Archive for 'Food and Wine'

Those who find a villa in Lucca will quickly discover that this part of the region is one with a long list of wineries that boast both incredible wines and wonderful tastings/tours to choose from all throughout the stunning surrounding landscape. Wine-lovers considering booking one of our Tuscany villas, therefore, will have lots of options when it comes to finding places to learn about, sample, savour, and buy some truly remarkable vintages during their vacation in Lucca.

While there are, indeed, lots of brilliant wineries to choose from, one of the top-rated examples has to Fattoria Al Dotto, which has been run by the Del Dotto family for many, many generations. Made of three ancient farms that have since been combined into one rather extraordinary wine estate, Fattoria Al Dotto extends over 62 acres of fertile farmland where you can find vineyards, olive groves, corn fields, and fields of cannellini beans. The vineyards are positioned on the gentle hills surrounding the centre of the farm, where there is a spectacular south-southwest exposure, and in close proximity to the Serchio river. Through this area, the Scirocco winds coming in from Livorno to the south and the summer Maestrale winds coming in from the north-west blow and result in a particular micro climate that is ideal for good maturation of the grapes. All in all, the vineyards here boast perfect conditions to produce some truly remarkable wines.

Enjoy a good stroll? Love to eat? Want to plan a fall or winter getaway in a Tuscany villa that combines both? Then you should definitely head to the wonderful town of Prato for the Eat Prato festival! Starting on the 2nd of October 2022 and continuing right up to the 22nd of January 2023, this vibrant annual foodie festival perfectly combines thematic outings on foot – on which you are guided by knowledgable locals and told all about the area – with tastings of a truly extraordinary array of delicious food and drink from the region. Taking you to some of the most remarkable and fascinating architectural and historic gems in and around Prato, to visit artistic wonders, and into the beautiful countryside of the area, these brilliant walking itineraries are a wonderful way to get to know this part of Tuscany. If you decide to book a luxury villa in Florence but you want to delve into the countryside of Tuscany a bit more, a day in Prato attending one of these events would be just the thing!

Truffles have had a long reputation in the culinary world as a beloved product that can immediately elevate even the most basic of dishes. For many years, people all over the world have been seeking them out and paying incredible amounts of money for the highest-quality examples. However, the world of truffle tourism has grown massively in recent years as travelling foodies have sought out new culinary experiences and planned holidays entirely centred around eating well. As Tuscany's truffles are known to be some of the best and most valuable in the entire world, those foodies who want to experience delicious truffles, truffle dishes, and truffle products should browse our Tuscany villas and spend their next vacation well by sampling some truly incredible and delicious things while they relax and unwind. Given that fall is a perfect time of year to get excellent truffles and when most of the region’s truffle festivals take place, it is the perfect time to secure that vacation rental in Tuscany today. Plan a trip in the next couple of months and be sure to seek out Tuscany's brilliant truffle festivals for the best experience of this wonderful foodie favourite!

Autumn means harvest season and if you were thinking about an off-season vacation in Tuscany in one of our Tuscany villas then foodies will be glad to know thaat it is also foodie season. During the Fall, Tuscany is not only flooded with all sorts of delicious food products that have been freshly harvested but it abounds with food festivals. While food festivals do take place throughout the entire year, there are endless options to choose from at this time of the year, in particular. One of the larger and most impressive among these has to be Certaldo’s Boccaccesca festival. Named for and held in honour of the famous 14th century writer and beloved son of the town, Boccaccio, this foodie festival has been taking place since 1999 and sees Certaldo Alto taken over for three to four days each October or late September by all sorts of food stalls selling products and snacks, demonstrations, lessons, talks, tastings, and much more besides. So, if you love to eat well and you have been browsing our luxury villas in Florence nearby or our holiday rentals in Certaldo itself, then consider planning a getaway in the area around the 14th to the 16th of October this year or around that general time on any given year to sample the delights of the Boccaccesca festival.

Festivals and celebrations abound in Italy and if you find one of our Tuscany villas and plan a trip, no matter when you go, you are likely to encounter some in the surrounding area. However, if you find a villa in Tuscany during the summer or autumn months, in particular, you are going to discover that there are plenty of festivals to choose from, especially those related to food and wine. Food and wine are serious fixtures of Tuscan life, in general, and certainly of all festivals and celebrations but there are many that specifically honour certain products. If you love a good vintage then September is a great time to plan a vacation in Tuscany as this is the month in which there are lots of wine festivals throughout the famous Chianti region. One of the largest and most impressive is the annual Expo of Chianti Classico Wines that takes place in the town of Greve in Chianti. Now in its 51st year, this is a storied and well-established wine festival that allows visitors to try a wide selection of some of the best wines made in Tuscany.