Happy New Year! My Resolution is to…

The world hasn’t ended! We’re still here and celebrating a brand new year. We all have a fresh start, a completely clean slate for 2013. So, what are you going to do this year? With the new year comes a heap of resolutions. People go absolutely mad buying gym memberships, self help books, and anything that may help you quit smoking. While all of these are great, they’re definitely not where I’m putting my focus. My new year’s resolution is to travel as much as humanly possible this year. I’m going to do my best to cut corners wherever I can to save money so I can see the world. The more places the better and I promise to share about any and all my travel experiences whereever I may go. So tell us, what’s you New Year’s Resolution? Is it something unique because we’d love to hear about it.

Wishing You A Happy New Year from Pierotucci!

Christmas in Italy Looks Like This…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. I absolutely love Christmas! I think it’s all the decorations and lights that really get me in the spirit. I adore walking down decorated streets while doing my Christmas shopping, sipping hot mulled wine in the cold winter air. Lucky for me, Florence is particularly amazing at making you feel like it’s the season to be jolly. As a matter of fact, it’s almost like being in a Christmas movie. Not only are beautiful lights strategically strung all over the city but there are also speakers put up on the cities busiest streets that play Christmas carols. So as you stroll down the street in the crisp winter air, the lights sparkle and the music brings you nothing but pure joy and the spirit of Christmas. I think it may even give me a little pep in my step as I start to rythmically walk down the Street, happily humming to the songs. Just picture yourself stepping out of your 400 year old apartment in the historic city center of Florence and as you turn the corner onto a busy street that has existed longer than you can imagine, there are glittering Christmas lights illuminating the Street as Frank Sinatra sings Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Now tell me, what isn’t absolutely magical about that.

Because it tends to be a bit more difficult to decorate the outside of your home here since everyone is living in an old stone apartment, one next to the other, there are certain things, I’d like to think, that make up for this. Like the fact that everyone is so involved with festive decor. Just look at the brilliant sparkles coming from the department store, Rinascente. They lace their building every year in long strings of lighst that make the old Italian stone come to life. It looks as if it’s sparkling  with thousdands of brilliant diamonds.

The lights too, are even that much more amazing in the evening time. The way they stand out in the night really does them justice. Just look at the how this small street gleams with the shimmering lights that lead to the magnificent Duomo in the center of the city. The bright lights zig-zag their way to the very end of the street making night feel a little less dark and that much more beautiful.

While tourists are always making their way to Florence from all over the world, the mass majority of travelers comes in hotter weather. But why not come when there are virtually no tourists during the holiday season? You have the city practically to yourself and the wonderful decorations last the whole of December until the end of the first week of January.

These lights can be seen all over the city center; from the popular well known streets to those smaller and from restaurants to cafes, everyone takes pride in a little decoration. So, what do you think? Are you booking or at least looking at tickets to one of the most beautiful cities in the world yet?

Hey Bro! Cortona, Under the Tuscan Sun and Leather Handbags

So, my dear brother and his wife are coming to Florence from London for the weekend. They came the same time last year and the weather was perfect, so hopefully we will get lucky again. We hated each other as kids but now, as we get older, we thankfully get on like a house on fire. This year I have set my sights on Cortona – a beautiful hilltop town and yes, the fabulous setting for “Under the Tuscan Sun.

It’s a real treat to see places with him that I don’t get the time to do otherwise. A wander around, him taking bucket loads of pictures ….yawn and then a well earned rest at a typical Tuscan restaurant. This is one of the most exclusive areas in Tuscany for the big wines, such as Super Tuscan, Brunello and Montepulciano. I think one or two ….. or three glasses would be in order, or not, depending on who will be driving home. I think I will nominate my DH! Fortunately, he won’t be reading this.

Another treat on the agenda is a wine tasting at a medieval villa on the outskirts of Florence.  Chianti country is again, the perfect climate for superb wines and this is going to be another tricky number as there is a half hour’s drive home afterwards. Maybe a night at the villa could be an option?

Keeping my brother and his wife entertained is really not difficult. They are easy to please and as long as they are eating and drinking and seeing the wonderful sights of Tuscany, and enjoying my company of course, there really isn’t anything else to worry about.

Oh, maybe one last thing – a quick visit to the Pierotucci leather factory to show him how they make hand made leather bags -  a fast becoming almost obsolete trade. He is a bit of a shopaholic and may not be able to resist one of their superb hand made messenger bags.