If you are in Florence you can’t miss the Basilica of Santa Croce , the Pazzi chapel and of course all the nice shops in the nearby, especially http://www.aquaflorfirenze.com in Borgo Santa Croce no.6 a lovely shop where you could find the best room fragrances, parfums and luxury soaps to bring home as gifts for … More Berberè in Florence : an authentic Italian pizza in the heart of Florence
You can’t imagine how times foreign people in the last past years asked me : what is a carabiniere? This morning I have had the pleasure and the honor to be invited to the annual celebration of this important and historical institution founded in 1814 by Vittorio Emanuele I of Savoy – King of Italy … More Pistoia : in Italy today we celebrate Carabinieri institution since 1814
Have you ever tasted Colomba Pasquale ( Easter dove in English )? Not yet? Here follows some photos I took on the ‘backstage’ of Fratelli Lunardi bakery in Quarrata – Pistoia – http://www.fratellilunardi.it This special kind of soft pastry needs many rising hours to be ready for the oven in this case the Lunardi brothers … More Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!
Immersed in an amazing artistic and natural setting , on Pistoia’s hills , by http://www.fondazionevivarelli.it I visited this lovely contemporary art exhibition by Dario Longo “Meeting point” is its title and here you could see some works made by http://www.dariolongo.it a good friend of mine since we were children . The colour and the shapes … More Dario Longo :a contemporary artist from Pistoia
When you are in Florence you can’t miss this museum : in a stunning location ( that reminded me the Victoria & Albert Museum in London ) you could find all the original statues of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral façade and the original Baptistery ‘s doors by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi – with just … More Firenze : Il Grande Museo del Duomo, bellissimo!
My passion for Tibet was born many many years ago when my father visited this Country in the 1988 for a trekking experience : he brought me back some Tibetan handmade moniles and lots and lots stories about a very special, mystic place of which I didn’t know anything before his trip . A thousand … More Pistoia & Tibet : the first European in Tibet was from Pistoia, in 1716
Have you read ” Elephants in the garden ” by Kuki Gallmann? I did , many years ago & loved it very much for the great ability of the author to describe her beloved Africa, her second home . So it comes so easy to my mind this book’s title when I saw wild boars … More Wild boars in the garden – Sardinia Mon Amour
Found a nice shop in Santa Teresa di Gallura with original items in a beautiful location …do you want to pop in with me? Please follow me😉👍😍👛👝👠
Here again after a long long ,busy year I can enjoy the same seaside & this marvellous sea, the granite marble big rocks 🌊☀️🌻🌴🌺meet my old friends from different regions & nations, tasting great food & excellent wines!🍾🦀🐠🐬🦂🌴🐚🌞🍷🍸🍹🍧☕️ This summer I have to add more memories to those I have collected in more than fourty … More Sardinia fascinates me !
Since more than 40 years I have been stopping in Livorno just to leave it , yes by boat , direction…Sardinia island. Never a walk , never a look around , never some time to shopping or seeing its streets , its buildings : it has been since ever just an harbour to me, not … More Tuscany : Livorno, not just a port but a charming city
Ever heard about “farro” ? it’s an old cereal used in the past on our mountains especially in the Lucca area , spelt in English. Since I was a child my grandmother told me about this special kind of “brown rice “she tasted by her friends in the Garfagnana district. At those times – about … More Ever tried farro beans soup ? a Tuscan traditional dish
What a wonderful idea travelling all women together in the Chianti countryside enjoying food,wine & lovely landscapes! This is one of my fav tour : ladies only …..💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 A stop in Greve in Chianti, for a beautiful & yummy cappuccino , a tour among hanging hams & salami by Falorni historical butchery, lunch by “Il … More Tour,lunch & shopping with Texan ladies in Chianti
So nice to see the pink colour all over Greve in Chianti & Panzano in Chianti! The race was been held annualy since 1909 & stopped only during the two World Wars. The leader of the general classification is identify by the pink jersey since 1931 as the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper created this race … More Chianti & the pink Tour of Italy bicycle race
Shoes are one of my passions since I was a child : my father was a footwear agent for the export market so I’ve had the chance to smell , see , touch & try many samples : from ballerinas to high heel pumps , sandals, boots, mules ….all of them made in Italy , … More MAASAI PROJECT sandals & bags by Pikolinos in Florence
Some shots I took last Wednsday in Duomo square , just having a sort of slalom among teints & the old buildings :a different point of view..in my birthplace – Pistoia – a lovely little gem in Tuscany, enjoy!
Some sun, some nice mild weather & it’s time for shopping !!! Just some shots to show how is coloured our spring in Tuscany👏👍😍❤️
Have you ever heard about Certaldo before? Maybe because the renowned writer & poet Giovanni Boccaccio – The Decameron’s author – was born here …..https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio and its home museum so interesting to visit http://www.casaboccaccio.it/ with books & even old shoes dated 1300 and aspectacular view from the tower over the hamlet that till today maintained its old … More Certaldo : a Medieval beautiful hamlet in Tuscany!
Last Friday I had the pleasure to visit Genoa with a special guided tour planned by Confartigianato Liguria association, CNA Liguria , IN LIGURIA regional agency touristic promotion & with the best Genoa’s licensed guide, Cristina Gelvi , in occasion of the Genoa Pesto World Championship 2016 . So nice to meet this new folk … More Sapori di Genova : a crunchy , soft focaccia Ligurian style
Yesterday I visited this enchanting location just on the border of a public park where I used to go when I was a child , Piazza d’Armi. With the Pistoia’s Instagrammer group & the FAI young volounteers ( Fondo Ambiente Italiano – )we visited this fourtess dated fourtheen century that hosted in different … More Pistoia : Santa Barbara’s Fortress ,a Tuscan highline over the city!
One of my best tour ever is made in Liguria with American & Australian clients! First thing we learned to make was ….PESTO!!! and I still can feel the pressed basil’s scent in the air…amazing experience indeed you can forget faces,people,places but not smells! Everybody was so excited to start a new … More Cooking class in Liguria : how to make Pesto alla genovese
Not just a modern & original 4 star hotel designed by an architect who loves modern art but the people….amazing!! so welcoming ,such a great stay by www.abitarthotel.com & its restaurant too. Art is the main ingredient in this place : everywhere you could see masterpieces & the atmophere is very relaxing , not too modern … More Where to stay in Rome?
Another time in Greve for me but the first one for my American group : to see the triangular shaped square, this time with no tourists – except us – as at the beginning of March is still low season and just because of this , more lovely as a typical Tuscan hamlet where to … More Tuscany : Greve in Chianti & the Tuscan navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano
Originally , in the 1300 , the towers were 72 -in a very small village think they were more towers than inhabitans!- but towers meant power at that time & so each noble family showed it through them. Nowadays only 14 left but the atmosphere is like a diamond posed on a hill from which … More San Gimignano : as a small New York skyline with its old towers
You can think you are at ‘La Scala’ theatre , as it is just a minature of it ! but you are in Pistoia, in a small but beautiful city in the Northen Tuscany just 30 km from the district capital, Firenze . Dated 1694 first it was called : “teatro dei Risvegliati ” … More Pistoia : Manzoni theatre ,a real jewel in the city’s heart
Have a look to this old & noble private palace – Palazzo Caluri in the past – now offers rooms , suites & apartments for everyone who loves to live a special Tuscan experience in the city center of my birthplace, Pistoia. Love the name “locanda ” as it is what was been called … More Pistoia : a lovely old palace where to stay if you wish to visit my city
Live the literary life, Tuscan style! Yes, this will be my next tour in Tuscany : read the book , visit the setting! Brunelleschi’s Dome or Death in Florence, or Mona Lisa or Dan Brown’s Inferno….here they are now : are not only in your mind and fantasy but in the locations we will visit … More Book Club in Tuscany with …me!
You know I love my birthplace , Pistoia, as I am writing about it since some years on my blog & posted many many photos on Instagram & Twitter of it. So now that has been just declared the Italy’s city of culture in 2017 I think you should follow my blog & have a … More Pistoia, in Tuscany, it’s a hidden gem to be discovered with ….me!
So happy about this news!👏👏 It deserves this nomination as for too many years it has been hidden between Florence & Lucca ‘s shades but now ……it’s time to show to the world how beautiful & interesting it is with its greenhouses, its museums, its market, its ‘movida’ in the evening & its old organs … More Pistoia : Italy’s city of culture 2017!!!
You know, Sardinia is my second home & I love it in a deep ,true , visceral way : as you love a good friend you don’t see very often & you miss so much. I love it not just for its natural stunning beauties ,not only for the sincere & fantastic people living there, … More Sardinia island :perfect for food lovers
What about getting married in Tuscany? Not just the happiness to celebrate & seal a great love but also to have the chance to be part of one of the most dreamed region in the world where everyone would like to see & stay once in a life time ! So no more … More MadeinPistoia : getting married in Tuscany!
So many charming windows👏👏👏 Do you want to have a virtual tour with me now? let’s start!! Follow me, happy Christmas time !😍🎄🎅🏾☕️🎁
Sunday before Christmas in Florence is usually very crowded but … over the river Arno it’s another atmosphere! This is what I saw yesterday : a nice small market with different kind of products , from food to flowers to clothes : piazza Santo Spirito with its church & trees made me feel as … More Florence : Christmas market in Santo Spirito
From 23rd of September till October 2nd 2016 together with Victoria de Maio – blogger, tour leader ,travel consultant ,writer and newly published author from USA – and Molly Mcllwrath licensed Florence tour guide ( included among other guides all over the world as one of the worlds best tour guides !) I am proud … More Let’s discover Tuscany together !
I couldn’t believe it was possible to create such an amazing, original Nativity with just common things as expired food , dried leaves,tea bags,seeds,eggs’ shells ,wahnuts ,garlic flowers used as small trees, old jumpers used as mountains , expired white flour as snow , pistaches’shells, plastic pins, orange zeist ? It has been a … More MadeinPistoia : an amazing eco-friendly Presepe (Nativity)
Have you ever seen them before?Me neither since some years ago! They are a traditional dish from the northern part of Tuscany on the Ligurian border and of Liguria . Big round shaped made of white flour and water, cooked on the fire as necci (special sweets made with cestnut flour) to be cut in … More Testaroli with pesto sauce : a different kind of pasta
Ever tried it with pears or feoia? or fresh fennel? I tried it with some quincy +ginger jam ( homemade by myself ) & fresh rawsberries…it is really fantastic!!! Such a tasty pairing with these kind of cheese that I really love! It can be served as a starter, as a main dish or at … More Gorgonzola cheese : great pairing with fruits!
Ever visited a farmhouse in Tuscany? In this post you can visit one of them:located on Pistoia’s hills it is a so called “didactic farm” as it opens its door to children & adults to show & teach how to make cow cheese, put the hand into the milk & press the fresh cream, see … More A true rural experience in a typical Tuscan farmhouse
Yes, did you know this? Not only superb wines , lovely landscapes , art & architecture but also a real sweet valley made of maitres chocolatiers! In Pistoia, Prato, Firenze and Pisa we can offer a huge choice of this delicious product: the best ingredients, the most original mix of dried fruits, spirits , wine … More Chocolate valley : in Tuscany we have this too!
How many delicious products we make in Pistoia? So many!!👏👏👏this is another kind, similar to Cialde from Montecatini with an anisette scent . It’s an old tale that a nun named Brigida created them by mistake while she was supposed to make host for the Church , from her they took their name. They are … More MadeinPistoia : brigidini ~ crunchy & thin as autumnal leaves🍂🍁🍂
Every period of the year has its own typical food products & this is another one of these : called Pane dei Santi because in the past it was produced at home of by bakers during the end of October , beginning of November ( at that time Halloween wasn’t yet arrived in Italy )to … More Pan coi Santi : All Saints sweet bread from Siena , ever tried?
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