With it's lyrical landscapes, stunning art and a delectable "la cucina contadina" (the farmer's kitchen) a road trip to Toskana beckons us and one afternoon we find ourselves on the road to Italy..

After a couple of stops in Ticino to walk down memory lane with Lukas, we arrive in Pisa at midnight. We drive around a couple of times, looking for a hotel that feels right. Thanks to the friendly guy at the reception, we end up with a nice room against all odds  .. Oh the Joys of not planning a vacation!

Despite not wanting to do the touristy stuff, morning finds us with throngs of other tourists at Piazza dei Miracoli. The leaning tower reminds me of a 7 layer cake... no wonder flies are as omnipresent as the tourists here!

We continue on to the Tuscan coast from Antignano to San Vincenzo: Sun, rugged coastline, a hidden secluded beach, a refreshing swim in the mediterranean and some ummm ummm mmmm simply delish Gelatos to quench the thirst, a nap and once again lady luck shines upon us & we manage to find a room with a view.. and the promises of spectacular sunsets.

After two days of being faulpelz, leisurely walking on the sandy beaches, relishing gelatos twice-a-day (i think by now i've savored all flavors except for an unnaturally blue colored) and we're back on the road again making our way inland.

Gently rolling hills dipped in soft morning mist soon give way to sculptural cypress alleys, golden wheat fields, silver olive groves, pea-green vineyards and soul-soaring medieval hilltop villages. This region of Italy is oh-so postcard material.. A narrow road makes it impossible to pull-over. To capture the views for eternity, I take a shot with my cell from the car.

A vendita diretta (direct sale) sign by the side of the road leads us to a local farmer selling fresh fruits and vegetables. The fragrance of fresh peppers and grapes is intoxicatingly seductive. The luscious sweet grapes add another dimension to the drive.. Soon we're desperately looking for a restaurant to answer Nature's call. There are no restaurants in these tiny villaggi (villages).

A sign for "Il Colombaio" in medieval town of Casole d'Elsa catches our eye. We follow it for a few minutes and find ourselves at a farm. Alas.. the restaurant looks closed  A lady appears and leads us to another entrance. Wow.. the sign on the door.. Serendipity has led us to a Michelin One-star Restaurant. This is the home of Chef Maurizio Bardotti!

We step into an old farmhouse that has been lovingly furnished with hand-embroidered curtains, original works of art, crystal chandeliers and a charming fireplace. We are greeted by a waiter who honors his work and proudly tell us that the produce is organically grown on the farm. The only other guests are 4 Norwegian tourists who are as surprised as us to have stumbled upon a Michelin one-star restaurant.

We decide to relish all the veggie entrees on the menu. It's not everyday that one is treated to the culinary creations of a Michelin one star chef. This is sensational slow food.. so we kick back our shoes & relax. After all we have no reservations anywhere!

The freshly baked bread box, the complimentary cauliflower soup, the Ravioli and the famous "Poached egg with truffle cream". Each plate is a work of art! A variety of colors, shapes, materials and flavors.. it's not only a feast for the eyes, but the nose and the palate..

 

The espresso is served in exquisite cups with lids. To our delight chef Maurizio walks in with a variety of freshly baked “dulci”on a slate.. Each one a treat in itself. Chef Maurizio humbly apologizes that they didn’t have too many vegetarian dishes on the menu. But if we make reservations in advance he’d be happy to cook a 5 course veggie meal for us. He's been cooking since he was 15 and loves to see his guests happy.

Back on the road, we’re both quiet for sometime.. letting the experience sink-in. We start looking for an agritourismo in the Tuscan countryside to spend the rest of the week. The first three Poderi (Farms) are all sold out.. Hmmm.. Isn't Summer and with it the official vacation season already over?? The Fourth Podere owner is kind enough to call & find us an abode in another Farm.

It's managed by a 46 year old woman who inherited the farm from her father. Being a female wine producer is not easy in this male dominated industry and she shares the stories of her struggles and sacrifices with us. The stories are all in Italian and thanks to Boccelli's songs i manage to understand some of it. She's a great cook and serves us traditional Lasagna, Pomodori Spaghetti, Pizza, Ribollita Soup (farmer's soup with vegetables and Bread!). Ofcourse she has to improvise for vegetarian me.. but she does it with a smile The Rosso/Bianco Vino, Cantuccini dipped in Vin Beato (dessert wine), the espressos and the torte (cakes) have never tasted this good. Hmmm torte for breakfast.. a novel idea, but i could get used to it, especially if it's dark chocolate!!

Day Tripping in "San Gimignano" (World Heritage Site):

We can see the 14 towers of this walled town rise up like a medieval Manhattan from the pristine setting of our farm. A short 10 min drive gets us there, but apparently everyone else has the same idea..

Originally an Etruscan village, the settlement was named after the bishop of Modena, San Gimignano, who is said to have saved the city from Attila the Hun. Building a tower taller than their neighbours' (there were originally 72) became a popular way for prominent families to flaunt their power and wealth. In 1348 plague wiped out much of the population and weakened the local economy, leading to the town's submission to Florence in 1353.

Today there are swarms of summer day-trippers who, like us are lured by a palpable sense of history, intact medieval streetscapes and enchanting rural setting. We're in front of "Gelateria Dondoli" _ Gelato World Champion! The lines extend for miles.. Ok.. I'm exaggerating, but when it's hot and you're craving a Gelato.. a 20m snaky line can seem to stretch for eternity.

In the end, two gelati in hand are always better than one...