In the ancient Roman era, Bacco was the God of Wine. The wine has always been the symbol of the physical or material pleasure. Enjoy the Italian cultural tradition and visit wineries, cheese factories, balsamic vinegar producing houses, but also some of the more recent Italian Myths such as the Ferrari Museum.

Cantine Aperte

Always on a Sunday at the end of May, Cantine Aperte is an initiative that has gone from strength to strength with every year. Across Tuscany/Italy, wineries open their doors and cellars to all comers, with free tastings, tours, offers and local delicacies to try. Most wine shops and tourist offices should have details well in advance.  

Local Wineries:  

Fattoria Colle Verde - Localita Castello Matraia, Lucca

Fattoria di Fubbiano - San Gennaro 55010, Lucca

Fattoria Villa Maionchi -  55012 Tofori, Lucca

Montecarlo, Lucca - Vinaria Wine Festival

This annual wine fair/festival held late August /early September is becoming bigger each year. Local growers and winemakers present their wines with abundant opportunities for tasting. Also plenty of other local produce and wares, exhibitions and presentations.

Montecarlo, Lucca - New Wine Festival

A hearty celebration of the year's new wines with tastings and delicious food on the 2nd weekend of every November.

For more info: Montecarlo Tourist Information Office Tel. (+39) 005-83-22-971

Montespertoli, Florence - Chianti Wine Festival

Montespertoli, in the center of the Chianti region, is situated high on a hill and thus features spectacular views of Florence and other Tuscan cities. The Chianti Wine Festival is held there from the last Sunday in May to the first Sunday in June. Because Montespertoli is one of the wine capitals of Tuscany , it's the perfect place for a festival that features the best of the year's vintage. This year, the town will swarm with wine lovers and professional buyers alike for the 46th annual festival.
Held the end of May through early June in the main square, Piazza San Pietro in Mercato
For more info: Florence Tourist Office Tel. (+39) 055-233-20

National Olive Oil Week

The second week of February every year is National Olive Oil Week.

The week is a series of tastings and samplings and such events are a great way to know your extra virgin from your non-filtered cold pressed.  

The event is organised by the Enoteca Italiana and Associazione Nazionale Città dell’Olio.  

Every year 10 fine restaurants are also chosen to host the best extra virgin olive oil from 10 regions of Italy . Appropriate dishes are prepared with the oil.  

Overall, the week aims to create new awareness both for tourists and operators in the sector, as well as to widen the appreciation of the 'culture of oil'.  

The Associazione Italiana delle Enoteche Pubbliche was formed in 1991 on the back of the large interest in 'wine tourism'.  

The main objectives of the association are to promote the DOC and DOP or 'denominazioni d'origine' of both oil and wine as well as communicate the historical relevance of a territory for the origin of a particular product.

Assoc. Nazionale Città del Olio celebrated its 10th birthday in 2004 and now represents 200 comune up and down Italy .

Calci has its own olive oil producer as well as Marco Chilletti at Podere Il Colletto at Par di Rota, near Calci, one of the historic areas of Tuscan olive production.

San Miniato: The Truffle Trail

"The great rivalry between the Blacks and the Whites that followed on the heels of that between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines threatens to flare up a new over truffles,"Artusi wrote a century ago, concluding that white truffles are far more delicate than black ones. Marcella Hazan goes further, saying that there's no point in making a fuss over black truffles when one can enjoy white ones. Where to find them? San Miniato, a pretty town overlooking the Valdarno, produces 25% of the Italian crop, and hosts all sorts of truffle-related activities during November.

Lucca - The Cigar Toscane

The Tuscan cigar is much more than a cigar to smoke, it is a product of the Tuscan craftsmanship tradition born by chance in Florence in 1815 in the "Manifattura Granducale" (granducal tobacco factory) after that a batch of tobacco caught in the rain began to ferment. To save the batch, tobacco was wrapped in a leaf and the new cigar, perhaps also for the low price, was successful sold. In 1818 the production was transferred to Lucca, the building where "Toscani" are still made upholding the traditional manufacture and fermentation process which gives that special taste to the cigar "Toscano".

Village Food Festivals

CAMAIORE                   

May            Demetra - Flowers, Fruits & Vegetables          

CASTELNUOVO GARFAGNANA       

May            Mostra Agriambiente - Typical citrus Food Stuff                  

September  Mostra formaggio tipico garfagnino - Local Cheese Show  

LUCCA                  

April            Mostra mercato dei fiori di S. zita  - St. Zita Flower Market

September Mostra mercato agricoltura lucchese - Agriculture Market

March         Mostre Delle Antiche Camelie della Lucchesia

Held over three weekends during March, this well established show of Camelias is centred around the village and villas of Pieve di Compito and San Andrea di Compito, a short distance from Lucca . There is a main exhibition, special openings of villas and their gardens, plants for sale, (usually) a tea exhibition and associated displays.

GIULIANO TERME

November Sapori e sapere   - Knowledge & Flavors                    

SAN MINIATO

November Mostra naionale del tartufo bianco - National White Truffles