Every year me and my boyfriend spend the summer near the Amalfi Coast. Now we have a tradition to cut the 8 hours car trip from Milan into two and stop somewhere where we can enjoy the delicacies of the Italian cuisine. For the second consecutive year the choice is Tuscany, more specifically somewhere between the picturesque rolling hills that you will have certainly seen in any American movie set in the region (and that are even more beautiful when you see them in front of you).
The main reasons for this re-do, apart from the dreamy scenery of course, are two dishes that we have been craving since last year – Pici al tartufo (the local type of pasta with truffles) and Florentine T-bone steak which is tasty beyond imagination (even for not such a big meat lovers as me).
This time we stayed in Chianciano, which is very popular for its Spa treatments, while our restaurant – Osteria dell’Acquacheta, that was highly recommended by the locals and is also a TripAdvisor Champion , was in the nearby Montepulciano. It is so popular that not only we had to book 5 days in advance but also choose between two turns, either at 7.30 pm or at 9:15 pm. We opted for the second one so that we could see the town and not be worried about the unpredictable traffic on the highway.
Very hungry, we arrived a little bit earlier than 9:15 and luckily there was already a place available for us. The osteria is very spartan and if you expect a separate table and a different glass for the water and wine, expect it no more! According to the “Tradition” everything is shared, as the staff explained to us as soon as we entered the restaurant, which on the bright side, encourages conversations with strangers. On the even brighter side, the food was superb. If I have to be honest, though, I would prefer the restaurant we went last year where the service was on a completely different level, the ambiance as well, while the bill was the same (I might write a post about last summer’s trip that delighted us with incredible views of Tuscany and a spectacular dinner experience).
Below are the photos from our stop in Chianciano and Montepulciano. In the next post I will show you a little piece of Bio paradise that we discovered and that is fascinating beyond words (If you are following me on Instagram you might have already seen something).
Have you ever been in Tuscany? Where?
Nice post??
Looks lovely and so does the pasta 🙂
The pasta is sublime, especially if you like truffles. I need it it my life more often ?
I’ve been very briefly to Milan and Florence and love revisiting the area through your blog
Florence is the biggest city in Tuscany and Many people say that that it is the most beautiful one in Italy. If you have the opportunity to come again and stay longer, visit the countryside, it is impossible not to like it. Thank you for stropping by! I love your blog!
I love your photos, I went to Florence last year and it was great, there’s something about Italy which is magical! thank you for liking my blog post 🙂
I love Italy! It’s such a beautiful place. I went to Rome many moons ago. I loved everything about it! Florence is beautiful too! I wouldn’t mind retiring there in 30 + years 🙂
I visited Rome last year and I loved it, but know after reading your posts I want to pack my bags go explore Italy!
Oh, you should! The South is on a completely different level. And the small towns are so charming! You will need at least 3 months ?