tuscany travelz: Children

Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tuscany with Children

Tuscany offers many great cultural and gastronomic experiences, and it also offers some very fun possibilities for groups that are travelling with children. Apart from walks or bike rides through the beautiful hills, there are other places where children can have fun, like in the parks of Tuscany.

For this reason I have decided to prepare a list, that you will find below, of parks that deserve a visit if you are going to be taking a trip to Tuscany with children.

1- Parco Avventura Fosdinovo (northwest of Tuscany, near Lucca)

2- Parco Avventura di Alberovivo (close to Florence and Grosseto)

3- Monkeys Park Adventure (close to Tirrenia)

4- Salta Albero Parco Avventura (close to Rapolano Terme, Siena)

5- Selva del Buffardello (in the north of Tuscany, close to Lucca)

6- Il Giardino Sospeso (close to Livorno)

7- Acqua Village- waterpark, ideal for summer (close to Livorno)

Tuscany also offers many paths and roads where you can go horseback riding, especially in the Maremma and coastal areas.

In closing friends, I hope that your vacations to Tuscany are with your kids so that you can take advantage of some of the beautiful parks mentioned.

Kind Regards,

George

Monday, August 1, 2011

3 light and simple Tuscan recipes for summer

When summer arrives it can be a chore spending too much time in the kitchen when you want to be outside making the most of the sunshine. These Italian dishes are quick, easy, tasty....and healthy too!

Caprese Salad

The classic Caprese, this delicious salad always looks stylish on a lunch table

3 vine-ripe tomatoes,1/4-inch thick slices

1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices

20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil

Extra-virgin olive oil and Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Salt and pepper

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash

(By Stefano Coppola)

A simple enough recipe, this grilled zucchini is positively bursting with flavour from the marinade and a quick char from the grill. This makes a fabulous side dish, hot, at room temperature, or the following day cold. You�ll have leftover marinade too which you can re-use to grill more vegetables or drizzle over salad.

2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 summer squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs rosemary, chopped

1/2 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes

1 sprig oregano, chopped

3 lemons

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

2 red onions

Make Marinade: combine garlic, herbs, chile flakes, lemon juice and zest, and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Whisk in oil. Place zucchini and squash into a large re-sealable plastic bag, pour marinade over and seal. Allow to marinate at least 30 min, preferably for a few hours.

Preheat grill to high. Remove zucchini and squash from marinade. Cut unpeeled onions in half and place on grill, turning occasionally. Remove and place into a bowl, covered with plastic wrap to steam. Meanwhile grill the zucchini and squash until slightly charred. Peel and slice onions. Toss all vegetables together and season with salt and pepper.

White Bean Dip

Dips always go down well with adults and children alike and this one is tasty and healthy, especially if you serve it with crudit�s.

1 can 450 g Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or other white beans, but cannellini are traditionally used)

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

2 Tbsp basil, fresh, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp rosemary or sage, fresh, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Good pinch of salt

Ground black pepper

In a large bowl, mash the beans with the back of a fork or a hand-held potato masher. Stir in the vinegar, olive oil, chopped herbs, garlic, and pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with ciabatta or focaccia bread and crudit�s.

Hope you enjoy these summer recipes wherever you are in the world. Don�t forget to leave a comment if you try any of them.

What to do in Tuscany: Events in July-August 2011

Dear Friends,
Today I want to highlight some interesting shows and events taking place this summer in Tuscany, geared to both adults and children, especially for those who are just about to set off on their holidays in the coming weeks.

- The first event I�d like to mention is the classical music concerts taking place in Siena in the beautiful Accademia Chigiana in one of the most beautiful theatres of the Italian Renaissance. For the concert program see the following link: http://www.chigiana.it/

- Another popular event in Tuscany is the prestigious Festival de la M�sica de Radicondoli which begins on the 29th of July and continues until the 7th August. Here you will be able to enjoy pleasant evenings with music. Please visit the following site for more information: http://www.radicondoliarte.org/

- Another interesting festival is the Teatro Povero di Montichiello, where actors and musicians improvise to create a typically Tuscan scene. See the official website: http://www.teatropovero.it/

- I�d also like to recommend another interesting music festival, at San Galgano (see the above photo), an impressive roofless church situated in a spectacular enclave in Tuscany. Over the next weeks in this unique place various musical performances and operas will take place. A couple which particularly stand out are Carmina Burana and Swan Lake. For more information you can see the following webpage: http://www.festivalopera.it

- For something a bit different, from the 24th of July up until the 7th of August, in Siena, the jazz concerts are taking place. The Jazz school of Siena is one of the most important in the whole of Italy. For more information and the concert program visit the official website: http://www.sienajazz.it/

- Other notable musical events include: the Music festival of the Valdorcia (1st-16th August), the festival of the Crete Senesi from the 14th to the 22nd August and the Sarteano Jazz Festival from the 24th to the 26th August.

There are also events not exclusively devoted to music and particularly appropriate for children as well as adults.

- The Pontassieve: Summer in the Park festival overflowing with concerts, cinema, musical theatre, children�s events and dance takes place from 26th July until 13th September (Florence Province). See the following link: http://www.estatealparco.it/default.asp

- Finally, a 10 day festival of music, food, dance, markets, entertainment and shows to celebrate the Patron Saint of Borgo, San Lorenzo, will take place in the Borgo itself (Florence Province) from the 7th to the 15th August. Tel: 055 845 6230 / 84966229.

As always, I hope that this information is useful to those planning their upcoming holidays and that you enjoy any of the events you go to.

Emma.