A Walk Through Peccioli

Tuscany is dotted with hill towns, including several that are close enough to visit as a day trip from my home base in Lucca.  Barga and Montecatini Alto are easily reachable by train or bus.  Others, including Montecarlo, Collodi, Volterra, and San Gimignano, are an easy car ride away.  I’ve been lucky to spend time in each over the years I’ve been in Lucca but there are still so many hill towns left for me to explore!

 On a recent outing, arranged by The Tuscan Wanderer, we drove through the Valdera, the Valley of the Era River, as we returned to Lucca after a visit to a winery in the town of Terricciola.  This is not a region that I’ve visited before, and it requires a car, so I was pleased to join this group adventure.

Peccioli, viewed from the modern terrace suspended over the edge of town.

The Era River runs between Volterra and Pontedera in the Province of Pisa.  At Pontedera the Era joins the river Arno as it flows towards the sea.  High above the river valley lies the small hilltop village of Peccioli, easily spotted from a distance by the tall bell tower of its church.  How fortunate that this little hill town was one of our destinations! 

Peccioli’s most recognizable landmark, the campanile of the church of San Verano, can be seen from a distance down in the valley.

 Peccioli, like so many of Tuscany’s hill towns, has a Medieval layout and a long history of territorial wars as Pisa and Florence battled for control of the town.  Built in the 11th century around a now ruined castle, Peccioli has an historic center with a central piazza, an ancient church, and a series of narrow streets and small alleys. 

 Like most hill towns, there are great views. In Peccioli the vistas are down to the valley from one side of town and out onto Tuscan hillsides and farmland from the other side.  But much as Peccioli has in common with other Tuscan hill towns, it also has its own unique character.

What gives Peccioli its special flavor is the series of contemporary art installations found throughout town. 

Artists from around the world have created works of art and architecture specifically designed for display in Peccioli.  The contrast between the ancient and the modern is intriguing and lots of fun.

Throughout town are old doors, ancient brick structures, and houses fronted by pretty flowerpots mixed in with the more contemporary art pieces.

 Along an old brick wall are hundreds of photos of eyes, an installation called the Squardo di Peccioli.  The artist, Vittorio Corsini, photographed the eyes of Peccioli’s residents for his work.

A sky bridge connects the historic center with an elevator down to the newer parts of town below in the valley.  Titled Endless Sunset, the work by Patrick Tuttofuoco spirals around the walkway with a ribbon of color.  It turns what might be an ordinary bridge into a work of art.

 A large terrace designed by architect Mario Cuninella juts out from the edge of town, giving long views to the farmland and hills surrounding the town – a classic Tuscan view.

Our time in Piccioli was brief, a short detour on the drive between Terricciola and Lucca.  There are many more art installations to explore, museums to visit, and an historic center with shops and cafes in which to linger.  I am looking forward to a return visit.

La Foce - A Tuscan Garden With A Fascinating History

A 15th century pilgrim, walking along the Via Francigena on the way to Rome, might well have spent a night at hostel in the Val d’Orcia, just outside the current town of Chianciano Terme.  No doubt the accommodations, run by the Siena Hospital and Monastery of Santa Maria della Scala, would have been basic and the surrounding landscape the not-so-green clay hills found then in that part of Tuscany.  If that same pilgrim were to return today, he would not recognize the hostel, or the surrounding countryside, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Origo family.  While the intervening centuries saw the area impoverished and the hostel abandoned, in the 1920’s Antonio and Iris Origo bought the property, known as La Foce, and began its transformation. Today it is a remarkable spot - one of the finest estates and gardens in Tuscany.

The entry courtyard at La Foce, the meeting point for tours of the garden.

 Italian Antonio and wife Iris, a young American – Irish heiress, must have seemed crazy to their families and friends. The estate they purchased was run down, with rough dwellings and barren fields.   And yet, they had a vision.  Between 1924 and 1939 they restored the main building, turning it into their family home. They also reclaimed the land, developing it into fertile fields.  They built houses for tenant farmers, a school and a clinic for the workers and their families, and a dopolavoro (dopolavoro means “after work”, a place for the workers to socialize).  This level of social commitment and support for workers was unique at the time.  Eventually the estate grew to include farms, olive groves, and woodlands.  And then Iris Origo built a garden. 

 When I say garden I do not mean a small vegetable patch or a handful of flower beds.  To create her garden, Iris hired the English Architect Cecil Pinset to design an elegant space that blended Italian and English design and made the most of the views over the countryside.  100 years later the garden design is still perfect. 

Stone walls and a bit of fall color at La Foce

 The garden at La Foce blends formal green spaces defined by waist-high hedges, stone walls, flower beds, and a wooded hillside.  It includes an inviting series of terraces linked by stone stairways, a long arbor topped with wisteria, and beds of fragrant lavender.  Flowers spill from large stone urns and roses fill their very own garden bed.

A graceful double staircase leads down to the lower garden with its angular hedge-rimmed beds, reflecting pool, and elaborate stone statuary bench.  Cypress trees and classic Italian umbrella pines are visible at the garden edges and atop the hillside.   

 And the views!  Off in the distance is the famous winding road, lined with cypress trees, that appears in so many photos.  The garden is designed to present an unmatched view of this iconic Tuscan scene.

Our tour guide presented the history of both the land and the Origo family.

 The Origos lived at La Foce during the years of World War II.  That history is fascinating and well explained by the tour guides. 

Iris Origo was a biographer and historian.  Her WWII diary, War in Val d’Orcia, tells of life at La Foce and the precarious road she walked as a British – American living in Italy during that time.  Despite a need to remain in the good graces of the Italian and German forces, La Foce provided shelter to orphaned children and children sent from the heavily bombed city of Torino during the war years.  It also, at considerable personal risk, sheltered downed Allied pilots and POW escapees.  It was a dangerous time, and the diary is fascinating reading in preparation for a visit to La Foce.  

After the war, Iris and Antonio remained at La Foce for the rest of their lives, raising two daughters on the estate.  The daughters, Benedetta and Donata, now in their 80’s, still reside on the property. Antonio and Iris, along with their son Gianni who died in childhood, are buried on the estate.  Sustaining such a large property is no easy task and after Iris’s death in 1988 a good deal of the surrounding land was sold. The Origo daughters continued to own the heart of the estate and over time converted the main home and many surrounding buildings into event spaces and luxury accommodations for guests. 

One of the guest houses on La Foce Estate

The Dopolavoro is now a restaurant serving produce and olive oil from La Foce.  Each summer the estate hosts a music festival in honor of Iris, a project begun by her grandson. Every season brings a new reason to visit.

 La Foce is a must see for garden lovers and history buffs visiting the Val d’Orcia.  The gardens can be visited on guided tours Wednesday afternoons and Sundays from March 26  –  November 1. Note that there are some closures for special events and tours must be reserved in advance. The home and outbuildings are not open on the tours – a good reason to book a vacation stay.  That’s on my wish list as is a lunch at Dopolavoro (reservations are a must) and a return visit in summertime to see those wisteria in bloom. 

website:  www.lafoce.com

The website has fabulous photos and a portal to make reservations for garden tours.  It is also great for getting a peek at the vacation lodgings and event spaces.  For more information on Iris Origo and La Foce, I recommend War in Val d’Orica and Images and Shadows, an autobiography (the current edition has an afterword by her granddaughter Katia Lysy).

The Streets of Siena

The city of Siena sits in the middle of Tuscany, surrounded by fantastic landscapes, charming hill towns, and sweeping valleys. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Siena is a city of ancient brick buildings which hug medieval streets, steep lanes, beautiful piazzas, and architectural wonders.

One could easily spend several weeks (or a lifetime) exploring the wonders of Siena. But my recent visit didn’t afford me the luxury of time - I was simply passing through on my way to a week long trip to the Val d’Orcia in south central Tuscany (see end note re: current travel restrictions in Tuscany) . All I had time for was a leisurely walk through town and a nice lunch.

Siena’s cathedral under a beautiful fall sky

Walking toward the historic center of Siena, the dominant feature is the view of 13th century cathedral, its dome and campanile (bell tower) rising high above the rooftops of the city. Up close, the cathedral wows with its marble facade, elaborate portals, sculptures, gargoyles, and mosaics. The bell tower, with its striking black and white stripes, stretches high above. No time to go inside on this trip, that will have to wait for another visit.

Piazza del Campo, Siena on a sunny fall day

Siena’s most recognizable landmark is its shell-shaped central square, the Piazza del Campo. Long ago this sweeping open space served as Siena’s marketplace. Today it is a gathering spot for locals and visitors alike (and their dogs, who enjoy laying on the warm pavement on a chilly fall morning). The piazza is famous for the architecture of the buildings that ring it, the Palazzo Pubblico (City Hall) and the tall tower, the Torre del Mangia. The Piazza del Campo is also where the famous Palio horse race takes place. On the day of my visit in late October, sun and warmth radiated off the brick surface of the uncrowded piazza.

The Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, Siena

The piazza is also home to the beautiful Fonte Gaia, the Fountain of Joy. The fountain was originally an important source of water for the city. Today it is appreciated as a work of art for the graceful marble reliefs which enclose it on three sides. I have not seen a fountain of this type in other Italian cities, both its shape and the carved surround make it unique to Siena.

These may be Siena’s most famous sights, but Siena is more than just famous landmarks; it’s a beautiful city with streets and squares perfect for wandering.

There are medieval buildings, churches and convents, roof tops, steep streets, and arched alleyways giving glimpses of hidden corners. Taking time to soak it all in is a joy, even if you just have a few hours to wander through town.

The roof tops of Siena

Note: Italy is now seeing a resurgence of COVID infections and, at present, many daily life and travel restrictions are in place. My trip to south central Tuscany was complaint with all restrictions that existed in late October and the first few days of November. Look for upcoming posts over the next few weeks about several of the villages in the Val d’Orcia that I visited during my week-long trip. I hope these posts will be a reminder of the beauty of Italy that awaits when travel is once again possible.

Wine Tasting in Tuscany

In fall 2018, I spent a day driving through the Chianti region with friends (see A Taste of Chianti, October 2018). I’d been itching to get back to that area ever since, for its beauty and for the opportunity to do some wine tasting. The regional wine is Chianti Classico - a medium-bodied, dry red wine made mostly from Sangiovese grapes, grown and produced in the limited geographic area of the original five Chianti villages (outside of this small region the wine might be called Chianti, but it can not be labeled Chianti Classico nor can it carry the Gallo Nero (black rooster) symbol). And while I appreciate good wine, and loved my first experience with genuine Chianti Classico last year, I am definitely not a wine expert. And that’s where Mirko Gosgnach and Frontier Wine Tours enter the picture.

Mirko is an Italian/Canadian who knows a lot about wine, especially Chianti Classico.

He works with a small group of wine experts to help support smaller vineyards in the Chianti Classico region, to market their wines and to teach people like me about vines, grapes, wine production and the beauty of the Chianti region.

And since you can’t properly learn about wine without visiting the vineyards and tasting, Mirko leads wine-tasting tours, which is how I came to join a group of friends for a day with Mirko exploring the wines of the Chianti Classico region.

The day began in Italian style with a cappuccino at a local bar in Lucca where our group gathered to meet Mirko. We settled into his big, comfy SUV and quickly learned that we were in for a fun day visiting two wineries, one of which was on the grounds of a historic villa. The villa was not open to the public but, lucky us, Mirko had the keys! We also discovered that he not only speaks perfect English (along with fluent Italian) but he is charming, funny, knowledgeable, and flexible. And, he is prone to breaking into song as he drives through beautiful Tuscan landscapes.

Canonica a Cerato (the chapel)

Our first stop was at Canonica a Cerreto, just east of Siena in the comune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, part of the Chianti Classico region. The first wines were produced here a thousand years ago for the monks of Siena. The name, Canonica, reflects its origins as a summer rectory for the monks, and Cerreto, the name of the oak trees in the surrounding woods. Loosely translated: Little Chapel in the Oak Woods.

Today the vines cover gentle hills and the grapes are harvested by hand and aged in oak barrels. Around 120,000 bottles are produced each year, some of which are exported to the United States but many of which remain in local wine shops. And while the modern area for processing and bottling the wine is new, the older cellar is where we tasted the wines.

The old wine cellar and tasting room at Canonica a Cerreto

What lovely wines they were! Some were DOCG wines (this designates a wine of highest quality under Italian standards, with strict requirements for production and taste), including a wonderful Chianti Classico Riserva.

My favorite wine was the Sandiavolo (a bit of an oxymoron, which translates to Saint Devil). Sandiavolo carries an IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) label. Restrictions for IGT wines are less strict and allow producers more flexibility in the blends of grapes used, though the grapes still come from a single region. This type of wine is often called “Super Tuscan.” And the Sandiavolo really was super! A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, it was … well, I can only say it was smooth, dry yet fruity, with not too much tannin. I am not nearly wine savvy enough to say things like “notes of blackberry, a hint of mineral” but Wine Spector gave the 2006 vintage this review: “generous, complex, elegant, and sweet. Small red and blackberries are in perfect equilibrium with a hint of forest floor, mineral notes, and sweet balsamic spice.” Uh huh … that’s just what I meant.

View from the terrace at Canonica a Cerreto

Canonica a Cerreto is also a stunning villa. Initially built as a retreat for clergy from Siena, remodeled by the Bishop of Siena in the 1700s. It passed into private hands in the early 1900s and sat abandoned from about 1930 until 1978. Since then it has been owned by the same Italian family who have restored the property, maintaining original character wherever possible. The results are a home elegant and comfortable filled with art and unique furnishings. And views to the Tuscan countryside!

Armed with several bottles of Canonica wine, we headed to lunch at restaurant Peposo in the nearby village of Pianella. Lunch featured regional Tuscan food - a starter of several types of cold cuts, cheese, a bruschetta with sausage and stracchino cheese, and some stuffed zucchini blossoms. Next came a primi (first course) of two types of pasta (light as a feather gnocchi with Bolognese sauce and a ricotta-filled ravioli with sage and butter) followed by a second course of roast meats (sausage, pork, and lamb). All were delicious and the setting, a long table on a pretty outdoor patio, made for a relaxed lunch with good conversation. The meal ended with coffee and a desert of a grilled peach topped with amaretti crumbles. If you find yourself driving through the hills of Chianti, it’s worth a stop here for lunch or dinner. The day was already perfect, and we had one more winery to visit after lunch.

The second winery, Fattoria Lornano, also operates as an agriturismo, hosting visitors who can enjoy their lovely gardens, pool, and Tuscan views. Here we tasted light summery rosato (rose) wines, a couple of Chianti Classicos (one a Reserva and one their most special Gran Selezione - a limited production of a fantastic wine).

Fattoria and Agriturismo Lornano

We ended with tasting a Vin Santo that one of our party called “nectar of the Gods.” It was simply the best Vin Santo I have ever tasted.

The wines of Fattoria Lornano

The day was one of those peak experiences - good company, great wines, wonderful food, and Tuscany. It doesn’t get much better. . There might even have been singing on the drive home. -post by Joanne

Contact information : www.Frontierwinetours.com

Mirko Gosgnach email: contact@frontierwinetours.com +39 338 608 5634

Italian Tax Codes and Back Roads

There are many steps along the road to becoming Italian, or at least as Italian as “stranieri” (foreigners) can be. For me, one of the first “ah, now I really belong here” moments was when I received my codice fiscale, or tax code. That magic string of letters and numbers, uniquely mine, signified my existence here in Italy. Surely if one has a tax number he or she must be Italian, right?

The tax code is useful for longer term apartment rentals (technically required for rentals of more than 30 days, though not all landlords asked for mine). It’s an absolute necessity if signing an extended contract (one year or the more standard four-year contract) and for setting up bank and utility accounts. So, if planning a long stay in Italy, obtaining a codice fiscale is high on your to-do list.

One of the joys of wandering is finding views like this, as seen from Montecarlo.

There are two ways to obtain the codice fiscale. One is through the Italian consulate in your home country.  The other is to apply for one during a stay in Italy, in the area where you plan to reside.  In Lucca that means a trip to the nearby town of Guamo, about 15 minutes away by car.  I recently went with my co-blogger to Guamo to apply for her codice fiscale. It was an easy process, taking about 30 minutes tops (we arrived right as the office opened to avoid a wait). Be prepared to speak in Italiano.

A monument on the campanile of the Badia (Monastery) di San Salvatore in Vorno

Because we were in and out of the office so quickly, we decided to spend the rest of the day wandering along back roads and ending up .... well .... wherever. Our first stop was in the small village of Vorno. This is a lovely place, full of stone walls, trellises, grape vines, and well-tended villas all set amid beautiful hills and views of distant mountains. We stopped for prima colazione (breakfast Italian style, cappuccino and a sweet) and then explored on foot, ending with a stop at the local church with its interesting campanile (bell tower) and historical monument. Carlo Piaggia, intrepid explorer (his bust is pictured above), sounds like my kind of guy!

The fortezza (fortress) in Montecarlo, Italy

Where to go next?  Our trip through the back roads led us to the small town of Montecarlo, famous for wines and an ancient fortress. 

Montecarlo, Italy

The town was quiet, tourist season still a few weeks away. The uncrowded streets were fun to wander and I was most intrigued by the many interesting doors and windows. Fun to imagine who has passed by them and what lies within.

Montecarlo

What a joy to have an unstructured day to wander the back roads in this part of Tuscany! -Post by JMB

Montecarlo