After visiting the first sector of the necropolis (Road Ildebranda, Tomb Hildebrand), I suggest you to walk on the footpath running along the road SP22 towards Sovana. After about two hundred meters you reach the second sector of the necropolis that includes the Church of San Sebastiano, the Tomb of the Mermaid (Tomba della Sirena), the Tombs in Semidado and the Via Cava di San Sebastiano.

To reach the archeological settlement of Vitozza in the countryside, you have to drive to San Quirico, a fraction of the most populous town of Sorano, which is about 5 km from this archeological settlement. When you arrive in the main square of San Quirico, there are two options: you can leave the car there [...]

On the Strada Statale 22 (road 22), about a mile after Sovana towards San Martino sul Fiora – Saturnia, on the right side of the street is the parking lot near the access to the first sector of the Etruscan necropolis, where are located the monumental tombs: Ildebranda (Hildebrand), Demoni Alati (Winged Demons), Pola (Pula), [...]

Last saturday Giorgio and I  prepared a recipe typical of Mugello and, in general, of mountain tuscan areas: Chestnuts Tortelli The recipe for tortelli with chestnut filling is typical of the Mugello and Lunigiana valleys in Tuscany, two mountain areas where chestnuts have been for centuries the staple of the local peasants’ diet. In fact, [...]

For our usual sunday trip, today Giorgio and I went to the etruscan necropolis of Cerveteri (Necropoli della Banditaccia): another italian magic place, which I founded wonderful (not to be missed!). Only to give you an idea: we felt like Indiana Jones.. between the ruins of a disappeared esotic town in the middle of the [...]

This week has been sad.. Monicelli died. He was 95 and very ill.  He commited suicide. On November 29, 2010, in the evening, in the urology department of the San Giovanni Hospital in Rome he jumped down from the window of his room, on the fifth floor of the hospital. In front of me pass [...]

Margherita Hack was born in Florence on June 12, 1922. She is an Italian, tuscan astrophysicist and science writer. The asteroid 8558 Hack, discovered in 1995, was named in her honor. I love this marvellous woman, so intelligent and open minded and with typical tuscan sense of humour. She administered the Trieste Astronomical Observatory from [...]

Every year, around december 8th, in the medieval village of San Quirico d’Orcia, there is the Festival of Oil

Today I suggest you a farmhouse in Tuscany, that I have known for my job, the Taverna di Bibbiano.  I simply falled in love with this place!:-) It is a romantic farmhouse with decorated rooms and suites, each of them unique and decorated with frescos with a different floral theme… I looked around and found [...]

Today is sunday and we’ve decided to go again to  Orvieto, the amazing town of Etruscan origin, that we love so much! We parked the car in the free Parking place next to St. Patrick’s Well (Pozzo di San Patrizio) then we walked around in the pictoresque, cozy roads and decided to go to the [...]

Today I will tell you how to prepare the “Fiorentina“, the rinomated typical florentine plate, a thick beef steak with well cooked outside and with blood inside. Of course we talk about beef, possibly Chianina.  The key issue is the cut, the loin should be with fillet and sirloin and with white fat (the t-bone [...]

I think that every person loving Tuscany must see the the little village of Monteriggioni. It is not far from Siena Siena and is famous for its ancient city walls, a splendid example of medieval architecture built around 1200 and mantained – to this day – virtually intact. Not far from Monteriggiori is another place [...]

The splendid complex of Saint Galgano is at around 20 minutes / half an hour drive from  Siena, located west, between  Monticiano and Chiusdino, in a wild territory, with wonderful landscapes and natural panoramas. The Abbey of Saint Galgano has represented throughout the centuries an important stop for travelers and pilgrims in the Merse Valley, [...]

Roberto Benigni is an italian comedian, actor, screenwriter and film, theatre and television director. He was born on 27 October 1952, in Tuscany, in Maciano La Misericordi (Castiglion Fiorentino) son of Isolina Papini, a fabric inspector, and Remigio Benigni, a bricklayer, carpenter, and farmer. Benigni is probably best known outside Italy for his tragicomedy “Life [...]

Today Giorgio and I have done a whole day in the etruscan area of Maremma: Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano. It was the typical autumnal day: rainy and windy! It rained so much, that we had to buy an umbrella and, even with this, we got completely wet! Nevertheless, it was a fantastic day, in which [...]

Tonight I’ve discovered a very interesting opportunity for all those singers and collaborative pianists wishing to live a really rare experience of international study in the beautiful Tuscany: the Italian Operatic Experience. It is a summer international school located in Montecatini Terme offering 5 weeks programs specially adressed to singers and collaborative pianists, with daily [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]