— Read in German

To celebrate our first wedding anniversary, we looked forward to spending a couple of relaxing and indulging days in an environment rich in culture, with stunning landscapes and world-class food. Well, this calls for the Tuscany.

Located in the central region of Italy, Tuscany has two airports, Florence and Pisa. And even though those cities are not exactly what you would call calm and relaxing, we didn’t bother to drive all the way to Italy by car. That’s why we decided to take the plane (Easyjet) to Pisa and book a rental car so that we could drive to a more remote place.

Still, we wanted to explore the Tuscany a little bit, which is why we spend the first afternoon in Pisa and the last day in Lucca, another Tuscan city. Upon our arrival, Pisa welcomed us incredibly hot and humid, which is why we firstly looked for a place with refreshing drinks. Luckily, in Italy, you will find a pleasant and affordable Sprizz at every corner. For some reason, the alcohol level is less than in Germany, so the drink was a perfect refresher. After that, we went on through the sweet alleys of Pisa towards the Leaning Tower, the landmark of Pisa.

When the sun began to set, we drove towards our actual accommodation: Inmids of cypresses, vineyards, and olive treats, we had found the Sassa al Sole near San Miniato, an absolute gem in the Tuscany! There we spent a wonderful, relaxed weekend with delicious food, lots of wine, and some relaxing hours at the pool.

Wine, Olive Oil, and Truffle

In Tuscany, your money is well spent on culinary activities. There are plenty of wine and food experiences to have, like blind tastings, truffle hunting, cooking classes, and visiting an olive oil mill.

Tuscan cuisine is famous and appreciated all over the world. Seasonal recipes use products from farm to table to create menus inspired by traditional “peasant food” of the farming region. So the typical Tuscan dish is quite simple and rustic in its flavors and ingredients but still very fresh and genuine. That’s why originally we wanted to take part in a cooking course followed by dinner at one of the many farms or agriturismo. Unfortunately, all of them were either fully booked or not offered that weekend. But in retrospect, we are not so unhappy about this, as instead, we came across something extraordinary: A truffle hunt. Since we booked it on the same day only, we were lucky enough to have a private guide that would take us through the pine woods of a nearby winery. There we learned about all the different types of truffles and how they gro but also that they are “harvested” by dogs, not by pigs.

Afterward, we were guided around the winery, were shown different vines and plants, and our appetite for wine and truffles made our mouth water.

Appropriately, we took part in a wine tasting with an accompanying 4-course menu – for whose courses “our” truffle was used (at least that’s what we were led to believe 😉 ). We had Tagliatelle al Tartufo: Pasta swirled with warm, melted butter, garlic, decadently topped with shavings of black truffle and Parmigiano cheese. LOVE! After about ten different wines, the tasting of tasty olive oil, and last but not least, tons of delicious food, we went home to open the bottle of champagne we had been gifted from the hotel. After all, this was our wedding anniversary!

Lucca

On our departure day, we checked out of the Relais early in the morning to drive to Lucca. The small town on the river Serchio is famous for its well-preserved Renaissance walls and the characteristic medieval town center. The rectangular street system makes it easy to stroll through the cobbled streets though you won’t end up in a real city center. Instead, you will find inspiring places at every corner: Pizzerias, trattorias, ristorantes, cafeterias, gelaterias, and various specialized shops invite to eat, drink and to indulge.

Apart from the food, we especially liked the flair of the city, although it was extremely hot and sticky on that day. Similar to our experiences in Pisa, we let ourselves drift through the alleys, drank an Aperol Spritz for refreshment, watched the hustle and bustle on the streets, allowed ourselves to enjoy ice cream, and finally had one last delicious Tagliatelle con Tartufo. 

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