Archive for 'Food and Wine'

Tuscany, like any other country where Christmas is widely celebrated, has many different traditions to do with the holiday and is an important event that brings families together. Of course, if it's an Italian celebration of a holiday, food is going to be an important part of said celebrations.

For example, Arista alla Fiorentina is a pork-based dish originating from Florence that is a delicious alternative to turkey and a sure crowd-pleaser. “Arista” comes from the Greek word “aristos”, meaning "best" and, according to legend, it can be traced back to the 15th century, when Greek clergymen visiting Florence in 1430 for an Ecumenical Council were served the Tuscan-style roast pork and found it to be "aristos". It has been called this ever since then. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and try this delicious dish for yourself.

Continuing on from our last post, we are outlining some of the dishes from Tuscany that you need to try if you are spending the Christmas period in the region this year!

These include delicious desserts and wonderful main courses and, among them, you are sure to find something to please everyone in your party.

Savoury dishes and gelato are what come to mind when people think of Italian food but the beautiful and historic Siena, is actually particularly well-known for her pastries and, while they are not something you only find at Christmas, they are very much connected to the time of year. In fact, you will probably find many are readily available in nicely packaged sets in gourmet and specialist food shops in your own city over the festive period.

If you are spending time in Tuscany, trying delicious local dishes and delicacies is bound to be on the top of your to-do list. This should be no different if you happen to be spending Christmas in Tuscany.

Forget your regular traditions for once and, instead, truly immerse yourself in Tuscan foodie culture – you won't regret it! To help you out, we've put together a guide to some of the dishes, treats and sweets that you should keep an eye out for on your trip.

Tuscany's hearty cuisine is perfectly suited for the weather in Winter. One of the most cherished dishes is Zuppa di Farro, or Farro Soup. Farro is a grain not unlike spelt which is readily available in Italy but less common elsewhere.

To finish off our series on the best Christmas market in Tuscany, we have found a few more around the region that you won't want to miss if you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are exploring the region.

The first of these is in the beautiful town of Lucca. Lucca's Piazza Napoleone will be taken over for the Christmas period and, from the 3rd of December 2016 until the 8th of January 2017, it will be occupied by a hawkers market. In addition to these stalls selling all sorts of food, drinks and bits and pieces, there will be an ice skating rink to enjoy. Surely a magical experience that the whole group will love.

Also in Lucca, you will find another Christmas market called “Christmas in the City,” taking place in the Piazza San Michele from the 3rd of December 2016 to the 8th of January 2017.

In our last post, we outlined some of the best Christmas markets in Florence and, today, we are going to look at the wider area of Tuscany, where there are plenty of other great markets to be found. Find a luxury villa in Florence and take the time to explore wider Tuscany and these other markets.

Mugello will be home to a market called “Magie Dell'Avvento” (Magic of the Advent) that will take place across four days in December 2016 – the 4th, 8th, 11th and 18th – in Palazzuolo sul Senio, in the upper part of the town.

Many are already drawn to the town for the "1000 Presepi per Palazzuolo" (1000 Nativities/Cribs for Palazzuolo), the one thousand nativity scenes that are put on display until January 6th each year and this market just makes for one more reason to choose beautiful Mugello as your Tuscan getaway destination of choice this Christmas.