UYTUR

Seeking out authentic gastronomic experiences is always a priority when visiting Tuscany, but few of them actually compare with a “zero kilometer” meal in an agriturismo or a farm-to-table restaurant. One such place is Il Canto Del Maggio, a delightful Slow Food establishment nestled in the Valdarno countryside, around 40 minutes from Florence. Owner Mauro and his daughter Simona serve dreamy Tuscan fare lovingly prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients straight from their colorful, organic orta (garden). Meals take place in a quaint, convivial atmosphere – either in the traditional dining room or outside on the gorgeous terrace – and are accompanied by delicious local wines.

With marvelous Gothic architecture, fantastic osterie, and an epic horse race dating back to the 6th century, Sienna is a veritable feast for the senses. And no visit to this splendid Tuscan city would be complete without tasting its typical dolci. Cavallucci (anise-flavored biscuits with candied orange peels), ricciarelli (soft almond cookies), and the famous panforte (spicy cake with dried fruits) are all steeped in ancient times and sold in the sweet-smelling pasticerrie lining the city’s picturesque honey-colored streets. You’ll find the best Sienese pastries at Nannini, the oldest pastry shop in town and one of the most illustrious in the whole Italy, but there are piles of delightful bakeries around town to satisfy your sweet tooth. Established in 1944, Pasticceria Bini is another Sienese institution famed for its crispy, almond-studded cantuccini, while Pasticceria Sinatti dishes out a killing Panforte Margherita. Also, locals swear by the delightfully chewy, freshly-backe...

Few dishes are more quintessentially Tuscan than bistecca alla Fiorentina, the thick, perfectly grilled T-bone cut from the region’s highly prized Chianina cattle breed. So if it’s melt-in-your-mouth steak you’re after when in Florence, Del Fagioli is one of the best places in town to get it. Established in 1966, this family-run trattoria in Santa Croce specializes in authentic home-style Florentine classics, served in atmospheric wood-paneled dining rooms, along with delicious house Chianti. The menu is bursting with staples of Tuscany’s cuccina povera like ribollita (traditional bread soup), penne strascicate (scrambled pasta), and bollito misto (mixed boiled meats), but locals are particularly fond of their signature fagioli all’olio (white beans drizzled with olive oil) and the flawlessly done bistecca alla Fiorentina, which is among the best in Florence.

As one of the world’s culinary meccas, it’s no surprise even the tiniest, most remote village in Tuscany celebrates its local specialty with a sagra (local food festival). The region is overflowing with fairs honoring everything from fresh wine and olive oil to truffles, chestnuts, and wild boar. Most of these take place during fall and are an excellent way to delve into the culture and discover the area’s most esteemed products. One of the most famous is Boccaccesca, an annual food and wine extravaganza taking place on the narrow medieval streets of Certaldo Alto. Traditional Tuscan dishes like porchetta and ribollita soup are available to sample during the event, and so are local cheeses, cured meats, and revered wines like Chianti Classico or Brunello of Montalcino. Other notable gastronomic festivals include the White Truffle Fair in San Giovanni d’Asso, Sagra del Cinghiale di Chianni (the Wild Boar Festival of Chianni), Il Desco in Lucca, and Cookstock in the historic center o...

Stretching from Pisa all the way to Prato, the Chocolate Valley is where you’ll find some of Italy’s leading artisan chocolatiers, along with their small factories and gourmet boutiques. A pioneer in the production of chocolate in Tuscany is Roberto Catinari, who opened his legendary chocolate shop in Agliana over 30 years ago after studying with Swiss chocolatiers for two decades. His rich, velvety pralines, which come in more than 100 varieties, are still regarded as some of the nation’s finest. The area also includes the spa resort of Monsummano Terme, where Andrea Slitti, the first non-Frenchman to win the prestigious Grand Prix de la Chocolaterie de Paris, serves up decadent treats in a charming café; as well as the village of Pontedera, where widely-famous Amedei, run by the Tessieri family, produces what is arguably the best chocolate bar in the world. Another must stop on your Chocolate Valley tour is Casa De Bondt in Pisa, whose Dutch-born confectioner has been chosen am...

You can’t leave Italy’s premier wine-producing region without visiting some of the area’s fantastic wineries. And if you only have time for one, let it be the famous Castello Banfi – a family-owned estate/hilltop castle hotel with a storybook setting in Montalcino. Featuring 7,000 acres of vineyards, it produces some of Italy’s finest red wines, including award-winning Brunellos, which can be tasted at their delightful Enoteca Alle Mura, along with grappa, Salsa Etrusca, and a selection of Tuscan sheep cheeses and cured meats. Try to plan your visit around lunch or dinner, as the two Tuscan restaurants on the premises (La Taverna and La Sala dei Grappoli) serve splendid regional food with a haute twist in glorious surroundings.