Archive for 'Food and Wine'

If you are a fan of small towns off the beaten tourist track, hidden gems and endless surprises, Tuscany is the perfect town for you. It is full of charming, little-known towns that are authentic, peaceful and exceptionally pretty. Just find a villa rental in Tuscany and begin discovering its endless charms for yourself!

One of these lovely little towns is Pontremoli, one of the main villages of Lunigiana, located at the bottom of Tosco Emiliano Apennines. In the lush and wild part of northern Tuscany, it is far from queues, tacky souvenirs and the regular itineraries. Boasting a stunning natural setting, pretty town, rich history and culinary tradition, and a slow pace of life, it is an excellent place to spend a day soaking up the atmosphere of daily life in a real Tuscan town.

Tuscany is one of the ultimate foodie destinations in the world where food is at the centre of the culture, it is fresh and simple, tasty and wholesome, one doesn't have to spend a lot to eat well, and there is a year-long calendar of food-related events that take place all throughout the region. You could find a perfect villa in Tuscany and spend your whole trip visiting different towns, trying different specialities and attending different food festivals. One of the big-hitters, however, is Boccaccesca, and annual food and wine street festival in the lovely medieval town of Certaldo Alto, on Via Boccaccio.

You've found your perfect holiday rental in Chianti and now you're looking to see what you can do in the area this August. There is, of course, no shortage of things too see or do in Chianti but we might recommend one rather interesting annual event that takes place in the charming town of Castellina in Chianti at the end of August each year: the Watermelon Festival, or Sagra del Cocomero.

Castellina in Chianti is a pretty town, perched on a hilltop, with sweeping views over the surrounding area. It is home to several noble palaces, a grand and large centuries-old castle, a beautiful church and charming cobbled streetscapes. Surrounded by dense woods populated by a rich variety of wild fauna and rolling vineyards, it boasts many great wineries and a delicious local cuisine.

You have found an ideal vacation rental in Florence, you have packed your perfect holiday outfits, you've booked tickets to the Uffizi, you know where you're going shopping...it's all organised. The only thing left to do is start planning your menus because there is no bigger priority when you're visiting Tuscany than trying the famous and celebrated local cuisine. We have written about all sorts of Tuscan dishes before – from Lampredotto, a Florentine street food favourite, to Florentine-style peas, a typical side dish – but there is one key dish that meat-lovers, in particular, can't miss out on: Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Pici are a thick, hand-rolled kind of pasta that look a little like fatter pieces of spaghetti and originated in the Montalcino area of the province of Siena in Tuscany. Sometimes referred to as pinci, they are made from a simple dough, typically made from only flour and water, though egg is sometimes added, depending on the recipe you are following. Like with many Tuscan foods, different families have their own tricks and methods that are handed down over the years and, so, some families will use egg and others will swear against it.