If anyone’s looking for the abridged guide to wine tourism in Tuscany for this long weekend, we recommend this site on the Wine Trails of Tuscany, where you can find a map and various information on the wine making areas of this region.

Getting off the beaten track in a place like Tuscany is exactly what you need to do to discover the region’s wines, its beautiful countryside and the people. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, an agriturismo (or farm house) is generally an excellent option. Various websites exist including Greenholiday.it (in Italian) and agriturismo.it (English and Italian) where you can book places, or you can go “all’avventura” and find somewhere along the way.

Below is a list of wine trails that cover the entire Tuscan region, so you can generally pick one for the area that you’re in:

Strada del Vino Chianti Colli Fiorentini; Strda del Vino Colline Lucchesi e Montecarlo; Strada dei Vini Chianti Rufina e Pomino; Strada del Vino Monteregio di Massa Marittima; Strada del Vino Costa degli Etruschi; Strada del Vino Colli di Candia e di Lunigiana; Strada del Vino Delle Colline Pisane; Strada Medicea dei Vini di Carmignano; Strada del Vino Vernaccia di San Gimignano; Strada del Vino Colli di Maremma; Strada del Vino di Montepulciano; Strada del Vino di Montespertoli; Strada del Vino Terre di Arezzo; Strada del Vino di Montecucco.

Photo | Flickr

Continue reading: Guide to Tuscan wine trails

Only local press has talked about the “agririfugio” Molini (agricultural mountain cottage) inaugurated recently, but it’s a little pearl by the sea at S.Fruttuoso, and we recommend going as soon as possible. The Cooperative of the Il giardino del borgo says:

The structure, which was abandoned in 1940, was left with only the walls remaining. The restoration has been done with utmost attention to the natural context where the house can be found, and eco-friendly techniques and materials have been used. The chestnut wood used for the roof, loft and floor comes from regeneration projects carried out by the cooperative in the park, while the rood has been insulated with cork.

Hot water comes from four solar panels while winter heating comes from a woord base. The 150 square metre building is three floors high and can house ten people. It has three bedrooms, two with four beds and one a double.

Continue reading: Agririfugio Molini at S. Fruttuoso on mount Portofino