Surrounded by Beauty

Tuscan farmers markets are a quintessential part of Tuscan life, offering a unique and authentic way to experience the region’s rich agricultural traditions. These markets can be found in many of the charming villages all around us in Tuscany, and offer a wide range of locally-grown produce, meats, cheeses, antiques, organic wine, honey and other artisanal products.  Some markets also feature special themes, such as wine and chestnut markets or wild boar, olive and oil markets, which highlight the region’s unique agricultural products and cuisine.  Visiting a Tuscan farmers market is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the local culture, meet friendly locals, and sample some of the best food and drink that Tuscany has to offer.

Each year Lucca Summer Festival is one of the highly anticipated Italian musical events that takes place in the height of summer.  More than 30 international artists decend from all around the world on Lucca to play both day and night concerts.  In 2024 Ed Sheeran, Eric Clapton, Swedish House Mafia, Rod Stewart, Lenny Kravitz, Diana Krall, Mika, Sam Smith, Duran Duran, Gazzelle and many more will be having concerts there.  The events are around 1 hour drive from us, so easy to get to and from.

Mercantia, the international festival of the “fourth type of theatre”, is the most important Italian street theatre festival and it takes place every year over five days in July in Certaldo.  The magnificent medevial town, which brought the world Giovanni Boccaccio, is filled with hundreds of artists who stage numerous different performances from dance and visual arts to street band shows, parades and much more.  For five evenings, the squares and streets of the medieval town are brought to life by singer-storytellers who tell tall tales to the youngest visitors, tightrope walkers and trapeze artists who defy the forces of gravity, clown and marionette shows, acrobats who perform to jazz music, itinerant bands who dance through every corner of the town, dancers, trampoline performers and artists who “play with fire”—literally.  Just 15 minutes drive from us. 

Andrea Bocelli lives in Lajatico, Tuscany, around 25 mins from us.  He owns his own outdoor ampitheatre where he hosts an incredible concert with celebrity guests for two nights in July.  We have been a number of times and its an increible show.  Highly recommended if you love his music. 

The Palio di Siena is a historic horse race that takes place twice a year in Siena, a 35 minute drive from us. Held on July 2nd and August 16th, the race is a tradition that dates back to the 17th century and is deeply ingrained in the culture of the city.  The race features 10 horses and riders, each representing one of the 17 contrade, or city wards, of Siena. The riders, who ride bareback, wear colourful costumes and compete in a dramatic and intense race around the Piazza del Campo, the city's main square.  The race is not just a sporting event, but also a celebration of Sienese culture and history, with parades, pageantry, and festivities leading up to the race. 

Over the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weekend in November, the historic town of San Miniato, just 25 mins drive from us, hosts the largest White Truffle Festival in Italy.  The festival might just have been inspired following the 1954 unearthing of the then largest white truffle in the world in a neighbouring village.  Now the festival is a place for truffle tasting, food and global auction.