In vechile tinuturi ale Toscanei, intre orasele rivale Siena si Florenta, se intinde glorioasa regiune Chianti – un trofeu ravnit intr-o disputa teritoriala veche de secole. Generatie dupa generatie, dusmania dintre cele doua orase mari a mocnit sub soarele arzator al Toscanei. Un cocos alb, un cocos negru si o cursa de cai Disperati sa gaseasca o cale de a hotari, o data pentru totdeauna, cui avea sa-i revina teritoriul Chianti – ceea ce azi numim Chianti Classico -, conducatorii celor doua orase au convenit asupra unei solutii neobisnuite: o cursa de cai. Regulile erau simple, dar fara precedent – doi calareti urmau sa porneasca la drum la primul cantat…
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FLORENTA: ESENTIALELE
UNU: Panorama de la San Miniato al Monte Lasa-i pe toti ceilalti sa se opreasca la Piazzale Michelangelo pentru privelistea asupra orasului. Desi un loc foarte bun pentru poze, e, practic, o parcare supraaglomerata. Mergi mai sus, pe Via delle Porte Sante, pana la San Miniato al Monte. Aceasta e biserica cu cea mai frumoasa priveliste din lume. DOI Acoperisurile Florentei Florenta are un orizont magic, al carui profil iti ramane intiparit pe retina si la care visezi des. Domul miraculos al catedralei, turnul inconfundabil al Palazzo Vecchio, acoperisurile din tigla, fatadele de marmura si palatele renascentiste creeaza o senzatie imersiva care iti redefineste reperele de frumos intr-un mod socant…
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TOSCANA: ESENTIALELE
Rezerva-ti cel putin doua saptamani pentru Toscana; oricum o sa-ti doresti sa dureze o viata. In Toscana, trebuie sa iti acorzi timp, sa te lasi purtat de val si sa nu te opui tentatiei – aici inveti ce inseamna cu adevarat slow travel. Ai nevoie de timp sa o traiesti, nu doar sa o vizitezi, si odata ce o faci cum trebuie, descoperi ca nu exista niciun alt loc pe lume ca asta. INTEL UNU: FLORENTA Probabil cel mai frumos oras din lume, Florenta e un univers in sine. Aici s-a nascut Renasterea si tot aici incepe cu adevarat calatoria ta. Despre Florenta, aici. DOI: REGIUNEA CHIANTI CLASSICO Din Florenta,…
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Of Love and War: the Legend of the Black Rooster
In the ancient land of Tuscany, nestled between the rival cities of Siena and Florence, lay the fertile Chianti region – a coveted prize in a centuries-old territorial feud. For generations, the animosity between the two cities had simmered beneath the Tuscan sun. A white rooster, a black rooster and a grand horse race Desperate to resolve once and for all the question of who rightfully owned Chianti, the leaders of both cities agreed on an unusual solution: a grand horse race. The rules were simple yet unprecedented: two riders would set off at the crowing of a rooster, one from each city, and the point where they met would…
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Tuscany wine to be: Mamma mia, Vendemmia!
September arrives, bringing with it the familiar anticipation of Vendemmia – the grape harvest in Toscana. The calendar, naturally, fills with the usual wonders: exclusive wine tastings, the joy of community harvest, explorations of the hallowed cantine, local fairs honouring Bacchus, intriguing mystery tours, and the pranzoni – those incredible, seasonal feasts. This year, however, due to particular climatic eccentricities and hot weather, vendemmia takes place sooner than usual. The forecast hints at a historically low yield, yet promises extraordinary grapes, albeit in very limited quantities. Heatwaves and extreme conditions have resulted in smaller, often atypical grapes, with significant quality variations even from one vineyard to the next. Follow the…
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Florence #SINEQUANON: How to See the Most Beautiful City
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…
