Got 48 hours to spend in Tuscany?
With my local knowledge I can help you to get the most from a short visit.
I think you coul both accommodate in the same city for two nights or choose to change place, it makes not a big difference bacause Tuscany is very small.

FRIDAY

If yo arrive by plane in Pisa in the morning, you can take a look to Pisa (the Leaning tower and Campo dei Miracoli) and, after lunch, move to Lucca.

I think it would be lovely to have dinner there, because Lucca is very romantic by night. My advice is to rent bycicles and go on the medieval walls (around the city centre).

After dinner you should have a coffe seated in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and then go sleeping.

SATURDAY

Drive to Siena, visit the city centre (Piazza del Campo, the Cathedral), have lunch (even just a piece of pizza take away) and leave again.
Destination: Florence.
My advice is not to drive in the highway but by way of Via Chiantigiana, going through the Chianti hills. It will take half an hour more but I think it’s worth doing it!
Have dinner in Florence and find a nice accommodation in the country or in the city centre, as you prefer. After dinner it would be nice to go to Piazzale Michelangelo, a panoramic place near the center.

SUNDAY

Visit Florence: churches, museums and all the famous things of the city.
The departure can be from Pisa or Florence airport, as you prefer.

For further info about restaurants and hotels, take a look to the blog…

Italian version.

This is the recipe of the traditional cake made in Florence during Carnival (Schiacciata alla Fiorentina) that I found on Epicurious.

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 packet active dry yeast or 2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus two tablespoons
* 2 large eggs, at room temperature
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* Grated zest of one orange
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2 egg yolks

Garnish:

* 3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preparation

Lightly brush sides and bottom of an 11 x 7 x 1 1/2-inch baking pan with olive oil.

Dissolve the yeast in water and follow directions on the package regarding how long to let it sit. Using a mixer at medium speed (or processor with dough blade), blend into the yeast mixture the following (in order): the flour, half of the sugar (1/4 cup plus two tablespoons), the salt, 1/4 cup olive oil, the two whole eggs. Blend at medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the orange zest, and cinnamon, blending until oil is incorporated into dough. This mixture will be sticky and unkneadable. Scrape the dough into a very lightly oiled bowl. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap or a large towel and put it in a warm place (75 to 80° F, no drafts) for 1 1/2 hours to allow dough to rise.

Using mixer (or processor with dough blade), again at medium speed, into the risen dough blend egg yolks and the remaining granulated sugar until fully incorporated. It should form a smooth, yet loose ball. Scrape mixture into the oiled baking pan. With your knuckles, even the dough to a uniform thickness, cover with a towel (preferable to plastic wrap, because the dough may expand over the pan edge), and place it in that warm place again until it rises to the edge of the pan, approximately 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Bake dough until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge of the pan. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, with a decisive motion, slam the pan on a counter to dislodge cake.

Cover the cake with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. For decoration, you may cut out a stencil of a Florentine lily and lay it on the cake before its sugar coating for a traditional and very handsome design.

If you’re in Florence and want to dine out in a traditional place, try out a restaurant placed in an ancient and typically Tuscan “Buca” (cellar).
The restaurant “Buca Poldo”, for example, is situated in a buca just as stone’s throw from Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.

There you can taste the typical Tuscan Cuisine (Crostini Toscani, just to mention one specialty), besides the original specialties created by the chef.
A really Florentine evening!

Italian version.

This is the recipe of the typical Tuscan appetizer I found on Food Network.

They are called “Crostini Toscani” or “Crostini Neri” (something like Tuscan or Black toasts).

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
* 1 tablespoon salt packed capers, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons anchovy paste, or 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
* 1/2 pound chicken livers
* 1/2 cup dry red wine, Chianti
* 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch chili flakes
* 1/4 bunch parsley leaves, chopped
* 8 (1-inch thick) slices Italian peasant bread

Directions

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add the onion, capers, and anchovy paste, and cook until the mixture is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken livers and stir until lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the wine and balsamic vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Using a potato masher, mash the mixture so that it is lumpy. Stir in the chili flakes and parsley.

Toast the bread until golden brown and place on serving plates.
Spread equal amounts of the liver mixture over 1 side of each piece of bread and serve immediately.

The Michelangelo’s David, The Trajan’s Column and the Pantheon in Rome, The arch in London and the Duomo of Siena have something in common: they all have been realized with Carrara marble.

When we talk about “Tuscany”, you immediately think about Florence and Siena, not about Carrara, even if churches, statues, monuments are often made with Carrara marble.

If you want to go to the seaside, visit the wonderful Cathedral or take a look to the quarries you can easily get there from Florence.

If you want to eat fresh fish and typical specialties (but not only typicalities) you can try out Ristorante Il Castellaro. It’s a lovely restaurant in Carrara, also suitable for tourist groups.

Italian Version.

If you want to watch a rare event, go to Brescia on March 7th…

There will be a meeting of twins… you will feel like you see double!

Moreover, Brescia is a beautiful city to visit!

Italian version.

Mutina splendidissima, that’s how Cicero called Modena in the 44 bC.

Modena is placed in Emilia Romagna. It was a possesion of Countess Matilda of Tuscany and, later, of the Este family, that governed for centuries. One of the most known buildings of the city is, in fact, the Ducal palace of Este family.

Modena has long cooking and sporting traditions. In regard to sport, it excels in motor racing being the birthplace of many automonile manufacturers: I just have to name Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.

In regard to food, Modena is well known for its production of balsamic vinegar.
If you want to visit Modena you have to taste its typical cooking, that’s quite unique.
I can advice a restaurant: it’s called Mofo (MOdena Food) and offers typical recipes revisited in a modern way.

Mofo is not to be missed!

Italian version.

David is a statue sculpted by Michelangelo at the beginning of XVI century that portrays the King David, the biblical character that challenged Goliath.
This masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture is guarded in Florence (in Accademia Gallery) and has two replicas deployed in the city: one at Piazzale Michelangelo and one outside the Palazzo della Signoria.

The David by Michelangelo is one of the symbols of Florence, and has also named a famous restaurant of the city: Ristorante Pizzeria David.
This restaurant is perfect to spend a “Florentine evening”!

Restaurant pizzeria David
Via della Rondinella, 95/r - Florence

Italian version

Pulcinella is a typical Italian mask.
That’s the description I found on wikipedia.

Pulcinella, often called Punch or Punchinello in English, Polichinelle in French, is a classical character that originated in the Commedia dell’arte of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry.

His main characteristic, from which he acquired his name, is his extremely, big long nose, which resembles a beak. In Latin, this was a pullus gallinaceus, which led to the word “Pulliciniello” and “Pulcinella,” related to the Italian pulcino or chick.

According to another version, “Pulcinella” derived from the name of Puccio d’Aniello, a peasant of Acerra, who was portrayed in a famous picture attribued to Annibale Carracci, and indeed characterized by a long nose. It has also been suggested that the figure is a caricature of a sufferer of acromegaly.

Ever white dressed and black masked (hence conciliating the opposites of life and death), he stands out thanks to his peculiar voice, the sharp and vibrant of qualities of which contribute intense tempo of the show.

According to Pierre Louis Duchartre, his traditional temperament is to be mean, vicious, and crafty: his main mode of defense is to pretend to be too stupid to know what’s going on, and his secondary mode is to physically beat people.

Actually Pulcinella is an archetype of humanity, with all its complexities and contradictions.

Italian version.

I found this article on goitaly.

What is Carnevale?

Carnevale, also known as carnival or mardi gras, is celebrated in Italy and many places around the world 40 days before Easter, a final party before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lent.

How is Carnival Celebrated in Italy?

Carnevale in Italy is a huge winter festival celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, and parties. Children throw confetti at each other. Mischief and pranks are also common during Carnevale, hence the saying A Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale, anything goes at carnival.

Carnevale has roots in pagan festivals and traditions and as is often the case with traditional festivals was adapted to fit into the Catholic rituals. Although carnival is actually one date, in Venice and some other places in Italy the carnival celebrations and parties may begin a couple weeks before.

Masks, maschere, are an important part of the carnevale festival and Venice is the best city for traditional carnival masks. Carnival masks are sold year round and can be found in many shops in Venice, ranging from cheap masks to elaborate and expensive masks. Walking through the streets of Venice, it’s a pleasure to view the variety of masks on display in shop windows. People also wear elaborate costumes for the festival and there are costume or masquerade balls, both private and public.

Carnevale date

The 2009 date for carnevale is February 24 but celebrations in Venice and many parts of Italy will run from February 14 (or even earlier) through February 24, 2009.