Published on Monday, December 19, 2011 by Kathy McCabe One of the great joys of eating in Italy is munching on fresh Italian bread. Yet when you bite into your first piece of while visiting Tuscany (and also much of Umbria), you might be surprised at what is missing. It might take a moment to realize that there's no salt! This type of bread is called pane toscano.  So how did the Tuscans miss this key ingredient that y...

Published on Sunday, October 16, 2011 by Kathy McCabe The town of San Miniato, located halfway between Pisa and Florence, is a must for history lover and foodies alike.  At the end of the 10th century, Otto I made San Miniato an outpost of the Holy Roman Empire.  In medieval times, the town sat on the via Francigena, an important pilgrimage route between northern Europe and Rome, bringing many visitors and invaders. In...

Published on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 by Daniel When it comes to exotic wines, nothing can even come close to the Tuscan wine! Wouldn’t it be exciting if you get a chance to visit Chianti in Tuscany and actually be a part of the wonderful wine making process itself? Your mouth will start watering even as you think about it. Stop dreaming and start planning a Tuscan wine tour just for the love of wine! Chianti ...

Published on Sunday, June 5, 2011 by Kathy McCabe Italy and opera are so intertwined, one would almost think that the form was born in Italy. If you're a music buff and traveling to Italy, especially during the summer, don't miss the chance to see a live performance in the country that has given so much to the art form. Opera began in Italy around 1600 and the Italian language came to be so perfect for singing that m...