The Maremman Sheepdog – il bianco guardiano
This is the one and only time I’ll ever admit this, but I know most people have never heard of the undiscovered slice of Tuscan holiday paradise that is the Maremma. But you can bet your fluffy slippers they’ve heard of the adorable creature featured above. And despite my very best efforts over the last two [...]
Glorious May Day in Tuscany
For Maremmani, the first of May is one of the most beautiful days of the year. Don’t believe me? When I first moved to the Maremma, my host dad dragged me through the streets of Manciano singing the ‘Canti di Maggio’ (Songs of May), despite the fact that I didn’t know any of the words and [...]
Understanding Maremman wine. Part 2: Whites!
We’ve already covered the reds here, so now we’re moving onto the venerable whites that have captured the international wine world’s heart and put the Maremma on the map. Valentina, my sommelier friend, and I had to put a few days between tasting the reds and tasting the whites, so apologies. It was my fault. [...]
Vitozza, a hidden rock city
The path to Vitozza is tight, winding and, honestly, a complete mess. Driving down it, I’m tempted to turn back, telling myself there’s no way Italy’s largest rock city could be hidden at the end of a dirt road. But to my surprise, the dust lifts to unveil a vast, lush forest, where towering trees [...]
Understanding Maremman Wines. Part 1: Reds!
I’ll be the first to admit I know nothing about wines. Zip, zilch, niente. Until a year ago, my favourite wine was an unlabelled Moscato di Asti my local bank gave away for free with its annual Christmas hamper. Who am I kidding? It’s still my favourite wine. The only reason I don’t drink it [...]
‘Pasquetta’ or Easter Monday picnic in Tuscany
Pasquetta (pronounced Pas-QUE-tta) or Easter Monday isn’t a strictly Maremman or Tuscan tradition. It’s something all Italians cherish and one of the most memorable public holidays in the country. In normal circumstances, any religious holiday is spent with your family in Italy. No questions, no if or buts, and definitely no breaking the rules for [...]
An Easter breakfast for a Buona Pasqua in the Maremma
Back home, we never really celebrated Easter. Sure we did the chocolate bunnies or bilbies if you wanted a native version… some bright spark thought giving Aussie kids chocolate bunnies sent the wrong message, what with rabbits being an environmental pest in the bush and all… no surprises for guessing that the little ones were [...]
Part 2: The Dos and Don’ts in the Tuscan Maremma
I feel so mean telling my fellow intrepid travellers what they should/shouldn’t be doing in the Maremma. So don’t take these don’ts as hard and fast orders. I’ve lived in the Maremma for five years now. I’d like to think I know my stuff and I’m not one to keep paradisaical holiday destination to myself, hence the [...]
Part 1: The Dos and Don’ts in the Tuscan Maremma
. While the title of this blog post might seem a little ominous and frankly authoritarian, that was never my intention. There is nothing dangerous or frightening about the Maremma. You can photograph anything you want, wander pretty much anywhere you like and eat or drink absolutely everything, unless you get a little queasy about [...]
Spring into Primavera in the Tuscan Maremma
The snow has finally melted! Hurrah, or as my adorable father-in-law says, ‘Urra’ (Italians are hopelessly useless when it comes to pronouncing ‘h’). It’s still early days, but you can feel Spring or La Primavera in the air. Now do you get the very clever title of this post? Okay, so it’s not that clever, [...]
