From lunch in the ancient manor of the Castle of Gargonza (AR) served with local products, to a discovery tour of Castiglioncello (LI), a symbol of an era of cinema e “Dolce vita”, from the unveiling of Siena’s ancient apothecaries’ shops to a food and wine walk in the cloisters of the churches of Prato, from street art to street food in the streets of Livorno, and from the experience of “foliage” in the Casentino Forests Park, to the celebration of Art Nouveau in Montecatini: these are just some of the stages of a journey that takes us to rediscover the roots of our cultural identity, through food
Explore the mysteries of art, visiting the Madonna del Parto in Monterchi, follow the traces of the Etruscans in the Maremma, engage in a treasure hunt in the alleyways of Pistoia, immerse yourself in a tour dedicated to craft beers in Lucca, or explore unusual places such as the Leopoldino aqueduct: the calendar of regional events of Vetrina Toscana offers choices for all tastes, even for the most refined palates.
Over 150 events featuring more than 600 restaurants and 180 producers involved, as well as product consortiums, organic producers, and PATs (traditional Tuscan food products), and more than 50 traditional dishes waiting to be rediscovered: these are some of the numbers of the Vetrina Toscana calendar of events that will guide us through to March 2023. The events are promoted with the contribution of the Region of Tuscany and Unioncamere Toscana, with the Chambers of Commerce and the trade associations Confcommercio and Confesercenti, under the direction of Toscana Promozione Turistica assisted by Fondazione Sistema Toscana.
There are many initiatives involving open-air activities and measured exercise in the name of well-being and the spirit of adventure: such as walking across a suspension bridge or having lunch in a mountain hut after a hike in the woods. Routes on foot or by bicycle, full of charm and history in contact with nature, leading to the discovery of farms and their products. In Garfagnana, those who dine in restaurants participating in the initiative by choosing the “Vetrina Toscana menu” will receive a discount on the following activities: trekking, canyoning, and cycling.
New for this year are activities for children with initiatives providing an understanding of the territory and its products through playful language and activities tailored to children: educational and interactive tours, open-air activities on educational farms to discover the world of animals and experience how zero-kilometre products are created first-hand. Educational journeys and small adventures, healthy snacks amidst history, sustainability, and food education to coach young palates towards tastes and food traditions to be reclaimed.
The project’s focus on tourism is reinforced by the collaboration with tourist and environmental guides, as well as tour operators who have created authentic tourist packages. Many itineraries include a meal or tasting, combined with a guided tour, in places of historical, archaeological, or natural interest. It is a way of getting to know the territory and enhancing it through food and wine, while at the same time creating new forms of collaboration between the various stakeholders. In the Lands of Pisa, the collaboration with local museums continues, where a space has been dedicated to the “Vetrina Toscana” products, supplied by local shops and producers in rotation.
True to their manifesto of values, many territories, including Florence, Grosseto, Massa Carrara, Versilia, and Mugello, have focused on raising awareness among their visitors on the rediscovery of 0 km products, creating direct connections between farms and restaurants that offer seasonal short supply chain products on their menus, with an important valorisation of local recipes and culture: from lampredotto (traditional meat dish) to tortello di patate (potato dumplings), from testarolo (traditional pasta recipe) to scarpaccia (zucchini cake), from zuppa del carcerato (veal and vegetable soup) to Amaretto di Santa Croce sull’Arno (traditional dry biscuit).
Ambassadors of Tuscan identity and custodians of tradition, the protagonists of the events compose a choral and widespread tale of identity, culture, and food, a way to fully enjoy Tuscany.
The richness of the calendar, besides confirming that the Vetrina Toscana model is an excellent and effective example of public/private collaboration, is perfectly consistent with the claim of our promotion campaign “a journey within a journey”, reinforcing the idea that one can discover the great variety of our region’s proposals by also tasting “all the good things of the Region”.
Please visit www.vetrina.toscana.it for the events calendar.
