October 2024.
Italy has been a frequent and favorite destination since we moved to Europe. In the two and a half years since we relocated to Portugal, we've made five trips to this beautiful country. I'll admit that, for us, most of the allure of Italy centers around the food; in fact, it's so easy and inexpensive for us to fly we've often joked about taking a trip just for a nice dinner.
For this trip, we joined a group of friends from the U.S. who invited us to join them on their journey through the Tuscany countryside. Clare had planned our Agriturismo locations, which made our planning for the trip much easier. We flew from Faro to Rome in less than three hours, hopped on a train from the airport to Rome, then a fast train to Florence, where we would spend the night and meet up with them the next day.
Off and on, rain accompanied us on the trip, but the sun shined, and the rain seemed to stop just when we needed it to.
Upon arrival in Florence, we stayed near the train station at Hotel Rapallo. A rainy arrival and morning the next day didn't keep us from exploring this part of the city in the morning as we awaited the arrival of our friends, who landed in Rome early and drove to Florence to meet us.
We decided to grab lunch before heading to the Agriturismo. Earlier, I found my namesake restaurant a few blocks away, Trattoria Bondi Florence. The atmosphere and food were a great way to kick off our Tuscany experience
After lunch, we were off to our first stay at the agriturismo Terre di Cocomo in Buggiano, Tuscany.
An unforgettable, magical experience in the Tuscan countryside. The Farm is owned, operated, and curated by Emilio & Sara and their children Agatha & Aquila. Immediately upon arrival, you feel like you are being welcomed into a good friend's home. Outstanding hospitality is provided by the entire family, including the friendly cats roaming the property, the dog Woodstock, the Donkeys Cocomo & Dada, and the entire team of fantastic hosts. The grounds are precisely what you would dream about at a Tuscan Agriturismo, lush, well-maintained, and absolutely stunning, as are the views of the surrounding areas, lush rolling hills, and hilltop villages. The rooms were well-appointed and cozy, the food was fantastic, and the wines Emilio and others made were perfect. We were not sure how they found the time, but they also did a fantastic job growing the produce served, managing the vineyards and making their own wine, overseeing the olive groves used to create their olive oil, and raising bees for honey. It's hard to think about leaving the property, but it's also centrally located near unique small villages to explore, thermal spas, and neighboring Lucca and Pisa. A real gem and a place that we plan to return to often.
For our first night at Terre di Cocomo, they provided cocktails and dinner for us as a welcome to the farm.
More photos from around the farm.
The next day we took a trip to Florence about an hour and a half from the farm.
Lunch in Florence at La Giostra, a restaurant recommended by a friend of the group. It is family-owned and operated (we ended up sitting next to the granddaughter of the owner and her son). Located near the center of Florence, the charming interior was inviting. The food was just OK; you could tell it was a little more geared to serving tourists.
Members of our group, out for their morning walk, headed from the farm up the hill to this small quaint village and noticed the small restaurant and bar just outside the village walls. After a full day in Florence, we returned late and decided to see if they might be open for a late snack. They were and welcomed us in with open arms.
Ristorante Antico Colle and the village of Colle di Buggiano are absolute gems! The family-owned and operated restaurant, frequented mainly by local residents, is, on so many levels, one of those great one-of-a-kind experiences that we endeavor to find. So good, in fact, that we went twice during our four nights in the region! The restaurant is small and cozy; very little English is spoken here, so the communication was great fun. Late-night pizza and dessert was our first experience. The pizza was good, but Grandpa's desserts were to die for! On another night, we experienced the bar the family owns and operates across the street, which was great fun as a large group of young local residents were there for food and drink celebrating an 18th birthday.
Day trip today to Pisa, a stop at the beach in Lido di Camaiore, and afternoon and dinner in Lucca
Pisa
Bagni Buoniamici in Lido di Camaiore
Lucca
Spa day today. While waiting for our appointment at the Thermal Spa, we toured the nearby Village of San Miniato.
A few hours at the Grotto Giusti Thermal Spa, a natural cave of thermal mineral water with paths to walk through the space. The lower you walked into the cave, the hotter the steam was; three areas included Paradise, Inferno, and Purgatory.
At the end of the day, we enjoyed a nice meal at Cafe Giusti in Montecatini Alto. It was well worth the narrow, winding, uphill drive to this beautiful little village, which lights up at night to invite you in. The restaurant's interior is traditional stone and brick, providing a warm atmosphere for dining. The food and service were all exceptional, a great way to cap off a relaxing day in the Tuscan countryside.
Leaving this part of Tuscany and our fantastic hosts at Terre di Cocomo was hard, but we were off for another Tuscan experience as we headed south to Montepulciano. Along the way, we stopped at the village of Pienza
Leaving Pienza through winding country roads lined with vineyards for miles, we headed to our next stay at Relais Villa Grazianella in the Montepulciano region. For what seemed like miles, we noticed vineyard signs describing the names of each block under the Fattoria Del Cerro brand, the winery associated with the Villa.
Located in the heart of the storied Tuscan wine country of Montepulciano, between the rolling hills of Val d'Orcia and the farms of Val di Chiana, the Villa Grazianella is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. It is the ideal place to experience great food, fantastic wine, historic villages, and total immersion into the surrounding Tuscan countryside.
Heavy rain and wind were predicted for today, so we decided to stay indoors and take a Cooking class at the Villa. Chef Stefano Azzi was great. He used us mostly to prep for the restaurant service while teaching us a few great things about authentic Italian cooking. Amazing that such a few great ingredients for each dish result in amazing food. Using mostly local ingredients such as the sweet Val di Chiana garlic, We helped prepare the Fantastic Ragu, Pasta, Pomodoro sauce, Mushroom sauce, and Polenta. After such hard work in the kitchen (NOT!), we sat down for lunch, featuring the food we had prepared. It was a fantastic meal. :-)
We really enjoyed our experience at Ristorante La Grotta, located next to the beautiful Tempio di San Biagio in Montepulciano. The Ragu, Caprese, Ravioli, and, of course, the desserts were all fantastic. The recommended wine selection was a perfect complement to our diverse food selection. Parking was easy and close, just outside of the restaurant, but it may be a little more difficult to find during peak season.
With the rain stopped and a mix of sun and clouds projected for the day, an E-Bike tour around the valley was in order. We set a route along the local roads and planned a few winery stops for tasting along the way.
After a journey through dirt roads, rolling hills, narrow country roads, and a few failed efforts to find an open wine-tasting opportunity, we finally landed at our first stop. Terra Antica is a small agriturismo and cantina (winery) and a great place to take a break from the bikes and sample some of their wines. They produce some fantastic small-production wines, including the special bottling of "Domani" (tomorrow), which we vowed to come back for when we had the van so we could purchase a few bottles.
Back on the bikes heading toward the tiny village of Aquaviva and Ristorante L'Angolo, recommended for lunch by the staff at Terra Antica. A quaint restaurant situated in a residential neighborhood with indoor and covered outdoor seating. It feels like you are dining at someone's home, both in the atmosphere and food. An extensive menu offers excellent Pasta and second courses, and the wine selection is good, too.
After lunch, we were off toward Villa Grazianella. After misguided directions by Google and about 40 minutes of beautiful countryside riding since our last stop, we came across a large winery and decided to stop and check it out. Bindella, Tenuta Vallocaia is a vast difference from the small Cantina we visited earlier. This one is large, polished, and heavily invested in, with sculptures and art everywhere. The wines of Vila Bindella were very good, and the atmosphere was inviting and posh.
A great day in the Tuscan countryside; fortunately, our Villa was only about a five-minute ride from our last stop, as we were exhausted from the combination of the long ride and wine tasting.
Our last full day in Tuscany included a trip to Montepulciano and the Lakeside village of Castiglione.
From Villa Grazianella, we have a distant view of the medieval village of Montepulciano, set high on a hilltop well protected from early marauders by its castle walls and ramparts. A quintessential Tuscan medieval village surrounded by lush green landscapes and rolling hills below. Full of elegant Renaissance palaces, ancient churches, charming squares, and hidden corners, with vast panoramas of the surrounding areas. The surrounding vineyards make the Montepulciano area one of the world's finest winemaking regions, making it one of the most frequented and beloved tourist destinations in Tuscany.
Taking a break from the hill climb and cobbled streets of Montepulciano up to Piazza Grande, we found Re al Quadrato for local pizza and wine. The pizza was fantastic, one of the best of this trip and we sat in an old wine cave to enjoy it.
After exploring Montepulciano, it was a short drive to Castiglione, another walled city, but this time, it was set on a large lake, one of the largest in Italy and only 8 feet deep. It was raining, so we didn't spend too much time outside exploring the village, but we did find Il Cantinone Trasimeno and Ristorante La Cantina
Departure day from Relais Villa Grazianella in Montepulciano. We all hopped in the van for a two-hour ride south to Rome Airport. Mary and I will spend the night nearby while the rest of the crew drops off the van and heads to Rome for a few nights before hopping on a thirteen-day cruise from Rome to Barcelona.
I booked our airport stay at QC Termeroma, a spa resort where I hoped we could enjoy the thermal baths and a relaxing treatment before our morning flight. It was a bit of a strange experience from the moment we arrived, with hundreds of people dressed in white hotel robes wandering throughout the grounds. The restaurant was filled with robe-clad patrons, too. I was expecting a quiet spa-like hotel with a few guests around enjoying the facilities, but this was also open for day guests, and they obviously didn't regulate the number admitted. The rooms were nice, and we did manage to get a steam and hot soak in between the crowds, but we certainly would not do that again!
Heading home today on our short flight from Rome to Faro. A great trip Experiencing this part of Tuscany with good who make the journey even more entertaining.
Saying that you've been to Tuscany but have only visited Florence, as many do, is NOT experiencing what Tuscany is all about. What I would call western Tuscany, from the rolling hills, Medieval hilltop villages, pristine beaches, lush green landscape, and acres of vineyards producing some of the world's best wines, is best experienced leisurely and with little or no preset agenda. Every food experience was fantastic, whether in a fine dining restaurant or a small family establishment. Food prepared with love, tradition, and clean, quality ingredients make great meals. The wines here are some of my favorites, especially the Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano. I would not hesitate to recommend any of the places that we visited (Except the QC Termeroma), and we'll surely return again for more.
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