Tuscany is the birthplace of the Renaissance and a treasure trove of world class painting, sculpture and architecture. Art galleries like the Uffizi in Florence are absolutely worth a visit but with so many galleries and art filled churches to explore you can become a bit museumed out after a while in Tuscany. Luckily there are plenty of other things to do when you need a break. And yes, many of these involve food!
Admit it – you came to Italy to eat. We certainly did. Eating in Italy is a serious business and by following these tips you’ll be able to get the most out of the experience, eat the best food possible, and avoid shocking any Italians along the way. Enjoy!
Italy draws us back again and again so although we knew it’d be quite expensive we couldn’t resist a visit when an Italian food craving hit us after nine months in Asia. We experimented with keeping costs affordable without giving up comforts or, most importantly, as much food as we wanted to eat, by renting an apartment in Tuscany rather than moving around every few days.
Food is a universal need and one of the intrinsic pleasures of life, but often this feels as though it has been forgotten in a world where fast and cheap are prized over quality. Italians understand the importance of food, are passionate about what they eat, and obsessed with the quality of the food they put into their bodies.
Garfagnana is a rugged, mountainous area in the northwest corner of Tuscany north of Lucca. It’s wilder and more isolated than the rolling hills and vineyards that make up the classic central Tuscan landscape, with winding mountain roads, gushing rivers and medieval towns perched on top of hills.