ONE: The view from San Miniato al Monte Let everybody else stop at Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the city. While a very good spot for the pics, it is basically an over-crowded parking. Go uphill, Via delle Porte Sante, to San Miniato al Monte. This is the church with the most beautiful view in the world. TWO: THE ROOFTOPS OF FLORENCE Florence has a magical skyline to dream on to. The miraculous dome of the Duomo, the unmistakable tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, the tiled rooftops, the marbled facades and the Renaissance palazzi create an immersive feeling that becomes the city copyright. At your hotel, ask for a room…
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A ROADTRIP THROUGH CHIANTI CLASSICO
Follow La Strada del Chianti (SR222) and stop along the way to your heart’s desire. Etruscans were first here, then Romans drove their carts on these roads. A land of tremendous beauty and forever radiating serenity, the wine road witnessed the obsessive conflicts between Florence and Siena, undisturbed by battles and the march of time. Around its winding path, the timeless villages, sun-drenched vineyards, and fortified castles of Chianti Classico unfurl. Look for the Black Rooster (Gallo Nero), the historic symbol of this renowned wine, marking the territory. One way to go is from the formidable, perfectly walled Monteriggioni up through Castellina in Chianti to Panzano, where the legendary butcher…
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BUT FIRST WE FLORENCE IN STYLE
It is that time of the year. Grape harvest season means Toscana for the happy few. Two weeks of the slow, artful, almost timeless happiness in the Tuscan countryside. But first we Florence in style. When Stendhal visited Florence for the first time, he experienced a one-time feeling: a mixture of amazement, beatitude and exhilaration that proved literally overwhelming. He was dizzy and confused and sick with emotion, while physically incapable of leaving the city. I felt it too, my first time in Firenze: the allure, the wonder, the perfect beauty and the inconceivable happiness of just being there. You know that special tension you feel when you’re desperately in love,…
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With love, from CHIANTI: 300 years of Chianti Classico
On Sept. 24, 1716, the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici officially delineated the borders of the Chianti wine region. Which basically makes him a personal favorite and a hero. Him and Barone Ricasoli, of course. Cosimo had quality control teams patrolling the vineyards in the area and made sure that no other wine outside this blessed realm could be called Chianti, ever again. A predecessor to what would become the modern Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) and DOCG wine labelling system, the Grand Duke’s act was the first of its kind in Europe. Genius. 300 years later, thehappyfew couldn’t have missed the celebrations. On September 24, 2016, there…
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If you were a supernatural being, where would you live?
Toscana. Rich, old, and full of charm. This is where legends aren’t simply told; they are rather hanging about, rolling into the richest vineyards and cradling the noblest cities of art the world has ever known.. Time itself is slow, flowing seamlessly into history. So, if you happen to be a supernatural being with a most discerning eye for prime real estate, where, precisely, would you reside? Right. For the happy few who appreciate an enduring legacy, a hint of the spectral, and the very finest of wines, these are some great Tuscan haunts. Father of Chianti Classico, reveal your presence! Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy. Winemakers since…
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Val d’Orcia And The Ideal City
One fine day, the Architect looked out of the window to see the future; he saw a utopian landscape of pale green fields and pure skies, rolling into forever. Then he took a brush and four colors and started painting: pale yellowish green for the fields, dark green for the cypresses, azzuro for the skies and warm brown for the roads and the farms. You think I’m being rather corny, poetic with a touch of mysticism. I can be all that, but today I’m merely factual. The Val d’Orcia, another world favorite of the happy few, is a region of perfect landscape south of Siena, included in the UNESCO World…
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TUSCANY #SINEQUANON: SEE? PERFECTION EXISTS
Plan on a minimum of two weeks here; this is not a place to fast-forward through. In Tuscany, you take your time, give in, and never resist temptation – this is where you learn the true meaning of slow travel. You really need the time to live it, not just visit it, and once you do it properly, you’ll find there’s no place quite like it. Intel Best time to visit: September. Transport: fly into Pisa or Florence and then rent a car – this is non-negotiable. Tuscany has the most beautiful medieval castles and villages, plus the most wonderful country roads. If you can’t freely move between those vineyards…
