Tag: italia

Pistoia: a hidden gem in Tuscany and its curious streets’ names

8 September 2019

Curiosity about my birthplace : Pistoia a hidden gem in Tuscany … More Pistoia: a hidden gem in Tuscany and its curious streets’ names

“Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!

29 August 2019

Have you ever seen “buchette del vino” in Florence? Maybe yes but you didn’t know what they were… In English could be translated in : “wine windows”, for wine lovers since the XVII century when , due to some export restrictions the Florentine noble families decided to sell wine  produced in their countryside estates , … More “Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!

Summer colors of Pistoia : sun is here,on our food market today

5 June 2019

Buongiorno from my birthplace, Pistoia! This morning I after having visited the clothes market that as I wrote in another post of some time ago, it is on Wednesday’s & on Saturday’s in the main square of Pistoia since the Middle Age, I took a walk at the vegetable market on the “Piazza de La … More Summer colors of Pistoia : sun is here,on our food market today

Berberè in Florence : an authentic Italian pizza in the heart of Florence

15 January 2019

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

Pistoia : in Italy today we celebrate Carabinieri institution since 1814

5 June 2018

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

Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!

19 March 2018

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!

Dario Longo :a contemporary artist from Pistoia

31 January 2018

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

Pistoia & Tibet : the first European in Tibet was from Pistoia, in 1716

28 October 2017

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

Sardinia fascinates me !

28 July 2016

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 !

Ever tried farro beans soup ? a Tuscan traditional dish

10 June 2016

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

Tour,lunch &  shopping  with Texan  ladies  in Chianti 

9 June 2016

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 

Certaldo : a Medieval beautiful hamlet in Tuscany!

4 May 2016

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!

Sapori di Genova : a crunchy , soft focaccia Ligurian style 

18 April 2016

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 

Pistoia : Santa Barbara’s Fortress ,a Tuscan  highline over the city!

11 April 2016

          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!

Cooking class in Liguria :  how to make Pesto alla genovese

23 March 2016

           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

Where to stay in Rome?

22 March 2016

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?

Tuscany : Greve in Chianti & the Tuscan navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano

17 March 2016

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

San Gimignano : as a small New York skyline with its old towers

3 March 2016

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

Pistoia : Manzoni theatre ,a real jewel in the city’s heart

2 February 2016

  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

Pistoia : a lovely old palace where to stay  if you wish to visit my city

31 January 2016

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

Pistoia, in Tuscany, it’s a hidden gem to be discovered with ….me!

27 January 2016

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!

MadeinPistoia : an amazing eco-friendly Presepe (Nativity)

16 December 2015

     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)

Testaroli with pesto sauce : a different kind of pasta

8 December 2015

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