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Embracing the Seasons

4/24/2017

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Although Summer is the peak for vacationers, Cortona is capable of stealing your heart all year round. The temperate weather and the amazing surroundings, the strategic position,  the natural beauties and the unmatched hospitality of the locals add to the enchantment of this charming hill town in the South-East part of Tuscany.  

Spring gives her best with an explosion of colors in the city gardens, the squares start to be decorated by tables where you can sip your Espresso or a glass of Syrah, for an aperitivo Italian style. 
Many sport events take place from March: bike or vintage cars races, tennis tournament and of course soccer competitions or, even if you are a solo player,  you can opt for one of the many walking itineraries that will lead you discovering enchanted spots. 
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February is for Lovers

2/2/2017

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February has been celebrated as a month of romance dating all the way back to ancient Rome. 
This year instead of expressing yourself by buying flowers, chocolate, wine, jewels why not take your special one on a trip? Traveling is one of the most intimate experience that 2 lovers can share. 
Escape the crowds of big cities and tourist places, choose your gateway in a picturesque hamlet in Tuscany.
We found some idyllic proposals...it's not so late to plan your escape! 

SUITE REALE 

Suite Reale is a luxurious and romantic suite with B & B for two people located in the historic center of the ancient town of Cortona, charming and beautiful medieval village that owes its origins to the ancient Etruscan civilization, of which today we find evidence throughout the town. Suite Reale consists of a luxurious room with double bed with parquet floors and frescoed walls with original paintings from the nineteenth century.  


SUITE NAZIONALE 

Located on the second floor of Palazzo Vagnucci, an old building born from the union of ancient luxury homes and apartments. We are in the heart of the old town of Cortona, the center of social and cultural life and a step away from all services, but at the same time immersed in a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
The Suite Nazionale is large and spacious (34 square meters) and its smart designer furnishings and quality make it a little jewel in the heart of the town.
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Winter in Tuscany 

12/23/2016

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Winter travels have their unique charme in Tuscany. Less crowd, cooperative weather, stunning colors and hearty food are a winning combination. 
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Tours & Services | Season 2016 in Tuscany

4/18/2016

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Make the most of your time in Tuscany,  search for authentic and unparalleled experiences, meet the locals, best artisans and producers, live moments you will never forget. 
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Archidado: The Medieval Joust in Cortona, Tuscany 

2/28/2016

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Immagine
Every spring, Cortona and its people are lead back  in time, to the ancient medieval splendor of the city.  Walking on the streets you could meet ladies and knights, flag flyers and soldiers all dressed with fine costumes. This amazing event is the result of  the pure passion and love for the  city of a group of citizen that dedicate to it their energy, skills and time .
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Cortona is divided in 5 quartiers (Quintieri),  according to the number of main streets (five) that linked the entrance gateways on the city walls to the town centre. Each Quintiere is representative of the different areas of the town: Sant'Andrea,  San Marco e Poggio, Peccioverardi, San Vincenzo  and Santa Maria.  Nowadays they do not have any institutional function but their activities are mainly cultural and recreational. 

The Archidado  was officially created in 1397 to celebrate the wedding of Francesco Casali, the Lord of Cortona, and Antonia Salimbeni, a noble woman from Siena. The Joust itself takes place on the second Sunday of June and is always anticipated by the Offer of Candles to S. Margherita (that with S. Marco is the patron saints of Cortona) that this year will take place on April 29 and 30. 
It's from June the 2nd until the 12th the Cortona is officially turned into a medieval wonderland, starting with the Medieval Market during wich you can taste delicious  old flavours,  be enchanted watching craftsmen shaping copper or making basketry, satisfy your shopping cravings with medieval jewels  paying with florins of Cortona, which are used as currency of exchange. A time of fun for all ages! 
Things start to be more serious during the Saturday preceeding the joust (that actually is a competion!): during the Tratta delle Verrette infact the moment of deciding the shooting order of the joust come and tension is visible on crossbowmen's eyes!  They are the primary protagonist of the Archidado, on Sunday, when they will show their ability, trying to hit the centre of the target, a slightly imperceptible dot to most of the people, but perfectly visible to them and their arrows.  It's a true emotion, staring at them while a crowded Piazza Signorelli is completely silent.

Courious to know who will win this year and celebrate during the conclusive Medieval Costume Dinner?
Live these emotions in your home right in the heart of Cortona, have a look at our proposals here  and start planning your experience. 

Find the complete calendar here: http://www.giostraarchidado.com/en/the-programm.aspx
Accommodations: http://www.rentintuscany.it/rentals/italy-23424853/checkIn:2016-06-02/checkOut:2016-06-13/sort:relevance 
Informations: click here ​
Organizers: http://www.giostraarchidado.com/en/the-protagonists/consiglio-dei-terzieri.aspx  and  http://www.sbandieratoricortona.com/​
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5 Romantic getaways for your next holiday in Tuscany 

2/14/2016

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A Valentine's  Day is not perfect until you find your next vacation perfect getaway with your loved one.  Wheter you prefer an heavy on romance private villa with indoor pool immersed on Tuscan rolling hills or a cozy and modern apartment in vibrant city center, we have compiled a list of the top 5 accommodations to enjoy an unforgettable one-on-one time with your sweetheart.

Villa Lavanda - Cortona, Tuscany 

Beautiful property located in one of the most evocative sceneries of Tuscany. The villa dominates the Valdichiana from an elevated position that will give you a breathtaking view surrounded by nature in complete tranquility, the property is fully fenced and surrounded by a park of 5 hectares planted with olive trees.

​See more
here 

Villa Desiderio - Pienza, Tuscany 

Dating back to the 18th century, Villa Desiderio, is a beautiful farmhouse, lovingly restored by the owners with taste and elegance in order to give their guests a rich environment of comfort and design but at the same time leaving the characteristics of these typical houses of the past intact. The villa is located within a property of five acres in the heart of Val d’Orcia, just minutes from Pienza and all the main tourist resorts and spas of the area. 

Want to learn more?  H
ere all the details 

Casa Bellavista - Cortona, Tuscany 

Get away from the stress of everyday life and enjoy a moment of relax immersed in the green and quiet of the Tuscan hills. The house is a lovely rustic, beautifully decorated and extremely well cared for inside and outside, surrounded by a garden full of flowers and plants. It is situated in the beautiful hills surrounding the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona, about 3 km from the historic center, along an old Roman road that linked the Valdichiana with the Valtiberina. From the house there are many paths and trails ideal for hiking and mountain biking, suitable for both sports enthusiasts and nature lovers or those who want to go to the research and discovery of Cortona’s territory in peace.

Details
here 

Casa la Fonte - Cortona, Tuscany 

Casa La Fonte will become a place to spend an unforgettable vacation and come back year after year, immersing yourself in the colors and scents of the Tuscan countryside.  The hill on which it’s situated is one of the most exclusive and well-known areas in the district of Cortona, a small shelter suspended between hills, mountains and plains, rich in olive groves and cypresses and oaks that surround the property.
The original structure of the house dates back to the 1600, but it is only in 2004 that the owners rediscover the ancient abandoned foundations and decide to give birth to a major restructuring, aimed at a careful use and recovery of the original materials. 

Find more informations
here 

Apartment il Teatro - Cortona, Tuscany 

The apartment Il Teatro is located in the heart of the old town of Cortona, overlooking one of the most beautiful squares of the city, Piazza Signorelli which, with its beautiful scenery theater and museum Maec, gives the location a unique and fascinating atmosphere.
Comfortable thanks to its central location, the apartment is situated on the first floor of an ancient building, which will allow you to enjoy all the conveniences of the city and at the same time have a secluded and quiet place to relax and enjoy your holiday.

Se details
here
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Hats and Bees | The ultimate guide to drive in Italy

2/14/2016

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DOCUMENTS PLEASE!
In italy the Police can stop you any time and you must have with you your driving license and an identity document (passport, id card). If you fail to show them to the officers, you could be required to report to the police station for id check and/or be fined. 

SEAT BELTS
Seat belts are compulsory in Italy and in additional is compulsory for children until from 4  to 12 yo to be seated in the back of cars and wearing a seat belt. 

ROAD TYPES
Autostrada                                                         Motorway, marked by green signs
Superstrada                                                        Fast dual carriageway marked by blue signs 
Strada Statale/Nazionale                               Marked SS and SN, these are secondary roads also marked by blue signs 
Strada bianca                                                     Local road, generally signed and marked in white. These are usual  in countryside or in the mountains

SPEED LIMITS
Motorways/Autostrade                                   130 Km/h  
Superstrada                                                         90 Km/h
Built up areas/town                                          50 Km/h 

Good to know : Police speed checks and speed cameras have become more frequent in recent years; when cameras are in place there are signs warning that you are entering into a monitored area.

ROAD SIGNS AND REGULATIONS
Italian road signs are standardised to European norms. Circular signs are used to announce restrictions and the end of them. Most road signs are self-explanatory however below is a glossary of some less familiar terms:

Accendere i fari in galleria                              Switch lights in on a tunnel
Caduta massi                                                     Falling stones
Divieto di accesso                                            No entry 
Divieto di sorpasso                                          No overtaking 
Divieto di transito                                            No right of way 
Rallentare                                                           Slow down 
Rimozione                                                          Removal 
Senso unico                                                       One way street 
Pedaggio                                                            Toll 
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INSIDER TIPS:
-Should a driver travelling from the opposite directionsflash its lights at you this is usually to warn you that speed checks is up ahead!
-Almost every old man expecially in countryside hold an"Ape" (bee),  a 3 wheeled van. Ape is known to be particularly slow, so slowing down your trip if you come across one of them. Also, to drive an ape you don't need a license ... 
-The driver with the hat is dangerous. Any hat. there are no logical explanations of the phenomenon. 

We have to rely on empirical observations , substantiated by statistics.  Usually, the are Ape drivers. Forewarned is forearmed! 
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5 delicious Tuscan dishes you will surely love 

2/7/2016

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There are few secrets to Tuscan cooking. Most dishes need no adorment or special seasoning but rely on the quality of the primary ingredients: fresh fruits and vegetables, green olive oil, meat, game, mushrooms, just to name a few. 
Some of these ingredients are prized and expensive but several of the best known and tasties dishes are based on leftovers,  memory of a time when Tuscan housewives couldn't afford to let anything go wasted. 
Consider for example the ingenious use of stale bread:
Bruschetta, for example, is sliced stale bread, toasted, rubbed with garlic and doused with extravirgin olive oil.  Crostini Neri, too, slices of toasted bread with chicken liver patè flavoured with capers. Panzanella, typical poor summer dish that combines stale bread soaked in water and crumbled with fresh red tomatoes, onions, cucumber and basil, dressed with extravifìrgin olive oil. 
Maybe the most famous of all leftovers meal is Ribollita : a vegetable soup with delicious Tuscan black cabbage, carrots, beans, pieces of bread.  It is a typical "poor " dish of peasant origin , whose name comes from the time when Tuscan women  at the beginning of the week cooked  a lot of vegetable soup reinforced with bread and then, the following days, it was "stewed " in the pan, from here it  takes the name of reboiled (ribollita), because the real soup is heated and boiled twice, (otherwise it would be a trivial soup of bread and vegetables !). 
Pappa al pomodoro is based on the same concept except that fresh tomatoes are used in place of the other vegetables. 

​Yummy, isnt't it? 
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Immagine
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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

12/15/2015

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It's start to feel like Christmas all around Tuscany! 
It's a time of good cheer, streets are full of lights, houses are decorated, kids are writing ( still?) letters to Santa and we, people from Cortona, want all togheter to send our greetings to everybody  that  lives, came or is planning to come in our lovely Cortona.

​May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmas be White!

Grazie a tutti gli amici che hanno partecipato (dai costretti ai volontari!) alla realizzazione dei video auguri...... Buon Natale & Felice Anno Nuovo da Cortona!

Posted by AF-Travel Ideas on Sabato 12 dicembre 2015
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Behind a product

12/2/2015

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It happens that our daily routine time is the thing that lacks the most. In our week days we end up making grocery 10 minutes before dinner time, we buy whatever, we spend much money and finally back home.
People like me think that cooking, preparing dinner and the table, eating togheter is a form of love for ourselves and for the relatives and friends with whom we share the table with. In front of a table and a well cooked food we talk, we laugh, we savour, we share opinions, we relax. In a sense it's also inspiring and stimulating: think about how many times you tasted a new ingredient and started thinking about pairings with other foods or wine. 
All these emotions and feelings related to food and eating, make me suddendly think about WHAT we eat.
Have you ever enjoyed a dinner with a bad cooked meal or terrible choice of ingredients? Me, never.
I never buy a "product" without knowing its provenience, how it was processed, who produced it. It's a sort of nice and fascinating ritual for me getting to know the origin and the makers of an olive oil, meeting the cheese maker that is capable of make that amazing Ricotta, buying seasonal ans savoury fruits and vegetables at the Saturday market where the farmers of Valdichiana come. 
 It's local food, sustainable,  it's surely fresher and full of nutrients, tastier and has an history to share. Do we need any other reason? 
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