I’ve sort of gone off Siena lately. I blame the people who call their babies after the city… or the over-the-top and endlessly gushy romantic comedies that have been filmed there.

No, I’m not practicing the alphabet. That’s what one American tourist exclaimed as he was admiring the Leaning Tower of Pisa one sunny afternoon.
No joke, I was there admiring the tower too and I heard him… I guess some people express their love in weird ways…

Today I’m back in Southern Tuscany, the Maremma, my home… where my Tuscan travels began all those years ago and where I met my soon-to-be-husband Giulio.
And we decided to do some exploring… unfortunately things didn’t exactly go to plan.

If you have no interest in Twilight look away now!
But Montepulciano is an absolutely gorgeous town regardless of Twilight… you’ll miss out hearing all about if you look away!!!

It sure as hell didn’t start like Under the Tuscan Sun.
I may have had all the clichés that accompany your typical romance film heroine. Young, unattached and female? Check! Alone in a foreign country with lofty dreams about changing the world? Check! Stupidly unable to resist the wiles of a charming local boy? Check!

But as promising [...]

Le Cascate del Mulino
You really never know what to expect when you visit the Maremma.
So little is known about this corner of Southern Tuscany. First time tourists almost always miss it. Instead it’s often the domain of seasoned travellers who have already seen everything else Italy has to offer and are looking for more. More often than not, they’re [...]