As much as anywhere in Italy, the food of Montalcino is intensely local and dear to its residents. Wanda Djebbar explains the culinary heritage of this Tuscan town with her Gourmet guide to Montalcino… Sitting proudly on its hilltop at 567 metres above sea level, looking out over the Val d’Orcia and the Via Francigena, […]
A romantic stay for two, or a friendly welcome for the solo traveller… Here’s our pick of the best Italian Hotels & B&Bs for those planning a quick jaunt to Italy… RELAIS SAN PIETRO This family-run establishment is set in an 18th-century converted hamlet in the Tuscan hills and is pure paradise for those seeking […]
Geraldine Millet, by email “Torre del Lago, Tuscany. Taken in October last year. So peaceful. Hope you get it. Just had to share.”
Caroline Gray, Gosforth “Looking over to Cortona, beautiful Tuscany in summertime.”
The red wines of Tuscany are many and varied – it’s not all about the Big Three. Paul Pettengale explores deeper into the region and picks some gems from off the beaten track… Although Tuscany is as well-known for its wines as for its rolling landscape and incredible sunlight, it’s actually a relatively small producer […]
Oddvar Gjelsvik, Alversund, Norway “I’m sending you some pictures from my two last Italian holidays. This photo of the rower was taken from our hotel room just beside the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River.”
For centuries the positive outcome of the “dove’s flight” from the central nave of the Duomo with the subsequent explosion of the fireworks mounted on the cart outside in the piazza, was a good omen for the farmers and the sign of plentiful harvests. Legend has it that Pazzino de’ Pazzi, a Florentine from a […]
Ginger Pozzini, Newport, Rhode Island “Bird’s-eye view of the Val d’Orcia. Taken while enjoying lunch on the panoramic terrace of a producer of organic pecorino cheese. The peacocks freely roam the grounds and feed on insects and small creatures. This one is enjoying the view as much as I am!”
Tuscany’s largest island is a paradise of white beaches and clear waters, with some fabulous walking routes thrown in. It can be packed-out in summer, so Fleur Kinson nips over nice and early… In travel as in life, journeys should be as interesting as destinations. And my long, convoluted voyage to Elba – a plane, […]
Merrill Levine, Coral Springs, Florida “This view of Montalcino, Tuscany, takes in the landscape that stretches away beyond the town.”