Today, our last day of the tour, we travelled to San Pellegrino in Alpe. A bit chilly, we nestled together in a little cafe and had somo ‘cioccolata calla’ (hot chocolate) which is served very very thick – I needed a spoon. We visited the Ethnographic Museum Don Luigi Pellegrini. It was full of objects …
Before our cooking class we had a little time to kill. We stopped for some gelato in Bagni di Lucca and enjoyed the picturesque village as we walked around. We took some scenic photos of the 18th century chain bridge and walked to the unused Casino at Ponte al Serraglio.
We drive to Piegaio to pay a visit to Carlo Galgani. The Galgani family has been blacksmiths for 500 years. Carlo is the last blacksmith in the family and holds on to the hope that one of his grandchildren will continue the family tradition. What was interesting to me was that fact that his bellows …
At the end of the day we went to Villa Torrigiani in Camigliano. Villa Torrigiani is a 16th century villa hiding behind an extravagant baroque facade slapped on in the 17th century. We took a private tour of the panelled and painted grand hall and with bedrooms decorated with their original silk hangings to …
About 6 pm we drove to Barga. As we entered the area I could see ‘New Barga” on the outskirts with newer buildings and ‘Old Barga’ the picturesque medieval hilltop town with a vibrant artistic community. It was an absolute pleasure to get lost and explore the maze within the city walls. My favorite part …
At 11 am we arrive in Castiglione for their Festa di Primavera (Spring Festival). This picturesque walled town in the Garfagnana featured handmade crafts and food vendors. We strolled through the town and ooh and ahh’d at the beautiful old buildings and scenic views seen below. This year, the Festa introduced a ‘Cheese-throwing Competition’. A …
Part of my exchange agreement with Heather is that I both help with marketing initiatives and assist during tours, that is why I have not been posting for the last few days. I figured the business end of the Tastes & Textiles tour wouldn’t be of much interest to my blog readers. The Arrival Day …
With my room booked for three nights in Torre del Lago, I decided to take a day trip to nearby Viareggio. Viareggio is another coastal town about a 15 minute bus ride from Torre del Lago. I purchased both my departure and return bus tickets at the Tabac (storefronts that usually only sell cigarettes and …
My host is in London for the weekend, and instead of staying up on the mountain with no way down, she suggested I take a weekend trip to Viareggio. I researched the area online and called ahead to book my room at a bed and breakfast near the beach. Interestingly enough, in the USA, your …
The village I am living in (and where Heather lives) is called Casabasciana. It is a village on top of a mountain, located in the Province of Bagni di Lucca. Today was a work day for me and while Heather was out giving a honeymoon couple a private tour, I was busy doing some marketing work …
