From the vacation diary of a Munich family

Adriana and her husband Matteo have been living in Munich for several years and regularly go on vacation to Italy. “Most of the time we are in Abruzzo or Puglia, where our families live" says Adriana. But now they finally wanted to get to know Tuscany, whose beautiful landscape their friends had been raving about for so long. Your friends are Elisa and Davide from Tuscany Forum. Together with their sons, they spend the autumn holidays in Tuscany every year to visit new properties, try out interesting activities, maintain business contacts and, last but not least, soak up the sun before the long winter in Munich. The friends' common goal: that Holiday home “In Tuscany”, which lies in the heart of the “Colline Pisane” (Pisan hills) on the edge of the small medieval village of Terricciola.

Day 1: Arrival in Terricciola

Elisa and Davide's sons, Alessandro (12) and Matteo (4), know Terricciola well because their Nonna (grandma) and Nonno (grandpa) live here. After giving her friends Aida (1,5) and Cesare (4) the house and the most beautiful playgrounds in the beautiful garden Holiday home “In Tuscany” have shown, it's time to explore the village with the parents. The medieval small place conveys a very typical picture of Tuscan life and holidaymakers are quickly captured by the tranquil rhythm of life of the “Vita Toscana”. They stroll through the streets, visit the small corner shops that still exist here, and the adults have a cappucino in the village bar. Adriana likes how easy it is to shop here because the shopkeepers are very keen to offer good quality at a reasonable price. “The small place is so manageable", she says, "so you can get to know almost everything in an hour!Thanks to their local friends, they are already being addressed with “Ciao” ​​and their first name everywhere on the second day. Restaurant tip: For dinner, Munich residents are served pasta dishes with Pasta Martelli and various sauces, breaded rabbit “grandmother's style” and the best homemade liver pâté on the Colline Pisane in the restaurant in Lari Castle. Just a few steps from the restaurant is the best ice cream parlor Laris in the castle - which not only the children are happy about.

Day 2: Celebrations take place on Sunday

The whole village is on its feet, because on the last Sunday in October the traditional end-of-year festival of the village musicians is celebrated with a community dinner and a large raffle in the village park. “The musicians’ moms always cook delicious food and all the villagers come together to eat together,” explains Elisa, who is still raving about the delicious and sumptuous fish meal, which costs just 20 euros per adult with four courses and all drinks included cost.

Restaurant tip: The friends spend the evening in a restaurant recommended by Elisa in the medieval center of Peccioli. The Chianina beef tartare, with gorgonzola-filled pastries served on hot river stones (Sassi dell' Era), is simply delicious! There are also Tuscan Chianina hamburgers, Tuscan kebab-bo (babbo = dad) and many other imaginatively beautiful dishes!

Day 3: Excursion to Loro Ciuffenna

On Monday a trip to one of the most beautiful villages in Italy is on the agenda. Loro Ciuffenna is a medieval town at the foot of Pratomagno, whose historic core was built on overhanging rock faces. Not least because of the oldest still functioning watermill in Tuscany, the community is a member of the association “I Borghi più belli d'Italia” (the most beautiful villages in Italy). About 700 meters from the village center is the Loro Ciuffenna residence, a very child-friendly holiday home with a tennis court, riding stable, playhouse and childcare, which Elisa took a look at during the trip for the Tuscany Forum. Restaurant tip: Back at “In Toscana”, the holidaymakers decide to end the day with a classic Tuscan dinner together in a dignified restaurant Restaurant of the Terricciola estate to let it fade away.

Day 4: Today is Halloween

The kids have been excited all day because today is Halloween and in Terricciola, when it gets dark, the children go from house to house and shop to shop in disguise to ask for a sweet surprise. But first there is a visit to the coffee roasting plant Alessandro and Giovanna Becuzzi on the program, in which the “caffè” is still traditionally roasted by hand and is considered a real specialty (see also the video above). Since Elisa always uses her vacation in Tuscany to visit new properties, she continues to Montelopio and Fabbrica to see one Agriturismo Peccioli 3 and two Villas to visit. When they return, it's time to dress up and put on scary make-up. The four little people from Munich make “rich booty” and the sausage from the butcher is also really well received by everyone! Restaurant tip: Afterwards, young and old can enjoy dinner in the Terricciola pizzeria. You should definitely try the pizza with Nutella and mascarpone here!

Day 5: Big birthday party at “In Toscana”

Today is Nonna Irene's birthday and the whole family and friends are meeting in the garden of "In Toscana" in the wonderful sunshine to properly celebrate her 71st birthday. It's going to be a long night. That's why there's nothing planned for the next day - just relaxing, playing or whatever comes to mind. Adriana and Matteo go to the village with the children and meet the painter Leopoldo Terreni, who spontaneously invites them to his studio to admire his latest work. “The people here are all so friendly and open-minded,” says Adriana, happy about the artist’s invitation, which she and the children tell the others about over dinner.

Day 6: Holiday on the farm

The autumn holidays in Tuscany are coming to an end. The children were particularly looking forward to the last two days, because they spent them together on the 1.500 hectare organic agriturismo. There are lots of big and small animals here, some of which you can pet. After a light organic lunch, Alessandro, Matteo, Cesare and Aida receive their first Riding lessons from Fiorenza, which explains a lot about the horses to the little riders before they are allowed to mount them for the first time. Riding makes you hungry, so everyone looks around the farm's organic store and organic butcher shop. Then it's time to make pasta and both young and old are enthusiastic about making pici from old, almost forgotten types of flour. After a hearty barbecue in the evening, everyone falls into their beds, dead tired from an exciting day in the fresh country air.

Day 7: Say goodbye

After breakfast, guests can take a look at the agriturismo's handicraft production, where there is also a beautiful play area waiting for the little visitors in the “Opificio” (workshop). Then we go to the spacious enclosures of the Cinta Senese pigs and the Maremmana cattle, which are not always immediately visible on the wooded pastures of the organic farm. “This form of organic free-range farming results in top quality meat", explains Elisa, "and you can taste it!“. But then it's time to say goodbye, the autumn holidays in Tuscany are over. “But we'll be back“, says Adriana, “the landscape, the people, the wine, the delicious olive oil and the Tuscan cuisine convinced us!” Tip: On the return journey, the friends make a stop just outside Florence (exit “Barberino di Mugello”). Just behind the exit, the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet offers beautiful designer fashion at affordable prices (open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 20:00 p.m.).