Mini Travel Guides

Tuscany is one of our favorite areas of Italy. The green rolling hills and red-tiled roofs welcome visitors with their warmth and beauty.  Here’s an article about Tuscany for Lovers.

Photo by Morgen Young

Here are the tips I received when planning my trip to Lucca in Tuscany in November 2009 to help you get more from your visit to Lucca.

Illuminated frieze in Lucca gate arch

Megan of Context Travel recommends taking a day trip from Lucca to Garfagnana (especially the lovely town of Barga). If you have access to a car during this portion of your stay, I would definitely suggest checking out the typical sagre, which are food-based festivals held in small towns, celebrating the seasonal delicacies of the region. Sagre are a wonderful way to eat amazing local food at rock bottom prices surrounded by locals.

Roberta Kedziersk the Antico Caffe di Simo, in via Filungo, the main street, is worth visiting for its original Art Nouveau furnishings.

Me by Lucca’s town walls

waitinginthedark of Explorer recommends a hike or bicycle ride on Lucca’s walls. They are gorgeous and very well conserved. In Lucca/Florence surroundings, a nice idea could be to visit the Garfagnana region, frequently called “Tuscany’s green island” and famous for spelt, used to cook the traditional Tuscan “Minestra di farro” (a soup with beans and spelt, a must tasting it at least once). You can choose between several itinerary options: by car, by bicycle, walking. If you like local products, have a look at the program “I luoghi dell’Olio” proposing visits to several oil mills and oil tasting, together with other traditional dishes. The festival takes place on Nov. 28-29 and from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8. Info at APT Lucca +390583 919931.

Your tips

If you have tips for the best places to visit in Lucca, please leave a comment and I’ll add your tip to this post.

Prior to my visit to Florence in November 2009 I requested tips on what to do and see in this beautiful Tuscan city. Here are the tips I received from blog comments and tweets on Twitter, to help you plan your trip to Florence.

Me in Florence with backdrop of Ponte Vecchio

Tips

Waitinginthedark of Explorer believes it’s a good idea to visit smaller museums or places that are not on the usual agenda. Among these in Florence, he recommends going to see the Biblioteca Laurenziana. The library, created by the Medici Family, provides a gorgeous architectural example, having been partially projected and built by Michelangelo. Additionally, it has a unique collection of old manuscripts (around 11,000).

Sam: Do not miss Trattoria Mario! Only open 12-3pm Monday-Saturday. Get there a little before 12 to get a seat right away- it fills up quickly! Via Rosina 2r, next to Mercato Centrale. Trattoria Sostanza- amazing bistecca alla fiorentina and butter chicken. Antico Noe for great sandwiches (to rival I Fratellini, which are also very good).

For a great view of Florence, head up to Piazzale Michelangelo.

View of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

Megan of Context Travel has a few dining recommendations for Florence: Sergio Gozzi (San Lorenzo area), Antico Ristoro ai Cambi (San Frediano), Ino (for light lunches of sandwiches made to order), desserts at Patrizia Cosi (Santa Croce) and organic breakfasts at CaffeLatte (Via degli Alfani).

Roberta Kedziersk: Florence, where to start? Early mornings are great for seeing the centre without the crowds. Don’t neglect the “other” side of the Arno,ie the area known as Oltrarno. Not just Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens, but even Poggio Reale, and Bellosguardo, which are through Porta Romana, and so technically outside the city, as is Arcetri, where Galileo lived. Oh, and see his house on Costa San Giorgio too”

Tweets

@1step2theleft‘s tip is Osteria Cibreo in Florence. Gr8 revisited traditional cuisine and unforgettable culinary experience!

@gommax75 recommends “Fratellini” in Florence a small bar close to Uffizi: best sandwiches ever!

Add your tip

If you have any other tips for what to do and see in Florence please leave a comment and I’ll add you tip to the post.

I’ve visited Pisa a couple of times and what I most enjoyed doing was walking along the banks of the River Arno. There are so many interesting and colourful historic buildings dotted along the riverside.

On the northern bank of the river, on Lungarno Fibonacca is the entrance to the 19th century Giardino di Scotto. This municipal park hosts outdoor events during the Summer. There’s a children’s playground and an attractive terraced garden.

You can look around the 14th century Palazzo Gambacorti, now the offices of the Pisa commune. This riverside building is also on the northern bank, east of Giardino di Scotto. There was a free art exhibition on during my visit in November 2009.

The dinky Santa Maria della Spina Church sits by the River Arno.

Santa Maria della Spina Church, Pisa

So if you’re in Pisa, do venture beyond the environs of the Leaning Tower and enjoy a walk along the riverside.

We had our best meal during our week in Tuscany in November 2009 at the Trattoria da Sergio, Piazza Bernardini 7 in Lucca, tel 0583 491364. The staff working there when we ate didn’t speak any English.

Table at Trattoria da Sergio, Lucca

We went for the 10 euro set menu which being Italy didn’t cost 10 euro as there was a 2 euro per person cover charge. Did Ryanair get inspiration for their pricing structure from Italian restaurants?

We both had lasagne for our prima piatto. It was delicious, multi layered with a creamy sauce.

Lasagne at Trattoria da Sergio, Lucca

I had pork chop with roast potatoes for my secondi piatti. How come I can never cook such tender pork?

Pork chop at Trattoria da Sergio

My husband had rabbit garnished with olives served in a polenta ring. He reckoned it was one of the tastiest dishes he’s ever eaten (and he’s not prone to effusive praise).

Rabbit in polenta ring at Trattoria da Sergio

So if you’re in Lucca head for Trattoria da Sergio for some good value, authentic Italian cooking. Why not have a cycle round Lucca’s town walls to either work up a good appetite or burn off some of the calories?

I visited the Il Desco Tuscan market at the Real Collegio in Lucca on 29 November 2009. There was an amazing array of Tuscan produce on sale. The market will be open 5 – 8 December 2009 from 11.30 – 19.30.

The first video shows a selection of some of the food and drink available. I was able to sample many of the wares. Warning – Don’t watch this video if you’re hungry.

I enjoyed the display of Michele Lovi’s art.

Can you believe that all the items in the next video are made from olive oil soap?

In my last video you can watch chestnut bread (pane di neccio) being made. Flour from ground chestnuts is mixed with water and then a spoonful put between leaves and baked using hot stones.

I hope that you have enjoyed your virtual visit to Il Desco in Lucca and my videos have given you a flavour of a Tuscan market.

If the idea of bringing in the New Year in Tuscany sounds appealing, then enter the Happy New Tuscany competition. The first prize is a 7 night trip for two between Christmas and New Years staying in Florence (luxury accommodation on B&B basis, international flight, museum passes, New Years meal, airport transfers). The other four prizes consist of a 3 night New Year stays for two (on B&B basis, museum passes, New Years meal, airport transfer but not flights). The four prize locations are Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca.

Florence skyline

The competition is open to everyone worldwide, except to residents of Tuscany. The five trips will be awarded by random extraction to entrants who complete a simple online puzzle. Full details of the contest prizes are available here.

I was in Tuscany 24 November – 1 December 2009, staying in Pisa, Florence and Lucca. They are all wonderful locations, so enter the competition now and you could be spending New Year in beautiful Tuscany.

Me in Florence with the Ponte Vecchio in background

This is only the first phase of the “Voglio Vivere Cosi” initiative, which will comprise of 30 contests, 200 vacation prizes, and 20,000 giveaways over the course of the campaign.