What's the best time of year to visit Tuscany?

[Gloria M]

The obvious answer to the above question is "Whenever Andrea is singing there!" Here's another:

New book: 'Where to Go When'
Aug 29, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) — What's the best time of year to visit Tuscany?

A new coffee-table book from Eyewitness Travel, "Where to Go When: The Best Destinations All Year Round," is being promoted as the ultimate trip-planner. Whether you're an armchair traveller or a globetrotter, the book offers plenty of inspiration for a travel wish-list. It's loaded with beautiful, colourful photographs, descriptions, advice and other tidbits.

Thirty destinations are presented for each month, with 11 covered in depth. Tuscany, Italy, is recommended for October, when the grape and olive harvests take place, and when porcini mushrooms, prized truffles and other specialties appear on regional menus. The listing includes a six-day itinerary on the "Chianti Trail," from Florence to Siena.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article ... tjZjRQ4ueQ

--Gloria M

[jezabel66a]

Per me sempre TUSCANY e molto bella, GLORY M.
Soprattutto Lajatico..........e ANDREA.

[crocodileshoes]

i COULDNT AGREE MORE , GLORY !

[Southerngirl]

Did anyone besides me watch Anthony Bordaine - No Reservations - on the food network last night? He was in Tuscany visiting the locals and talking with them about their food - it was very interesting. He visited several small towns very near Lajatico. He also visited the Marina de Pisa which is a seacoast town not far from Forte de Marmi where Andrea lives and talked to the locals there and learned how to make pasta from scratch from a local lady.

He was also in the Apennine mountains which run along the coast and I believe I read that they are outside Andrea's back door. Anthony also visited marble quarries from the area that Forte de Marmi is named after and said that this is where Michaelangelo got all his marble for his statues. Such a facinating and interesting show.

I kept waiting for Andrea to walk up and begin chatting with the host, but noooooooooo, no such luck. Nor did the host mention Andrea, which I took as a personal insult - ha! ha!

I've got to get to Tuscany! I think that's where heaven starts.

[Yakima]

Yes... I watched Anthony Bourdain on the travel channel. Beautiful country and the people seem so friendly... a dream to one day go there and savor the serenity of the hills and seaside. I try to watch all shows that have Italy in them so much to learn from every region. The food

[eveluna]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to all of this and maybe I posted my last message in the wrong forum--I'm on a learning curve here. I was in Tuscany in September with my family and left a big chunk of my heart in San Gimignano. I couldn't convince my family to go visit Lajatico, though. But--the universe smiled on me and I get to go again during the first week of November, this time taking my mother (who lives in Switzerland). If any of you happen to live Barberino Val D'else where I'm staying, I'd love to meet for coffee. Does anyone have any other tips about off-the-beaten-track places to see? Ciao,
Eveluna

[carolina1954]

You have visited Pisa, I take it, Eveluna?
Then there is Lucca, north east of Pisa, then Volterra, south east and Lajatico is sort of between the two. I suggest, if you are able, that you do go to Lajatico, park in the town and go and visit the Teatro del Silenzio site. Quite a walk, but worth it.
In November none of these places are really overrrun by tourists anyway so it will be reasonably quiet and the weather should still be warm enough.

It doesn't really matter where you go, it is all wonderful.

Have a great time.

[eveluna]

Many thanks, carolina1954, for your reply. I've been in Pisa just briefly on the way back up to Switzerland. I haven't been to Lucca, but heard it's beautiful so I hope I can make it there this time on my way north again. I visited Volterra in September--it was gorgeous! How far of a walk is it to go to the Teatro del Silenzio? Neither my mother nor I can walk miles and miles (I'm on crutches and she's still recuperating from hip replacement surgery). Do you (or anybody) know how/where to buy Bocelli wine? Is it sold in stores or can one go to the family winery to buy it?
I know I'm full of questions and so appreciate having this fan club to reach out and connect with others.
I agree with you--all of Tuscany is marvelous. Now if I could just figure out how to spend 6 months there making a living, and 6 months here at home! I'll send you some happy thoughts while I'm there

[carolina1954]

The wine is available in La Sterza, on the main road ( the S439) through to Volterra. Just past the Bocelli machinery shop on the right, the wine shop is on the left hand side. Well, that is where it was last July anyway....
If you're on crutches you're not going to make the walk to the Teatro, I don't think. Perhaps a local taxi can drive down there, I don't know.
You will have to ask in the town.

I really recommend you do Lucca, you can park outside the town and walk in and Pisa is worth a day's visit, at least.

[eveluna]

Gosh, you're wonderful, Carolina1954! Thanks for taking the time to respond and I'm glad to have your feedback! I'll toast to you with a glass of wine over there. I will definitely put Lucca on my itinerary after your recommendation. You seem to have enjoyed it, so I'm sure I will, too! Don't know yet if I'll get back to Pisa this time, though, because I do want to hang out in San Gimignano, Volterra, and the Barberino area longer than I did a couple of months ago.
Now all it would take to make the trip even more heavenly would be to run into Andrea (I'm not holding my breath, haha)
Have a good rest of the weekend!
Eveluna