted in • • • View all posts • • •, Chianti, Italy, Photo Newslets - Chianti Food & Wine Tags: Chianti, Chianti wine wineries and vineyards, Tuscan Food and Gastronomic Specialities, Tuscany Comments Off on Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the grilled steak of Tuscany
Anyone visiting Panzano in Chianti, a pretty town on the via Chiantigiana halfway between Florence and Sienna, should drop in at Dario Cecchini’s butcher’s shop near Piazza Bucciarelli. Here you will see not only excellent cuts of meat and prepared meats, but with a bit of luck, Dario Cecchini himself – probably the most extravert
Posted in • • • View all posts • • •, Chianti, Italy, Photo Newslets - Chianti Food & Wine Tags: Chianti, Tuscan Food and Gastronomic Specialities Comments Off on Dario Cecchini, butcher and showman at Panzano in Chianti
Sights of Chianti, in Tuscany, Italy. What to see, where to go, places to stay in Chianti. www.greve-in-chianti.com.
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