Author: Barbara

After a trip to Tuscany you can not go home without taking away a memory of this land, there are those who choose the crafts, some who prefers natural products and those who needs to renew their wardrobe. All are satisfied:

1. Shopping outlets

The Valdichiana Outlet Village, is five-minute drive from La Lisa. On rainy days you can enjoy waking by the shops’ windows, thanks to the paths of the village that are covered by canopies. You will find many sports shops and lots of clothing brands.
The Prada Outlet is located in the town of Levanella near Montevarchi. There you can find almost everything: shoes, bags, leather goods and clothing, all by Prada, and more or less affordable.
The Mall is an upscale outlet in Leccio, near Reggello. There are the most prestigious brands, obviously at outlet prices.
Barberino Designer Outlet is a nice stop in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. It is suitable to the shopping of the whole family because there are so many brands of clothing and accessories.

2. The Factory Shop of UnoAErre

The showroom of the historic goldsmith brand, is located in San Zeno, near Arezzo. You can also visit the adjoining Gold Museum which houses masterpieces of jewelry from art nouveau to the present day.

3. The Casentino Whool

The factory that produces the beautiful coats in wool of the Casentino is in Stia, in the province of Arezzo, in the Casentino landscape. Annexed to the factory there is the direct sales where you can buy coats, capes, hats and woolen bags in Casentino whool, with its typical colors ranging from orange to turquoise to green to bright red and brick .
For information: www.tacs.it

4. The Leather products in San Lorenzo market in Florence

Sometimes we can not recognize what is really produced in Tuscany and what does not, what is truly of the workshop and what cakes from the shed full underpaid workers. The fact remains that one of the most fun things to do in Florence, is walking around the market of San Lorenzo, surrounded by the scent of leather dangling from the stalls in the form of jackets and bags.

5. The Busatti’s linens for the home

Busatti is the historical brand that produces fine home textiles. Their products are famous all over the world but in Anghiari is still possible to visit their shop in Via Mazzini.
For information: www.busatti.com

6. The natural products, pharmaceutical and beauty

In Tuscany we are still accustomed to the remedy “of the monk”, so sometimes we go up in the pharmacies of the monasteries to buy those natural elixir that make us feel good. In the pharmacies of the monasteries in Camaldoli and Vallombrosa it is possible to find a bit of everything, syrups, beauty products, perfumes, but also jams and liqueurs.
But the most important reality in the area is Aboca, the leading natural cosmetics production. Its headquarters is located in a stately building in Sansepolcro, which also houses the Museum of Herbs and Health in the Centuries. Not far from the town there is the farm where herbs are grown.

7. The Petroio terracotta and Montelupo ceramics

For centuries in Petroio they produce top-quality pottery: jars, vases and decorations that go to adorn our gardens. These are not colored earthenware, they remain with their characteristic reddish color and are suitable for furnishing outdoor environments.
In Petroio is also possible to visit the Museo della Terracotta.
In Montelupo the ceramics are processed and colored with beautiful shades of blue, green and yellow. There are lots of artisans offering objects in ancient or contemporary style, the shops are overflowing with dishes, pots and decorations for the home.
In Montelupo is also possible to visit the Museo della Ceramica.

8. Volterra alabaster

Volterra countryside is rich in Alabaster and each of the slots is able to provide a different type of stone. Inside the city you can buy many alabaster artifacts, manufactured by expert craftsmen of the area.

9. The antiques and modern art

Lovers of antiques and modern art can not miss the Antique Fair in Arezzo which is held every first Sunday of the month (and the Saturday before it). Dozens of exhibitors are located in the city center: walking by the fair you can see furniture, paintings, old books, modern antiques, collectibles, ethnic decor and many curious objects.

10. Chocolate

After all this shopping, you need to take a break with a little bit of chocolate…
A mandatory step is the chocolate of Venchi in Florence, in front of the Porcellino market.
In Arezzo you can stop at chocolate Vestri, which will show you many types of chocolate, processed in the most imaginative ways.

The Chianina is a breed of cattle that is born and grows mainly in the Chiana Valley, the area from which it takes its name. We know that even in ancient times this region hosted large cattles, since then the breed has developed, and today we can see these white beasts, of considerable size.

Breeders were once used to have the Chianina the stables, as treasures to be guarded. In fact, the Chianina beast is not well suited to the work, his vocation is primarily the reproduction and meat production. Today it is easy to see them outdoors but always close to the stables, where they always have a shelter for the night.

In Chiana Valley as well you can find specialized butchers who prepare the best cuts of meat. These are the closest to La Lisa:

• Macelleria Neri – Bettolle
• Consorzio Agrario di Bettolle – Bettolle
• Macelleria Cruscanti Lino – Foiano della Chiana
• Azienda Agricola Fierli – Foiano della Chiana
• Antica Lavorazione Carni – Cesa

You can cook your piece of meat directly on the grill of our barbecue. To cook a perfect Fiorentina Steak just keep the piece of meat on the grill only 4/5 minutes on each side, then add oil and salt if desired.

Or you can sit comfortably at the tables of Steak Festivals, which animate the evenings in Chiana Valley between August and September.

• In mid-August you can not miss the appointment with the Steak Festival in Cortona.
• In late August / early September the Festival of Steak is in Pieve al Toppo.

If you want to warm a winter evening, nothing better than a Florentine Steak eaten in the taverns here in Foiano della Chiana. You can pair the steak with a good red wine, and here in our area we are plenty of choiches: Sirah in Cortona, Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti and Super Tuscan!

We all learned something about the life of St. Francis, is a figure that by his example will always be a companion of our lives. So why not visit the Franciscan places and experience first hand the thrill of being in those places that inspired the Saint?

We know that Francis was born in Assisi in the twelfth century by a family of wealthy merchants of fabrics, and like all young people of high society he dreamed of becoming a knight. It was at the Battle of Collestrada, between Assisi and Perugia, that Francis was captured and made prisoner in Perugia, but during this period of hardship, he fell ill and this disease compromised the future career as a knight.

Meanwhile, Francis felt that something had to change, and he went closer to the condition of the poor. During a pilgrimage to Rome he approached a leper and the kiss he gave to him marks the turning point of Francis life.

Once back at home Francis showed the first signs of change, oddities in the eyes of medieval society in Assisi. To finance the small church of San Damiano he decided to sell the fabrics of his father, sending him into a rage. In fact his father, tired of these odd attitudes, decided to denounce Francis. But he could do nothing before the obstinacy of his son, who came up to undress in front of the Bishop of Assisi, as a sign of renunciation of earthly goods.

He moved to Gubbio to live in the leper colony and be close to the needy. Just in Gubbio there was the episode of the wolf that Francis was able to calm, causing the great astonishment of the crowd.

The first part of his preaching took place between Gubbio and Assisi, but soon also spread in Tuscany and the strength of his message came to Rome, where the pope could not but approve this new emerging order. Indeed, Francis was one of the most important figure inside the church that in those centuries was shaken by the winds of the storm: in Assisi’s Basilica you can admire Giotto’s frescoes that narrate the life of St. Francis, and among them also a fresco depicting the saint holding up the Church of St. John Lateran, then papal seat.

The first monasteries grew around Foligno and in the area of Assisi (Porziuncola, Rivotorto), but the order quickly expanded, so much that Francis, when he returned from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, had to deal with the first quarrels among the companions.

Visiting the places where Jesus lived was for Francis an inspiration: here in Greccio he performed the representation of the birth of Jesus. In this town you can now visit the International Museum of the Nativity.

In the last part of his life, Francis will seek the sole company of nature, and the one of just few friends. He chosed to live as hermit in places like La Verna, where even today the construction of the sanctuary is integrated with the surrounding nature. At La Verna Francis received the stigmata, as a sign of his conformation to Christ.

Francis continued to walk between Tuscany and Umbria: he stopped at Celle di Cortona, and there he dictated the famous Testament, its recommendations to the newborn and already problematic Franciscan order.

Marked by illness and hardship, Francis died at the dear Porziuncola, October 3 of 1226. And Italy October 3 each year celebrates the birth in heaven of his patron: St. Francis of Assisi.

The places mentioned

• Assisi (1 hour and 15 minutes drive from La Lisa), in particular the Basilica of San Francesco, San Damiano, St. Clare (where the Crucifix of San Damiano) the Porziuncola and Rivotorto;
• Countryside near Gubbio (1 hour and a half drive from La Lisa) and former St. Lazarus Hospital;
• The places of stay in Rome (2 hours and a half drive from La Lisa) were: St. John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, San Francesco a Ripa (Trastevere);
• Greccio (2 hours drive from La Lisa) and the International Museum of the Nativity. During Christmas Holidays it takes place the commemoration of the first Nativity representation.
• The sanctuary of La Verna (1 hour and a half drive from La Lisa);
• The Hermitage of Le Celle in Cortona (40 minutes drive from La Lisa).

1. By foot on the Via Francigena

The road that used to connect Rome and Canterbury comes into Tuscany from “Passo della Cisa”, after crossing Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna. It first passes along the coast, then it bends to Lucca, before heading to the province of Siena: San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Siena and San Quirico. Radicofani is the ultimate Tuscan town before leaving the witness to Lazio and arrive in the town of Acquapendente. www.viefrancigene.org

2. Not only horse riding

Tuscany is full of riding schools and roads where to ride, but if you want to see something in particular you need to attend one of the many equestrian events, organized by the Arezzo Equestrian Centre. Every year there’s the championships of dressage, jumping competitions and young horse riding. www.arezzoequestriancentre.com

3. Cycling on the Sentiero della Bonifica (easy) or on L’Eroica (difficult)

The Sentiero della Bonifica runs through the Val di Chiana from Arezzo to Chiusi. It’s 60 kilometers path surrounded by nature and accompanied by curious engineering works. It is an easy, flat route, suitable for all ages. www.sentierodellabonifica.it
For the more adventurous there is Eroica: 209 km route that runs through much of the province of Siena and choose the charming whitewashed streets. There are strenuous uphill, but rewarded by the beauty of the landscapes that open up in front of the street. Of course you can choose to ride only for a stretch of the entire route, and complete it comfortably in stages. www.eroicagaiole.it

4. Trekking in Casentino Forest Park

The National Park of Casentino Forests was set up in the 90’s, after being kept for many years by the Camaldolese monks. Today you can visit it with the help of an App that you can download on your smartphone and it will guide you to all the paths of the park, giving you guidance on shelters and visitor centers. www.parcoforestecasentinesi.it

5. Skydiving

To the adrenaline lovers we propose a dive over the town of Arezzo with Skydive Etruria. Perform tandem jumps, organize courses and even championships. www.paracadutismoarezzo.it

6. Sailing, Windsurfing and kytesurf on Lake Trasimeno

The lake is often driven by moderate winds and therefore it is easy to practice these sports. It is also possible to move both along the lake shore, in front of the picturesque villages, and towards the three islands that dot the lake. There are yacht clubs in almost all villages bordering the lake, you find them definitely in Castiglione del Lago, Tuoro and Passignano.

7. Diving Elba Island

The richness of the waters of this island is truly amazing and many are the diving centers. There is a protected biological area in the area of Scoglietto, not far from Portoferraio and you can poke around a wreck in Marciana Marina area.

8. Rafting on Arno river

The Arno river, during its long journey, pass through many different landscapes. There are several associations that invite us to rethink the river landscape from a different perspective: right on the river! On the basis of more or less calm waters, they offer rafting activities, kayak or SUP (stand up paddle). www.t-rafting.com

9. Golf

The Golf Club Valdichiana (9 holes) is only 6 km from La Lisa, but you can reach many other golf courses, of which Tuscany is disseminated. In the province of Arezzo there is the Golf Club Casentino (soon will have 18 holes), the Bagnaia Golf Club (18 holes) in the province of Siena, the Castelfafi Golf Club (27 holes) near Florence and golf clubs located along the Tyrrhenian coast as that in Tirrenia (18 hole), Punta Ala (18 holes) and the Golf Club Pelagone (18 holes) in Gavorrano.

10. Hunting

In many reserves Faunistic- hunting or agritourism-hunting. In Tuscany there is a large amount of wild pigs, hoofed animals, pheasants and ducks.

1. On the mountain of La Verna, where almost a thousand years ago St. Francis received the stigmata, now stands one of the most important shrines of Christianity: the Franciscan sanctuary of La Verna. The structure is perfectly integrated with the surrounding nature in a typical forms of Franciscan sanctuaries. www.laverna.it

2. Camaldoli is one of the oldest monasteries in Europe. It is located in the Apennines, immersed in ancient forests. You can visit the monastery, pharmacy, but also the hermitage, located a few kilometers away. Here the monks live a hermit’s life, in small cells surrounded by nature. www.camaldoli.it

3. Monte Oliveto Maggiore is immersed in the Crete Senesi landscape. It is the mother house of the Olivetan monks (a branch of the Benedictines), who are also skilled winemakers. www.monteolivetomaggiore.it

4. The hermitage of Le Celle in Cortona belongs to a kind Franciscan community at the time of the Saint of Assisi. A river separates the monastery from the access road, as if to mark the boundary between the secular life and the hermit.

5. In the Abbey of St. Antimo, under the hill of Montalcino, have settled some Olivetan monks. The monks every day, pray the liturgy of the hours singing Gregorian chants. www.antimo.it

Caravaggio dies in Porto Ercole the 18th of July 1610, when he had finally reach Tuscany, he feels like he can now redeem the wild life that has so far characterized his person.

In this free land, that looked so full of promises for the future, Caravaggio left some of his greatest masterpieces. In Florence we can find:

• Galleria degli Uffizi – Bacco, Medusa, the Isaac sacrifice.
• Palazzo Pitti – Rest in Egypt, Sleepy Amorino.
• In Porto Ercole there is a memorial stone and an ark which seems to contain some of the same Caravaggio’s bones.

Staying at La Lisa, you can do a daily excursion to Rome (2,5 hours by car or by train) and visit Caravaggio’s places:

• Galleria Borghese – Sick Bacchus, Boy with a fruit basket, Virgin Mary with the Baby and St. Anne, St. Jerome, David with Goliath’s head, a St. John the Baptist.
• Galleria Doria Pamphilij – a Penitent Magdalene, two different views of St. John the Baptist.
• Galleria Nazionale di Arte Antica – Narciso, St. Francis, Judith and Holofernes.
• San Luigi dei Francesi – St. Matthew Vocation, St. Matthew and the Angel and the Passion of St. Matthew.
• Santa Maria del Popolo – St. Peter crucifixion and St.Paul conversion.
• Sant’Agostino – Pilgrims’ Madonna.

When someone asks what’s my Arezzo’s favourite spot, I answer, without dubts, that is the color of the sand stone when it reflects the late afternoon sunlight. Definetly Arezzo claim such incredible views (like Piero della Francesca’s frescoes in San Francesco Basilica or Piazza Grande…) but the ancient flavour of that stone, its softness and solidness as the same, are for me representatives of Arezzo’s true soul.

If you leave your car in via Giuseppe Pietri’s parkings and climb up to the city by the escalators, the first image you can see is exactly the sand stone facade of the Cathedral. The construction dates back to the thirteenth century but the facade, you cannot say, was completed only at the beginning of last century. The interior is the typical one of a gothic cathedral, as you can see many of those in Italy, but once you are in your attention is immediatly captured by the white marble light in the altar area, almost like a reverberation of divine light.

The square by the Cathedral hosts the Town Hall Building, restored in medieval stile, and the neoclassical Province one.

Turn before reaching Prato area and get off Corso Italia to discover the real medieval side of the city. You will see the Palazzo del Podestà, that in medieval times hosted the mayor, and now is the main library of the city. Stop by the magnificent Pieve di Santa Maria, with its bare walls it is often location for classical music or chants concerts. This church is almost two centuries older than the main Cathedral and has a crypt inside that hosts the head of the first martyr in Arezzo, the patron San Donato.

Passing along the Pieve di Santa Maria, you can step in Piazza Grande, Arezzo’s most famous image. In this square, twice a year it takes place a medieval tournament called “Giostra del Saracino” and once a month it is filled with antiques fair’s stalls. The square is framed in the north side with a loggia designed by Giorgio Vasari, the famous painter and architect who spent his life working by Medici’s family and that had Arezzo as his hometown.

Come back to Corso Italia and continue descending until you reach Via Cavour, it will lead you to Piazza San Francesco. Take a coffe break in Caffè dei Costanti, before entering in San Francesco’s Basilica (you need reservation!). If you think you are just a less of an art lover, you can’t miss the visit to Piero della Francesca’s frescoes: artists from all over the world come here, at Cappella Bacci, as “pilgrims” to learn something from Piero. These frescoes are a milestone in art, as Giotto was in Padova and Michelangelo in the Vatican. Ask to Vittorio Sgarbi, a famous italian art critic, that many times has remarked how important is for italians to know Arezzo, important as knowing pizza!

These are just the highlights of a short walk in Arezzo, that can become a bodied visit if you add some other city treasures as Cimabue’s crucifix in San Domenico, the pretty Casa Vasari, the curious Casa Bruschi and many more. If you are not bored by this description we can continue talking about that, as soon as you come to visit us at La Lisa!