Travel

Travel Reports

Tuscany

In one of those Sunday supplement lists of ‘My 10 favourite things’ you can bet that the following would come pretty near the top of mine: fabulous food; red wine; shopping; Latin men; history; art & architecture; rolling, hilly countryside; doing nothing.

I’ve now ticked my way through this list in the Chianti region of Tuscany. In a relatively small area (and without much driving at all) you can find an embarrassment of riches, including all the above. I stayed in an exquisite country cottage operated by the company, Summer Leases, run by two ex-pat Brits, Bob and Ally, and offering a choice of 60 different cottages in the Tuscany region.

The cottage we stayed in looks over a lovely valley, covered with olive groves and vineyards near the village of Moncioni in the centre of Tuscany’s ‘golden triangle’, between Florence, Sienna and Arezzo. All three are within an hour’s drive, whilst closer to the cottage are lovely Chianti hilltop villages and castles. Bob and Ally have a tremendous eye for detail and thoughtful touches abound in their properties. Upon arrival, guests open the fridge to find a welcoming meal of antipasti, pastries, fresh bread and cheeses. The kitchen is superbly equipped and includes a wine rack filled with locally grown white and reds, which guests can drink at their leisure (at the very reasonable price of €3.50 a bottle). The cottage was equipped with BBC World television, a CD player with a range of music, mountain bikes and a luxury bathroom. Olive Oil pressed from the trees in the field outside is in the kitchen to take home as a gift, although it’s more likely you’ll use it in your week of gastronomic indulgence.

Food is a particular highlight of Tuscany. Local specialities include a rich, Wild Boar stew, black cabbage, beans, liver paté, chocolate soufflés and of course, Chianti wine. We ate in several local restaurants, where the standard of cooking was exceptional, but at prices that are pretty mild by British standards. Three particularly wonderful local restaurants worth travelling for are: Fattoria Castello di Starda at Starda near Montevarchi, specialising in Tuscan dishes, local wines and olive oil, Osteria di Rendola, at nearby Rendola; and in Arezzo in the magnificent Piazza Grande, the Trattoria La Lancia d’Oro. The latter has a beautiful outdoor terrace under the ancient columns in the square and served food, in my opinion, of Michelin standard, including the most wonderful rich, creamy Risotto topped with Foie Gras.

But besides food, the region has now become a destination for serious shoppers. The great designers of Milan have many of their production facilities in this region and as a result a collection of top flight designers have established outlet stores. These stores bear no resemblance to British outlet malls. From the outside they are in unprepossessing factory buildings, but inside is a world of Prada, Fendi, Gucci, Armani Dolce & Gabbana and many more. The main ones are to be found at The Mall, near Leccio (about 30 minutes from Florence), but Prada has its own highly exclusive and huge outlet store near Montevarchi.

The Tuscany region is one of the most historically interesting in Europe. Settled by the Etruscans (from which it takes its name) the area was colonised by the Romans who took over the Etruscan cities, such as Arezzo. Florence, Pisa and Lucca were set up as colonies for Roman veterans, but by the 2nd century AD the region began to convert to Christianity. After the Romans came the barbarian tribes of Lombards and Franks and many of the small, hilltop towns still there today were originally established as fortified outposts, guarding against the constant invasions. Later many became fortified settlements, caught as pawns in the middle of the two local superpowers, Florence and Sienna. These two successful cities competed not just politically, but artistically to outdo each other in displays of the most advanced architecture of the day, including the 335 foot high tower above the Palazzo Pubblico in Sienna of 1325 and in Florence the Duomo S. Maria del Fiore begun in 1296, with the dome designed by Brunelleschi begun in 1417.

Florence is the most remarkable treasure house of art and architecture, especially in the staggering Uffizi Gallery, one of the greatest collections of art in Italy. Other highlights are the Duomo, (including an exhausting 400 step walk to the top of the dome that rewards you with wonderful city views), the Palazzo Pitti, Ponte Vecchio and the Palazzo Vechio. There’s just too many great buildings and art to list and that in a way is the drawback. The choice is overwhelming, but the downside are the crowds attracted to all this beauty. If you visit in summer, it is quite possible to be swamped out by all the tourists.

Quieter, but still lovely and full of history is the old rival city of Sienna. Build largely in brick and over three hills, Sienna eventually lost out to Florence as the dominant city and as a result is quieter. In its heyday, however, the Siennese adorned their city with lovely buildings and filled them with Renaissance art treasures. The Palazzo Pubblico stands high above one of the most beautiful squares in Italy and the centrepiece of Sienna, the Piazza del Campo. Looking around the big (several stories high), brick buildings around the Campo, its amazing to realise that many were built in the 12th and 13th centuries, when London was probably only building 2-storey buildings of wood. Sienna was rich and powerful and built another great Cathedral, the Duomo S. Maria Assunta, begun in the mid-12th century and home of treasures including statues by Michelangelo, Pisano and Donatello.

GTT stayed in Moncioni courtesy of Summer Leases. With over 60 properties throughout the Tuscany and Umbria regions there is something to suit all pockets and requirements. Recent additions to the Summer Leases portfolio include a luxury villa that can sleep up to 14 people and the tiny Montone Due village house in Montone that sleeps two. For more information and to make a booking log on to www.summerleases.com or call 0845 230 2223 (from the UK).

GTT flew from Gatwick to Florence by Meridiana. Be warned, Italian road signs are tiny and often surrounded by advertising signs for local hotels or restaurants. They tend to have important instructions, such as ‘Airport’ at the junction you want and before you know it, you are hurtling past the correct turn-off. I made this mistake and found myself going round and round the suburbs of Florence. I finally arrived at the airport 15 minutes before the flight was due to take off. The charming Meridiana staff ushered us quickly through check-in and security and I just made the flight due to their helpfulness. They were also absolutely charming in letting us alter our flight plans earlier in the week.