Let me start by saying that I am torn… I might not be the best person to write this post because my husband and I have only celebrated our first anniversary in a somewhat “conventional” way. The other two were more of a thing for our friends and family than for us… On the other hand, I am probably the right person for the job, because I have helped my friend Lorella with her wedding and event planning agency many times. So here we go.

I will not recommend the “usual” romantic things to do in Tuscany, as I have already done that in other posts. Rather, I have decided to suggest “thematic ideas” to match the popular name of the anniversary.

The first two anniversaries: Paper and cotton anniversary

I hear the US and Great Britain differ as to which is which. In Italy, the first anniversary is called paper anniversary so I will start with that.

(Photo by Jordon and Stephen)

To celebrate your paper anniversary in Tuscany you could…

• …plan an itinerary dedicated to cartography.
• …plan an itinerary dedicated to paper making: the Lucca and Pistoia areas are rich in old paper mills and modern paper factories too.
• …browse through markets and crafts shops to find the perfect journal or album to store your first anniversary’s memories.
• …take a decoupage class in the heart of Tuscany

To celebrate your cotton anniversary in Tuscany you could…

(Photo by Gerard Stolk)

• …definitely go shopping for that special cotton shirt or handkerchief to hold and cherish as a memory of your second anniversary.
• …take a course in lace making and embroidery or visit a lace and embroidery workshop

Leather anniversary

Tuscany is the ideal destination to celebrate your leather anniversary. You can…

(Photo by Andrea Nonno)

• …visit a leather factory near Pisa (San Miniato, Santa Croce, Montopoli, etc)
• …visit a small leather workshop and store such as Max il Cuoiaio in Pisa
• …go shopping for a perfect present for the both of you: the market of San Lorenzo in Florence would be ideal, but any city will have beautiful leather goods shops.
• …take a course with leather craftsmen in Florence

Your fourth anniversary: linen and silk or fruit and flowers

Another case in which the British and American tradition differs. If you celebrate a linen and silk anniversary, you could visit the Prato Textile Museum.

(Photo by Kelly McCarthy)

If you celebrate a fruit and flowers anniversary, you could…

• …visit the fruit and flower markets in each city you visit (in Pisa, Piazza delle Vettovaglie is your spot!)
• …visit a lavender farm
• …visit the vineyards and take a wine tour
• …take a cooking class dedicated to cooking with flowers and fruit
• …go to one of the many village festivals dedicated to fruit, such as the festival dedicated to the delicious cherries of Lari, near Pisa
• …go to a flower festival such as “Le Camelie del Chiostro”.

Your fifth anniversary: wood

If you happen to be in Tuscany on your wood anniversary, you could…

• …collect the cork(s) of the bottle(s) of wine you will drink on your anniversary
• …take a wood carving course in Tuscany
• …visit a botanic garden and take plenty of photos with the oldest trees
• …if your anniversary is in the winter, spend the night in in front of the fireplace, burning scented wood
• …visit a carpenter’s workshop, better if specialized in restoring old furniture
• …go shopping for a special wooden frame or box in an antique store or at an antique market like the market held every second weekend of the month in Pisa.

Your sixth anniversary: iron or sugar

If you celebrate an iron anniversary, you should visit an archaeological museum and see the amazing iron artifacts made by the first people who lived in Tuscany. There are some excellent Etruscan museums! You could also visit the old mines in Massa Marittima and the colline metallifere in the Upper Maremma or the amazing minerary museum of the Val di Cornia.

(Photo by Grisù the Dragon)

If you celebrate a sugar anniversary there is no better way to celebrate than visiting a chocolate factory or simply stuffing your face with many delicious sweets!

Your seventh anniversary: wool

You can visit the unique cashmere farm “Chianti cashmere“.

The eight and ninth anniversaries: salt and pottery

If you are one of the lucky couples who go beyond the “seventh year itch”, you could celebrate your salt anniversary with salt therapy at a five star spa and your ninth anniversary either shopping for special ceramic pieces or taking a pottery class!

(Photo by Janine Graf)

The tenth anniversary: tin

This is a difficult one! I guess you could go out for dinner at a very special place and have a florist decorate your table with tins of flowers. Something as pretty as the arrangement in the photo below!

The fifteenth anniversary: crystal

There is no better way to celebrate your crystal anniversary than getting a special crystal gift for your spouse. You could visit the town of Colle Val d’Elsa, the capital of crystal production in Tuscany. There you will find a very interesting museum dedicated to this ancient art and lots of shops selling amazing things. You could buy a couple of beautiful crystal glasses and use them to toast your next 15 years together!

(Photo by jennconspiracy)

The twentieth anniversary: china

I love china. I love houseware in general, so I hope to get to this one so that I can actually go browse some antique markets and shops to find the perfect table setting for our 20th anniversary dinner! If you happen to be in Lucca, you should visit Mamma Ro’ store in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro: their products are gorgeous.

(Photo by fgenoher)

The “precious” anniversaries

The following big anniversaries are all dedicated to precious stones, metals or other materials: silver (25th), pearl (30th), coral (35th), ruby (40th), sapphire (45th), gold (50th), emerald (55th), diamond (60th), platinum (70th), diamnd and gold (75th).

(Photo by jonasginter)

The lucky ones who manage to celebrate these “precious” anniversaries have no other choice but to visit the many jewelleries of Ponte Vecchio in Florence! Of course, for a bit of culture, they can also add a visit to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, a museum dedicated to precious stones, and the Museo degli Argenti. Alternatively, if your anniversary falls around that time of the year, OroArezzo is a very interesting fair dedicated to jewellery.

Celebrating with us

Last month, we invited friends and fellow bloggers to choose one of the topics we have covered over the past year to celebrate our first anniversary with us. Alexandra collected most of the links in her post “Italy Roundtable – An invitation accepted“. All the contributions were incredibly interesting, and I particularly liked Giovanna’s post Invitation to Walk, because even though I have lived in Pisa for 16 years, I hardly know the walking trails around the city. Diana’s post “The elements” also has a special place in my heart, because she made a beautiful serving plate for my baby’s baptism in a delicate shade of blue: one of the presents we will cherish the most! Letizia’s gluten free cake gives hope to all those who are gluten intollerant: you can have delicious food even if you have special dietary needs.

Italy Blogging Roundtable

This is the twelfth post in a monthly series called The Italy Blogging Roundtable. Here you can find the posts of the other bloggers who participate in the roundtable. Our topic this month was “anniversaries“:

• ArtTrav – Predicting our future: a first date at Niki de Saint Phalle’s Tarot Garden in Maremma
• Brigolante – Happy Anniversary to Us!
• Italofile – Anniversaries in Italian History: Dates Every Curious Traveler to Italy Should Know
• WhyGo Italy – A Decade with Italy

What is Tuscany like in April?

April is usually a lovely spring month, with longer sunny days and warm temperatures. Occasionally, in years like the present one (2012), it may be quite rainy, but it is more likely that rainy days alternate with long stretches of nice weather.

The countryside is beautifully green with plenty of fruit trees in bloom and flowers in the fields. This year, the temperatures were high enough that wisteria was in bloom at the beginning of the month and poppies are already dotting the fields. There are tender light green leaves on the trees and everything is so bright and colorful! I really love Tuscany in April! I think the end of April and early May are the best time of the year to be here.

Temperatures range between 10-15°C (50-59°F) and 16-23°C (61-73°F), but there might be days when it’s slightly colder or even much warmer, with almost summer-like temperatures. A peculiarity of the weather in April is that it can get quite windy. I always wait until May before putting flowers out on my balcony because there are always a few very windy days which end up damaging my plants!

You will need to dress in layers to be comfortable in the frequent changes in temperatures from one day to the next or even from dawn to dusk. Remember to bring a wind breaker and an umbrella.

Many restaurants will have outdoor tables at lunchtime, but it is normally still too cold to serve dinner outdoors. Swimming pools will be still closed in hotels and hoilday farms.

Many seasonal attractions will reopen in early April, such as the Tarot Garden of Niki de Saintphalle or the Garden of Daniel Spoerri.

If you plan on visiting the vineyards, this is the month when the first leaves appear on the vines after the winter. In the olive groves, you will see people pruning the trees.

The olive tree branches are blessed on Palm Sunday and given to all the families of the parish.

What is in season in April?

Strawberries and loquats! If you love them like I do, this is the time of the year when you can get delicious ones! And then asparagus, artichokes, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, fennels, various types of salad, peas, and radishes!

(Photo by Giulio Digra)

April is essentially the beginning of the season when you can get delicious vegetables and fruit, so make sure to stop at a vegetable market!

Beware of tricks!

April 1st is April Fool’s Day, which is called “Pesce d’Aprile” in Italian, literally “April fish”. Kids walk around sticking paper fish to the backs of their friends, teachers and in University cities, students might also trick strangers. So beware!

Easter celebrations

Easter usually falls in April. Holy Week is a great time to be in Tuscany because of the many events organized everywhere: from the processions of Good Friday to the picnics of Easter Monday. Moreover there are some great celebrations such as the “Flight of the Dove and the Car Explosion” in Florence (see this great post by my friend Jessica of Why go Italy on Easter in Florence). Here you can see some of my previous posts about Easter in Tuscany.

(Photo by Lorana Gallery)

Schools are closed for a week from Holy Thursday, so you might see lots of kids playing in the streets. Both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are holidays so shops and some attractions will be closed but restaurants will be open and most attractions will be open on Monday, which is traditionally a day for day trips (gite fuori porta – literally, trips outside the city gates).

Liberation Day

April 25 is a national holiday: Liberation Day. We celebrate the liberation of the country from Fascism and Nazism. The day is also dedicated to Italy’s fallen soldiers. Parades and other events will be organized in most Italian cities.

Flower Festivals

April and May are the months of the many flower festivals in Tuscany. Pisa celebrates spring with a lovely event called Pisa in Fiore during which the city is transformed in a gigantic garden. Here are some photos from this year’s edition.

(Photo by scorzett2006)

Near Pisa, a Le Camelie del Chiostro is a fabulous event held in the old monastery of Nicosia, near Calci.

If you plan on renting a car, you might find these posts useful:

• To drive or not to drive in Tuscany? That is the question.
• Parking in Pisa and Siena
• Pisa ZTL: Limited Traffic Zone

However, I am aware that some peope do not feel comfortable driving. Moreover, most guests at our Pisa apartment, Behind the Tower, choose not to rent a car, because the city is a fabulous transportation hub and the apartment is excellently served by the local city buses. For these reasons, over the years, I have had to gather information on how our guests could reach the minor centers around Pisa: it was high time that I actually did something with it.

(Photo by prasad.om)

A few days ago, while I was on a train going back to Pisa from Siena, it occurred to me that I should write a post about the centers that one can reach more or less easily from Pisa without a car.

The Big Ones

From Pisa you can very easily reach most of the “Big Ones” by train. Florence is extremely easy. You find all the details in my post on how to travel from Pisa to Florence.

(Photo by alh1)

Getting to Lucca is also a piece of cake. There are frequent trains from Pisa Centrale and Pisa San Rossore. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and the ticket costs 3 euros.

(Photo by Ostrosky Photos)

The number of trains to Siena has also significantly increased over the past few years, although it still takes up to 1h45 minutes and you will need to change trains once. To go to Siena from Pisa, you first need to get on a train to Florence and change at Empoli. To return to Pisa you need to get on a train to Florence again, and change at Empoli. Be careful in Empoli because the change can be a bit tricky. The departures board does not list Pisa  but rather  the final destination of the train, which will be either Livorno Centrale or Pontremoli. Both of those trains will stop at Pisa Centrale.

(Photo by littlestar19)

Livorno and Grosseto are on the  train line to Rome. Livorno is only a 15 minute train ride from Pisa, while the trip to Grosseto takes 1h40 minutes. Any train to Rome or Naples will stop in Livorno and Grosseto.

(Photo by tomcraft2xlc)

Pisa is a convenient base to visit other major centers outside of Tuscany, such as Genoa and Cinque Terre. Genoa is on the main line to Turin and Milan. You can reach Genoa in 1h45-2h45 minutes, depending on the type of train (17 – 25 euros). To go to the five villages of Cinque Terre you need to change in La Spezia and get on a train to Riomaggiore, the first of them. The ride takes about 1h40 minutes and costs 6.40 euros. Then you can get a ticket to the other 4 towns. Remember that train tickets must be used within 6 hours from the time you stamp them before getting on the train.

(Photo by antmoose)

Carrara and the marble quarries are also an easy daytrip from Pisa. Carrara can be reached by train in 35-45 minutes and from there you can join one of the tours such as “Cave di Marmo Tours“.

(Photo by Nevada Tubleweed)

For further information on train tickets and schedules, please check the Official Italian Raylway System Website.

The Small(er) Ones

There are many, many pretty towns and villages in Northern Tuscany. I will only mention those that can be reached quite easily from Pisa.

The province of  Pisa can be ideally divided in 5 major areas: the city itself, the Pisan Mounts or Monti Pisani, the Valdarno (the valley where the river Arno flows), the Valdera (the valley where the river Era flows) and the Pisan Hills or Colline Pisane, and the Val di Cecina (the valley where the river Cecina flows).

The immediate surroundings

Just outside Pisa, you can reach the beautiful Basilica of San Piero a Grado by bus. Buses leave from the main bus station in Piazza S. Antonio. You need to get on the bus n.10 to Livorno. The ride takes 15 minutes, tickets can be purchased at the bus station (before getting on the bus) and cost less than 2 euros. The bus continues on to the coast, so if you are up for a day on the beach or for a nice seafood meal, you can easily reach Marina di Pisa and Tirrenia.

The nature park of Migliarino, San Rossore and Massaciuccoli makes for another great daytrip from Pisa. The park is right on the outskirts of the city; it features a great walking trail system, a renowned hyppodrome, and beautiful sandy beaches with high dunes. There are several transportation options to reach the park from the city. Y0u can get on the hop on hop off sightseeing bus in Piazza Arcivescovado (Line B). You can rent a bike. You can hire a horse drawn carriage. And you can go by taxi or even walk there.

(Photo by Marco Menu)

Monti Pisani

In the area known as Monti Pisani, there are a few neat towns that you can visit by public transportation.

If you like going to the spas, San Giuliano Terme is your ideal destination. There you can find a 5-star spa resort: Bagni di Pisa. Grotta Giusti is also quite impressive. You can reach San Giuliano by bus n. 70 (Pisa – Gello – Pontasserchio) or bus n.110 (Pisa – Asciano – Agnano), and by train, as it’s on the Pisa-Lucca line. It is close enough to the city that a taxi ride could also be an option. Uliveto Terme is another spa town that can be easily reached by bus (n.140, Pisa – Vicopisano – Pontedera).

For lovers of the Middle Ages, a visit to Vicopisano is a must: it can be reached by bus 140. The village hosts a great medieval festival on the first weekend of September.

(Photo by Gruenemann)

Calci with its Certosa is also a very interesting day trip from Pisa. The Certosa also houses the Museum of Natural History. Not far from Calci, the tiny hamlet of Montemagno is also worth a visit. Both can be reached by bus n. 120. Bus 160 also goes to Calci.

(Photo by marco83)

If you happen to be in the area in the fall, the town of Buti is famous for its olive oil and olive oil festival.  The festival is usually at the end of November or in early December. You can reach Buti by bus n.142 from Pontedera. Pontedera can be reached by train (it’s on the Pisa – Florence line) or bus (n. 2).

(Photo by ste 71)

Valdarno Pisano

The Valdarno Pisano boasts pretty towns and villages such as San Miniato and Santa Maria a Monte, and is the heart of the leather trade in Tuscany.

San Miniato has a fabulous cathedral and is home to one of the most prestigious truffle festivals in the country.  From Pisa, you can reach the town by train. The train station is in San Miniato Basso, the newest part of the town. It is a stop on the Pisa – Florence railway line. There are buses leaving regularly from the station to San Miniato Alto, the old town (bus n. 320). Alternatively, you can reach the town by bus from Pontedera (bus n.210), which is also a stop on the Pisa-Florence railway line.

(Photo by Light Blue Photo)

Bientina is another neat medieval town in the Valdarno Pisano. It features a lovely church and an interesting Etruscan museum. It can be reached by bus going from Pisa to Cascina (n.140) and then from Cascina to Bientina (n.141), or from Pisa to Calcinaia (n.140) and then from the latter to Bientina (n.142). Alternatively, you can reach Pontedera by train and from there, go to Bientina by bus (n.420).

Castelfranco, Montopoli and Santa Croce are famous for the many leather factories. They have medieval roots and make for a nice day trip. Castelfranco can be reached by train (it is on the Pisa-Florence line) and Montopoli can be reached by bus from Castelfranco (bus n.880). Santa Croce can be reached by bus n.880 from San Miniato Basso which is a stop on the Pisa-Florence railway line.

(Photo by gnu1742)

Santa Maria a Monte is a lovely village perched on the top of a hill. It can be reached by buses n. 240, 250 or 260 from Pontedera, which is on the Pisa-Florence railway line.

Valdera and the Pisan Hills

The Valdera and the area of the “colline pisane” are two of the most overlooked areas of Tuscany, yet they are as beautiful as the enormously more popular and better known Val d’Orcia, south of Siena. The landscape is in fact very similar, with gentle rolling hills and the wide open countryside. As any unspoilt areas, the Valdera and the Pisan Hills are quite far from the city, and reaching the smaller places by public transportation can be challenging and time consuming (1h30-2h30). However, since the route is really scenic, if your heart is set on exploring this beautiful corner of Tuscany without a car, here is how you can reach the main destinations in the area.

Pontedera is a larger town, and a central transportation hub. Most of the smaller places in the Pisa province can be reached by bus from here, rather than from the city of Pisa. Pontedera is a major stop on the Pisa-Florence railway line. The town is home to Piaggio, the brand made famous by the Vespa scooter. The city itself is quite modern, but it hosts the very interesting Piaggio Museum, a contemporary art gallery (Centro Espositivo Otello Cirri) and a very active theater, Teatro d’Era, that stages numerous contemporary plays. Just outside the town, the hamlets of Treggiaia and Montecastello might be worth a visit. From Pontedera, the former can be reached by bus n.230 and the latter by bus n.220.

Santa Luce is home to a nature park managed by LIPU, the association which protects endangered bird species. It can be reached by bus n.50 to Collesalvetti, and from there by bus n.170.

(Photo by LivornoQueen)

Lari is a lovely small town with a nice castle and famous for its cherries. There is a popular festival held every year at the end of May. Lari can be reached by bus n. 400 from Pontedera.

(Photo by Marco83)

Casciana Terme is a popular spa town, and can be reached by bus n.410 from Pontedera.

Palaia is a village in a great panoramic position. It is home to a popular medieval festival held on the third Sunday of September and it is in an area rich in truffles. It can be reached by bus n.230 from Pontedera.

(Photo by cedsarlette)

Lajatico is in one of the most beautiful corners of Tuscany in the middle of a breathtaking landscape. It is home to the Theater of Silence (Teatro del Silenzio), famous for its connection to Andrea Bocelli. Lajatico can be reached by bus n. 500 from Pontedera.

(Photo by hippydream)

Terricciola is a rural town in the heart of a wine region. There are many excellent wineries in the area and if you are interested in a wine tour in the Pisa area, this is the place to go. Reaching Terricciola by public transport means reaching Pontedera by train first, then from there going to Capannoli by bus n. 500 or n.460 and getting on bus n.450 in Capannoli.

(Photo by letterio1)

Capannoli itself is a nice little village where an interesting fair is held every year on the second Sunday of September specializing in birds. Capannoli is located on the Wine Trail of the Pisan Hills. It can be reached from Pontedera by bus n. 500 or n. 460.

Chianni and the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine are in a spectacular panoramic position. The village is famous for its chestnuts. It can be reached by bus n.410 from Pontedera.

(Photo by Eric Perrone)

Val di Cecina

The Val di Cecina is another spectacular area, home to the beautiful town of Volterra.

Volterra needs no introductions. It can be reached from Pontedera by bus n.500. Alternatively, it can be reached from Cecina (which is a stop on the Pisa-Rome railway line) by bus n.790.  Volterra definitely deserves a visit, but the journey takes over 2 hours from Pisa because it’s in a very remote (yet beautiful) location.

(Photo by Divina Toscana)

Castelnuovo Val di Cecina and Montecatini in Val di Cecina are also well worth a visit. The former can be reached from Volterra by bus n.780. The latter can be reached from Volterra by bus n.800.

Casale Marittimo is another neat village, which can be reached from Cecina by bus n. 110. From there, the view over the Costa degli Etruschi is incredible.

(Photo by pynomoscato)

Going to the beach

Pisa is near the coast so it is a great base to go to the beach. The closest beach towns are Marina di Pisa and Tirrenia, both easily reachable by bus n.110.

(Photo by mstefano80)

The Versilia is also easy to reach by train, with popular towns such as Viareggio, home to a famous carnival, Marina di Pietrasanta (Pietrasanta itsef is a lovely town), Lido di Camaiore, and Forte dei Marmi. They are also convenient by bus: bus n.546 links Pisa, Viareggio and Pietrasanta; bus n. 472 links Viareggio and Lido di Camaiore; bus P528 links Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi.

(Photo by effexeffe)

The Garfagnana

The Garfagnana is a beautiful hilly area north of Lucca. The major sites such as Barga (bus n.702), and Bagni di Lucca (bus n.P538) – can all be reached by bus from Lucca.

(Photo by Jim Fye)

Usefu links

• Compagnia Pisana Trasporti
• Italian Railway System
• Pisa Tourist Board

And of course, if you need a place to stay… our vacation apartment near the Leaning Tower!

The waiter made it sound inviting…

In the most touristy areas, you will notice waiters outside bars and restaurants inviting people in. Sometimes they make a nice remark on your look, on the weather, on the sight you are going to see, other times they simply wave a menu or the picture of a dish at you. Occasionally, they even put on a strong local accent to sound more “authentic”. The sole purpose of their big smile though is generally to attract you inside their usually overpriced, overtouristy restaurant.

It is almost never a good idea to stop at one of those places, not even if the view is good and “the gentleman seemed so nice”, as we have been told by way too many regretful guests. They are often poor quality food factories, with high prices, exclusively geared towards the foreign market.

My recommendation is to avoid places which hire someone to lure you in, especially if:

• they have pictures of the food on their menus
• they have an all English menu with no Italian version available
• they serve pizza at lunchtime (no Italian would ever consider having a full-on pizza at lunchtime, unless it’s a square of pizza you can buy on the run in a little take away place or in a bakery)
• you cannot see any local people eating there
• they serve lunch at 11am or dinner at 5pm (we eat at 12pm or 7pm at the earliest)

There might be exceptions to my “rule”, but I don’t know of any.

I thought it was for a good cause…

It is not uncommon to be stopped by people claiming to be collecting funds for some good cause – be that to help people just out of rehab or associations assisting ill people. Many of these collections are real and authorized, but many are not.

If you are not sure the person in front of you has a permit and the cause is real, do not stop. Be determined in saying “no thank you”.

It looked real… It looked like he or she needed my help…

You will meet a large number of street vendors trying to sell you all sort of things, ranging from a packet of Kleenex to a fake Rolex, from African artifacts to fake Gucci purses, from a supposedly blessed icon to a partially used parking permit. They will come to you in the parking lots, at the ticket machines in the stations, at the bus stop, and even in bars and shops.

Never buy fake big brand products because it is absolutely illegal and you risk getting a serious fine at minimum, and you might even be facing some serious charges. “Golden” or “silver” jewels are either stolen or fake, and so are cellphones.

(Photo by fondelli.nadia)

Buying a cigarette lighter or a bracelet might be less harmful, still if you have already had your share of begging for the day, just firmly say no thank you. If they come to your table at the bar or restaurant just say no thank you and continue your conversation or activities as if they were not there, even if they are still talking to you or waving stuff at you. If you try to reject their offers by politely answering their questions, they will not give up until you have bought something. Never be rude, but always be clear that you are not interested: it’s the only way.

(Photo by nbdh)

Some of the street vendors hang around the parking lots. They “help” you park by showing you empty spots. If they really were helpful you can give them a coin, but don’t give anything if all they did was beg while waiting for you to get out of the car. Others will come to you when you are ready to leave, to see if you have some time left on your prepaid parking ticket so that they can resell it. If you want, you can give your ticket to them. Of course you might be approached with a partially used ticket. If you think there is enough time on it, you can buy it from them, although this is a debatable practice. Some will offer the ticket at a discounted price.

Never give in to gypsies. They will come to you with children or offering to read your hand. Avoid them altogether as they are likely trying to steal something for you at the same time.

(Photo by Luca Biada)

Lock your car door at traffic lights where there are beggars, be they just there asking for money or offering to wash your windshield. Make sure you don’t have purses or wallets on the passenger seat and the windows down: they are quick and clever. I usually stop far enough from the car in front of me that I can move forward when they reach my window.

And here’s an invitation you should accept!

It’s hard to believe, but next month we’ll celebrate our first anniversary of the Italy Roundtable. Alexandra, Jessica, Melanie, Rebecca and I have enjoyed tackling a new topic each month, and we’ve especially enjoyed hearing from readers. In fact, we were so pleased with how our last invitation went for bloggers to join us at the Roundtable that we thought we’d extend another! This month, not only is the Italy Roundtable topic invitations, we’re inviting anyone who wants to participate to blog about one of the past year’s Roundtable topics.

As we’re preparing for our one-year anniversary, we’d like you to pull up a chair (so to speak)! We invite you to choose one of the topics we’ve blogged about in the past year and write a post about it. We’ll highlight some of our favorites in our own Roundtable posts next month. Here’s a list of the topics we’ve covered so far – and remember, you can be as creative with your interpretation of it as you like! (We sure are…)

May 2011: Why I Write About Italy
June 2011: Driving
July 2011: Favorite Art in Italy
August 2011: vacation month, just like the Italians!
September 2011: School
October 2011: Autumn
November 2011: Comfort Food
December 2011: Gifts
January 2012: Crafts
February 2012: The Elements
March 2012: Roots
April 2012: Invitations (the post you’re reading now!)

Link to our five blogs in your post (ArtTrav, At Home in Tuscany, Brigolante, Italofile, and WhyGo Italy), and be sure to send one of us a link to your blog post or tag it with #ItalyRoundtable on Twitter so we can find it. Your deadline is May 1.

Have fun and we look forward to reading your contributions!

Italy Blogging Roundtable

This is the eleventh post in a monthly series called The Italy Blogging Roundtable. Here you can find the posts of the other bloggers who participate in the roundtable. Our topic this month was “invitations“:

Alexandra (Arttrav) – Italian wedding invitations and customs

Jessica (Why Go Italy) – The Power of an Invitation

Melanie (Italofile) – Milan Invites Visitors to Discover the Art of Nobel Winner Dario Fo

Rebecca (Brigolante) – An Invitation

Actually, this was the second attempt, because I managed to mix up “baking soda” and “baking powder” and I ended up with some obese rabbit shaped cookies the first time! LOL

Truth be told, we also have some more “traditionally Tuscan” sweets, such as our village biscuits, called “ciambellini coll’unto”. These are the ciambellini that my mum and grandmother made. They were delicious!

And today of course, we will have to have some “colomba“, the traditional Easter dessert.

If you want to read more about Easter in Tuscany you can check out these older posts:

• Easter Holidays in Tuscany
• Those delicious Easter sweets
• Memories of an Altar Girl
• Olive trees and palms… the sacred and the profane!

And I would also like to recommend the article about Schiacciata di Pasqua by my friend Giulia of Jul’s Kitchen.

To you all a happy happy Easter!

All of a sudden, the things we loved so much to do, such as taking long walks in the countryside, laying in the sun under the oak trees, cuddling on the sofa under a blanket don’t give us the same joy as they used to.

So how do you snap out of this sense of emptiness that she left behind? Well, we have to start over. We have to make new memories. We will never forget her of course, but we must find new joy in the little things of our everyday life without her. We have our baby to build memories with: a new “configuration” of our family.

So today we went to our house in the countryside as we used to. We visited the place where my husband buried her with her favorite ball, under an olive tree, in the fields that she loved to sniff inch by inch, and we took a little walk with our son Liam. It is not easy yet, but time will help us.

We will go back to Pisa tomorrow and we will have to start over there too. Luckily we have each other, and in time maybe we will be ready to add another furry friend to our family.

Then, something happened… I went on a diet to loose the baby weight and more. Every woman knows that, when you go on a diet, your perception of the world shifts completely. Personally, mine has shifted towards my sad, sad fridge, with which I have now officially entered a love-hate relationship. I look at it as at a magic box, in the idle hope that the next time I open it, those sad salad leaves will have been transformed into some magic diet food… maybe like a zero-calorie bacon? Or magic nutella that makes you lose weight when you dig into it with a big spoon and a guilty posture… you know, half curved as if hiding from your conscience behind the fridge door… that type of posture.

If you are wondering what this has to with “roots” (besides the obvious… that is, the fact that these days I could even eat the roots of the first pale flowers dotting the fields…), not much. Except that two types of roots have caught my attention these days, so here we go.

Cycling or jogging in the city?

I don’t run. Not even to save my life I think… (It would be a poor strategy anyway, given how slow I am…), but I like walking a lot and I also use my bike to go to work, when we are in Pisa. Besides starving myself, these days I also need to “exercise”. Just writing the word makes me laugh… I could be the laziest woman in Tuscany… really. Sport is not my thing, unless it involves a sprint from the sofa to a a nicely laid table covered in titbits!

Many cities lack proper parks or green areas where you can “exercise”, but Pisa is an exception, because it has several beautiful parks and gardens such as the Botanic Garden, Giardino Scotto, the Park of San Rossore, the newly cleaned up space along the city walls and Le Piagge, my favorite place to go walk with my family – the enhanced version, I mean – me, my husband Marcel, baby Liam and our dog Candy!

(Photo by zanne84)

Many cities have tree-lined boulevards too, usually with maritime pine trees. And here comes the root part. For the first time, yesterday I noticed how problematic it can be in terms of accessibility and safety to cycle, run or take a stroll pushing a pram if you are on the sidewalk of one of these boulevards. The roots of pine trees, and very old trees in general, ruin the pavement and tend to stick out and make the surface of the road, path or sidewalk very irregular and bumpy. So, keep that in mind, especially if you plan on renting bikes (especially in a beach town) or if you travel with young children or mobility impaired people. And also if you plan on renting one of those silly-looking vehicles which, I have just discovered, are called segways (what on earth are those?! walk or bike for God’s sake: Pisa is small! …anyway… a segway tour of Pisa is now available…)

Our village park has the same problem: the alleys were repaved not long ago but the roots of the old chestnut trees are strong.

If you are on a diet (or just because)…

“Exercise” has a nasty effect on me. I get home tired and I have the temptation to eat more than I normally do with the result that besides being tired and sweaty, I am also grumpy and I need extra will power to avoid eating twice as much as I should…

The solution I have found is to keep something healthy but “different” in the house, something that I don’t usually eat, so that I can prepare something more appealing on the days where food therapy would be my first (bad) choice. And March and April are the first months of the year when you can find those radishes – radici in Italian – we call “ravanelli“, which are quite spicy and perfect for “pinzimonio”, that is, dipped in olive oil and salt, or in a salad.

The most common type has a bright red skin, but you can also find them with white skin. If you happen to be in Tuscany in late March or April, you will easily find “ravanelli” at the supermarket. They can be eaten raw or cooked. If you want to try them raw, the best way is “in pinzimonio“: just dip them in extravirgin olive oil and salt. They have a peculiar taste: you either love them or hate them. They get a much sweeter taste if you cook them.

(Photo by Sara Maternini)

You are likely to find them in salads too. One of my favorites is salad with “ravanelli”, oranges and walnuts. It’s an interesting mix of winter and spring vegetables.

Ingredients

• escarole salad, or another broad-leaved type of salad
• ravanello radishes
• oranges
• walnuts
• balsamic vinegar
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt

In a bowl, mix salad, peeled and sliced ravanelli and oranges, and walnuts. In a small cup, mix some olive oil with a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. When the “vinaigrette” is ready, pour over the vegetables, and enjoy!

Another recipe which I love is ravanelli risotto.

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 100g pancetta
• extra-virgin olive oil or butter
• 200g ravanelli
• 150g rice
• 500ml chicken or vegetable broth
• pepper
• parmesan cheese

Chop the onion and the pancetta and sauté in olive oil or butter (whichever you prefer). Peel and slice ravanelli and add them to the onion and pancetta. After 5 minutes, add the rice and stir until the grains become almost transparent. Pour 500ml of chicken or vegetable broth and let simmer so that the rice can slowly absorbe the water. Keep adding water until the rice is cooked but only in small amounts so that it can be totally absorbed, and the risotto has a nice consistency (it should not be watery). When the rice is cooked, add pepper and a couple of generous handfuls of parmesan cheese. You can keep aside a couple of ravanelli and add a few raw slices for a spicier taste.

Last but not least, you shoud know that the green leaves of the ravanelli can be used to make a delicious soup. It is one of those dishes which belong to the tradition of the “cucina povera” (literally, poor people’s cuisine) but which have now practically disappeared from our tables. My great-grandmother used to make it when I was a kid.

Ingredients

• ravanello leaves
• 1 onion
• 2 potatoes
• water
• salt
• pepper
• a few ravanelli

Wash and chop ravanello leaves, the onion and the potatoes. Put them in a small pot, covered with water, add a pinch of salt, some pepper and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Purée the mix in a blender, put back in the pot and keep cooking until the soup is thick enough. Peel and slice ravanelli, add a few slices and serve warm.

The 21st century enhanced version would allow for some mascarpone or cream too… just to make the soup richer.

Buon appetito!

Italy Blogging Roundtable

This is the tenth post in a monthly series called The Italy Blogging Roundtable. Here you can find the posts of the other bloggers who participate in the roundtable. Our topic this month was “roots“:

Alexandra (Arttrav) – How to put down roots in another country

Jessica (Why Go Italy) – Tracing your Italian Roots

Melanie (Italofile) – Rooted in Italy: The World’s First Botanical Gardens

Rebecca (Brigolante) – Zen and the Art of Making Gnocchi

In Italy, it’s traditional to give mimosa on this occasion. Since I’m allergic, my grandmother gave me a beautiful yellow rose! How sweet!

It’s a super-women’s day for me this year: I am a mother and Liam is 3 months old today! A whole new journey as a woman, let me tell you.

Anyway, to celebrate this year’s Women’s Day, I would like to present, to those who don’t know about it already, an association whose acronym in English could well be W.W.… and yes they are Wonder Women, but first and foremost “Wine Women“! The Associazione Nazionale Le Donne del Vino gathers women whose work is somehow wine-related (and no… drinking wine at your desk or at lunch break does not qualify you for membership…): wine producers, journalists, oenologists, managers of wine bars and restaurants, etc.

Since I am also a proud Tuscan (did you know that the first people in Italy to grant equal rights to men and women were the Etruscans by the way?), here is the link to the list the Wine Wonder Women in Tuscany!

And to all my beloved girlfriends, let me wish you all a wonderful women’s day, with an old post, but still heartfelt! My virtual mimosa to the most interesting women met online and not only!

What is Tuscany like in March?

In Italian we say that March is “pazzerello“, “somewhat crazy“. Describing March weather is practically impossible: it could be a proper winter month with very cold and often rainy days or the first month of spring, with warm and sunny days. Generally speaking, the beginning of the month is cold if the end of February was warm and vice versa. The end of the month can be rainy but it is normally characterized by pleasant sunny days.

Average temperatures range between 5°C and 15°C, but colder or warmer days are not infrequent. March is generally the month when taking a nice long walk in the countryside becomes pleasant again after the cold months. The grass covers the fields and the fruit trees and the mimosa trees are in bloom, which makes the rural areas quite beautiful.

The cities are usually decorated with spring flowers so March is usually a nice time of the year to visit urban areas as well.

It is still too cold to eat outdoors, but most bars will reopen their heated outdoor sitting areas in the cities. Bring clothes that can be worn in layers and waterproof footwear. A windbreaker is also essential at this time of the year.

What is in season in March?

There is not much which is in season in March in terms of fruit, but in terms of vegetables, March marks the season of delicious asparagus! Artichokes are still in season too,  and so is fennel, and the first tender salad of the season.

A day just for women

On March 8, we celebrate Women’s Day. The holiday is controversial, because most people agree that it should not be necessary to have one day dedicated to women as if they were a protected species. These people claim that every day should be Women’s Day. Truth be told, many women don’t get many chances to take a day off from their daily routines and spend it with their girlfriends doing something special, so I am glad there is at least one day a year which gives them the perfect excuse to do so.

If you are visiting Tuscany around that time, you will see lots of street vendors selling branches of mimosa. It’s traditional to give them to women on women’s day.

(Photo by Eric Perrone)

Also, if you plan on dining out at some special place, make sure to book a table, because it is a very busy night for restaurants and bars.

Two years ago (time flies!), I wrote this post about Women’s Day in Italy to “honor” the many special ladies I have had the chance to meet online and that I can now call friends.

New Year’s Day in March

From the 12th century until 1749, Pisa had its own calendar, different from the Gregorian calendar. March 25th, the day of the Annunciation – the Catholic celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus – was New Year’s Day.

The new year officially begins when a sunbeam strikes a marble egg placed in the Cathedral, above the beautiful pulpit sculpted by Giovanni Pisano. The sunbeam enters the beautiful church from a small round window located in the chapel of San Ranieri: a very ingenious solar clock!

Each year, Pisa celebrates its history with a parade in period costumes, with flag wavers, beautiful damsels, and crossbowmen! Plus soldiers, drums, trumpets and obviously the Anziani del Popolo, the wise men that ruled the Pisan Republic.

Here is a post about Pisa’s New Year’s Day 2010 and here is the program of the Pisan New Year’s Day 2012.

The beginning of Easter celebrations

If Easter falls at the beginning of April, Easter celebrations start at the end of March. Palm Sunday can be in March and in that case you will see piles of olive tree branches in front of most churches being blessed and handed out to people attending mass on that day.

You will also note piles of olive tree branches in olive groves because March is the time of the year when olive trees are pruned.