Wine Train – Chugging along the tracks deep in the Tuscan hills.

Vinitaly opened its doors with grand gala in Verona today. Part of the festivities was the unveiling of a special train, the Montalcino Express, that will take wine lovers into the home of top wine Brunello di Montalcino, leaving Siena and Rome for Montalcino every weekend starting later this summer. Beginning June 16, 2007 the wine train will leave the station in Siena to wind through the Tuscan countryside arriving at the restructured Station in Montalcino. After a day in Montalcino the train then returns to Siena at 7:00 pm. This is an exclusive trip.

An antique locomotive carries up to 150 passengers through the rolling hills into wine country. There are 3 different itineraries available: the green card includes visits to the historical sites of Montalcino, the yellow card offers a trip to the local hot spring spa and the red card permits a visit to one of the local wineries for a tour of the facilities and a tasting. Not that the trip itself is limited just to seeing the beautiful scenery. The tour intends to present less known Tuscan wines for the discerning traveler.

I believe that Tuscany receives too much attention on the worldwide markets. This to the detriment of other great Italian wine producing areas, but I must say this is a great idea. It is an opportunity to see, smell and live Tuscan culture. It is highly recommended that you make reservations well in advance. If this initiative is as successful as the Milan Tram Restaurant then there will be a several month waiting list.
Tags: Italian Vacations Tuscany Montalcino Wine Tours Travel Italy

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Palio di Siena – 500 years in a Horserace

The Palio di Siena is an occasion to be immersed in Tuscan colors, sensations and culture. The seventeen Contrada, or local cities within the city, have celebrated commonality and individuality since 1644 through this unique horserace in the main square. Each Contrada proudly displays their standards, the traditional banner with the coat of arms, as they enter the square pulsating with thousands of people.

Our hosts, during this four-day long festival, own the bar on the ground floor of the building and have allowed us to view the events from their balcony, strategically positioned above the square. The parade of honor strolls into the square on the final day of the festivities before the final run of the horses. Flag teams enter in traditional dress, brilliant colors flash like fireworks exploding synchronized by the drummer’s beat. The concave square has been covered with dirt and sawdust creating a soft surface for the impressive horses and their jockeys.

The Palio is not really a race, instead it is a chase, culminating four days of trials and qualifications and blessing of the horses. One by one the names of the Contrada are selected randomly and the jockey moves his horse to the ropes indicating the starting line. The last Contrada remaining starts the chase at its discretion. Appearing at a running start the horse breaks past the other horses at the line and the chase is on. Each jockey has been presented a whip as he moved to the line. The whip may be used to incite the horse or to bother the other riders, which is more often the case.

Hundreds of years of local competition among the Contrada are expressed in this race. This is not a day at the Kentucky Derby, it is a no holds barred race to gain bragging rights for the next year. My first thoughts were to the running of the bulls in Spain but with horses. A brutal, but sensational, rush of adrenalin that even the most passive of spectators is taken to frenzy as one or more riders take flight as they are catapulted from their steed.

Three trips around the square as the city erupts in cheers. Excitement permeates the air as the horses close on the thousand meter finish line. Yes, the horses because it is the horse that wins the chase, not the jockey. The first horse to pass the finish line, with our without its rider, wins the banner for its Contrada. Banner won, the festivities begin as the dominating Contrada places its standard in the Church. Celebration continues as the Contrada parade around the city for the rest of the evening.

The Palio di Siena occurs twice a year, from June 29-July 2 and August 13-August 16, representing the catholic holy days of the Virgin. Each day is filled with traditional songs of each Contrada, folkloristic costumes, gastronomic specialties and qualifications for the final chase. While it is almost impossible to find lodging without advance preparation Borgo Monastero is only a few minutes away.


Tags: Siena Italian Resorts Food and Wine Italian Vacations Tuscany Travel Italy

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Borgo Monastero – Resort in Siena Tuscany

Summertime in Tuscany is the subject of dreams. Rolling hills, castles and vineyards are the setting for very relaxing vacation dedicated to food, wine and friends, both old and new. Vacationing inland is very different than a vacation on the coast. Traditionally Italians will spend 1-2 months a year at the beach locations and most of this time will be concentrated in July and August.

Borgo Monastero is a 9th century town with a fascinating history and is located in the province of Siena about 40km southeast of Florence. The town, located in the Chianti region, is now an Agriturismo offering updated apartments in an exquisitely restored monastery. The units have one or more bedrooms, modern bathrooms and kitchens and wood-burning fireplaces.

The restaurant serves simple yet savory traditional recipes. Breakfast can be Cornetti and Cappuccino at the bar or a good ole American breakfast in your apartment. There are numerous small restaurants and pizzeria within a few miles. Local shops are also readily accessible for fresh bread, locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses and meats.

This small town was very important during the wars between Siena and Florence. Hiking through the 2000 acre ancient forest to the nearby towns and vineyards is a favorite among guests. The facility provides swimming pools, horseback riding, bicycles, tennis courts and a club with entertainers for kids from 4-12 years old.

The real attraction for this resort is the winery. Borgo Monastero produces some fantastic wines. As a guest you can visit the vineyards, taste the wines still in the aging process, and see just how wine is made. If that alone is not enough, this is Chianti.

Vineyards and wineries are more abundant than the number of little towns that cover the region. There are over 40 different wines produced within minutes by car. A visit to several of these wineries, preferably with a designated driver, is an opportunity to understand the nuances produced when the vineyard has different exposure to the sun or a certain type of soil. The production process can also vary from producer to producer and this is a great opportunity to understand why a wine produced from the same grape by winery can have different characteristics than one just a few miles away

If you get bored eating great food, drinking marvelous wines and lounging around the pool, Siena is a few kilometers away and Florence is about 30 minutes by car. All in all this is a great destination to get back to the basic elements of life with some fantastic people at a very reasonable price. Check out their site at Borgo Monastero.

Tags: Siena Italian Resorts Italian Wineries Food and Wine Italian Vacations Tuscany Travel Italy

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Panforte – Christmas Bread of Siena

Panforte (as described by the official site of the city of Siena): Between history and legend. The most famous producers of Panforte carry the names of ancient herbalists and pharmacists that jealously guarded their special recipe. Legend has it that this delicacy dates back to Middle Ages, when Sister Berta became concerned about the well being and health of the weakened Sienese people following a siege of the city and began preparing a high energy dessert made from a mixture of honey, dried fruit, almonds and spicy pepper. The result of Sister Berta’s worry was Panpepato, the first Panforte.

At one time, it was believed that this dessert had aphrodisiac qualities and that, according to the elderly, helped in keeping families together and husbands and wives from fighting.

On the occasion of Queen Margaret of Savoy’s visit to Siena, the master of ceremonies, believing that the Panpepato might be unpleasing to the royal palate, asked his pastry chefs to lighten the taste of Panpepato by adding pumpkin to the recipe and by substituting vanilla for black pepper. The result of the modified recipe is the more delicate and sweet Panforte Margaret.

Ingredients:

150 grams of chopped Walnuts
150 grams of chopped Almonds
200 grams of diced Candied Fruit
100 grams (2/3 cup) of Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Water
a pinch of Nutmeg
150 grams Powdered Sugar
150 grams of Honey
20 large Communion Wafers

Preparation:

Mix the walnuts, almonds, candied fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Prepare a baking pan, placing 10 large communion wafers closely together.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium pan, dissolve over low heat the powdered sugar, honey and water. Mix with the dry ingredients and pour over the wafers in the baking pan. Smooth and level the mix and place the remaining 10 wafers on top of the mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Tags: Panforte Italian Christmas Bread Italian Traditions Siena Tuscany Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Destinations

Note: Be sure to check out To do - To see, this page organizes by city the various events, buildings, museums, and exhibits.

General Culture
- Festa della Donna – International Women’s Day - March 8
- Festa del Lavoro - International Worker’s Day - May 1
- Understanding Italy – Nobility, wines, food and jeans
- Northern Italian Town of Brescia Accused of Far West Justice
- Understanding Italy – Nobility, wines, food and jeans
- Italian Garden Gnomes go Missing – Save the Gnomes

Travel Tips
- Easy way to Save Money Traveling to Italy
- Where are your bags?
- Italian cities top worldwide vacation spots
- Moving to Italy
- Trains Across Italy – Trenitalia
- Traveling Italy by Car
- Travel Tips – Medical Care while on Vacation in Italy
- Travel Tips for Italy – Proper Attire for the Tourist
- Travel Tips for Italy – Navigating the difficulties of Strikes


Trips
- 18 Days in Italy part 1 of 5 - Intro
- 18 Days in Italy part 2 of 5 - ROME
- 18 Days in Italy part 3 of 5 - FLORENCE
- 18 Days in Italy part 4 of 5 - VENICE
- 18 Days in Italy part 5 of 5 - CINQUE TERRE
- Wine Vacation in Northern Italy: The Spring of Prosecco
- The wine Trail of Lake Garda – Wines, Food, Entertainment, and Agriturismo
- Wine Train– Chugging along the tracks deep in the Tuscan hills.

Abruzzo
- Zampognari – Italian Christmas Bagpipes

Amalfi
- Amalfi Coast

Campania
- VitignoItalia 2006 – May 21-23 Wine Tradeshow in Naples


Emilia Romagna
- Sant'Agata Bologna - Lamborghini – Tractors to Sports Cars
- Modena - Ferrari – Il Cavallino Modenese
- Modena - Maserati – Tradition of Excellence
- Castelnuovo di Rangone (MO) - New Record Super Zampone 751 kg
- Exclusive Beach in Riccione – No Men Allowed!
- Exclusive Beach in Riccione Beach #137 Mojito – Sun by day, Party all night!
- Fantini Club - SPA and vacation destination on the Adriatic Riviera

Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
- Venice 1
- Carnevale di Venezia – Carnival in Venice Part I
- Carnevale di Venezia – Carnival in Venice Part II
- Things to do in Venice Summer 2007 – San Lazzaro degli Armeni

Liguria
- Cinque Terre

Lombardia
- Como
- Lago di Garda – Lake Garda
- Milan – O Mia Bela Madunina che te Brilet de Luntan
- Miwine 2006 – June 12-14 Wine Tradeshow in Milan
- Castione della Presolana – Winter Fun Vacation in a little known Mountain Community

Lazio
- Rome 1
- Rome 2
- Virtual Tour of the Eternal City

- Soriano


Marche
- Marche – Rolling Hills, Mild climate, Beautiful Beaches – Part I
- Marche – Rolling Hills, Mild climate, Beautiful Beaches – Part II

Piemonte
- Alba – Tartufo, Wine, and Beautiful Women

- Festa del Barolo – September - A Celebration of Wine & Culture

- Piemonte is Cheese

- Sestriere Ski the Olympic Slopes

- Torino Overview
- Turin Olympics - Torino 2006
- Turin Olympics - The Schedule
- Turin means Chocolate


Puglia
- San Giovanni Rotondo
- Baia delle Zagare
- Pizzomunno
- Il Gargano

Sicily

- Caltagirone Sicily - The Pearls of Sicily
- Ceramics from Caltagirone – Artisan work’s of Art and Passion
- Monreale - Palermo - The Pearls of Sicily
- Pantelleria Sicily – The Pearls of Sicily
- Taormina Sicily – Hot Vacation Spot on the slopes of Mount Etna
- Valle dei Templi Agrigento – Valley of the temples Agrigento Sicily


Trentino - Alto Adige
- Christmas in Merano - Dream Destination
- Asiago – Not just Cheese! - Christmas in the Alps
- Madonna di Campiglio – Italian Alps Winter Wonderland
- Cortina d’Ampezzo – Italian Winter Holiday for the young and old

Tuscany
- Argentario - Destination VIP
- Argentario - Porto Santo Stefano
- Argentario - Porto Ercole Part I
- Argentario - Porto Ercole Part II Sailing
- Florence 1
- Montalcino
- Montepulciano

- Carnevale di Viareggio – Carnival in Viareggio

- The Islands of the Tuscan Coast – Isola d’Elba

Valle d'Aosta
- Courmayeur – Hot Italian Winter Vacation with snow on the Ground

Valetellina
- Santa Caterina Valfurva – A hidden Gem of a Winter Vacation

Veneto
- Opera at the Arena of Verona – Aida
- Arena di Verona – The Amphitheatre of Verona
- Vinitaly – The Wine Show – Verona Italy
- Pizzi di Burano – Linens and Lace Burano Venice
- Peschiera – on the shores of Lake Garda
- Bardolino – A Wine, a Vacation Destination
- The wine Trail of Lake Garda – Wines, Food, Entertainment, and Agriturismo

Holidays



New Year'sItalian New Year’s Eve Traditions
The Origins of the New Year’s Celebrations
Courmayeur – Hot Italian Winter Vacation with snow on the Ground
Madonna di Campiglio – Italian Alps Winter Wonderland
Cortina d’Ampezzo – Italian Winter Holiday for the young and old
Santa Caterina Valfurva – A hidden Gem of a Winter Vacation
Castione della Presolana – Winter Fun Vacation in a little known Mountain Community



Easter
- Pasqua in Italia - Easter Traditions in Italy
- Easter in Florence
- Easter in Modica, Ragusa Sicily



Christmas - Gesu' Bambino - Santa Lucia - Befana
- Italy - Weather Update Summer 2006
- Italian Christmas Traditions
- Santa Lucia, il giorno piu corto che ci sia! - Christmas in Northern Italy
- Le Caldarroste – Chestnuts roasting on an Open Fire
- Sant’Ambrogio – La fiera dei Obej Obej – Vino Brule’
- Italian Christmas Tradition – Torrone from Cremona
- Zampognari – Italian Christmas Bagpipes
- Christmas in Merano - Dream Destination
- The Epiphany and the Good Witch
- San Biagio – Holiday Tradition in Milan – Panettone and more Panettone
- The Origins of Valentine's Day



Italian Carnival
- Italian Carnival Festivities, Costumes, and History
- Carnevale Italiano – The History of Italian Carnival



Feste - Sagre - Local Celebrations
- Festa dello Zampone - Emilia Romagna - Bologna
- Re Purcit in Staiare - Friuli Venezia Giulia - Udine

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