About Tuscany | PlanningaTour.com

Tuscany Review

Dear Friends,

I found this nice post around the web and I decide to publish it here on PlunningaTour because in my opinion reading it you can taste the true way to visit Tuscany.

Tuscany is well known for many things. Florence, being the largest city, is the main attraction, but by no means the only draw in a region that, above most in Italy, has a reputation beyond its means.

Of course, there is Florence, but there is time enough devoted to her, and the beauty and uniqueness of that city. Pisa as well, has her fans and detractors, but is a worthy enough diversion, and the Tower really is a must-see (as well as the Cathedral which can hold a torch to any in Florence).

To get a true taste of Tuscany in her entirity it is necessary to head for the hills, so to speak.

The overwhelming sight that will greet you as you head south from Florence, is (depending on the time of year) the verdant countryside. The green-ness is overwhelming, and the lines and lines of vineyards and olive trees around Chianti lead to the famous landscapes often alluded to, in Tuscany.

The hills are larger than their English equivalents, for the most part, and intermittently, a hill town will appear, as if from nowhere, and ‘just popping in for a visit’ can lead to finding the a great little trattoria which will far outstrip anything in Florence. Although that can possibly be said for any Italian countryside.

Tuscany is full of small towns. San Gimignano is a perfectly preserved medieval town which did a lot more from me than San Marino (in Romagna), because although it is very touristy, it doesn’t seem to have sold-out to the tourist influx. Vinci (Leonardo’s famous birthplace) is worth a diversion, sitting on a hill, with its own Leonardo museum, although if you go to his actual birthplace (a little way out of the town itself) there isn’t very much in there to see.

Lucca as well, is a great spot to while away a day, and although I never got as far south as Siena, I’m told it’s a treat.

The Tuscan countryside cannot really be appreciated on the train from Pisa Airport into
Florence, and is it as well to take a day trip from Florence, if you can, to Siena or San Gimignano, or even to Fiesole if you are short of time, because it is good to set off the artistry of Florence against the natural beauty that inspired so many of her famous sons.

There are always a lot of expats in this area, but that can be quite comforting in a way, and the Tuscans are very proud of their own little corner of Italy, they are helpful to a fault, if a little particular. The wine is superb and the food is plentiful and excellent, and in my eyes, that makes it a good enough reason to stop, regardless of the countryside.

There are many particular cities to see within Tuscany, not all of which I could mention, and any number of which would have numerous treasures – stopping an a random church in a small village will uncover art pieces which would be the centre of any gallery in London – and that is more the pleasure of exploring this particular area of Italy. The joy is as much in the travelling as in the arriving.

September the month of the Vendemia: Grape harvest in Tuscany

September: The grape harvest in Tuscany

September: The grape harvest in Tuscany Here we’re talking about wine, because September is the month of the grape harvest and of the celebrations dedicated to it.

In some areas of the south, grapes are ready for harvesting in August, and towards the more Northern regions, it can take up until November for the grapes to be ready – it all comes down to ripening of the grape, it must have the right level of sweetness. In Tuscany, the grape harvest happens in September, and is therefore big on the agenda for a region to which wine is very important.

It’s not just about Chianti, a wine which everyone knows, but least we forget about the fantastic wines from Montepulciano; Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, and Morellino di Scansano, to name but a few. Being such an important part of life, there are many celebrations and festivities dedicated to the grape, and of course its final product.

The first organised celebration started in 1926 in a town named Impruneta, in the Chianti area. It was during the Fascist period, a time when the Government wanted to celebrate local traditions and products with fairs, and most of these have been maintained to the present day. The celebrations in Impruneta are on the last Sunday of September (the 24th, this year) but the town is busy beforehand, buzzing with the preparations for the parade which goes through Piazza Buondelmonti. There is a competition between the four districts of the area, to see who can create the most beautiful carnival float. The parade is accompanied by dancing and music and it’s a lively affair.

Siena also has its own Festa dell’uva from September 20 through 24 in Castelnuovo Berardenga. There are also events in Gaiole, Chianti from the 16th to the 18th of September, and in Panzano, with its Vino al Vino celebration at the end of the third week of September (15th, to the 17th during 2006).

In Rufina, on the northern border of the Chianti area, there will be a series of fairs and festivals called the Bacco Artigiano. Concerts, wine tasting, and products made by local artisans will enliven the magnificent Medicean villas and village squares of Rufina and Pomino from September 28th to October 1st.

The celebrations move to Florence on the 30th of September, wine is blessed and offered to the Lordship of Florence, in a ritual which started in the 13th century when the consul of Arte dei Vinattieri – the wine maker’s guild, offered the wine to the seat of government – the Palazzo della Signoria for use in the refectory.

For more than twenty years this tradition has been revived, celebrating the ancient ties between the city and the countryside. The Matto float gets blessed in the churchyard of Piazza del Duomo. A large float made from a mountain of Fiaschi wine, and then, the historical parade of the Republic of Florence and the Countrymen of Rufina march toward Piazza della Signoria, where a whirl of music and flag bearers bring an end to the party.

The island of Elba, where the Moscato and Aleatico varieties are produced, also has its own grape festivities on September 25th in Capoliveri. Named the “the island of many wines” by the Greeks and the Romans, today Elba produces seven DOC wines exclusive to the area. Moving inland the area of Scansano in Grossetto opens its wine cellars to showcase the excellent local red wine Morellino di Scansano, and other delicious local products in the Morellino e Sapori DOC festival. People dress for the events in medieval costume and the events include archery. If you’re really enthusiastic about learning more with regards to the history of wine, then for a small fee you can go to the Museum of Wine, in Carmignano, where you can learn everything from the harvesting of the grape, to the final production stages of making the wine.

Museum of Grape and Wine
P.za Vittorio Emanuele, 2 – Carmignano
Tel: 055 8712468 – 055 8750265

Hours:
From October 1 – March 31
Tues – Sun 9.30-12.00, 15-17.30 and the first Sunday of each month the museum is open all afternoon

From April 1 to May 14 & from August 1 – September 30:
Tues – Sun 9.30-12.00, 16.00-18.30.

From May 15 to July 31:
Tues-Sun 9.30-12.30, 16.00-19.00

September Festivals and Holiday Events inTuscany

Tuscan Festivals, Holidays, and Special Events in September

In September Italians return from their vacations. Many festivals take place the first Sunday in September as summer comes to an end. You’ll still find small food festivals throughout Italy during the month of September. Look for brightly-colored posters (like the one in the picture) for a festa or sagra, where you can usually sample inexpensive regional food.

Here are some of the top festivals you’ll find in Tuscany in September.

Palio di San Rocco in Figline Valdarno is said to be one of the first palio competitions (definition of palio) in Tuscany. The palio includes five days of medieval competitions with jousting, archery, and a horse race during the first week of September.

Feast of Rificolona is believed to be one of the oldest festivals in Florence. You’ll find outdoor festivities September 6 and 7 including a big fair in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. The celebrations close the evening of September 7 with a procession from Piazza Santa Croce led by the Cardinal. You may also find Feast of Rificolona celebrated in other parts of Tuscany September 7.

Luminara di Santa Croce, illuminations of the holy cross, is a beautiful procession in Lucca, Tuscany, on September 13. The city is illuminated with thousands of candles at night as the procession goes through Lucca’s historic center. (Lucca travel resources)

Feast Day of San Michele on September 29 is a popular saint’s day celebrated many places in Italy, often with an agriculture festival.

Tuscany – Montalcino

Hi my friends,

today I suggest you a new special tour to don’t miss during your staying here in Tuscany, and may be here in my villas Casale Sodini or Villa al Boschiglia

Montalcino

This lovely town represent also a good part of Italian reputation all around the world in terms of wine! This is the land where one of the most famous wines is produced, the jewel of Brunello di Montalcino (made with a superior variety of grapes).

Enjoy a walk in the village and take pleasure from the picturesque view of the countryside all around, with the range of nuances of its vineyards and hills.