Website for your holiday with Children in the Siena territory

If you’re planning your holiday with children, there is a useful website of the territory of Siena trying to help you in organizing your trip e giving you information about things to do, creative places, nice itineraries, etc…

I found this website a useful source of information and sometime find some good suggestion for our guests with children!

Bambini in Vacanza

Official Website of Tourism in Terre di Siena for Holiday with Children

website

Brochures & Guides by Official Website of Turism APT Siena

Finally it is possible to read the official brochures and guides of the Organization promoting Tourism in the territory of Siena (APT Siena and APT Chianciano Terme Val di Chiana): they do not give so much information…but offer a useful inspiration through the many big splendid photos.

Link to the page of brochures and Guides online of the official Website of Turism in Terre di Siena

Don Giovanni, Opera at San Galgano, Chiusdino (Siena)

Since many years, in the summer, the Abbey of San Galgano is the location of concerts in collaboration with the renomate siennese Chigiana Academy. In the scenic open air Cathedral of San Galgano, under a blanket of stars, take place every summerlays, operas, concerts, musicals and ballets.

Inside the Abbey, 800 seats to accommodate the public.

Performances at the Abbey of San Galgano start at 9.00 p.m.

Bookings/tickets: Ph. 0039 055 5978308/ 0039 055 5978309

For more informations and the programme:

Opera Festival

Multipromo Opera festival

via San Francesco, 3

50014 Fiesole (Fi)

info@festivalopera.it

web site

Jazz & Wine 2010, July 14 - 24, Montalcino (Siena)

Concerts: at 9.45 p.m.  by Montalcino Fortress, from July 14 to July 24

Restoration service: by Montalcino Fortress

Bookings/Tickets:

Pro-Loco Montalcino

Via Costa del Municipio, 1

53024 Montalcino

Ph. 0039 0577 849331

I Macchiaioli a Montepulciano, art exhibition from Apr. 25 to Sep. 26

“I Macchiaioli a Montepulciano” is a  highly reccomended exhibition for  lovers of peinture like me..  More than 100 works  (mostly shown for the first time and coming from private collections), through which you can follow the italian history from the Unification of Italy to the year 20s of the twentieth century.

Peintures by Fattoria to Signorini.

The exhibition is at the Civic Museum and Le Logge della Mercanzia in Montepulciano (Siena). From April 25 to September 26 2010.

Open tuesday to friday:  10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.

Open saturday and sunday:  10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m.

Ticket:  Euro 7,00

Children: Euro 5,00

Banfi Castle, Brunello wine producers

In the splendid setting of Montalcino countryside, walking on breathtaking panoramic white lines snaking through vineyards, olive groves, castles and ancient isolated farms… here you are a really unforgettable road that you can do with your favourite means: walking, by bike, horseriding or simply by car… HIGHLY SUGGESTED!!!

If you stop at the beautiful Banfi Castle, Poggio alle Mura, you can stop at the wine shop, drink something, visit the Museum of Brunello, and (only if you have booked some days before!!!) visit the cantines. For more information visit the website of Banfi Castle.  In the Banfi property there are also an osteria (not an economic one:-)) and a very beautiful, chic and expensive restaurant, which is in restoration at the moment.

Castello Banfi

+39-0577-877700

borgo@castellobanfi.it

A walk through the vineyards, Tavernelle - Poggio alle Mura - Sant'Antimo - Montalcino

Piscina of Camping Le Soline, Casciano di Murlo (Siena)

If it is summer and you wish to dip in a  pool…  I suggest you to go to Camping Le Soline in Casciano di Murlo (Siena). This swimming pool in the area of Murlo is big and has a beautiful panoramic position …

Of course you can choose to stay in the camping with your tent, roulotte or camper or in a bungalow but you can also go there just for their swimming pool paying a daily ticket for the swimming pool. Last year the price was 7,50 euro/per person and you can stay there the whole day. In the camping there are also a café and a restaurant.

This is a great idea especially if you’ve got children and you want to let them play in the water for a day..:-))

Swimming pools of Camping Le Soline

web site

Pic nic at Vivo d'Orcia, Amiata mountain

You won’t never have such a wonderful restaurant like the tables and pic nic area at the source of Vivo d’Orcia! When I first see this place I immediately imagined how it would be nice to do a medieval party there..

I suggest to bring with you meat and vegetables for a barbeque!

This place is not too high so I find it perfect for a picnic in late spring until june and in september/october: for hot summer I would suggest to go upper in the Amiata mountain when the fresh air will recover you.

Gelso or Morus Nigra (Mulberry tree)

Yesterday we were in San Giusto and planted our first mulberry tree. It is always so exciting planting a new tree! you already know it will probably live more then you .. and I think this has something mystic, it is so beautiful to do something for more generations.

In San Giusto there were already a lot of mulberry trees (somewhere in its millenary history probably they used to raise silkworms) so it shouldn’t have problems with growing here.

Everyone told me that mulberry trees are rough and they should not need so many attentions and moreover, as they are already there, they certainly go well with San Giusto soil which is very clayey. So… let’s pray for the best:-))

We have called this tree “Gino” in the name of Gino Strada, the founder of Emergency..(for more infos see their web site).

In our garden of San Giusto we had already a “Barack” (a black figue:-)) and some other trees..whose names, of course, are those of people we do admire .. we have also a “Luigino, il susino” in the name of Don Luigi Ciotti founder of Gruppo Abele (web site) and Libera (web site).

Frittelle di San Giuseppe, march, Siena territory

Giorgio tells me that when he was a child and it was the San Giuseppe period (that is march), he used to go every morning in Piazza del Campo by a wooden hut to buy a carton of frittelle di San Giuseppe. They were served only in march and there was always the queue …

He told me about these “frittelle” so many times in the past but I didn’t understand his love for frittelle until last saturday, when we were in Buonconvento by Nanni… They had them and we bought 300 gr of frittelle: they were fantastic! simple, light, delicious, in a second they were gone..

Giorgio told me that his grandmother used to cook them every march for San Giuseppe. This is a nice thing, typical of ancient times: a cake cooked only in certain periods of the year.. Also now, there is the same wooden hut cooking Frittelle di San Giuseppe only in this period ..and even in Buonconvento by Nanni: they told us they cook them only for San Giuseppe and today they told me they will serve them again only on next saturday!! this is  so sad and foolish:-))  I imagine the queue..

The recipe is very very simple:

Ingredients: 600 grams of rice, 2 liters of water, the rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon, half a liter of cooking oil, 6 tablespoons of sugar, salt.

Procedure: In a saucepan bring the water and when it boils, throw the rice and a pinch of salt. The rice is cooked a long time with the lemon zest and orange (it must not be “al dente”).

Drain and let stand in a tray for 12 hours. A couple of hours before frying, add the flour to the dough. In a pan with hot oil (but not too much, otherwise the pancakes immediately become brown), throwing the rice with the tablespoon (consider one tablespoon of rice: one Frittella).

Fry turning carefully. When they are golden, drain and lay on a sheet of absorbent paper.

Finally, a sprinkling of sugar and there they are ready! They are good also cold ..but try them warm!! and in any case, eat them within the 12 hours.

Terracotta products, Tuscany

If you’re curious of knowing better the tuscan handwerks and typical products, you can even shop on the website of the tuscan land:

E-Shop official web site InToscana.it

I have seen a lot of interesting objects, especially terracotta, ceramics, extra vergin olive oils, food and wines. Of course they aren’t cheap products at all but the quality is normally great! so if you can’t come to tuscany and directly buy products in the shops, you can try this magic virtual shop!

If you are looking for a perfect location for a photo service or a movie, the Siena territory is ideal:

so, if you’re planning a holiday in the Siena territory, do not forget your photo camera and your video camera!

I copy from a new website for film makers:

«Those colours, that light…» as the poet Mario Luzi crisply described our land, honing in on that characteristic universal uniqueness that has made it famous throughout the world.

As a result Terre di Siena is their perfect set for films, commercials and photo shoots.

That’s because when all is said and done this region is the only real Utopia, the only fictitious reality.
Everyone’s dream location actually exists. It’s here and it belongs to us.

Horse riding, Siena, Tuscany

When people ask me, if they can do some horse riding I always suggest to call Giorgio, wherever he is at the moment (and at the moment I think he should always be by Fattoria Casa Bianca…) but it is not necessary the accomodation at the Fattoria  for  horse riding with him.

He is a real chavalier, a patented instructor, he is born in the territory and knows and loves very much the territory and he’s very very nice! Let’s book a walk with horses for you and your friends / family with him… and then tell me! you can book only a morning / afternoon or a whole day with stop at an osteria.. he knows a lot of places and will show you the real Toscana: if you love horse riding or wish to try, do not hesitate!

Giorgio Ciacci

Handy: 0039 338 40 76 001

if there is the voicemail message, leave a message : he will call you back!

Palio, Siena, Italy

Recently I have discovered a nice web site about the siennese Palio: its name is IlPalio.org

It is in many languages (this is not so frequent ..)  and it is really detailed: you will understand a little more this magic mad world in which the siennese people are submerged for most of the year. Because the Palio is not Folklore, it is something the siennese people feel inside and talk about most of the year…  I find it fool of course but it’s particular and interesting:-))

If you love basket,  maybe you already know, that in Siena there is a wonderful basket team: the Mens Sana Basket! at the moment, I think it is the strongest italian basket team.

It is sponsored by the siennese bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

In the past, I had the opportunity of knowing the President (Minucci), both the previous coach (Recalcati) and the knew coach (Simone Pianigiani) and many of the players: they are really a great team…

Maybe, if you are in Siena and wish to see a nice show and an even nicer cheering stadium, you can check if there is a basketball game at the Mens Sana Palace in the period in which you’re there…

Mens Sana Basket

web site

Mona Lisa, Louvres, Paris

Leonardo is a universal celebrity of italian Renaissance. He was born in Vinci in 1452 and died in Amboise (France) in 1512. He was an italian artist, scientist, a painter and a universal talent . His most famous masterpies, La Gioconda or Mona Lisa (in English)..  other works are all around the world, in San Pietroburgo, in Monaco (Germany), in the real properties in Windsor, in Milan (the Last Dinner), some studies and minor works in Florence Uffizi.

Osteria Doccino, Siena, traditional siennese food

We discovered the Osteria Doccino when we used to work in Siena and then we went there a pair of times with my father-in-law.

It is a very simple place where young boys and girls  will serve you very very good plates of the siennese tradition. Do not loose the opportunity of tasting the siennese plates exactly like they are cooked in the siennese families! In this osteria I have tasted a lot of very good plates between which wonderful Pici Cacio e Pepe and Fegatini..

The Menù of the Osteria changes very often.

This is a place where siennese people go for break so …don’t arrive too late at the Osteria or you’ll find it completely full of people!

Osteria Doccino

Via Doccia, 10

web site

Figs with ham

In Tuscany people think that every single food and ingredient has its own “death”, that is nothing about funerals or something like that, of course:-)

…but it simply means that every kind of food “wishes to die, is happy to die.. in a certain way, together with a certain ingredient”.

And normally it is true..

So, certain ingredients must be eaten in a certain way, that is simply the “perfect way” of eating this kind of food. And if you try to find some other ways, you will understand tuscan people are right..

I make some examples coming from husband’s family:

- raw onion with beans soup

that means: the bean soup is happy to day with raw onion (it is right! mmmm…..)

- pecorino cheese with fave

- chickpeas with tuna

- figs with ham

- cheese with pears

- ham with melon

At the beginning you think they are crazy! how can you be so fixed with food?

After a pair of years, with lots of kilos more, you will think exactly like them and will eat exactly the same things in the same circumstances.. Because you will have understood, they are right and that food is wonderful!

Ristorante Latte di Luna, Pienza, Tuscany, Italy

This restaurant has been suggested by many of our guests!

Unfortunately we have not yet been there but every spring we plan to go:-))

… maybe this year?!

Trattoria
Latte di Luna
Via San Carlo n. 2/4
Ph:  0578 748606  Handy: 338 3266791

Closed on Tuesday

Orvieto, Italy

From south of Tuscany you can go daily trip to Orvieto.

Orvieto is in Umbria but I suggest you to go and visit it also if you are not in that region: it is another splendid town of Etruscan origin. Very very ancient…and beautiful.

Orvieto was founded by Etruscans and was an important town. But then..there was a war between Etruscans and Romans and Romans won Orvieto. So, the Etruscans from Orvieto moved to the Lake Bolsena and founded Volsinii (the actual Bolsena).

I go often to Orvieto because it’s beautiful and lively.. with many interesting things to see: from the beautiful Duomo (cathedral) to the Pozzo di San Patrizio, the visit of  Orvieto underground, and the whole town, but everything is very beautiful in Orvieto, go around and look around you: you will find medieval winding streets, squares, windows, arches, palaces, gardens, stairs ….and you will feel the long history and imagine how many events, how many people passed through the same roads you are walking in.

In Orvieto there is also a beautiful book shop (main road).

Pozzo di San Patrizio, Orvieto, Italy