Under the Tuscan sun
Ohhh Tuscany …. my home.
I was born and grew up there and like to return as much as possible. It is a kind of magnet to me.
The Tuscany I like is slow and elegant, a bit reserved, almost mystical, but also very welcoming and fun, full of nice people who can always make you smile.
This region is not just hills and rows of cypress trees, Tuscany is many beautiful small towns, tiny villages, and many colors, and flavors. It is art, culture, and nature.
In this article, I’ll tell you something about my Tuscany, the one where I can’t wait to go back every time, whatever the season.
Pisa, beyond the leaning tower
Pisa is my home town. It is a tiny town and if you are passing through you must spend there at least half a day!
The Leaning Tower makes it famous all over the world but Piazza Dei Miracoli, where the Tower is located, is a real wonder, both by day and by night.
With a short walk, you will reach Piazza Dei Cavalieri, where the ancientest Italian university is located, so beautiful that it seems painted.
You can have lunch in the Piazza Dante area: even a quick sandwich prepared in any grocery store can give you great satisfaction. (@iporcicomodipisa is my fav).
A few more steps and you quickly arrive at the Lungarni. Beautiful, poetics, a view that we citizens are very proud of.
A stroll in Lucca
Lucca is a delightful town, elegant and colorful, whose historic center is surrounded by typical walls, where I recommend you take a nice walk or bike ride.
The historic center is unique: Fillungo, the garden at the top of Torre Guinigi, San Martino’s cathedral, the small alleys….
But my favorite place is certainly Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. It’s perfect for a stop, I recommend it for an aperitif or for a lunch surrounded by beauty.
BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, AND ART IN VERSILIA
Versilia is a strip of coast that extends for about twenty kilometers between hills with olive groves, the Apuan Alps, and Lake Massaciuccoli.
Forte Dei Marmi is a spot that you cannot miss, the most exclusive and fashionable destination on the coast, with its boutiques, excellent restaurants, and clubs (@pescebaracca, @osteriadelmare_fdm are my fav) and iconic beach clubs.
On the Upper Versilia, Seravezza and Stazzema offer the fresh air of the Apuan Alps and a little bit of peace just a few kilometers from the seaside hustle and bustle. Here you can find a lot of hiking trails.
My favorite place in Versilia is Pietrasanta, an endlessly charming stop.
It is a tiny town, a really small gem at 3km from the coast, full of museums, art galleries, eclectic antique shops, and one of a kind boutiques.
Many artists, such as Fernando Botero and Igor Mitoraj, choose to spend their lives creating and living in this inspiring landscape.
What I especially love about being here is just strolling down each street, especially before dinner, and having an aperitive in Piazza Duomo
WILD AND ELEGANT MAREMMA
Maremma is the place of the heart for me, the wildest and most fascinating Tuscany.
The northern Maremma is the part where I use to go when I can spend some time in Italy during the summer season, but it is beautiful in all seasons.
It’s an almost mystical place for me. It is a place where you can switch off, regenerate and enjoy a slow lifestyle made of authentic and simple atmospheres, chat with friends, delicious food, and unique wines.
This area is rich in suggestive landscapes: gentle hills, oak woods, sandy beaches and crystal clear sea, green and dense pine forests, vineyards, and olive trees.
During the summer season, I love the beaches of Cala Violina.
It can be reached via a dense pine grove the Gulf of Baratti on the Etruscan Coast, which is located inside an archaeological park to be visited. Here you can find dark sand and uncrowded beaches.
When I have a little more time I like to take a few days on Elba Island.
I love Marciana Marina but any corner of that small island is a special one.
The food and wines of this area are truly wow-worthy, and during summer they are truly at the top.
Without bothering with starred restaurants, the kiosks along the road that sell really tasty fruit and vegetables and the small shops and trattorie that you find here and there will amaze you.
My favorite stop, however, is near my house in Suvereto, “Da Alcide” in Venturina Terme.
It was born as a small wine and sandwiches shop, in the early 1900s, and now it is an absolute paradise of food, wine, and being together, in the most authentic Tuscan style. A kind of paradise.
Here you will find a roundup of photos of my summer, in my places, with my friends.
I wish you the best for yours!
Federica
