We were in Pisa last week to witness the beautiful  (but very crowded) Luminara along the Arno river and then to attend the late afternoon regatta of San Ranieri. We spent a little more than 24 hours in Pisa. Most everyone who tries to fit Pisa in into an otherwise crammed Tuscany itinerary generally only dedicates a few hours to Pisa. Get in, see the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli (main square where you find the tower, cathedral, baptistery and monumental cemetery) and leave.

Given our plan was to experience first-hand Pisa’s feast day for its patron saint, San Ranieri - we nonetheless wholeheartedly recommend giving Pisa a few more hours of your time next time you visit. In addition to seeing the Leaning Tower, we recommend climbing all 300 steps to the top of it! It is a bit on the expensive side to do so (15 euro), but it surely is a once in a lifetime experience. It is the most incredible sensation - your body’s equilibrium is tested the whole way up!  The stairs going up are all worn down in certain spots where thousands of feet have gravitated to given the tower’s inclination. We bought a cumulative ticket to all of the sights in the Piazza dei Miracoli and spent the day seeing some intriguing frescoes in the Camposanto, experiencing the particular acoustics of the Baptistery, admiring the cathedral’s art at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and just enjoying all of the views of the Leaning Tower every side of the square offers. Since it was the patron saint’s feast day, there were several masses in the Cathedral throughout the day and visitors could only enter about 20 feet in. Sooner or later, we’ll have to go back to admire the cathedral’s treasures up close.

We had a great dinner at Montino’s pizzeria and a delicious lunch at the Osteria dei Cavalieri - I’m working on writing up some reviews for those. In the meantime, I’ve written up articles dedicated to the Luminara and Regatta di San Ranieri and working on others about all the wonderful things to see in Pisa (in addition to the Leaning Tower, of course ).

Photo by TomStardust

The teams of the Florence’s Calcio Storico (Blues, Whites, Greens and Reds) have faced off over the last two weeks in the semi-finals to decide which two teams compete in the traditional Tournament of St. John in Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce on June 24.

The soccer game played in costume is one of Florence’s main events historically planned for the month of June in the celebrations for San Giovanni, St. John, patron saint for the city. For this special occasion, the large, beautiful square in front of the Church of Santa Croce serves as the playing field. Bleachers are set up for spectators and the stone square is covered with sand.

For the final match, the Reds will face off the Blues on Wednesday June 24 at 5 p.m.

About an hour before the start of the game, the Historical Pageant will start in Piazza Santa Maria Novella and cross through the main streets of Florence’s center until it arrives in Piazza Santa Croce.

The website for the city of Florence indicates tickets can be purchased at the Box Office located in via Alamanni 39, with tickets that go from 15 to 40 euro + presale fees (which I don’t think is exactly cheap). Tickets for the final game will be sold up to a few minutes before the start of the game. You can buy tickets directly in Piazza Santa Croce or, also on the day of the game, at the Teatro Verdi located on Via Ghibellina, about a block north from the square.

The calcio storico is a very “physical” game where the calcianti (literally translated as “kickers” - yep, that is what they are called) play quite violently on the field. The Calcio Fiorentino was an early form of soccer (football) that originated in the 16th century. The official rules of calcio were published for the first time in 1580 by Giovanni de’ Bardi, a Florentine count. Just like Roman harpastum, it was played in teams of 27, using both feet and hands. Goals could be scored by throwing the ball over a designated spot on the perimeter of the field. The playing field is a giant sand pit with a goal running the width of each end. There is a main referee, six linesmen and a field master. Each game is played out for 50 minutes with the winner being the team with the most points or “cacce“.

Originally, the game was played only by rich aristocrats who played every night between Epiphany and Lent. In the Vatican, even Popes such as Clement VII, Leo XI and Urban VIII are said to have enjoyed the game. The last few years, however, the game has come under attack because many deem the matches too violent. In 2006, the final match was actually interrupted because of fights that broke out on the playing field. The entire edition for 2007 was canceled as punishment for their behavior.

We hope that in the future the game can continue to be played in the best of spirits. The first two games this year have gone well from this point of view. The Calcio Storico is in the end part of the celebrations for the city’s patron saint and as such, aside from the competitive nature of the sport, should continue to be a fun and entertaining way for all of us to continue a centuries-old tradition of celebrating on June 24. So if you are in Florence this Wednesday and have nothing else to do, consider heading towards Piazza Santa Croce and seeing if you can get a last-minute ticket to attend one of Florence’s most popular annual events! Remember the fireworks display from Piazzale Michelangelo that same night, best seen from the lungarno.

The tiny village of Serravalle Pistoiese, just 10 kilometres from Pistoia, is preparing to dive into the past with the Medieval Fair organized at the Rocca di Castruccio from May 22 to 24.

Serravalle was the most important castle for the Ghibelline city of Pistoia, both reaching the peak of their splendor and importance at the end of the second century. The Medieval Fair celebrates the ancient glory of Serravalle at the beginning of the 300s, bringing back to life the old fortress with its garrisons, artisans, merchants and all the places and personages which animated the castle at that time.

The Fair will start on May 22 with a medieval dinner and continues over the following two days with many events and exhibitions that take us back to that era.

On Saturday 23 at 10 p.m. we highly recommend attending the show by the medieval-inspired musicians of the Compagnia la Giostra. We have seen this high energy group perform in other important medieval fairs around Tuscany (such as the Monteriggioni fair in July) and we have been big fans since the very first time we heard them! We’re planning to attend the fair this week in Serravalle to not miss the show of our favorite medieval group and the rest of the fair.
Has someone else attended in the past or is thinking of joing us? Let us know what you think!

Photo by Pierpaolo Putignano

The last time I visited a zoo, I was a child.

I remember it was a zoo-safari: visitors crossed huge areas directly aboard their own cars, passing through fields where lions and monkeys made their home.

To my young eyes, these great fields were the savanna and reminded me of Tarzan movies. I couldn’t imagine what enclosures were and I certainly didn’t intend on walking through the big cats to ensure myself that these walls existed (I was a wise guy at the time).

I let my fantasy do its job and I looked at the animals full of delight.

More than thirty years later, I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather and photograpg something different. Somehow I decided to go to the Pistoia Zoo to take some shots.

The zoo is easily reachable from from Florence, it is just off the Pistoia Ovest (West) exit off the A11 highway that connects Florence to Pisa and the Tyrennian Sea. The zoo is just four kilometers from the highway exit with a large parking lot, but on weekends and holidays it is best to arrive early.

The zoo is located on the hills of Pistoia, covering a large natural area. Where it was possible, the natural habitats for the animals were recreated.

Currently, the zoo is working on preparing a large area for brown bears, the park’s newest attraction. In addition, the park has a souvenir shop, a restaurant and a tropical hall where reptiles are kept.

The thing that struck me the most was the great variety of animals hosted at the zoo, from the most common animals (pigs, guinea pigs, oxen, goats and donkeys) to more bizarre species (uistitì and ring tailed lemurs, made famous by Dreamworks’ Madagascar movie) or simply cute animals (such as the capibara, a sort of large water mouse, polar bears, big pelicans and the drowsy giant tortoise).

The zoo contains animals of rare beauty, such as the scarlet ibis, an amazing white peacock and a black swan.

An exciting small wolf pack is specially attractive to children, while the park’s favorite tend to be the felines: a couple of snobby lions, an elegant tiger and three magnificent jaguars.

Then there are the camels, ostriches, rheas, emus and alpacas that observe the public with a sweet but shy stare.

The giraffes and elephants (besides the peacocks) are those that have most accustomed to our human presence; in fact, they stretch out their necks and trunks towards the park’s visitors in search of a snack.

Nearby, the hippos sleep and a rhino, without a jeep to charge, stands to the side looking bored.

The tropical hall houses a big variety of snakes, including a python reticulatus, a cobra, a crotalus, the yellow anaconda as well as other reptiles such as alligators, caymans and snapping turtles.

There are giant cockroaches and millipedes and a real champion of the camouflage game, the stick insect which is invisible in its home.

Near the zoo’s exit, gibbons and wonderful aras wave goodbye.

At this point we just need to pay two euros to leave the parking area and return home only to realize that the whole day has passed.

It’s fair, at this point, to comment on the zoo experience.

It is a common opinion (highly agreeble) that animals must live free in their natural environment.

It is also true that the idea of what makes a zoo in these last thirty years has changed greatly. It is no longer a sort of “freak show” but rather a place where animals can be protected, a place where visitors can learn about biodiversity and the species that are present in that zoo.

To that end, the Pistoia Zoo organizes an initiative called “Incontri Bestiali (Bestial Encounters)” in which visitors (both children and adults) are informed about the necessities of those species that today are commonly found in our homes as pets in order to promote an appropriate and conscious management and to avoid their abandonment. The zoo also organized learning initiatives and visits with local schools.

It is also sad to think that in a not so distant future the zoo will be the only place where we will be able to find certain species, such as polar bears and tigers as they become extinct in their natural enviroment.

Maybe the children of today, which are not even used to seeing a common garden lizard, will also be able to learn about the biodiversity we are losing.

For any who might be interested in taking some photographs at the zoo, I offer some technical tips.

It is best to go to zoo bright and early (of course dependant on the zoo’s opening hours) or at dusk (taking into consideration that the ticket office closes an hour before the zoo does).

These are the times when most of the animals are more active.

It is best to use a reflex camera (SLR) with a telephoto zoom lens (this will allow focusing beyond the wire fences so that they practically invisible in your photos) and a polarizing filter since some animals can be only be vieved behind glass barriers.

Remember that animals are in constant motion, will not pose for shots or for the best light conditions, so try to use a fast shutter speed in order to capture the moment.

For further information about the Pistoia Zoo and the species hosted at the park, visit the official website at http://www.zoodipistoia.it

Arezzo's Duomo, dedicated to San Donato

We just got back from a short trip to Arezzo, a charming town in southern Tuscany, that we took to celebrate my recent birthday. Not as popular to tourists as the nearby Cortona, we were pleasantly surprised with what Arezzo has to offer.

We got to Arezzo in under an hour by train from Florence. We quickly dropped off our bag at the elegant four star Vogue Hotel just 2 blocks from the train station and set off to explore the city. Set on a hill, all of the main sights are set on the slope while the cathedral is at the very top. So be prepared to do a bit of climbing, although most of it is gradual.

We soon discovered that the things to see in Arezzo can be organized around the figure of Piero della Francesca and his frescoes. The Gothic Basilica of San Francesco houses his fresco cycle “Legend of the True Cross” and is considered one of the highlights. With the sun shining (weather forecast was for rain), we decided to bypass it at first and came back later when the rain started.
Housed in the main Bacci chapel at the back of the altar, the frescoes are a bit difficult to see but a photographic display by the door explains each section in more detail. Narrating the “Legend of the True Cross“, the frescoes show the tree of life, how it was buried and then found again and used to build the cross Christ is sacrificed on. Some areas are missing, but overall we found the frescoes and large, open Gothic church, with its round stained glass window on the facade an interesting experience.

Piazza Grande: from left, Pieve di S. Maria, Palazzo del Tribunale & Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici

The Piazza Grande in Arezzo is the heart of the town. Some might recognize the setting from the Oscar-winning movie “Life is Beautiful” by Roberto Benigni, posters around the square reminded us of the main scenes shot throughout the city. Unfortunately, the characteristic red bricks of the piazza were being replaced and the piazza was closed off. We could walk around its perimeter, enjoying the elegant Loggia Vasari along one side of the square and its cafes and restaurants, definitely a perfect location for a light lunch.

Loggia Vasari

We visited the Gothic church of Santa Maria, the round back which can be seen in Piazza Grande. It has a unique facade and tower, with many columns and windows. We particularly enjoyed studying the ceramic figures on the outside of the facade, right above the main door - they go back to Medieval times and each one portrays a month of the year.

We then headed further uphill to the Cathedral of San Donato, or Duomo, which shows off splendid stained glass windows. Our study of Piero della Francesca continued with the Mary of Magdalene fresco from around 1460 at the front of the left nave. It has such vibrant colors it is hard to believe it is over 500 years old!

Most of the buildings and churches in Arezzo are yellowish - we soon discover that much of the town is constructed with local “arenaria”, a rock made of sedimentary granules not bigger than sand. No wonder the city is characterized by this sandy, yellow tone.

After a good evening meal and a good night’s sleep, we woke up refreshed to tackle the main event in town at the moment, the grand exhibit dedicated to the Della Robbia at the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art. Famous for inventing the new technique of glazed terracotta sculpture back in the 15th century, the Della Robbia family specialized in creating art which even today still decorates many churches and buildings in Tuscany and Italy, including the Spedale degli Innocenti in Florence. The exhibition “I Della Robbia, the dialogue between the Arts in the Renaissace” runs until June 7, 2009 - if you will be in the area, we highly recommend a visit. To learn more, visit http://www.mostradellarobbia.it/

In the early afternoon we had to leave without yet seeing Cimabue’s Cross at the Basilica di San Domenico or Vasari’s home (he was born here), but since we really liked what we saw in Arezzo, we’ll soon be back for more! Piazza Grande is also the setting of the Giostra del Saracino, a joust tournament held in June and September every year and of the popular Antiques Fair held the first weekend of every month - one of these occasions can also be your excuse (if you need one) to come by and discover this charming Tuscan town :).

From now until May 3, head towards Florence’s Horticulture Garden to witness spring’s bounty in the shape of plants and flowers at the Mostra dei Fiori, or Flower Fair. Open from 8.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, the fair is located in the external area of the horticulture garden (one of the entrances is on Via Bolognese 17). Among the fair’s exhibitors we even saw noted nursery breeders in Tuscany such as “Rose Barni” from Pistoia.

Entrance is free but we warn you that it will be difficult to resist the temptation of purchasing something…

Also up until May 20, the Iris Garden just below the Piazzale Michelangelo is open (open every day from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m.). This beautiful garden is completely dedicated to the iris, the symbol of Florence, which is presented here in many sweet-smelling varieties from all over the world. Between May 4 and 9, the annual International Competition will elect the most beautiful iris hybrid for the year. Entrance to this garden is also free so, weather permitting, take a stroll up the Piazzale and enjoy the blooms.

This Easter and the day after we took a short yet relaxing vacation in the Valdichiana area we like a lot. The valley lies between the Tuscan regions of Arezzo and Siena and the Umbrian regions of Perugia and Terni. Our destination was Cortona and Montepulciano.

Cortona welcomed us with beautiful sunshine despite the uncertain weather forecasts and we had marvelous weather throughout the day and evening, giving us the chance to enjoy a relaxed stroll through the city and enjoy splendid views over the surrounding countryside.

Cortona’s historical center is built atop a hill 600 meters high, and once you park your car outside the city walls be prepared to climb a bit. The most difficult path up is the one that takes you to the Santa Margherita Sanctuary and to the Girifalco Fortress but both are worth it. As we climbed the hill, we found ourselves following the outer walls and from here the  beautiful view of the countryside gets better as you climb (we were able to see as far away as Lake Trasimeno!).

We really enjoyed our visit to the Sanctuary: it has richly decorated ceilings and frescoes dedicated to the life of Saint Marguerite, Cortona’s patron saint. Just above the Sanctuary, the Girifalco Fortress sits on the best vantage point on the hill. Some parts of the fortress are not open to the public, but we were still able to visit three floors and the battlements from which you enjoy an exceptional view of the Cortona countryside for kilometers.

We proceeded then to the more central streets of Cortona, window shopping at the local crafts shops selling terracotta and ceramic items as well as food shops offering mostly wines - we are in an area where fine wines are produced after all!.

On Monday morning, a holiday here in Italy, we visited the Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum (go in and at least see Beato Angelico’s Annunciation) and the MAEC museum dedicated to Etruscan archeological finds around the town. This last museum was a pleasant surprise: there were many interesting objects to see and everything is very well presented (with presentations and detailed videos playing in the various rooms, handicapped access to the entire museum and signs in Braille). Spread out over 4 floors, the MAEC has numerous archeological finds discovered in Cortona and the surrounding countryside that go back to prehistoric times (including two large mammoth molars) and to the Etruscan (the bronze chandelier is beautiful) and Roman periods with objects from the necropoli in the area. The Etruscan Academy also includes an Egyptian collection, a library and a picture gallery. The museum itinerary is rich so we recommend dedicating at least an hour and a half to the visit.

Longing to prolong our vacation as much as possible, we headed towards Montepulciano for the afternoon. The city is welcoming and is perfect for a stroll (you’ll also need comfortable shoes here as the walk up the streets can get steep). The central point for the city is Piazza Grande where you’ll find the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Palazzo Comunale, or town hall, decorated in Travertine marble and whose design is very similar to Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

We found numerous wine shops and stores with local food products, many with signs offering “free wine tastings” - a welcome treat for all visitors. Even more interesting than the free wine was the visit to a small wine cellar of one of the larger wine producers in the area.

As we recently reported in another post (Montepulciano gets New Moon), the town of Montepulciano will be the location at the end of May for several scenes of the second sequel in the vampire Twilight series, “New Moon” and we were surprised at not finding any reference to this upcoming event or to the book as we walked around the town.

In the late afternoon, after a large gelato cone and a purchase of a beautiful framed painting as a souvenir of our visit (we really liked the wood landscapes created by Alberto Guidotti, we left Montepulciano and the Valdichiana to head home but already looking forward to our next trip! Where should we go?

We spent last weekend at Cinque Terre, planning to hike and visit all five of the towns along the beautiful coast that give the name to the area. Even if the Cinque Terre are in Liguria, we are just a few kilometers out of northwestern Tuscany and many people visit the coastal towns as part of their vacation to Tuscany. We thus justify our choice to explore the area ;).

We took the 7:50am train from Florence, and two and a half hours later we arrived at Monterosso, the town closest to Genova to the north. At the train station you’ll find the office for the National Park of the Cinque Terre - here you can buy the Cinque Terre Card, a must if you want to hike along the main trail, Sentiero Azzurro (n.2), that connects all five towns. The card costs 5 euros per person for 1 day, 8 euros for 2 days and includes free use of the shuttle buses that connect the towns. For an extra fee, you can get the card that also includes unlimited use of the train - the 5 towns are connected by train, which is without a doubt the easiest and fastest way to move between the towns.

With our pass we also got a map of the park and its trails. At this point we were also that the section of the main trail between the second and third towns, Vernazza and Corniglia, was closed due to a landslide. We were told to either take trail 7 to go around the landslide or to take the bus from Vernazza to Corniglia. Armed with this information, we set out to briefly explore Monterosso and search for a snack. We highly recommend trying the “torta Pasqualina”, a Ligurian savory pastry with eggs and spinach. We were soon on our way along trail 2, also known as the “Blue Trail”, towards Vernazza. Right away the trail turns into stairs, some quite steep. This first part of the itinerary is not easy but once we’re above the town we can begin to admire the beauty of the landscape. Groups of colored homes climb up the sides of high rocky hillsides overlooking the sea. Everything is built into terraces to allow the cultivation of vineyards and olives even on this impervious terrain.

We’re soon glad we brought along a pair of walking sticks and a light backpack. The trail is accessible for everyone, including families with children. It is absolutely necessary, however, to wear appropriate hiking shoes and to have a decent level of fitness for the hardest parts. Even if the tourist season has barely started, we meet many other visitors along the trail and soon find ourselves walking in line along the narrow stone trail as if we are all out on a collective walk.

After about 2 hours we reach Vernazza. We quickly visit the town, scouting out a place for something to eat for lunch. Along the main street we find a focacceria and try out a very tasty pizza with pesto. We don’t have much time to explore since we soon realize that the detour we were advised to take (trail n. 7 towards San Bernardino) to avoid the landslide along the main trail is really steep, some parts requiring us to use our hands to climb the incline. This trail should surely be avoided during warm weather since there is absolute no tree cover and the climb is challenging.

The climb to San Bernardino seems long and we decide to cut our climb short when we come across the paved road that goes from Vernazza to Corniglia. The road descends into Corniglia (we had gone far beyond the normal climb along the main trail) and, after about 4 hours, we find ourselves in the middle of the Cinque Terre. We walk along the narrow streets of Corniglia and almost right away an afternoon thunderstorm sweeps in. We see a sign for the train station and decide to make a run for it, only to discover it is at the end of 382 steps down below the town! While we make the descent, the rain stops. Soaked but not conquered, we decide to continue on to Manarola since we’ve reached the easier, flat part of the trail.

We booked our bed and breakfast, the Baranin (www.baranin.com), at Manarola and after the hour walk from Corniglia, we head there to take a shower (a real one, after the unwanted one from the thunderstorm). The atmosphere at the B&B is nice, it seems pretty new and quite in the style of the “cinque terre” - colorful and with sea shells on the walls. It is almost dark, but we still need to do the “Via dell’Amore”, or “Walk of Love” which is the trail’s most famous section. We reach Riomaggiore in less than 30 minutes and just in time for dinner. We enjoy a plate of pasta (pesto and fish are abundant here) and we also try the Sciacchetrà, a sweet light wine made in the Cinque Terre.
We return to our b&b under the light of an almost full moon along the Way of Love, the moonlight adding an extra touch of romantism to this path dedicated to lovers.

On our second day, we explore Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia further following the flatest sections of the main trail. Just walking through the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre means working out, since everything is made of climbs and stairs - our calves are still reminding us of that!
The fatigue is widely repaid by the beauty of the whole place, evocative in both its panoramas as well as in the smallest of details. With each step we took, we discovered a new view or corner that seemed the work of a different painter all working on the same large painting.

Thousands of persons have been left without a home. The earth continues to tremble and the aftershocks make it impossible for a lot of people to go back into their homes, many of which are severely damaged and which could come down at any moment.
A great number of volunteers have arrived from all of Italy: it is in moments of need like this that we Italians truly feel part of the same community and are able to give our best. In truth, aid is arriving from all over the world which shows how much Italy is loved.

Local news in Italy say that at this point it is best to send money as there are already enough volunteers and material aid. For donations, it is better to use well-known official channels such as the Red Cross:

• Italian Red Cross: http://www.cri.it/donazioni/
• Red Cross US : www.redcross.org/
• Red Cross UK: http://www.redcross.org.uk/news.asp?id=93875

There will be a need for a large, sustained effort to recover and reconstruct as there are so many people left with nothing. We hope that even after this tragedy will no longer be at the top of the news, aid and funds will continue to arrive and that the promises made by politicians in Rome will be maintained.

All of us in the Discover Tuscany team wish to express our feeling of solidarity and sorrow to all of the families that have been hit by this tragedy.