Articles in Tuscany
Maremma: Sea, nature, art and history
If Tuscany were a family dynasty, Maremma would be the non-ruling cousin nobody has ever heard of, who lives very pleasantly and richly while minding his own business. Although its beaches are packed in the summer (mainly by Italians), its inland areas are very much to be discovered, and if there are tourists during the …
It’s finally Spring in Tuscany!
It seems cliché to speak of reawakening after a long Winter, but with the amount of rain we got this year, putting England to shame, even a slight glimpse of Spring is extremely welcome. Easter came early this year and for a few hours on Sunday morning here in Maremma, the skies cleared, the sun …
Abetone: the closest ski resort to Florence
With Florence’s weather ranging from rainy and yucky to reasonably sunny and warm, it’s hard to imagine that there is a decent ski resort only an hour and a half away from the city. Yet Abetone is the closest skiing in Tuscany and it’s great for either a day trip or a weekend. This season …
Lambrettas, Lorenzo Lotto and Lunch in Pitigliano
The chances of finding a really special restaurant in Italy are pretty good, though it doesn’t happen every day. But what are the chances of stumbling upon a place in Maremma run by art historians?
Pitigliano, a hill town in Maremma, is known for its unusual tufa structure, being built right out of this soft rock, …
An Autumn dinner on a farm in Tuscany
To celebrate my parents’ visit from Canada this October, I arranged for a family dinner on a farm in Tuscany, near Radicondoli. Think baby animals, autumn’s bounty and fresh cheese… all carved up and on our table!
Lucca Comics & Games… for kids!
Laura is back with her “…for kids” series with a special on what to do with kids in Lucca in November 2012.
Lucca is a quiet town with nothing to do at night but it becomes particularly busy and amusing every year at the beginning of November (just after Halloween) when Lucca Comics & Games is …
Tuscany’s sustainable wool seeks ideas from young designers
Why is this man sitting on the floor of a warehouse full of piles of coloured clothing?
He’s the most important part of a process of wool recycling that takes place in Prato, just a few kilometers from Florence. He’s cutting the zippers and trim off old clothes so that they are pure wool, with no …
Villa Gioli (Pisa) and the Macchiaioli movement
On a recent visit to the Galleria d’Arte Moderna at the Pitti Palace, I came across a group of paintings with bucolic images of the country, and the landscape struck me as being somehow familiar. What a lovely surprise to discover, upon reading the wall text, that they were the work of Francesco Gioli, one …
Arte e Parte – Piero Bonacina’s sculpture garden in Montegiovi
In this guest post, Maremma resident and journalist Elisa takes us on a tour of one of the lesser known art parks in Maremma.
Piero Bonacina’s sculpture garden sits high on the hills of Montegiovi in the Tuscan Maremma. The garden, affectionately called Arte e Parte, is perched so precariously close to the edge that if …
Summer Solstice in Siena – June 21 2012
Lux in nocte is the first edition of Notturni dell’Opera, a special opening of Siena’s Duomo Complex from 9 to 11:30pm on Thursday June 21, 2012. This is the first time in the complex’s modern history that it is open to the public at night!
Accompanied by choral and organ music, guided visits for families and …
A Siena day trip itinerary
If you’re looking for the perfect day trip from Florence, or even for an alternative base for exploring Tuscany, then head to Siena. The Tuscan town has it all: one of the most spectacular cathedrals in Italy, winding medieval streets, some of world’s finest Renaissance art, the famous Palio races, and even the childhood home …
Follow the brown sign: Abbazia di Farneta, Cortona
Sometimes fortune points us towards those little things in life that are more beautiful because they are unexpected. Living in Italy, it’s rather likely that those little fortunate things are of medieval or Etruscan origin. Hey, I never said I wasn’t a lucky girl. But I do have a nose for these things. The trick? …
ArtTrav is a blog about expat life, art, and travel in Italy and Europe. I am Alexandra Korey, a Florence-based art historian turned blogger.
My goal is to help travelers and residents like you experience countries through culture and local living. If it takes geeky, long articles to do that, so be it! 
