MAPPING TUSCANY

Every year on a Sunday in May countless private Tuscan villas open the gates of their immaculately kept Renaissance gardens to the general public.  Organized by the Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane (the association of historic mansions in Italy) some of Tuscany's most beautiful gardens in historical estates, medieval castles and Renaissance villas can be visited for free on the day. Many of these are not accessible through the rest of the year, or if so only on payment.  Near Siena visits to the sublimely trimmed gardens of the recently restored Villa Cetinale in Sovicille and to the park of Villa Geggiano in the Chianti will be two of the highlights. Further south in the Maremma you'll be conceded access to the castle in Marsiliana, which consists of an entire hamlet which has been the property of the Corsini family since the 18th century (a partments on the  Marsiliana estate  can be rented in  case you're not here on the day or you'd rather have ...

In its third year the Maremma Wine and Food Shire has changed approach and moved the fair from Braccagni into Grosseto's historic town center. Originally designed for trade, Maremma's wine and food fair is also a great place for any foodies hooked on Southern Tuscany's locally produces delicacies. Taste your way through sheep cheese from the Tuscan hills, organically produced wine, salami and prosciutto, saffron, pickled vegetables and fish egg (bottarga) from the coast.  All of it in the lay-back center of one of Tuscany's lesser known cities. Grosseto may not be able to compete with Siena, Pisa or Florence when it comes to art and culture. But the city makes up for it with a car and tourist free town center,  historic city walls, friendly inhabitants and noteworthy architectural details if you only care to look out for them.  Maoist China? A Tuscan cyclist on Grosseto's main shopping road 

Improvised shower at the natural hot springs in Petriolo If you haven't been in this corner of Tuscany before - this is the time to visit. Driving south from Siena, you'll find something for every taste. For starters you may run into Robert Redford. The documentary Buck, ( a film about the life of a horse whisperer produced by the Hollywood star) has his Italian first showing at the Terra di Siena film festival in Monticiano. Once you said hello and had your share of animal talk for the day, drive along the windy road that connects Monticiano to the Petriolo hot springs further down in the valley  (if you missed out on Redford you can always try again with Sienna Miller in Siena next week).  

Maremma horses inspecting the cycling path leading to the Maremma national park beach Thank you Maremma horse fair! At last an opportunity to post some of the countless photos I keep taking of the beautiful Maremma horses grazing in Southern Tuscany's national park.