Monte Amiata is perhaps south Tuscany's only mountain, in contrast to the famous rolling hills which attract thousands of visitors each year. This now extinct volcano sits on the borders of Siena and Grosseto and is easily reachable from any of Arezzo, Orvieto, Perugia, Viterbo and Chiusi.

Surrounded by the Monte Labro and Civitella massifs, Amiata supplies crystal clear water to Siena and Grosseto, to the Orcia valley and the Maremma plains. It is an incredibly interesting zone and even boasts its own wine, Montecucco, which is produced at the foot of the mountain. The image for the banner of our Tuscany section features the whole range of wines produced here and was actually taken in the Museo della Vite e del Vino in Montenero near Castel del Piano.

For the occasion of the Jubilee in 2000, the province of Arezzo highlighted six itineraries of faith inside the National Park of Casentino Forest in Tuscany close to the Emilia Romagna border. Of course, they can still be walked today and below we highlight two we would like to try.  For the record the others are the Camadolesi route, the Pieve route, the St. Francis route and the Via Romea route To know more about them, head to www.turismo.provincia.arezzo.it

The Virgin Mary itinerary

Visit the churches dedicated to Maria which are located along ancient pilgrim paths.

The recipes I propose are from the Tuscan cuisine, some of them specifically from Cortona and the Chiana Valley territory. I select from our tradition and elaborate upon the recipes to make them possible using modern techniques and to make them palatable for modern tastes. My joy is to share with our aspirant chefs our history and our folklore.

Take for instance the day, which we dedicate to the Etruscans: it is rich in local history and culture and very ancient recipes furthermore enrich it so that our friends and participants will be able to immerse themselves in a completely bucolic and goliardic atmosphere.

No less interesting is the time dedicated to the simplicity of the local traditions thanks to special, yet homey recipes that are easy to replicate for a dinner party with family and friends, accompanied rigorously by Tuscan wines!

The waters of the Serchio Valley plummet towards the Lucca Plain to remind you that this is a hilly zone of Tuscany. You can even ski in nearby Abetone. The towns seem to be hidden away around bends in the road and it is sometimes difficult to get your bearings. One landmark, however, is unmissable, the so called Devil's Bridge in the Media Valle del Serchio or mid Valley.

It is located near Borgo a Mozzano just 20km from Lucca, but its seems like 200 and a couple of centuries. The actual Ponte della Maddalena straddles the river with an incredible arch, commonly referred to as a 'donkey back'.

No doubt much local merchandise has been transprted across the river in such a way over the centuyries, but perhaps the first to use it may have been a local pig. The poor porker was used to exorcise the devil who had offered to help complete its construction in return for the soul of the first human who used it.

Bagnoli a Ripoli is a short hop due east from Florence towards the Val D'Arno. In fact, it is close enough to Florence to have been once called 'Quartum', a reference to the Roman miles from ancient roman Florentia of the time. Ripoli refers to the barrages which held back the annual flooding of the River Arno in the zone.

Our suggestions making up a series of holiday or vacation ideas to keep children and young ones entertained in between your wine tasting cantina visits. in no particular order province by Tuscan province, read on.

PISTOIA

Collodi, Parco di Pinocchio; All the classic characters from the story of Pinocchio by Carlo Lorenzini at the town of Collodi, which is also the pen name of the writer. Abetone, The nature Trail; The forest botanical Garden is situated in the high valley of Sestaione at 4000 feet above sea level and covers 3.5 acres. This woodland hosts a wide variety of tree and plant species as well as a stream and all the species of flora present in the mountains of Pistoia.

PRATO

Prato, Castello dell'Imperatore or the 'Emperor's Castle'; ancient (XIII century), imposing castle built for Frederick II of Svevia.

We describe this traditional Easter Sunday event in Piazza del Duomo Florence as the 'Doves of Peace Cart Explosion'. A literal explanation for what is literally an explosive affair.  Its origins go back to the 12th century and the appropriately named Pazzino dei Pazzi.

Florence's football or soccer team may play in pink, yet there is another, older game played every year in Florence. Calcio in Costume was probably invented in the military encampments where the soldiers resting between battles would have lost strength without exercise. Here was a game which developed arm and leg muscles in a real hand to hand struggle for what was the size and shape of a cannon ball.

The Vasari Corridor (Corridoio Vasariano) or the Prince’s Passage in Florence, links the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge to one the city's finest Renaissance palaces. This passageway, located above the famed Uffizi museum, not only showcases beautiful and rare views of the city, but also contains over 1000 priceless paintings. These include self- portraits of many famous artists, such as Rembrandt and Bernini.

This itinerary through the heart of the religious and political heart of Medici Florence has been suggested by Hotel La Gioconda.

the route

From Panzani Street turn right, along Cerretani Street, as far as San Giovanni Square. The Baptistery is the most ancient building of the square; it was dedicated to San Giovanni, the Florentine patron saint.

Going straight on you will arrive in Cathedral Square. Stop to admire Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral The large dome, planned by Brunelleschi, ends with a lantern, that Vernocchio finished with a ball surmounted by a cross. The Bell Tower was begun by Giotto in 1334.