JANUARY IN TUSCANY - HAVE IT ALL TO YOURSELF

Winter in Tuscany: Nothing but green fields, trees and a fence

Just when you counted out that you'll have to get through another three cold months, you are surprised by the incredible blue of a Tuscan winter sky. And you think of your friends in Zurich, buried under months of fog. And then the friends in Britain. Buried under months of rain. And you remember the reason why you moved to Tuscany. Even in the winter. In fact above all in the winter! It's only a madly hot and crowded Italian August, that will make one reconsider some major life choices.

Massa Marittima's Archeological Museum - and who are these guys!?

But it's not just the sky. It's about empty museums and having Tuscany's most fabulous squares and churches receiving you for a private view. Okay some of the restaurants will be closed. You may have to ride down to the coast to get that fabulous ice-cream. But honestly you'll be bringing home photos like nobody else. Photos of squares and churches with NOBODY on them. No tour groups from Texas and Tokyo. If anything the odd local may insist on walking through your artfully composed picture.

A lonesome local in front of Massa Marittima's cathedral

And if it's not him, it's me and my family, always ready to mess up somebody's holiday photos. Just to make sure you don't get bored with that quiet atmosphere around Massa Marrittima's stunning piazza and cathedral.

Here they come, two kids who still believe that all of Italy's spacious and beautiful squares were built just for them. And then their father. A true Italian who doesn't have time for a church, let alone a museum, if he hasn't checked out the towns Gelato yet - Ice Cream, yes even in January.

Need some sunshine, don't mind about having to wear a pair of warm socks and - above all - you want it all to yourself? It's Tuscany in January then.

WINE AND ARCHITECTURE: PETRA WINERY BY MARIO BOTTA

Southern Tuscany is home to a handful of wineries, which are often described as wine cathedrals. The Petra vineyard near Suvereto (by architect Mario Botta) is an interesting example of this new approach in winery architecture. At Petra the world-class architect went beyond designing an impressive wine cellar, but also included the outlay of the vineyards in his aim to form a contemporary agricultural landscape. Main building of the Petra Winery in Suvereto If it is true that the way to good wine starts in the he vineyard, it is also true that only the quality of the cork, the design of the label, and the beauty of the bottle shape will bring the consumer's experience to full circle. Taking this thought further it's obvious that the birthplace of a good or even fantastic wine, is yes the vine and its grapes, but also the winery building in particular and the whole estate in general. If you know any of Botta's works, you'll recog...

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RASHA OMRAN and KIM ECHLIN in MONTEPULCIANO: July 17, 2017

Readers of my memoir Aross the Big Blue Sea know about the courageous Syrian family who after a horrendous journey to Sicily stopped over at our refugee home in the Tuscan countryside. The plight of Syrians at home and in exile is at the base of poet, dissident and journalist Rash Omran's work. Omran, who has been living in exile in Egypt since 2012, will present her recent work this July in southern Tuscany. The reading will take place in the garden of beautiful palazzo Bracci in Montepulciano. The literary event is part of Montepulciano's longstanding Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte , the Tuscan wine town's art and music summer festival which is in its 42nd edition. DEFY SILENCE - SFIDARE IL SILENZIO : Poetry, music and translation between war and exile Rasha Omran, Kim Echlin and Ashti Abdo in Montepulciano Monday, July 17, 2017 - 9.15pm Palazzo Bracci, via delle Case Nuove, Montepulciano. Rasha Omran has been invited ...

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THE TALE (and some pics) OF THE PERFECT TUSCAN CHRISTMAS LUNCH

I'm writing a book (which has been published in the meantime). Hence I raise the word count by cutting down on aperitifs (not an easy feat in my Tuscan village ), and I keep the storyline going by dodging invitations to Sunday lunch. But when I know that the table will look like this... and the food like this it's hard to resist... Hence we drove to the Chianti and followed the crowd through the woods to jump into the midst of the clatter, chatter and laughter of a Tuscan Christmas gathering, which was cleverly interrupted by countryside walks to make sure there was room for more, until - inevitably - the moment arrived, when all the plates were licked and the last bottle of Chianti was emptied and it was time to go home (you said you drive, right?). INGREDIENTS FOR A TUSCAN GATHERING Lunch was organized by Emiko Davies and Giulia from Juls' Kitchen , who with the help of their respective partn...

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