Experience Tuscany

Frittata À La Tuscany Recipe

ClairPhillys — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:44:58 +0000

Frittata is a very common dish in Italy and Tuscany. You can make it in thousands of different ways. A little bit like pizza, you add the ingredients that you prefer and fry them with beaten eggs, increasing the ingredients depending on how many servings you need. You can also experiment your frittata recipe by combining the most extravagant ingredients, although it is best to stick to those traditional recipes that have made this dish famous. It is a good reason also because the variety is already so large that you won’t need experimenting.
This is the frittata recipe of a traditional way of preparing this dish in Tuscany. It is called Frittata Affogata, or drown frittata. You will now discover the reason of this curious name.

Ingredients:
- 300 grams of juicy ripe tomatoes
- 5 eggs
- one onion
- Celery, parsley and basil
- Breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
- White flour
- Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them adding salt, pepper, a teaspoon of flour and a little bread crumbs so that it becomes a rather dense mixture. Set a skillet on the heat, add olive oil (two table spoons), and when it is hot (do not let the oil burn!) pour the mixture in and cook it at high heat for the first minute, then lower the heat to almost the minimum and cover with a lid. When the egg on top is almost completely hardened, use the lid to flip the frittata (cover the skillet, turn it upside down) and slide it back in the skillet. Cook for a minute over medium heat without covering. Drain the excess oil placing it on paper towels. When it is at room temperature, cute it in finger size cubes. While the frittata is cooling, prepare the vegetables. Chop the onion, celery, parsley and basil and set it all in the skillet with the oil leftover from the frittata. Should this be too much, remove a table spoon or so. Start to stir fry the vegetables and cook them well. Add the seeded, peeled and chopped tomatoes (you can use canned tomatoes) and continue cooking until you get a thick sauce. Then add the diced frittata to the sauce cooking for another 5 minutes, then serve your drown frittata recipe.

Tuscan Towns March Fairs (cont’d)

ClairPhillys — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:53:20 +0000

This is the second part of the events in Tuscan towns in March 2010. For the first part click here.

The weekends of March 13 and 19 will be celebrated in Fucecchio near Florence the Sagra del Fegatello, or the liver fair. A very typical product, not to be missed if you like liver.

Finally some space for children! On Sunday March 14 Empoli, its squares and alleys will be transformed in a large amusement park for children from 3 pm onwards. Entertainment, workshops, and a puppets theater will complete the fun.

On the same day, the 14th, in Pescia near Pistoia you will be able to taste the delicious Necci at the Sagra del Neccio, made with chestnut flower and filled with fresh ricotta cheese. A delicacy that you have to try!

Degustolio is the extra virgin olive oil tasting event that takes place at the Italian Oenotheque in Siena. The event will be only on March 12.

The town of Sansepolcro celebrates the Fiera di Mezza Quaresima,or half Lent fair, from the 18th to the 21st of March. This antique tradition brings to town any sort of traveling merchants, and on the morning of the 20th it will take place the livestock sale as it used to be in the past.

Cascina di Pisa presents Chocolandia 2010, the chocolate fair that for three days fills the Corso Matteotti with delicacies dedicated to the sweet toothed ones! It starts on the 19th and is open to all.

For those that could not attend the Sagra dl Tartufo Marzuolo in Borgo San Lorenzo, from the 19th to the 28th in Certaldo. Ten days dedicated to this scented gift of nature.

In Cortona, the celebrated Tuscan town near Arezzo, on the 19th of March it will be the turn of the Chianina oxen. Wonderful examples of this gigantic and well-behaved oxen will be on show. 120 of the most beautiful cows and bulls will be displayed.

Near Cavriglia in Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni on the 20th and 21st of March there will be the Festa di Primavera, or spring fair, with two days dedicated to local food and bike excursions of the teritory.

Two truffle events will be on the 20th and 21st of March. One is Volterra and the other in San Miniato di Pisa in Cigoli. Truffle tasting, truffle hunting, and a “class” with notions on how to taste and prepare truffles will be among the interesting events of these fairs. There of ourse will be open air restaurants to taste the delicate entries based on truffles.

In Cala Galera near Monte Argentario from the 20th to the 28th there will be an anticipation of the 2010 summer season with the nautical fair that will have on show hundreds of new and second hand boats for all tastes and pockets. Worth a visit, if only for the wonderful scenery and the nearby Porto Ercole.

So much to see in so many Tuscan towns in March. Food, culture, tradition, religion, and folklore mix up in this wonderful Tuscany to be discovered any time of the year!

Tuscan Towns March Fairs

ClairPhillys — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:23:06 +0000

With the approaching of the spring season the number of fairs are increasing by the day and moving from indoor locations to the outdoors in piazzas and town streets. There is a great number of Tuscan towns that add to the many events with their local flavor and personal twist their one of a kind fair. Often these fairs are bound to an ancient tradition, while in other cases they are a relatively recent addition to local folklore.
It is impossible to list all the Tuscan town fairs of March here, so you will find a highlight of the main ones, those bound to the territory, so to let you best discover the local culture and history.

In Rignano sull’Arno the Sagra delle Frittelle, or rice fried pancakes, dominates every weekend until March 28. The delicious frittelle will be accompanied by local VinSanto. Also Montespertoli every weekend offers bomboloni and frittelle from March 7 to the 21st.

In Scarperia near Florence the Sagra del Cinghiale, or wild boar fair, is perhaps the first of the year. Opens on March 6 and close on the 14th. All entries are served with boar meat cooked in various ways. Tuscany has a long boar culinary tradition.

From March 11 until the 21st in Arezzo you will find locally brewed artisan beer at the Festa della Birra: live music, good beer and good food will be the protagonists of this event at Teatro Tenda in Arezzo.

On the Abetone mountain on the 13th the spectacular ski torchlight parade will come down the easy and panoramic Selletta slope, all th eway until the main square of the town. Prior to the parade is an early buffet dinner with local products and cinnamon hot wine. The event is open to all.

The weekend of 13 and 14 will finally be the time to discover the black marzolino truffle. This wonderful product is celebrated in Borgo San Lorenzo near Florence with recipes that enhance the taste of truffles.

In Florence is the “Taste” event. Three days at the Stazione Leopolda to discover the traditional tastes of Tuscany and Italy exposed by the best producers selected by the organizers. 190 producers from all over Italy make of this event a must-attend.

From March 13 to the 21st opens the Palio dei Somari, or donkey race, in Torrita di Siena. The Palio is on the 21st, but during the previous weekends the town offers many entertainment occasions.

You should not miss the Torciata of Pitigliano from the 13th to 21st of March. The two weekends are rich of events, and on the 19th a town bonfire burning a dummy made of winter vegetables and other field products is burnt in the main square while a merry go round of people salutes the coming of the new spring season. This is an ancient tradition that has recently been recovered.

More events in Tuscan towns tomorrow…so much to do in Tuscany, so much to write!

Does It Snow in Tuscany? Oh Yes!

ClairPhillys — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:19:37 +0000

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is so delightful…” if Sammy Cahn were in Tuscany today he would surely compose the same words he did back in 1945! Tuscany is covered with snow from north to south and east to west, at any altitude. The Siberian influence is making this March 2010 a little crazy. One week ago temperatures were around 17 Celsius (about 70 Fahrenheit) and all of the sudden they dropped below zero Celsius (32 Fahrenheit).
Snow in Tuscany is a pretty common phenomenon, but March is a little too late to have such a widespread snowstorm. In any case the spectacle is absolutely lovely, even because in most cases the snow is quickly removed from city streets and sidewalks, and driving or walking in the city is safe.
This is probably going to be the last Tuscany snow, at least at lower altitudes. Mountain towns and resorts will almost certainly have a few other snowfalls, so if you like to sky you are sure to find snow in Tuscany until late March. Some time has passed from the first Tuscany snow of this winter season. It was December 19, 2009. Not even three months later the last snow falls on Tuscany closing the season with a bang.
All in all, the cold weather in Tuscany does not last much, but enough to enjoy the winter season and the good sides of it. Enough for this year with bringing wood to the fireplace, preparing hot hearty soups, dressing with warm clothes and visiting winter markets. The lengthening hours of daylight give the clear sign that spring is knocking and it is time to start living outdoors, making day trips and picnics, staying out late to enjoy town fairs and their dancing town parties.
So to the question “Does it snow in Tuscany?“, you can certainly reply “Yes!“, but just enough to enjoy all the seasons of the year. This is the last snow in Tuscany: so long Winter, welcome back Spring!

Tuscany Train Travel: Discover Tuscany by Train

ClairPhillys — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:20:06 +0000

There is a new way of discovering Tuscany through routes off the tourist track that preserve unaltered landscapes. It is the exploration of Tuscany by Train that gives you the chance to get to know the region crossing lands open only to the more adventurous ones that on foot or by bike can reach these lands.
But do not be mistaken, this kind of Tuscany train travel is not with everyday trains on regular traveler railways. These trains are old and completely restored. Some are diesel trains, some are steam trains, all brought back to their antique state. The railways are also dead lines that instead of being dismantled were restored and maintained to allow the grandparents of today’s high speed engines to bring you to the discovery of Tuscany by Train. These lines cross beautiful landscapes. These railways are scattered all over Tuscany. They once constituted the backbone of people and goods transportation. The elderly of those villages that were once served by the lines still remember when they used to function regularly, and their sadness when they were closed.
So it happens that local territory associations and tourism promotion agencies have picked up the challenge of creating a wonderful opportunity for Tuscany train travel, and their success is confirmed and increased by each passing year.
Just yesterday was the most scented trip of all! The train covered the line from Siena to Asciano until Monte Antico and back in the evening. This is the season of black truffles, the so called Marzuoli or Scorzoni, less sophisticated than their white counterpart that grows in Fall, but delicious nonetheless. This is not the only truffle trip, and you can get more information on next journeys calling +39 0577 207413 or writing to trenonatura@ferrovieturistiche.it.
In Northern Tuscany you can participate to the Pontremolese journey, or take part to the Lunigiana Greenway from the San Carpasio abbey to Aulle. For info call +30 329 8147086 or write to matteotollini@interfree.it.
As previously said, you can also walk through these lands, and from Orbetello to Porto Santo Stefano on the Tuscan coast you can hike the old railway line; get info on this activity at +39 349 4409855 or write to trekpertutti@thesan.net. Biking is also an option along the train line Pisa, Tirrenia, Livorno, and if you want to participate call +39 328 2751552 or wite to alessandro.barbini@poste.it. You can also bike along the Arezzo, Palazzo del Pero, Molin Nuovo, Pieve a Ranco calling +39 329 4309009 or writing to info@gcardinali.com.

All the above Tuscany train travel trips are on a one-day schedule basis and will give you the true chance to discover Tuscany by train or using other ecological means of transportation in contact with the uncontaminated Tuscan nature.

Easter Tuscany Special Offers

ClairPhillys — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:15:22 +0000

Just opened a new section on ThriftyTuscany.com dedicated to Tuscany special offers and accommodation rentals offered at lower prices for a limited period only.
Easter is coming soon. Although that particular week is usually considered a period of high season, there are many properties that offer special discounts for your Easter holiday in Tuscany without forgoing any quality.

Like Relais Il Fienile in Bibbiena near Arezzo, located in a wonderful and peaceful location immersed in a natural environment, yet close to art and history cities. It is the ideal base to enjoy the natural Casentino mountains, unique for its parks with breathtaking scenery to explore hiking, biking, or simply strolling through its large grasslands.
The Relais il Fienile bases its hospitality principles on Character, Courtesy, Calm, Charm, Cuisine, wisely mixing these ingredients to prepare the perfect relaxing holiday. Your Tuscany stay will be an enchanting experience.
The details of this offer are the following:

Valid from April 2 to April 6, 2010.
- 5 days, 4 nights in double room. Half board service 268 Euros per person. B&B service 184 Euros per person.
- 4 days, 3 nights in double room. Half board service 216 Euros per person. B&B service 153 Euros per person.
- 3 days, 2 nights in double room. Half board service 154 Euros per person. B&B service 112 Euros per person.

Children’s beds in room with parents are 38 Euros per day with half board service and 17 Euros per day with B&B service.

Visit Tuscany apartments and rooms Relais Il Fienile to view pictures of the property, get a more detailed description of this Tuscany rental anmd contact the owner directly to reserve. As usual, Relais Il Fienile is a Tuscany rental by owner from ThriftyTuscany.com.

Cipollata Recipe

ClairPhillys — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:20:56 +0000

The Sienese cuisine, and that of nearby areas, is much characterized by the research of natural flavors and the addition of special spices. The frequent use of wild fennel, tarragon, salad herbs that grow wild in certain fields, spices that elsewhere are forgotten, are a sign of loyalty to the most deeply rooted traditions of ancient Tuscan food, which have always been the subject of particular attention in the Sienese land and deserve a special recognition. How to forget old recipes such as the tarragon sauce, the Migliacci made with pig blood, and the Cipollata recipe?
Ultimately, the cuisine of Siena can claim to be the true Tuscan cooking, one that has been enriched over the centuries without ever abandoning the deepest roots of each dish. The people of Siena is well aware and proud of such tradition.
Here you can recover this tradition too, learning the delicious Cipollata recipe!

Ingredients:
- One kilo of white onions
- 400 grams of pork ribs
- 200 grams of stale home-style bread (stale)
- 100 grams of extra virgin olive oil
- 50 grams of bacon
- 50 grams of fresh Tuscan sausage
- A stick of celery
- A clove of garlic
- A carrot
- Salt

Preparation:
Place the pork ribs in a pot, add the carrot cut in half, a piece of celery and half onion, then cover with a liter and a half of water. Season with salt and set the pot on the heat and cook until the meat comes off the the ribs. Strain the broth, strip the flesh off the ribs and put the meat on a separate plate. In the meantime the pork was cooking you should have chopped all the onions, and placed them in a large bowl, then kept under a thin but continuous stream of running water for 15 minutes. While the onions are washing, pour the oil in a saucepan, add the chopped bacon and the peeled and chopped sausage. Brown them for a few minutes then add the drained onions. Allow them to dry without a lid on, then pour two ladles of the broth you have prepared, cover and cook over moderate heat, occasionally adding more broth. After about an hour and a half of cooking, add the onions to the meat cut into small strips, then add the remaining broth and keep cooking for about 15 minutes. Get a soup bowl and cover the bottom with toasted bread slices rubbed with garlic (rub after toasting), then pour the Cipollata in over the bread. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving, to allow the bread to absorb the broth.

Easter Tuscan Traditions

ClairPhillys — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:20:20 +0000

Easter is approaching fast, April 4, 2010 will be in less than a month from today. Easter in Tuscany, like in the rest of Italy, is a very important part of the local tradition. There are a number of appointments and rituals that take place each year during the period that precedes the Easter Sunday.
Tuscany is located at a latitude that almost always grants fair weather when Easter comes. Therefore during this period there are quite a number of outdoor activities that happen in towns and cities. With the approaching of Easter Sunday, the number of events becomes more and more centered around the religious meaning of the festivity. Tuscany is a very Catholic part of Italy, therefore here you will be able to attend many religious reenactments of the Passion of Christ (for which is meant the imprisonment, torture and final crucifixion of Jesus). In religious terms, Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, and in pagan terms it is the festivity of spring, the resurrection from the dark and cold winter of all living things. The two meanings often coincide in many towns of Tuscany. For example on March 21st, the spring equinox, is the festivity of Saint Benedict and Aulla, near Massa, celebrates it with a town fair filled with kiosks and local flavors. A similar event of ancient pagan origins happens in Cardoso and nearby villages of the Serchio Valley. The Monte Forato, or perforated mountain, presents a large and thick arch through which the setting sun appears after disappearing for a few moments after the rocky arch, thus creating the wonderful effect of a double sunset. This effect only happens during a specific time of the year in spring when the hole is aligned with the setting sun. Ancient traditions celebrated the event as the coming of spring and the end of deadly winter months. Nowadays the mountain still attracts many to witness the spectacular phenomenon.
More Catholic celebrations are the reenactments that happen on the Thursday immediately before Easter or on Good Friday. The processions reenacted in Radicofani, Castiglion d’Orcia, Piancastagnaio and Abbadia San Salvatore are among the most famous in Tuscany. The medieval alleys of these mountain town are lit with oil torches only, and the scenic effect exalts the sad parade of people in costumes following “Jesus” carrying the cross. The procession can be attended with respect for the religious meaning of the event. Castiglion Fiorentino celebrates with La Volata, the flight, where the crucifix is brought by many running into the Collegiata church giving the impression to fly over the spectators. Quite a spectacle to attend.
The most common way to celebrate Easter in Tuscany is to be with one’s family, but it can also be celebrated with others as there is a saying in Italy that states “Christmas with your family, Easter with whomever you want”. On that Sunday morning boiled eggs are blessed in church and then brought back home to be eaten first thing at lunch following a short prayer. The following day, Easter Monday, is dedicated to outdoor excursions and day trips, often to the seaside or dedicated to the discovery of a local town fair, as many are available on this day. In a few days here you will find here a list of all the places to visit on Easter Monday, to make your Easter in Tuscany more interesting!

International Tuscany Concerts 2010

ClairPhillys — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:25:09 +0000

The upcoming spring season brings to Tuscany a number of international music artists whose names are renown worldwide. Groups and soloists alternate in the most beautiful arenas and concert halls of Tuscany to present the spectators with their latest works.
The following calendar is not meant to be comprehensive of all the international artists and music concerts in Tuscany during the 2010 season, but it includes many of the main music events of the region.

March 11 Vanessa Peters in concert in Florence. Appreciated for her voice and defined delicious and enchanting, she was voted among the ten best voices in Austin, TX.

March 16 Pat Metheny in concert at Saschall in Florence. After a career dotted with successes and and 17 Grammy Awards, the great US musician presents a revolutionary solo concert with his latest creation named Orchestrion.

March 18 Philip Harper quartet in concert in Terranuova Bracciolini. The concert is inserted in the Valdarno Jazz contest 2010.

March 21 Chris Proctor in concert in Florence. International critics set the style of US guitarist Proctor among the best examples of American fingerstyle of the last 20 years.

March 24 Andy Timmons live in Pisa. The extraordinary US guitarist is famous for his unique live exhibitions that exalt his great artistic charisma.

March 25 Gospel Night at Teatro degli Industri di Grosseto. In concert Cheryl Porter Quartet with Sisters & Brothers.

March 26 Jon Hopkins at Città del Teatro di Cascina. Second event of electronic music at Fosfeni 2010.

March 27 Anoushka Shankar & Band live in Florence. The daughter of the immensely famous sitar player Ravi Shankar, she will be in concert with her Indian players music band.

March 29 Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band in Montecatini Terme. This is an exclusive jam session and a unique occasion to appreciate the music talent of the great US director.

April 6 The Hidden Cameras in Florence. The band of Joel Gibb and company arrives in Florence presenting one of the most interesting formations producing a style that fluctuates between folk traditional musics and contemporary rhythms.

April 15 Why? in concert in Florence. The US indie rock band presents live their last album Eskimo Snow.

April 17 John Scofield in concert at Teatro Guglielmi in Massa. John Scofield is considered one of three greatest jazz guitarists with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. His influence started during the Seventies and today it is strongest than ever.

April 23 Pierre Bensusan live in Florence. Live one of the greatest acoustic guitar legends in the world.

April 27 The Unthanks live in Florence. The duo’s latest artistic production out since the nd of 2009, Here’s The Tender Coming, expands the stylistic horizons of their work with piano and orchestra sounds.

May 8 The Mike Stern band in concert at Teatro Guglielmi in Massa. Mike Stern, one of the greatest guitarists of all times will be accompanied by a super band during a historic event for the hosting town.

May 26 Gotan Project live in Florence. The band that rediscovered and brought back under the spotlight tango music with electronic music influences is back live in Florence.

July 10 Mark Knopfler in concert in Lucca for the 2010 tour. Knopfler presents his new album Get Lucky in Lucca.

July 25 Andrea Bocelli in concert at Teatro del Silenzio of Lajatico. This will be the fifth and last edition of this event that has become one of the most important ones in the international live music landscape.

More appointments to come in the next months.

Learn The Tuscan Crafts

ClairPhillys — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:26:04 +0000

A new fantastic contest to extend your holiday in Tuscany for free and learn the crafts that have made Tuscan manufacturing and arts great in the world. The tradition continues thanks to the effort of many artisans that pass their craftsmanship along to those willing to learn.
Photography, cooking, painting and ceramic are the courses on which this contest focuses. 4 arts and crafts that combine the most antique Tuscan traditions with more modern ones. The winners of the contest will learn the rudiments and secrets of these forms of art enriching their Tuscan experience with invaluable knowledge.
Each prize also includes 2 nights in Tuscany in a superior room B&B, each in a different part of the region. Each location is bound to a specific craft for local traditions or peculiar characteristics of the land. The photography course will take place in the Siena area, due to the wonderful scenic properties of this territory. A professional will guide you and teach you how to shoot professional pictures. You will be enlightened on the art of painting in Florence, the cradle of Renaissance. Ceramic is reserved to the Maremma in Sorano, where there is a renown ceramic school. The cooking class is going to be in Barberino del Mugello, an area renown for the sapient mastery in the art of cooking.
For more details on prizes and the rules of the contest click here or open this document.

CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS: DISCOVERING TUSCAN TREASURES
ARTISTS AND ARTISANS IN TUSCANY
AREA: Worldwide Internet.
DURATION: Registrations for the contest begin on February 13, 2010 (the day in which the contest can be found on the Internet website) to April 17, 2010 (at 23.59’,59” GMT is when contest registrations close).
ELIGIBILITY: All Internet users 18 years or more are eligible to participate. Participants must have already booked a holiday in Tuscany or intend to book a holiday in Tuscany within 10 days of the announcement of the contest winners; participants must have also sent at least 4 postcards on the website to at least four friends via email. All residents in Tuscany are excluded from entering the contest.
OBJECTIVE OF THE PROMOTION: The contest aims to promote and augment tourism in Tuscany through the website: www.turismo.intoscana.it.
ADVERTISING: The contest will be advertised and promoted on the www.turismo.intoscana.it and www.intoscana.it websites; webpage banners will also be present on all international websites and links to the principal Social Networking sites, which will provide links to the contest’s website. The rules and regulations are available at www.turismo.intoscana.it/wintoscana.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: With the desire of obtaining the above-mentioned objective, the agency Leader Pubblicità e Marketing s.r.l., nominated by the Fondazione Sistema Toscana which heads the marketing campaign, Toscana- Voglio vivere così in Toscana”, intends to organize a prize-winning contest, called “Discovering Tuscan Treasures: Artists and Artisans in Tuscany”, which will be held with the terms and conditions listed below.
All those who access the website www.turismo.intoscana.it from February 13, 2010 to April 17, 2010 can participate. In the section entitled “Contests”, to enter the contest participants must send 4 postcards to the email addresses of 4 friends, inviting them to enter in the contest.
Only one entry is allowed per person for each contest.
The first step: each contestant must complete his/her registration by listing his/her email address and password. Once the postcards have been sent out, contestants must complete the information in the indicated spaces on the registration form; this is obligatory in order to take part in the final draw. Once this has been done, contestants will immediately receive an email (sent to the address given during registration) with a link; contestants must click the link to activate his/her registration to access to the services offered on the turismo.intoscana website.
Every time a contestants’ friend(s) enters the contest (they do so by clicking on the link in the email they received from the contestant) the name of the contestant that sent them the postcard will be included in a list that will be subject to a draw; the more friends that click the link, the better the chances are to win a prize.

PREREQUISITES TO ENTER To win a prize, every winner must prove that they have already booked a holiday in Tuscany, or prove that they are going to book a holiday in Tuscany within 10 days of the announcement of the contest winners. To claim a prize, every winner must send in the proper documentation (e.g. a plane ticket or hotel reservation) that attests to the holiday that has been booked, or that will be booked in Tuscany within the time frame indicated for each prize.
PRIZE DRAW
All of the names of the contestants that have sent the required number of postcards and have correctly completed the registration form will be given a number. These numbers will be used to compile a list, from which organizers will draw the names of the prizewinners.
The draw takes place on April 24, 2010 and will be held in Florence, either at the sponsor’s offices or at another location that will be announced. According to the rules and regulations of the contest, in the event that it is not possible to hold the draw on the date indicated above, an alternate date will be announced.
The contest will award five prizes for a two-day holiday and workshop to learn five different types of traditional Tuscan artisan crafts. Accommodation will be arranged in the same town in which winners do the workshops, or in a nearby location.
Each winner may choose the workshop they want to take, among the dates made available to them, in relation the different prizes.
In the first name draw, four names will be chosen at random for four prizes. Another 20 names will be drawn as reserve winners, who may win in the event that the first name drawn is unavailable or has not satisfied the terms and conditions of the contest. All names in the list will be included in this draw, except those contestants who have Italian addresses.
A second draw will be held for the fifth prize, and another 5 names will be drawn as reserve winners, who may win in the event that the first name drawn is unavailable or has not satisfied the terms and conditions of the contest. Only names will an Italian address in the list will be included in this draw, except those who reside in Tuscany.
PRIZES:

Every winner, who satisfied the above-mentioned prerequisites, can choose which prize they want to claim, in the period from May 24, 2010 to July 12, 2010.
A) PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE IN THE TUSCAN HILLS
2 NIGHT– high-quality accommodation (Hotel, B&B) located in the Tuscan hills in the province of Siena
PHOTO TOUR–- with a professional photographer, who will demonstrate techniques on how to take the perfect photo.
The itinerary can be chosen at pleasure by the winner and the instructor – Duration: 3 hours

The prize is valued at approximately 1,400.00 euro

B) COOKING CLASS
2 NIGHTS – high-quality accommodation (Hotel, B&B) located in Barberino del Mugello
COOKING CLASS IN THE MUGELLO –- Car and driver will take winners from the hotel to the cooking class in a Tuscan villa – winners will learn what traditional utensils were used in Tuscan cuisine and how to use them – preparation of some traditional dishes – Duration 5 hours

The prize is valued at approximately 1,400.00 euro

C) PAINTING COURSE
2 NIGHTS – high-quality accommodation (Hotel, B&B) located in various areas
Painting lessons in the Tuscan hills – transport with a car and driver from the hotel to a prearranged location
Learning basic techniques and painting an artwork – Duration: 5 / 6 hours
The prize is valued at approximately 1,400.00 euro

D) CERAMICS COURSE
2 NIGHTS in a B&B – high-quality accommodation (Hotel, B&B) located in the Sorano / Maremma area
Ceramics course lasting 2 days (in Italian, English, French) with Tuscan maestros from the school of Application Arts of Pandora di Sorano.
Painting and kilning techniques. The pieces and materials used by students are offered by the school – Duration: 2 days.

The prize is valued at approximately 1,400.00 euro

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: The total prize money is valued at approximately € 7,000 + IVA/VAT.
CONTEST REQUIREMENTS: All operations will be carried out according to the contest rules and regulations.
The winners will be personally notified and they will receive via email (at the address indicated during registration) all of the relevant information needed to claim the prize.
If the winner fails to claim their prize within 5 calendar days from the date of notification, he/she will loose rights to the prize and the first reserve winner will be contacted.
If a winner cannot make use of the prize, they can appoint another person of their choice as winner; this action must be communicated and will depend on the authorization released by the promotional agency.
The firm organizing the contest is not liable for any inscribable errors or problems that may arise because of technical failures on the part of contest software or website.
All prizes are not convertible to cash or coins.

This contest is excluded from the application of the law DPR N. 430/2001 ai sensi dell’art. 6 comma 1 lettera e).
PRIVACY: Contestants agree to the use of their personal information by the agency Leader Pubblicità e Marketing, and consequentially by Fondazione Sistema Toscana, when completing their registration. The privacy briefing can be found at www.turismo.intoscana.it. The personal data given upon entering the contest will be treated according to the law D.Lgs 196/2003. The release of one’s own personal data, by the contestants, is tantamount to the authorization of the contestant to the publication of his/her first and last name, which they have indicated in their contest registration, in the contest promotional material and advertising carried out by the agency Leader Pubblicità e Marketing.
DISPUTES: Every dispute will be adjudicated by the Fondazione Sistema Toscana, which is the main sponsor of the registered marketing campaign Toscana Voglio vivere così in Toscana.

To participate, as usual, you need to send four electronic postcards to friends or relatives. Each of these that will participate in turn will give an extra chance to win. Go here to complete this step. After registration and sending the post cards you will be asked a little more details about yourself, and you are done! This contest is open from February 13th to April 14, 2010. Hurry, and good luck!