GRAND TOUR OF TUSCANY - THE 5 SENSES 2026-27

Colonnata Lard
Lard has its origins in Colonnata around the early 1800s as a humble dish of marble quarry workers. (Colonnata is located in northern Tuscany, in the Apuan Alps, home to the world-famous Carrara marble quarries.)
According to tradition, a quarryman, placing pork with aromatic herbs into a marble basin, discovered what would become one of Tuscany’s most renowned culinary specialties.
In the late 1970s, four young locals began promoting lard by setting up a small stand in the village square, offering visitors a taste of this delicacy served with tomatoes and bruschetta. Gradually, people began to appreciate it, purchasing it in increasing quantities and even having it shipped to their homes. The rest is history.
Since 2004, Colonnata lard has been awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status.
The pork used comes from Mantua or Parma, and the cut selected is the back. Each piece weighs approximately 7–8 kg. The preparation involves layering 12 layers of lard alternated with 12 layers of a mixture of sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, for a total of around 450 kg per basin.
The lard is aged in marble basins for a minimum of 6 months and up to 3 years, with checks carried out approximately every 15 days. Initially, the salt is dry, but over time it dissolves in contact with the meat, forming a brine that both preserves and gently “cooks” the lard. After 6 months and one day, it is ready.
Production takes place from September 1st to May 31st, while in summer processing stops and direct sales increase, with local shops open for tastings.
Marble and Colonnata lard share an inseparable bond: tradition dictates that the lard must be aged in Carrara marble basins—an alchemy that exists only in this unique place.
Even today, local marble vats—characterized by specific temperature and humidity conditions—are used to cure the pork for 6 to 10 months, enriched with aromatic spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, sage, and rosemary.
The village itself is a delight to explore, with small doorways, stone walls, marble-paved corners, a clock tower, and a church housing a 17th-century crucifix said to have been created by a pupil of Michelangelo.
In one of the many traditional delicatessens, you can purchase and taste Colonnata lard, perhaps accompanied by warm bread and a fine glass of red wine. It is well worth it—only here will you discover its true flavor, so delicate and translucent that it melts at the first bite.

Val d’Orcia
Located in southern Tuscany, near the province of Grosseto, Val d’Orcia is a vast protected natural park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
This extraordinary land lies at the foot of Mount Amiata and is famous for its cypress trees, vineyards, and natural thermal springs. Every season is the perfect time to enjoy the fruits of the land, admire the ever-changing palette of colors emerging through the morning mist, and experience the tranquility of nature.
Rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, chapels set among greenery, and villages where time seems to stand still define this landscape.
Val d’Orcia feels like a painting brought to life—an extraordinary corner of Tuscany best discovered slowly, following scenic routes through one of the most beautiful regions in Italy.
Crossed by the Orcia River, from which it takes its name, it is renowned worldwide for its idyllic countryside and medieval villages.

Pienza
Pienza is the ideal Renaissance city, created by the humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, later known as Pope Pius II.
His vision was to design a utopian city embodying the principles of Renaissance harmony and balance. The project was entrusted to the architect Bernardo Rossellino, under the guidance of the great humanist Leon Battista Alberti.
A visit to this extraordinary town is a must, with highlights including the Cathedral, Piazza Pio II, and Palazzo Piccolomini.

Cortona stands atop a small promontory, enclosed within ancient walls dating from the 4th to the 2nd century BC.
Rich in monuments of great historical and cultural significance, the town reflects Etruscan, Roman, and medieval influences.
Its main square, Piazza della Repubblica—home to the 12th-century Town Hall—is the perfect starting point for exploring the town. Nearby lies Piazza del Duomo, where the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta stands, built on the remains of an 11th-century Romanesque church. Inside, visitors can admire the famous painting Adoration of the Shepherds (1663) by Pietro da Cortona.
Opposite the cathedral is the Diocesan Museum, which houses numerous masterpieces, including the Annunciation by the Fra Angelico.
Cortona is also an open-air museum: its archaeological park extends through the streets and beyond the walls into the surrounding countryside, where some of Italy’s most important Etruscan burial mounds from the 5th century BC can be found.

Arezzo
Located in southeastern Tuscany, Arezzo rises on a hill overlooking four valleys: Val Tiberina, Casentino, Valdarno, and Val di Chiana.
Its origins are ancient—indeed, it is even older than Alexandria in Egypt. Once one of the major Etruscan cities, it later became an important Roman center.
During Roman times, Arezzo was renowned for its foundries and for the production of finely decorated coral-red ceramics, exported throughout the empire.
In the Middle Ages, it became a free commune aligned with the Ghibellines and engaged in rivalry with Florence. After the Battle of Campaldino in 1289, it lost its independence and, by 1384, became part of Florentine territory under the Medici Grand Duchy.
Many illustrious figures were born here, including Giorgio Vasari, Piero della Francesca, Guido Monaco, Francesco Redi, and Francesco Petrarca.
Today, despite damage suffered during World War II, Arezzo preserves magnificent churches, palaces, and museums.
Among its highlights is the Basilica of San Francesco, home to Piero della Francesca’s masterpiece cycle of frescoes, The Legend of the True Cross.
Also noteworthy is the Cathedral of San Donato, with its stunning stained-glass windows by Guillaume de Marcillat and works by Piero della Francesca.
The impressive Vasari Loggia surrounds Piazza Grande, while other must-see landmarks include the Medici Fortress, the Palace of the Fraternity of the Laity, and the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria.

Montepulciano
The historic town of Montepulciano rises on a hill between the Val di Chiana and Val d’Orcia in the province of Siena.
Of Etruscan origin, it reached its peak during the Renaissance, becoming one of Tuscany’s most important centers.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, political stability fostered the flourishing of art and culture, and renowned architects contributed to its development as the “Pearl of the 16th century.”
Within its 4th-century walls lies a succession of noble palaces and churches. At the heart of the town stands the Palazzo del Capitano, now the Town Hall, whose tower offers breathtaking views over vineyards, cypress trees, olive groves, and cultivated fields.
The streets are lined with traditional restaurants and wine cellars, where visitors can enjoy local cuisine and the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Florence
The historic center of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is described as “a unique artistic achievement, the result of over six centuries of continuous creation.”
It is home to an extraordinary concentration of masterpieces, including the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Piazza della Signoria with Palazzo Vecchio, and countless churches such as Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, and San Lorenzo.
The city has exerted a profound influence on the development of architecture and the arts across Europe, thanks to its preserved medieval streets, palaces, loggias, and the iconic Ponte Vecchio.
Florence reached its peak of economic and political power between the 14th and 17th centuries and played a central role in the birth of the Renaissance.
It is a city shaped by extraordinary figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Dante Alighieri.
Walking through its streets, one can still sense the vibrant life of merchants, artisans, and artists, as well as the political intrigue that once animated its squares—especially Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the imposing Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi. Florence originated as an Etruscan settlement and later became a Roman colony known as Florentia.
During the Middle Ages and early modern period, it developed into one of Europe’s most dynamic centers, driven by trade, textile production, and cultural vitality.
From the 15th century onward, Florence became the cradle of the Renaissance, thanks to the work of masters such as Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Masaccio, and geniuses like Leonardo and Michelangelo.
The city remains an unparalleled artistic masterpiece, with an urban fabric that has preserved its historical identity, surrounded by Tuscan hills and crossed by the Arno River.
Through careful conservation and the use of traditional materials such as pietra forte and pietra serena, Florence has maintained its original character, respecting both its medieval roots and its Renaissance heritage—exemplified by landmarks such as Palazzo Pitti.