TUSCANY IN WINTER? A FIVE-SENSE EXPERIENCE
What happen in Tuscany when Summer draws her last warm breath and the cool mornings of winter call for an extra blanket and a wood-burning fire? It is the time when Tuscany becomes a real “PARADISO”, cheap with no annoying crowds outside the museums!
In fact, Florence, Siena, Lucca as well as old towns or hamlets are exactly as you imagine them to be in the Middle-Age or Renaissance. The earth has yielded the grapes that produced wine for the year, the olives have been pressed for their green and pungent oil and the soil and those that worked it, take finally a break.
There is a gentle calm all over; some days clouds lie right down on the ground while rainy days mute the color of the landscape. While the vegetation may be dormant in the Winter, the local seems to come to life! The landscape in the countryside is lush and full of wild boar, pheasants and hares giving more charme to the wildlife of the area.
It is Winter in Tuscany.
The beauty of the landscape becomes a state of mind and a nice moment of relaxation while taking profit of the best that Tuscany can offer in terms of food, wine, culture, art, landscape, sports and also dolce far niente.
In this period of the year, Tuscany costs less and provides infinitely more than Summer. In fact, the real Tuscany is to be found in the dead of the Winter when the crowds are thinner and the houses, the hotels, the restaurants are pleasantly cheaper while experience a Tuscany populated only by real Tuscans sitting in a café, drinking a lovely Vin Santo or a great Chianti wine shared with the company of friends.
There is a lot to do and discover in Winter.
Winter is Eating Season in Tuscany, a great moment of attending a cooking class or to make a made-to-measure guided wine tasting tour organized by Dreaming Florence in either the Chianti Rufina or Chianti Classico or even in Montepluciano and Montalcino. It is the best moment to taste great red wines or to eat the best Procini muschrooms, foggy green olives or a superb homemade fettucine pasta seasoned with fresh extravirgin olive oil and black truffles. Why not also at least a two inches of buttery and jucy “bistecca alla Fiorentina” (a T-bone Steak) of Chianina cows that graze and raise free in an unspoiled nature?
Winter in Tuscany is pleasantly cool and it is a great time too to discover Firenze. If you are planning an intensive immersion in Florentine Art, consider to buy a Florence Museum Pass to save money and to bypass sometimes long queues outside popular museums. In this case, Dreaming Florence can provide you a multilingual guide who will help you discover the best kept secrets of our beautiful and elegant Renaissance city along with ypur personal photographer for some shootings to be remembered forever.
If you like cycling and trekking, this is a great moment to take profit of your passion! While Pedaling or walking on countryside roads, it’s easy to hear the heartbeat of Chianti, the motherland of our red wine. Walking or cycling through it will make you feel part of the fabulous environment you immerge yourself in:a genuinely unforgettable experience.Your body will feel a warm and pleasant sensation as your muscles warm up. Your hands will learn from touching the leaves, the earth,and the tree trunks.Your ears will enjoy the soothing hum of the wheels working as a bass line supporting your own pace.You will dive into the colors and flavors of Tuscany and slide through plateaus and mild climbs alternated to slopes with stunning panoramic views,on low-traffic backroads. It would be then possible to take a break and stop to a nice typical trattoria along the road featuring local organic products and wine pairings of the best wineries in the area.
If you prefer the mountains, remember that Tuscany is a great region for winter sports too in Abetone with its 50 Kms of slopes. Apart of skiing and snowboarding, you can also cross country skyiing on a 15 km long track. There are many ski resorts throughout the Abetone area, including Doganaccia between Corno alle Scale and Monte Libero Aperto where it’s possible to have a go on a bob sleigh.
Tired? wish to do “nothing” except relaxation? Then, why not taking a bath in the warm waters of one of the many Tuscan termal baths and stare at the snowy countryside around you?
And after all this… what are you waiting for? Tuscany is ready to welcoming you during Winter Season. Therefore, don’t hesitate anymore. Contact Dreaming Florence to organize you a self-catered apartment or villa combined with food, art, sports and much more!!!
Tuscany will really please your five-senses! This is life!!!
By Rosy Riva