Archive for 'Food and Wine'

The Mostra Internazionale dell'Artigianato is one of the most famous Trade Fairs in Italy. Every year you can see the handcrafted products of the ancient Florentine Workshops and see some of the fantastic arts that are being rediscovered by this fair.

There is an abundance of culture, arts, handicraft and more new creative styles at this event. There are some unique pieces modelled by experienced craftsmen.

There are distinct areas that are divided up into pavilions such as: The Italian Regions, Region of Tuscany, Visions, Handicrafts, Slow Cities and much more.

Tuscany is a true patriot of the famous Italian called Slow Food Movement. A lot of the foodstuffs that are produced in Tuscany are not exported but rather they are distributed among the region that they are grown and used by the people of the area.

This is why in Italy you will find many different species of fruit, vegetable cheese or salami that are not found anywhere else in the world.

The places in Italy where this movement occurs are called 'Slow Towns' or 'Slow Cities', such as Norcia, and they are bursting with amazing cuisine, of which all the ingredients are local.

There are even specific culinary traditions and ways of preparing certain foods that cannot be found anywhere else.

Florence in Tuscany is Nr. 1 in the Tripadvisor "Top 10 Food & Wine Cities in Europe" !

Actually 5 out of the 10 cities mentioned are in Italy: welcome to Foodies Paradise...

Stay in one of our Florence rentals! We even offer rentals on the Piazza della Signoria !

Anyone who knows anything about wine, and even those who don’t know much at all will have heard of the fantastic wine that is sometimes nicknamed the "Bordeaux of Italy".

Yes Chianti wine is famous, first being classed as a ‘type’ of wine in the 13th century. The primary grape used for reds is Sangiovese.

Red Chianti wine is often defined as a fruity wine meaning that it will also appeal to new wine drinkers. If you are new to the world of wine but would like to learn then Chianti offers many tours of wineries that are both enjoyable and enlightening.

The wine itself has many different flavours associated with it including cherry, spice, tobacco, and almonds.

It is often found accompanying well seasoned foods as it is strong and bold in flavor, and thus it is the perfect compliment to the traditional Italian cuisine. 

So if Guinness tastes better in Ireland, do you think Chianti Wine tastes better in Italy? If you’d like to find out while also taking a holiday in Italy, why not have a look at some of the holiday villas available in Tuscany and the Chianti Region itself? With guided wine tours and fantastic scenery and food, it’s something you don’t want to miss out on.

The Tuscan outdoor markets are good fun, and with some luck you can even find some good souvenirs to bring home with you. Lots of local produce, antiques and clothes are available at very reasonable prices.

This is a full list of outdoor markets in the region: