Tuscany Slow Travel - Viaggi Senza Fretta

28/08/2024

Fil Bucchino, Andrea Pagliai and Gionni Pruneti produce extra virgin olive oil from recovered trees to benefit communities and the environment.

02/06/2024

JUNE 2 is a national holiday in Italy called Festa della Repubblica, or Republic Day.
On June 2, 1946, our grandparents and great-grandparents voted to choose whether Italy was to be a monarchy or a republic. This was also the first time women in Italy were able to vote, and the republic won with 12 million votes against 10 million votes for the monarchy. June 2nd marks the day we went from being subjects of a king to becoming citizens participants in democracy. That is why we celebrate June 2: to remember how important it is to be a republic.

03/05/2023

23/12/2022

Ulisse, an artisanal producer, explaining how he makes his cheese:

06/10/2022

19/04/2022

Easter Monday celebrations along the streets of Città della Pieve, Umbria

27/03/2022

Planning a trip to Italy and wondering what the new COVID-19 rules are in Italy right now?

Italy’s Covid rules are set to change in April 2022 as hospitalization rates slow, despite rising infection numbers.

19/12/2021

Christmas celebrations in Città della Pieve, Umbria. Each small town has a calendar of Christmas events which begins before Christmas and ends with the Epiphany on January 6th. Nativities, town bands, Christmas markets and much more are held each weekend, organized by the local associations

09/12/2021

“🎸Guitar Spaghetti🎸”, better known as spaghetti alla chitarra.
You can guess why this pasta is called like this just by looking at how it’s made!

Chef Doriana and I spent the morning creating and testing next year’s cooking class menu (the best part was that I got to take the food home as well🙂). Our new class will also include a visit to Sarteano’s weekly Friday market to pick up fresh ingredients and experience everyday life in a hilltop town in Tuscany. All classes are private and held directly at your villa. If you’re planning to stay in the area and would like more information, please contact me at [email protected]

28/11/2021

Sunday dog walks in November.

13/11/2021

🍷The sound of wine🍷

On a recent wine cellar tour I experienced something new, thanks to our wonderful guide Letizia - if you place your ear next to the barrel opening you can hear the wine gurgle. Winemakers have always told me wine is to be considered in many ways “alive”, and listening to the sound it made rendered the idea very well! 🍇

03/09/2021

Trabocchi Coast, Abruzzo.
This stretch of coastline along the Adriatic Sea, known as the , is named after a unique structure built directly over the sea, once used for fishing. Located close to the shore, the “trabocchi” are wooden structures suspended above the sea and similar in appearance to stilt houses. They are connected to the land by narrow boardwalks and have long arms, known as antennae, which support a large net that extends into the sea. They were invented by local farmers who wanted to fish but didn't know how to sail. The farmers built these little wooden huts so they could fish without running the risks of the open sea.

04/08/2021

SPECIAL SUMMER TREATS - ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Summer is a time of great abundance for zucchini and zucchini flowers. The flowers, fried in a light batter and served piping hot, are one of my favorite summer delicacies, often served at outdoor weddings during cocktail hour. They need to be picked early in the morning and must be fresh - which is why they are not always readily available at most supermarkets.
The flowers depicted in the photo, carefully tied up in pretty little bunches, are sold at a local, family-run grocery store that has a small production of their own seasonal fruit and vegetables.
See Podere Il Casale’s recipe to try making them on your own!

02/08/2021

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
Late at night, when the day tourists in Pienza have long gone, Pienza's famous Piazza Pio II turns into the ideal place in which to play chase, prison, hide and seek...
Because the summer days are very hot and because we eat late, children in Mediterranean countries tend to stay up much later than their northern European counterparts. Families take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures and it is customary to take a stroll or go for gelato after dinner, even with very young children and babies. In the smaller towns adults sit and socialize while kids play in the piazza, which makes for a safe play area when closed to traffic.
In the case of Pienza, I can’t think of a more beautiful backdrop to any children’s ballgame or game of hide-and-seek!

23/07/2021

Friday ritual - weekly market in Sarteano

Weekly markets are held on a different day in each hilltown. They're not tourist attractions, they're where locals shop for fresh fruit and vegetables, porchetta, spit roast chicken, socks and underwear, plants and flowers, clothing, linen, tupperware...there's a bit of everything and everyone has their favorite vendor with whom she/he establishes a relationship. They usually last from 8.30 to 12.30 and are a good place to visit if you want to get a sense of "everyday life":-)!

21/07/2021

Lake Trasimeno, Umbria

19/07/2021

, Vaiano Castiglione del Lago - Umbria

“PICNICCO”

On my way home from Castiglione del Lago yesterday evening, I drove past Winery Madrevite in Vaiano. They were holding their annual summer picnic - “picnicco” - an event which combines great wine, music and a selection of Italian street food, completed by a wonderful view of the sunset over Lake Chiusi.
Anybody wish you were here;-)? Then why not start planning for next year’s picnic!

19/07/2021

Vaiano, Castiglione del Lago (Umbria)

If you look hard enough you can see Lake Chiusi in the background. The summer evening drive from Castiglione del Lago to Chiusi, via the small village of Gioiella is one of the prettiest in the area. A must if you are in the area!

14/07/2021

The view from the Etruscan Necropolis of Le Pianacce, Sarteano

13/07/2021

HOW MANY PROVINCES ARE THERE IN TUSCANY?

Italy is divided into 20 regions and each region is divided into provinces. There are the 10 provinces in the region of Tuscany. The city of Florence is Tuscany's "capoluogo", the capital.

WHERE DO I LIVE AND WORK?

I live in the southern part of the province of SIENA, right on the border with the regions UMBRIA and LAZIO. Most of the itineraries I design are based in this specific area.

If you'd like to come to the area but want to extend your travels, I also collaborate with experts in different provinces such as Florence, Lucca and Rome and can easily integrate these areas into your itinerary.

For more info, please contact me at [email protected]

10/07/2021

Valdorcia - On my way to checking-in guests on a Saturday afternoon, can you feel the heat of summer and see how it changes the landscape?

n.b. The guests I checked in are American and told me traveling to Italy from the US was easy - they had all been vaccinated and will no longer need a Covid test before flying home. It’s hard to keep up with the ever-changing rules but it’s reassuring to see happy and relaxed clients say they had a positive travel experience!

07/07/2021

FIRST EPISODE OF PINOCCHIO, JULY 7TH 1881

On July 7th 1881, the first episode of what would become "The Adventures of Pinocchio, Story of a Puppet" was published in the "Giornale per i Bambini" – “The Children's Newspaper”. It was written by Carlo Collodi, pseudonym of the Florentine journalist and writer Carlo Lorenzini, using an old-fashioned Tuscan dialect (which unfortunately gets lost in translation). It’s one of those books that needs to be read aloud – the sound and rhythm of the language make it all the more engaging. This is my own copy of Pinocchio from when I was small – and since it was a big favorite when my own kids were little I also have a handy pocket edition for bedtime reading:-)

06/07/2021

SUMMER FESTIVALS

During the summer months there are a myriad of festivals to choose from in the various hilltop towns.

A couple of days ago I received an email from a client who had stayed in a townhouse accommodation in 2017. While asking me about places she and her family could stay at on the coast next year, she reminisced about her last trip:

“We will never forget our first day in Sarteano, and joining everyone for an outdoor feast and then the castle show after! That's exactly the sort of experience we are hoping for, we like to settle into the town and feel like a local.
We have such fond memories of Sarteano so it will hard to top that!”

Which immediately led me to search for pre-COVID photos I have of the castle and the festivals that were held there:-)

While many of these events have been on hold since 2020, I am certain that we will be able to fully celebrate summer again next year. So if you’re planning your trip in 2022 make sure to include a festival in your itinerary! You can contact me at [email protected] for further details.

03/07/2021

HOME RESTAURANT - a sustainable, off-the-beaten track culinary experience.

I first met Beatrice 10 years ago. She and her family own a farm and run several agriturismi (farmhouse accommodation) in the countryside around Cetona. One of the services she offered at the time was that of cooking lessons and I often helped out as her assistant when she taught my own clients:-).

Fast forward to 2021 and Beatrice has now expanded her activities to include a home restaurant called Locanda di B.

“Cooking for me is a means of sharing my family traditions which are deeply connected to our history and the area we live in. My grandmother taught me to make pasta, my father taught me to cook wild game (which plays an important role in Tuscan cooking) and my mother taught me how to prepare vegetable dishes and bake cakes. We produce our own extra-virgin olive oil, honey and vegetables and I take great care in sourcing all the rest of the ingredients locally (or KM 0 as we say in Italian).”

Beatrice’s father has always had a passion for truffle hunting and foraging for mushrooms, so if you find them listed on the seasonal menu you’ll know where they came from!

Of course eating at a home restaurant requires a little planning ahead since reservations need to be made a few days in advance, but it’s an experience worth trying if you want a more intimate, sustainable and off the beaten track culinary experience on your next vacation.

28/06/2021

Pici (pronounced pee-chee) in the making. Pici are similar to a very long and thick, hand-rolled spaghetti and they’re typically found in the province of Siena, Tuscany.
A labor of love brought to you by your personal in-villa chef Giovanna!

28/06/2021

🇮🇹🌶🫑THE COLORS AND FLAVORS OF A HOME-COOKED MEAL ON VACATION🥩🫒🍅🥂🇮🇹

Who doesn't dream of a vacation during which nobody has to worry about grocery shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up afterward? The obvious choice would be that of eating out most evenings. However, when you're staying in a rental property out in the countryside together with several friends and family, even eating out every evening can become challenging. If you've spent the day sightseeing, once you come back to the villa all you want to do is put your feet up and relax.

So instead of eating out all the time, a very practical (and healthy) solution is that of having someone come and cook for you. When I check-in clients on Saturday afternoons, I can see their faces light up as they’re welcomed by the delicious smell of home-cooking. After long hours of traveling (often 24 hours!), I can't think of anything more welcoming than sitting down with friends and family to a leisurely, home-cooked meal, full of seasonal color and flavor😊.
If you'd like to receive further details, please contact met at: [email protected]