Updates on Villas in Tuscany

The blog is going get busy from now on in......

As well as ''What's On'' we'll be featuring properties once a week, so over the weeks to come there will be another way of viewing villas / apartments / estates for anyone interested. 

This will take a bit of time to build up, so if anyone would like to know about any property in particular, or a type of property then we can accommodate that.

We'll also keep you updated on any ''Specials'' going, either for a quick getaway, an early bird booking, or long term let, so sign up if you don't want to miss anything.

You can always follow us on Twitter, and pick up info on Facebook too.

Let's Catch Up....

Ok, When, and Where? Done. Excited? See you there!

Essentially there are no rules to ''Catch Up''. Just agree (!) on a day, a place and a time, which serve as a springboard into the Catch Up Zone, and the rest is open to interpretation and improvisation.

ViT is off on a Catch Up, having just arrived in the UK from ViT-HQ, and is thoroughly looking forward to it all.

Pancake Day aka Shrove Tuesday is now long past (actually 2 days after Valentines Day), we're still in Lent (what have you given up??!!) and Easter is on it's way.

ViT has been recieving emails from people asking for suggestions as to where families and groups of friends can go in Tuscany to enjoy a change of scenery over the next few weeks.

New blogs will be along the lines of ''Easter in somewhere or other'', or ''Easter doing something or other'' etc. In fact, I will write about places people ask about most often first, so drop ViT a line if you'd like a blog on somewhere or something specific.

So, what to do and where to go over the Easter period....

There are many public celebrations to enjoy and Tuscany is a hive of activity; snow is still on the mountains and skiing is great; the days are longer and after 5.32pm GMT on 20 March we are officially in Spring - yeay!!; the sun's strength is perfect for that sun kissed look whilst sunbathing by the pool, and is not too strong for kids to have to be kept out of the sun during the middle of the day; temperatures are on the up and it's hot enough to start having all meals outside (the best way to start the day - breakfast outside under the sun taking in that panorama - oh yes!); Nature's colours are vibrant as flowers are opening up, crops are shooting up, and a new lease of life is bursting forth after the long hard winter we've all just experienced; birds will be in full  song, and little ones of all species will be trying out for the first time their legs or wings or fins or whatever.....!

Spring in Tuscany is a sure fire winner - the place is buzzing with energy, it's not too hot, it's not too cold, flights are cheap, and finally we can all get outdoors and breathe in deeply that fresh positively charged air whilst walking barefoot on the negatively charged grass or sand and really be perfectly in balance with nature and ourselves.

Tuscany comes to life again in full force and courses start up again as well, cooking, chocolate, wine tasting, to name but very few.

Golf, horse riding, paragliding, hot air ballooning, sports galore are accessible, and it's a great time to try something new...

What would you prefer?

A large house for everyone, pool and ample ground to chill out in. Maybe get a chef in for a few evening meals who can cook traditional Tuscan, international or whatever you wish. Maybe organise a masseusse, beautician and baby sitter to come round so the adults can be pampered and totally unwind whilst the kids are entertained.

A set of appartments with communal spaces within the same location, maybe an old farmhouse or very large villa for example, so that whilst everyone is all together there is still a high degree of independance.

All ViT accomodations have pools, bbq, and so much more, it just depends where you'd like to be situated too - completely out in the countryside or near to town.

There are farmhouses, country villas, estates, appartments that cater to all your requirements, so why don't you email me with your preferences and I will send you various options and information on what's going on in that area around the time of your Together-Time holiday.

I think you'll agree that whilst playing catch up in the UK at the moment, ViT is actually ahead of the game where Tuscany is concerned.

Life is good, Tuscany is great, ViT is a Tuscan winner!!

Food Glorious Food.....!!!

Mangiare is the Italian for 'to eat'.
A long 'a' makes it 'mangiaaare' (add a little theatrical Sophia Loren movement), and just by opening up your jaw to pronounce the Italian word your whole body starts to desire getting that deliciousness off the plate and into your mouth.

Whereas the English word 'eat' (pronounced 'eeet') closes the mouth and jaw and sounds like 'eeeek', which doesn't exactly get the system going does it?

Food for thought..... (I know, I know, but hey!)

The Italians love their food, in case no one had ever noticed, and they really notice if there is a lack of taste as they are so used to locally grown food in great conditions.
The Mediterranean diet has many scientific studies extolling it's virtues and on your holiday you will understand why.

Food is fresh, sourced and sold locally where possible, picked when ready to eat, and there is a good organic movement too.
Alot of places are biodynamic and natural laws and rhythms are followed.
Many people also have the possibility of eating their own home grown fruit and veg.

Worth noting is the fact that many Tuscans won't eat foods out of season.........because the taste isn't as good.
Some are only seasonal - truffles, chestnuts etc.
They live what I'm doing my masters on, what so many others have forgotten, and what, after all, is a natural way of eating.

Here in Tuscany some vines are sprayed with chemicals against this and that, but so many villa owners I talk to are not doing that, in fact they don't use anything and don't have any problems.
The same goes for the olives our villa owners grow.
The taste of Tuscan cold pressed olive oil is just something else.
For those who have never had the privilege of tasting it please try sourcing it as it is so worth it.
Add this oil to freshly picked nutrient packed salad, in season vegetables, raisins, maybe some soaked seeds or sprouts, and you find, there before you, an amazing source of vital force energy.

So many Villas-in-Tuscany.com villas and farmhouses have their own orchards and vegetable patches that guests have access to.
There is just something so beautiful about eating food you know has been grown on the property you're holidaying in, that has been picked 10 minutes before eating it, that maybe you yourself chose and that is bursting with real flavour, not to mention the rest!

Farmers markets are always great to go to, as there is local freshly made cheese, milk, yoghurt, meat, and of course fruit and veg.
You can go there by yourself and wander around buying whatever takes your fancy, or be accompanied by your cooking teacher and then go do the lesson and eat it afterwards.

There are also so many events around Tuscany that you can bet your bottom dollar great food will be there too.
Specialised raw foods are harder to find, and raw & vegan food is not mainstream.
Tuscans know they have the most amazing food, and can see raw as a restriction.
However, when food is prepared with love and is local produce it is a winner every time!

Meal times are an important part of Italian life, it's a social thing.
The preparation beforehand, talking, laughing, joking, even singing all happens around food (ever been to a olive or grape harvest?).
It's family and friends time - so many people around a table all together.
Children and grown-ups alike all join in, and it really brings people back into that community spirit, it's a time to pass down family history, keep communication open, discuss everything in an open manner.
It's a very positive aspect of life.

Many property owners tell me that guests love getting involved with the preparation of meals, and whilst some nights they will go out to restaurants, others they will stay in and get someone to prepare for them, do it themselves or even organise a cooking class.

So much of the time we take food for granted, and just think of it as delicious fuel, but there is so much more to it, and Tuscany has a subtle way of making you realise and appreciate food in a totally different light.

Whatever your way of eating, there is so much the Tuscan earth can provide for you to enjoy to the max on your vacation.
Contact ViT to find out which villas, apartments and farmhouses have organic home grown produce.

Buon appetito!!!