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Visit at the farm Castelvecchio with tastings

Castelvecchio Farm is located in Terricciola, a little village with Etruscan origings. It is about a 24-hectares area destined to vineyards and olice trees.

The farm, managed by Claudia, produces oil and wines ITG (Typical Tuscan Geographic Indication)

The farm welcomes tourists and it invites them to visit the farm and taste some typical products. Visiting the farm you can learn the passages which are behind a simple glass when it is made with passion and patience. Their purpose is to transmit some traditions about Tuscan culture.

ALL VISITS INCLUDE:

Start of the visit with a view of the vineyard and story about the farm.
Guided tour into the basement, with explanation of the passages from the grape to the bottle of wine.
Tasting of our wines and oils. Some types could be: White IGT wine “IL PICCHIO”, Rosato di Toscana IGT “IL TOCCO”, Red wine DOC “LE BALZE”, Terre di Pisa Sangiovese DOC “LE COLLINE” and Vin Santo from Chianti “ARMIDA” .

castelvecchio terricciola

CASTELVECCHIO’S TASTINGS

1) basic tasting: wines tasting with a teste of bread, oil and (typical tuscan dry biscuits) with Vin Santo. Tasting will be held standing with glass chalice.

It takes place everyday from Monday to Friday 10:00 – 12:00 and 15:00 – 19:00
On Saturday and Sunday only on booking

2) wine and typical products tasting: wines tasting with tastes of bread, oil and cantucci with il Vin Santo, then a dish of cold cuts and cheeses. Visitor are sat in a table and the wines are explained and served with glass chalices.

3) ligth lunch: wines tasting with tastes of bread, oil and cantuccini with Vin Santo, then a dish of cold cuts and cheeses and other Tuscan products by the season. First course pasta-based or other dish from typical Tuscan tradition. Visitors are sat in a table and the wines are explained and served with glass chalices.

All tastings are customizable Tutte le degustazioni sono personalizzabili on the base of specific demands of the client. The complete visit requires around 1 hour, it is possible to have the visit also in English language.

castelvecchio terricciola

Website
Azienda Agricola Castelvecchio
Via Di Bagno,
56030 Terricciola (PI)
Info and booking:
Tel./Fax +39 0587 658318
Mob. +39 380 3238845
Mail: info@agricastelvecchio.com

Certosa in Calci

The structure, founded in 1366, houses nowadays two museums

Certosa in Calci, founded in 1366 in the middle of Val Graziosa, is one of the biggest Carthusian monasterys and one of the most important.
The location allowed the isolation from the rest of the world imposed by the Rule of the Carthusian order, founded by San Bruno in 1084.

The complex has been extended between the XVII and the XVIII century, so nowadays it is a wonderful landmark in baroque-style.
Originally called “dark”, Calci’s valley has been renamed as «Val Graziosa» (graceful valley) after rthe complex’s foundation. In 1972 Certosa, abandoned by the few remained monks, beacame a National Museum, whereas in 1979 the West part of the building was given freely to Pisa’s University, which founded the Museum of Natural Sciences.

So nowadays Certosa houses two separated museums: Museo Nazionale della Certosa Monumentale di Calci and Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pisa. The museums were born in different ages, belong to different institutions and have different purposes. Nevertheless their collections are linked by the building’s history.

Certosa’s museums

Museo Nazionale‘s visit is a suggestive trip into the Carthusian monks’ world, with the lonely life they led. Places that still nowadays astonish for their beauty and splendor. Some of them are its gardens, churches, chapels, cloisters and the refectory. In the separated building carthhusians used to produce and sell medicines and medicinal herbs.

Certosa’s refectory

Museo di Storia Naturale‘s visit leads inside the humblest locals such as basements, mills, barns and joineries. These locals now houses prestigous collections from over 500 years ago. There are a lot of fishes from all continents into the biggest aquarium of sweet water in Italy.

Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pisa

The presence of two museums in this complex makes it a unique attraction where astonishment, science, history, art and nature are mixed.

For visits:
Tel: +39 050 938430
Address: Via Roma, 79
56011, Calci (PI)

Morelli’s Liqueur

Liquorificio Morelli was born in 1911 in Forcoli (Palaia), from a Cavalier Leonello Morelli’s idea. Leonello was the owner of a small bar, and he had fun at mixing essences and extracts to create liqueurs and infusions.
The liquorificio was an outset from the start; Its products have spread in Italy, becoming synonim of quality and authenticity. From 1911 till nowadays four generations of Morellis have been successive.

In 2012 Morelli’s liqueurs have taken part to internetional contests and after the first success of Grappa Centenario in Bruxelles, other good results came from Arancino Speciale 32°, Grappa 50/50 Barrique, Limoncino Speciale 32° and Crema di Meloncello.

morelli liquori

Tour in liquorificio Morelli

morelli liquori

Liquorificio invites you to come for a visit.

Morelli’s Antica Grapperia will be told through a guided tour. Some aspects of the history and the passages to the production of grappa will be analized; it will end with a taste of many varieties of Grappa and Brandy. All the tastings will be accompanied by Tuscan products such as meats and cheeses.
It will be possible to make purchases inside the company.
Visits will be available by booking, for groups of maximum 15/20 persons.

Contacts

Address: Via Meucci 2 loc. Montanelli – 56036 Palaia
Website: www.liquorimorelli.it
Mail: info@liquorimorelli.it
Tel: 0039 0587.628707
For bookings: Alexandra Catarsi
alexandra.liquorimorelli@gmail.com

Palazzo Pretorio in Pontedera – PALP

Il Palazzo Pretorio in Pontedera dates back to 1384, it is considerated as one of the most ancient buildings in Pontedera.
From the 15th century the structure was center of the Podesteria, of the Vicariato and of the Pretura. There have been various architectural changes and amplifications.
In 1708 the bells of the clock tower were moved to the church nearby.

In 1848 the building housed Pretura and it took part to Pisa’s court till 2013, when it was abandoned because of the presence of the court’s papers.

Nowadays

Thanks to recent renovation work, Palazzo Pretorio is now accessible again and it has been use as a modern space for temporary exhibitions.

At the ground floor there is a pub, whereas upwards there are two floors used for cultural events and the third one is occupied by Court’s archives.

Currently there is an exhibition in progress until 18th April 2017

Martelli: visit to a pasta factory in Lari

Traditional pasta produced only by the components of Martelli’s family

The handcraft pasta Martelli, such as “Spaghetti”, “Penne classiche®“, “Spaghettini” and “Maccheroni di Toscana®” is made by slowly kneading the best durum-wheats with cold water. The bronze-drawing gives the pasta a rough texture. It is then dried at a “ low traditional temperature” for about 50 hours.

The result is a tasty and porous pasta which allows the sauces to be absorbed well. Only the members of the family work in the pasta factory. They combine long years of professionalism with the passion for keeping up the Italian craft tradition of making pasta.

In Lari it is possible to visit the pasta-factory. Martelli’s pastamakers will show you how we produce our pasta.
Free entrance
Website

Visit at Torre a Cenaia: “wines and typical Tuscan products”

Torre a Cenaia farm is a Pitti family’s ancient property in the Tuscan countryside. It houses a natural and wonderful scenery in which you can taste typical Tuscan products.

Though a scenic street we reach parco giardino all’Italiana with its impreziosito .
The farm is held on 500 hectares, characterised by small lakes, VITIGNI and a part of forest.
There are 30 hectares of many types of grape: Sauvignon-Blanc, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Syrah e Cabernet-Sauvignon, with a particular attention for the protection of the environment.

Visit

The first step is the explanation about the history of the farm with the visit at the church, with an unknown old painting. Then, when we are goin to explain the species which populate the small lakes and the forest and its habitat.

Men work in the vineyards the whole year, so during the tour the procedures of the plant’s growth in order to provide to the visitor a complete version about all the proceedings during the year. The tour goes on with the arrival to the farm and its vineyard of white wine such as Sauvignon-blanc, Chardonnay, Trebbiano e Vermentino. This last type of wine is the symbol of the farm. The visit ends with a wine tasting where the hosts are introduced in a gastronomic world that makes you feel the real taste of the Tuscan wine.

Moreover, the farm offers tastings for wines, beers, typical products, tour in carriage with lunch or dinner on board of an ancient Omnibus; guided visits to cellars and basements.

Website

How to get there

You can reach the farm in a 20 minutes drive from Livorno or Pisa, about an hour drive from Florence. You have to follow the directions towards Cenaia – Strada del vino delle colline pisane.
The farm houses a big car park for cars, minibus and coaches.

Baj’s wall in Pontedera

Baj encapsulated freedom, science and technology in just an artwork

Baj’s wall, inaugurated in 2006, is the artist’s last artwork, founder of “Nucleare” movement. In 1951 Enrico founded in Milan the Nuclear Movement, with the goal to study and analyse the relations with science, art and technology. These polycromatic playful collages located along Viale del Risorgimento represent the mechanics to which it risks to be reduced the man.

The artwork starts with an esaltation of the value of the painting and freedom with the following sentence “Painting is a road that I chose towards freedom. It is a pratice of freedom”. Paople have construed as a symbol of wanderlust, of moving away.

In 2003 Baj sent to the mayor of Pontedera the project composed of 11 collages. Sketches are visible nearby the wall, at Centro per l’Arte Otello Cirri.

Complex of hypogaeums in Terricciola

A place of interest restored entirely by volounteers

Hypogaeums in Terricciola are a place of interest. It is composed of 200 graves abandoned graves and now restored with a sort of museum. The graves were restored by a group of volounteers without the town’s help.

For information and booking 0039.333 9761176 – 0039.333 4612650

The big tower called “Degli Upezzinghi”

This tower is the most emblematic monument of Calcinaia’s old town and the oldest evidence of the ancient castle that is still visible today.

The building dates back to the first half of the thirteenth century. It was originally owned by the Upezzinghi, which was the town’s feudal family from the 10th to the end of the 13th century. Some of the most illustrious sons of the family were born here in Calcinaia, including: Uguccionella, the mother of Count Ugolino mentioned in Dante’s Divine Comedy.

The building has a rectangular plan and was built with blocks of sandstone and verrucana. After the construction of the new city walls (1287) commissioned by the Republic of Pisa and the subsequent expulsion of the Upezzinghi family (ca. 1290), the building became public property and it became the residence of the captain, an officer with civil and criminal jurisdiction over the castle.

The building, along with the house next door, functioned as a seat of power until the middle of the fifteenth century when the Republic of Florence, which had conquered Pisa and its territories in 1406, ordered that the building should be sold to private owners.

The monument was bought by the city in 1921 and the restoration work, which was finished on 22nd January 1924, led to the replacement of some interior floors, the consolidation of the structure and the addition of the battlements that made the tower reach its current height of 18 meters. After suffering damage in World War II, the tower was restored in 1999 and converted into a museum.

Museo degli Etruschi e della Storia Antica del Territorio di Bientina “V. Bernardi”

A museum that testifies Etruscan’s presence in the past

Museo degli Etruschi e della Storia Antica del Territorio di Bientina “V. Bernardi” has been inaugurated after important archaeological recoveries that testify the presence of Etruscan in the territory such as amphoras, ceramics, necklaces and earrings.
Most of these elements belong to a grave discovered during some excavations near Bientina’s swamp.
The museum has been entitled to Vittorio Bernardi, an expert in archeology.