The Tuscan Abbey without a Roof

Some road works seem to take forever to be completed… Have you ever had that feeling? This is the case with the still unfinished Superstrada 223 linking Siena to the city of Grosseto and my beloved Maremma, a highway which was already under construction when I moved to Italy to start working at the Brolio winery…two decades ago! Continue Reading →

Where Do the Children Play – PART 2

In my last post, we began a roundup of interesting things to do in Italy when you are parents with children. We had a close look at three of the activities which I particularly recommend. Today, I’ll be suggesting four more.

Italy’s flora and fauna are inexhaustible sources of fun and wonder for kids. The prospect of a mere hike in the countryside probably won’t make any youngster jump for joy. But if you put forward an asparagus hunt through the Tuscan hills, chances are your offspring will happily volunteer for the journey – my daughter did, for instance! By the way, should you wish to experience this special asparagus quest with one of our licensed nature guides, we will gladly organize this for you.

Continue Reading →

Where Do the Children Play – PART 1

Well I think it’s fine building jumbo planes,
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train,
Switch on summer from a slot machine…

Do these lyrics ring a bell? They are from a great Cat Stevens song released in 1970. Its title: “Where Do the Children Play”. If you haven’t heard this song before, make sure you do: it’s a beautiful piece of music and poetry, and it’s become a classic.

Yes, this is a question parents always ask themselves when vacationing with their children, and one often submitted to us by our Trust & Travel clients before they arrive at their Italian holiday residence: where shall we take the kids? Continue Reading →

Paolo, the Tuscan Fisherman

Do you remember Talamone, this little harbour town lying on the Southern coast of Tuscany? I told you about it in a previous blog post. Well, true, this was almost two years ago, so I won’t blame you if you haven’t kept in mind this piece of information…

Anyway, my daughter, husband and I have made it a family tradition to drive to Talamone whenever we are staying in the Maremma in the summer months. We usually go there in the late afternoon, primarily to jump into the Mediterranean sea from the high rocks of Women’s Bay – my daughter and I just can’t get enough of these aerobatic stunts, I confess – and to enjoy a refreshing aperitivo at the beachside bar, where they serve superlative mojitos.

Continue Reading →

Florentine Wax Anatomy and Taxidermy

“Hey, look at this one, Mummy! Is that a hippotamus?
– A hippopotamus, darling. Yes, it is.
– He looks angry!
– Well… yes. Or he may just be yawning…”

For my daughter and I, this was our very first visit to La Specola, a jewel of a museum in the heart of Florence. We were lucky enough that day to be accompanied by Gina, a good friend of mine who happened to be well-versed in zoology and natural history, the domains which La Specola is dedicated to. Gina presented us with some additional information on the “yawning hippotamus”:

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Behind the Scenes of Siena’s Palio

 

– Mummy, I want to “vote” for the Leocorno, my daughter told me with big round eyes.
– The Unicorn? You want to support the Unicorn team?
– Yes! And George says he wants to support the Elephant!
– Well… I’m afraid there is no Elephant team in the race, darling.
– Ah… I’ll go tell him to support something else then.
– Good idea. Continue Reading →

The Great Mercato Centrale in Florence

One of my favourite places in Florence is the Mercato Centrale, also known as the Mercato di San Lorenzo, the largest food market in town. A beautiful glass and cast-iron construction, it was designed over 140 years ago by Giovanni Mengoni, an architect who also built the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan.

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Artichoke Hearts in the Heart of Tuscany

“A woman is like an artichoke: you must work hard to get to her heart.” You will never guess who said that… Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Yes, the French – and always gallant – police detective featured in the Pink Panther, the famous movie series on the art of sensible investigation. Remember? Continue Reading →

Little Easter in a Great Garden

The Kiss… The Tomb of the Poet… Nine Astrological Aspects… Cathedral no 6… The Grass Sofas… The Eternal Lunch… An Island in an Island… The Beauty and the Beast… Make Something as Big as the Eiffel Tower… No, I’m not rambling, I’m just trying to arouse your interest.

What are your plans for this coming Easter? I have a great scheme for you… Continue Reading →

Florence’s Artisan Quarter

Like the Seine in Paris, the Thames in London and the Styx in the Underworld, an old dignified river flows across the city of Florence, dividing it, inevitably, into two river banks. Its name: the Arno. Continue Reading →



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