Upcoming 2010 Tours

We are booking our upcoming 2010 tours of Tuscany and we are very excited to announce our new itineraries, accommodations, and much more.

Our new day trips are the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera, the Montecarlo (Lucca) wine country, the seaside resort town of Viareggio, the town of Barberino in Mugello, home of the largest designer shopping outlets in Italy, and much more.

Undiscovered Tuscany will also offer our guests private cooking classes at the property with local chefs, visits to local olive oil factories, food markets, wineries, ceramics factories, chocolate and gelato stores.

Our new accommodation is Casa Vacanza. Casa Vacanza is a gorgeous old country farmhouse, which has been completely renovated in the rural Tuscan style with terracotta floors. Casa Vacanza is divided into six comfortable apartments (double occupancy).

Casa Vacanza offers our guests a large and private living space, satellite TV, WIFI internet access, air conditioning, telephone. Also, the property offers a swimming pool with solarium, tennis courts, walking trails, free bicycles rent, a bar-lounge area, and a restaurant.

The property is located on the Lucca hills near the town of Altopascio on the famous Francigena road rich of history and culture.

The Via Francigena is an ancient road between Rome and Canterbury, passing through England, France, Switzerland and Italy. In mediaeval times it was an important road and pilgrimage route. To pilgrims headed south, it was the Via Romea; to those headed north, the Via Francigena.

You can see pictures of Casa Vacanza by clicking on this link http://www.utuscany.com/casavacanza.htm

Join us and you will get to know our passion for this wonderful land. Our high quality services and highly selected suppliers will make you feel part of our culture and never want to leave us.

Here is a sample itinerary :

Day 1

Pick up and transfer to Casa Vacanza. Meet your hosts, enjoy the surroundings and a typical Tuscan dinner.

Day 2

Visit to Olive oil factory, Sonnino winery and gelato store in Montespertoli in the Chianti. Lunch with private tasting at the Sonnino castle.

Day 3

Visit to Cecchini Butchery shop in Panzano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKeBpGlJ5dw) and Villa Calcinaia winery. Lunch with tasting at Villa Calcinaia wine shop.

Day 4

Visit the Italian riviera Liguria region and the Cinqueterre historic towns. Lunch at local restaurant in Riomaggiore. All-day train and walking paths pass included.

Day 5

Visit to the city of Florence and central food market. Visit to the Accademia (home of Michelangelo's David) and lunch at wine-bar in downtown Florence.

Day 6

Visit to San Gimignano and one of the best winery in area for the production of Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG.

Day 7

Visit to a local winery in the Montecarlo hills area. Visit to the city of Pisa. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Tour of the leaning tower.

Day 8

Breakfast and transfer to airport.

Tour includes:

- Double occupancy single apartment accommodation in Casa Vacanza

- All ground transportations

- All visit to wineries and olive oil factory with tasting included

- All breakfasts, lunch and dinner included (wine and some liquor included)

- Pick up and drop off either Pisa or Florence airports

- Myself as a personal tour guide

- Cell phone (with free incoming calls)

- All taxes included

Contact us for pricing (our best ever!) and dates available at tours@utuscany.com

Became a fan of Undiscovered Tuscany, LLC on Facebook by clicking on the Facebook badge at the top of this page, also follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/utuscany

Ciao e a presto!

Gianni Vanni

September in Tuscany

The annual grape harvest in September is a very exciting time in Tuscany. As the weather cools off, the colors of autumn awaken, the grape leaves turn gold, then russet, and the countryside becomes a photographer’s dream.

Lots of food and wine festivals are held in the month of September throughout the region.

One of the best wine festival is held mid-September in Greve in Chianti, main center in the Chianti Classico wine-district. This is a showcase for the best Chianti Classico wines that takes place in Piazza Matteotti, the main square of this lovely little town nested on breathtaking rolling hills. For a small price you can buy a glass and then you are free to sample any wines offered at the many stands.

A great food festival is Cacio al Fuso held the first Sunday of September in the small town of Pienza located in the province of Siena. Pienza makes among the best Pecorino cheese (sheep's milk cheese) in Italy. the Cacio al Fuso is a cheese rolling competition. Cacio is the original Tuscan word for Pecorino cheese and the Fuso or spindle is the target of the game.

These are just few of the many events that are held in Tuscany during the month of September.

Come and join us to discover the real Tuscany left behind from other travel companies.

We offer small and customize tours on your requests.

Contact us with any questions or comments on our upcoming 2010 September in Tuscany Tours at tours@utuscany.com

Ciao e a presto!

The simple art of greatness

Perhaps because it was the birthplace of renaissance, our region is often associated with wealth and refinement. And so most of the people assume that everything in Tuscany will exhibit these characteristics. It is actually quite the opposite and that is what I love most about my region.

The food of Tuscany is a great example on how simple things in life are the most beautiful.

Our food is never elaborate and everyday meals are more likely to be dominated by the simplest yet freshest and seasonal ingredients. The entire Cucina Toscana revolves around bread and olive oil.

Tuscan bread Pane Toscano tastes like no other bread in Italy, mostly because it is made without salt. Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil is known among the world's best.

The most glorious way to serve these two simple ingredients is as Fettunta, a piece of toasted Pane Toscano swathed with just pressed, green, unfiltered Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil. The name Fettunta comes from Fetta, the name workers used to describe the hunk of bread intensely flavored by extra-virgin olive oil as it ran fresh from the press.

Join us and get to know the real food of Tuscany and how people make it everyday.

Discover the simple art of greatness.

Check out Tuscan Roberto Benigni speech at the 71st Academy Awards for "Life is beautiful" on Dante, love and his parents biggest gift...Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cTR6fk8frs

San Galgano Abbey

About forty kilometers (25 miles) south-east of Siena towards Grosseto in the isolated valley of the river Merse (Val di Merse) among the Siena hills, are the ruins of the mediaeval Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano.

The community of Saint Galgano became the point of reference for all the territory and of interest of the Siennese Republic. The Abbey (Abbazia) of San Galgano was built along the classic gothic forms of all Cistercian constructions, as a daughter house of Saint Bernard's Clairvaux. It was Tuscany's first pure Gothic church, and later the model for Siena Cathedral. It has the typical Cistercian plan based on a latin cross with three aisles, rich in carved capitals and rose windows, with a cloister, halls, and, atypically, a bell tower. The richness of S. Galgano and its good relationship with Siena attracted the incursions of the Florentine armies which, together with other political events, resulted in the rapid decline of the abbey beginning in the first half of 15th century. By 1550, only five monks were in the abbey and they sold off any remaining treasures plus the lead roof, sealing the fate of the building. At the beginning of the 17 C only one old and poor monk still lived between its already ruined walls. On 6 January 1786, the 36 m bell tower collapsed, sweeping away a great part of the roof of the church and in 1789 the great Abbey was definitively abandoned and become an enormous quarry of stones and columns for the builders of the area. Fortunately, from the beginning of the last century, much restoration and maintenance have been undertaken. Today it hosts nightly musical shows and concerts... visit this undiscovered jewel with us!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany

This is the most important thing on a Tuscan table along with wine.

Tuscan extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil in the world. Tuscany produces extra virgin olive oil to such a high degree that its olive oil has been given its own label of origin, in the same way as renowned wines are defined by their regional origin.

Extra virgin olive oil is the premium of all the olive oils. To register as extra virgin, it must prove to be free of any defects. Extra virgin olive oil is officially defined as an oil "obtained from the fruit of the olive tree that has not undergone any treatment other than washing, decontamination, centrifugation and filtration and has a maximum acidity of 0.8%". Only four olive varietals are allowed: Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino and Pendolino.

Frantoio Sanminiatese is a small family-owned olive oil factory in the heart of Tuscany. They produce four types of extra virgin olive oil. The Oleum (the tallest bottle in the middle) is my favorite, it's an unfiltered extra virgin olive oil obtained from highly selected olives.

Visit the Annessi family with us and get to taste their labor of love and passion. Viva l' Olio Toscano!

We are Slow Food!

Slow Food is a non-profit

eco-gastronomic

member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions

and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

We want to protect our traditions and share them with you.

All the food and beverages that you will be served during your stay are personally selected by family and me.

All the restaurants, wineries, food, artistic factories, shopping outlets, museums etc. are also personally selected - giving you the best quality Tuscany has to offer.

Join us for this unique travel experience!!! www.utuscany.com

Tortelli alla mugellana

Here is to the food of Tuscany.

Tortelli alla mugellana from the Mugello area near Florence represent the culinary soul of this wonderful region.

Tortelli alla mugellana are home made potato tortelli made with the highest quality seasonal ingredients in a ragu' sauce and served following old local traditions.

This is what we support, this is what I want you to experience. Simply Heaven!

Pisa beyond its leaning tower

Pisa is such a wonderful city rich of culture, art and traditions. The leaning tower is probably the most recognizable landmark in the world but unfortunately it's the only attraction that most of tour companies are offering to their guests. We want to show our guests the Pisa beyond its bell tower.

This picture shows the "Universita' Normale di Pisa": one of the most prestigious university in Europe founded by Napoleon in 1810.

Only a 5 minutes walk from the Campo square you will discover this beautiful building and its square designed by Vasari.

Let us show what you have been missing! Viva Pisa!!!

Montespertoli: an undiscovered jewel in the Chianti

This is Montespertoli, a small medieval town south west of Florence: a jewel in the Chianti.

Several events occurring throughout the year are rooted in typical farming traditions and celebrate the products of the land, the fruit of the people's passionate labor, unique in its simplicity. Food fairs are organized during the month of November and the local population gets ready for the winter by sampling vino novello (new wine) and chestnuts, they taste the local bread and enjoy the flavor of the new oil, or simply get together and celebrate drinking vinsanto.

The long series of local events does not finish with the coming of winter but it continues in spring and becomes even more hectic during the summer. Without a doubt, the main event is the Chianti Fair that takes place in the months of May and June and makes for great partying, wine tasting, and fun.

This photo was shot at the Villa Sonnino estate, one of the finest in the area producing fine wines and extra-virgin olive oil.

Mar Tirreno

This is the Tirrenic sea, part of the Mediterranean. This picture was taken on our way to the beautiful city of Livorno (untouched from the mass tourism) on the "Etruscan coast".

Our Villa is located less then 10 miles from this view.

One of our goals is to show you places that you will not be able to see with other tour companies, away from the traffic, the "mega buses" and the illusion of experience the Tuscan life.

When you think of Tuscany....have you ever had this picture on your mind???