by Helen | Dec 28, 2022 | Lifestyle
Well, that’s almost a Christmas wrap. We’ve spent the last few days hunkered down, with the wood-burners on, lights twinkling, candles flickering and eating all manner of luxurious food at the most inappropriate times of the day. Chocolates for breakfast, with a tot of Baileys is perfectly acceptable at this time of year, I think. We’ve also not seen very much out of our windows because a thick Christmas fog has been clinging on for days. Very atmospheric, but we’re now starting to crave a bit of blue sky.
Like the last two years, we’ve spent our Christmas, at home, in Istria, rather than travelling back to the UK. In 2020, travel restrictions were in place so that was a definite no-go. Last year, although things had eased slightly, we still felt it was too much of a risk travelling across multiple countries, staying in different hotels and then when in the UK, still being largely on the move and then doing it all again on the way back. This year, we decided to stay put because again of rising Covid rates and not really wanting to expose ourselves, and family and friends, to any infection we could have picked up en route. But, added to this in 2022, we’ve had to also assess the situation with strikes in the UK, a country which feels is currently grinding to a halt. Border force staff out on strike on key dates – so whether we drove or flew, we’d inevitably have been affected, and then highways staff on strike, meaning that once we arrived and were on the road, car journeys would have been a nightmare. We salute the strikers and everything they are attempting to achieve and had we travelled would have reminded ourselves constantly of this, but I think with hindsight, given the length of the journey, we’d have been too frazzled to have actually enjoyed any time with family and friends. However, there have been two other considerations and this is where things have become a bit more complicated this particular Christmas.
Our passports expire in August 2023 so we need to renew them pretty quickly. We had considered doing it when back in the UK by just going to the passport office in Liverpool. But – and it’s a big but – if timings didn’t work and we couldn’t make it back for ferries etc, or if the passport office staff went on strike, this would have added another layer of stress. Plus – and it’s another biggie – Croatia is set to join the Schengen zone on Jan 1st. In itself, this is the most brilliant, fantastic news, for us. But not if we’d be middle travel. On the way out, pre Xmas, Croatia would still have been OUTSIDE the Schengen zone, meaning our UK passorts – because of f*ckin’ Brexit – would have to be stamped as we entered Slovenia. This isn’t usually a problem, as we tend to cross the border to go to the supermarket in Slovenia or Italy and and return within the day, or if staying over, within a few days. We definitely never exceed the 90 days which – even though we have Croatian residency – we’re now stymied by, because we are currently UK citizens/passport holders. But, joining Schengen will eradicate all of this as long as we stay within the zone. No more stamping of passports when we travel in Europe. (Until we return to the UK – which probably means in the near future we’ll fly as that will be easier than trying to navigate French borders, with a UK passport and Croatian residency. It’s very complicated, currently, and so with all things considered, we decided that staying put until we were 100% sure of the situation, on all fronts, was the best idea). However, if we were returning AFTER Jan 1st, we’d have to ensure that when we exited Slovenia, we’d still have to have our passports stamped, to tally with the stamp we got on the way out. Because if we didn’t, further down the line, we could have problems if it was seen that we’d out-stayed the 90 days. Which we would have done because we live in Croatia. See how complicated it all has been?
So, our third Christmas has been spent in Istria, but because we do get to see family and friends via Zoom and Facetime, and keep in regular touch with calls, we still feel we get to spend quality festive time with them. And, because of where we are currently, we also get to enjoy a Hygge kind of Christmas. Because when your house is at the top of a very high hill, surrounded by forests and swathed in thick fog, it’s the perfect place to get all Scandi over the festive season.
In the spring and summer, our house is light and bright and airy, as windows are always open, the front door is open and sunlight streams in. But in the winter, it takes on a different personality, as the days are shorter and darkness falls much earlier. I’m an absolute sucker for candles – the more the merrier – and especially of the scented variety, so most rooms will usually have at least a few tealights. Pillar candles are also a bit of a favourite, and for some reason, they are very inexpensive out here, so these are burned most of the time.
Although it’s not freezing by any stretch of the imagination, there is a chill in the air when the wood burners aren’t lit, so the excess of faux furry throws also come into their own over the winter, and there’s nothing more luxurious than covering yourself in one, and snuggling down on the sofa. It’s what Christmas is all about…
We made sure, before Xmas, that we stocked up the fridge and that the wine rack was full, because there was no way we were going out – anywhere – after Christmas Eve. And that’s just what we’ve done. We’ve locked the door, pulled over the big navy velvet winter curtain, drawn down the blinds, lit the candles and over indulged in delicious food. Even though we’re up in the Istrian hills, we’re still very close to all amenities and so can get most of whatever we need from big supermarkets nearby. But, since discovering British Cornershop, we’ve also been able to get hold of those little luxuries which have so alluded us – Cadbury’s chocolate, M&S crumpets, chocolate yule logs, salt and vinegar crisps – and so our Xmas cupboard has had the addition of some much missed treats. As well as a traditional Xmas lunch, we’ve had Baileys for breakfast. Smoked salmon and poached eggs for brunch. Cheese platters – with delicious local wines – in the evening. We’ve made bread too, as we’re definitely not heading out to a supermarket, just yet – but this is the easiest bread recipe, ever. Baked and ready to eat in less than an hour. Everything you want but can’t justify usually – especially, as it seems currently, day after day. Still, we’ll soon return to normal and so we’re making the most of festivities in the fog.
It’s still not over. We’re in those strange days between Christmas and New Year, when you’re never sure what day it is, but the house still feels like Xmas. The decorations are still around. You’re still eating a tube of Pringles (salt & vinegar) in one sitting. Mulled wine at 2pm is a good idea. You’re catching up on all of that TV you’ve missed.
But, as lovely as these days are, that just roll into the next one, we do still need a bit of normality. A day when we’re not eating from the moment we get up and day when we do actually get out from under the throws and off the sofa. And that day is today…
by Helen | Dec 19, 2022 | Italy, Travel
The last couple of years have been a bit crazy, haven’t they? Travel, in the early days, was for very obvious reasons much curtailed and so for a long time we didn’t get to see family and friends in person. Thank goodness that we do live in an age, though, where communication is easy and we’ve spent much time catching up with people via calls and on online. But, this year, things have started to get back to something resembling normality and we spent almost a whole summer with our family who came out to visit us. We’ve also started doing a bit of travelling again ourselves, mainly to Italy because it’s now so close, so again things are starting to feel a little more like they were pre-2020.
Just recently, we were very lucky to be able to drive across to Venice and meet up with Didsbury friends, who had decided to come over for a long weekend. The original plan had been for them to visit us, in Istria, but winter flights just weren’t working out for the small window they had for travel, so Venice was agreed as they could get flights and we could travel across, easily. And, it doesn’t matter how many times we visit Venice, we are always in awe of its staggering beauty – and the fact that it’s somewhere that is now so accessible. If we travel on the motorway, it’s just under two hours, but the more leisurely SS14, across the flat Veneto, is a much less stressful option, although a bit longer.
Through AirBnb, we booked an apartment for two night, in the Dorsoduro area of the city, right on canalside. In the summer this must be a prime apartment, with two large baclonies with seating/sunbathing and dining areas – premium space I’d expect in this part of Venice. For the four of us, it was pretty perfect in early December, too. Large, two big bedrooms and two bathrooms and a spacious living room, with an area for dining and an open plan kitchen. As it rained heavily on one night we were there, we decided to eat in, and it was a great place to spend a night with friends.
Images : Booking.com
Dorsoduro isn’t an area that we know too well, so it was good to discover more of Venice. It’s located very close to the big Marco Polo car park, so easy to get your bearings – although as with anywhere in this magical city, half of the thrill of exploring is to just walk and wander and get lost at times, knowing that at some point, you’ll come across somewhere or something familiar. The weather wasn’t the best – grey, misty and drizzly – but having visited during the Aqua Alta in 2018, we found sight-seeing this time, to be a bit of a breeze…
Our apartment was located very close to Campo Santa Margherita and we found a lovely osteria called Bakarò. Looking nothing really from the outside, once inside, you realise quite how beautiful it is.
Raw and industrial in places, you’re left in doubt this is an old building – and it wears its history on its sleeve. Exposed brickwork, steel beams, old windows which would have been on an upper floor, but because the floors have been removed, the windows seem to float. The lighting is muted and very atmospheric and perfect for a rainy December evening, when all you want to do is cosy up and eat fabulous food. Which is just what we did…
Image credit above : https://www.bakarovenezia.com/
by Helen | Dec 18, 2022 | Lifestyle
The base recipe for this soup is exactly the same as the one I posted last year, but this time I did a couple of things differently. I decided not to whizz the soup this time, keeping the vegetables a bit more chunky – this made the final broth a little less creamy in texture and a bit more robust. I think I must have also added quite a few more fresh chillies as it definitely had more of a kick – perfect for a cold winter’s night.
For a bit more substance, fresh noodles were added at the chicken stage, making the soup a lot more substantial. Using a fork to twirl the noodles around the spoon made it feel more like a main course, than a soup. The addition of a side helping of fresh crusty bread and rock salt butter – utterly decadent – meant we were pretty full after a nice big bowl, with more than enough left over for lunch the next day.
by Helen | Dec 14, 2022 | Lifestyle
As the temperatures have started to plummet – the fires have been lit just recently for the first time this year, so this chilliness, even in December, has caught us on the hop – and so our thoughts are turning very much to food that is winter warming. And just recently, I’ve had a hankering for a good, old-fashioned, hearty chicken casserole. The kind of casserole that just fills the house with the delicious aroma and evvelopes you in warmth and goodness. And this simple from Good Housekeeping, just ticked all of the boxes. No fuss or faff and prepped in no time time, with minimal washing up, too. Always a bonus. It can also be cooked entirely on the hob, in a thick enamel casserole pot – or even a deep pan with a lid – but we finished it off in the over, as per the recipe.
what you’ll need
- 1 tbs of olive oil
- 1 large chicken breast, cut up into chunks – we used free range chicken and the difference in the quality of meat was incredibly noticeable, and now have a second piece left over to make a spicy Thai Chicken Soup
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced
- 2 large carrots, cut into thick rounds
- 2 leeks, sliced into chunks
- 4 or 5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 level tbsp plain flour
- 600 ml hot chicken – or veggie – stock
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- Lemon, cut in half and one half squeezed
- salt & pepper
what you’ll need to do
- Heat the olive oil in a large, flameproof casserole. Season the chicken pieces and brown all over for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) mark 6.
- Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, leeks and potatoes to the pan, and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the stock. Season well, then return the browned chicken to the pan. Add the rosemary, squeeze over the juice from the lemon half and pop the other half of the lemon half into the pot. Cover and bring the casserole slowly to the boil, on the hob.
- When boiled, transfer to the oven, and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is piping hot and thickened. Serve immediately with crusty bread or mashed potato, or leave in the casserole pot, with the lid on, to let the flavour increase in intensity.
This recipe really is so, so simple and the results are amazing. The depth of flavours are really intense, and I found this all the more surprising as the only seasoning to speak of is salt and pepper, rosemary and the lemon. I had thought it might be a little bland, and in need of lots of salt and pepper, but it doesn’t. The carrots and celery provide a sweetness which is balanced by the leeks and onions – and if cooked to the timings above, the chicken is moist and succulent. Best thing of all is, we have half a casserole pot still left, which will be heated up for lunch and that extra chicken breast will be used tonight in a spicy Thai Chicken Soup. So, it may be freezing cold outside, but a chicken casserole doesn’t half heat you up and give you that lovely warm feeling, much needed on a winter night.
by Helen | Dec 12, 2022 | Italy, Travel
Being less than 40kms from Venice, Treviso has been overlooked by us in the past.Although we have been before, we always opt for Venice because, you know, it’s – Venice. But on our last Venetian road trip, we put this right and added a final night in Treviso – and boy, are we glad we did, as we discovered the exquisite Maison Matilda. Tucked away, under ancient arches on a cobbled street just off Piazza Duomo, you could walk past this beauty, without even knowing. In fact, we did. But, once inside, the restored townhouse, is just a feast for the eyes. The reception area is discreetly positioned to the rear of the entrance, so you do feel as if you are stepping into a beautiful home, with a gorgeous Farrow and Ball type palette of colours and thick, opulent, velvet drapes. Up the first flight of stairs, and the space opens up into two elegant area – one for dining, the other for relaxing.
Breakfast is a very leisurely affair. We were the only guests in the dining room, other guests having eaten earlier and left, so again, it felt like a very private affair. Breakfast consisted of the freshest ingredients, either made in-house or brought in from very local shops and producers. Freshly baked bread, a selection of croissants and pastries, ham and cheese, fruit salad and the most delicious natural yogurt, omelette, and a very mouth-watering cake, recommended by the owner. Crockery and cutlery were all exquisite, too. Mis-matched, but in a matching kind of way. All delicate and so, so pretty. Breakfast at Maison Matilda, is how I think, all breakfasts should be…
Retaining much of its historical architecture, this is a traditional townhouse with a contemporary interior-design, meaning that modern furnishings contrast with period details. I hats five rooms and one suite, and all are all unique. Our room was on the second floor, up a grand staircase, under a huge crystal chandelier and behind a hidden door (as they all seemed to be), making this boutique hotel even more of a well kept secret.
Our double room was spacious and well equipped with a big bed (with lovely bedding), a mini bar, coffee machine and TV with Netflix. The decor was dark and moody – which could obviously be lightened up with lamps – but it seemed perfect for a cold, rainy December evening. Unlike most hotel rooms, where bathrooms are small and boxy and pretty much all much of a muchness, this bathroom was large. With underfloor heating and free standing bath, plus unusual toiletries and gorgeous towels, this room was a real treat. Nothing quite as relaxing as deep, hot bath and a couple glasses of Prosecco.
All in all, our stay at Maison Matilda was fabulous. We’ve stayed in Treviso a couple of times before, in really great accommodation, but this little boutique hotel was now always be our go-to if there is availability. For the price point (we paid just under €150, which also included the very substantial breakfast), this is a real find, especially as it is in the heart of the city. Parking is available on the street outside – you’ll need to find a blue bay and pay – but the hotel does offer secure parking for €25 per night. We were very lucky that there was availability because it does need to be pre-booked, and although definitely not cheap, it did make everything so much easier. But, street parking, in future, wouldn’t be something which would put us off choosing Maison Matilda in future – and, there is a large public carpark, a short walk away, just outside the city walls.
We paid in full for our whole stay, via Booking.com. This is not a sponsored or paid post – just a blog to remind us of a really fabulous visit and to whole heartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a little bit of luxury, at an affordable price, in the centre of medieval Treviso. And, if you need any other convincing, it’s also highly recommended by Mr & Mrs Smith.
by Helen | Dec 7, 2022 | Interiors
The main bedroom in our house is large. Certainly bigger than any bedroom we’ve ever had before – and keeping it warm and cosy in the winter, is something I work on every year. It’s great in the summer – light, spacious and airy. With the windows wide open and a couple of lovely retro fans at the bedside, we are kept cool. But come a drop in temperature, we do have to work at keeping it warm. Sometimes, in the depths of winter, we’ve given in and moved across the landing to one of the smaller bedrooms, closing up the main room. But I don’t like doing this, because it feels we’re shutting up a large part of the house, and I don’t like that feeling of creeping coldness that you get in rooms you don’t use. So, this year, we are staying put, but are ensuring that this potentially cold room, is the cosiest yet. How are we doing this doing?
Well, new curtains have already had a big impact.
We’ve always had the muslin drapes at the windows – even though we don’t actually need any coverage at all, as we’re not overlooked at all – but they soften the window wall, which is the original stone. Then we added long, cream curtains, which are great over the summer but don’t give that feeling of warmth over the winter. Over the weekend, we stayed in a hotel in Treviso, and our room had long, floor length chocolate brown, velvet curtains – and this got me thinking, so a quick trip to IKEA was done. And there were the perfect drapes…
All of our bedroom furniture is painted duck egg blue, and we have a big standing lamp in the same colour, so when teal velvet was spotted, I knew these would work. And with a drop of 3m, the exact length needed.
These curtains are from the Birtna range and each pack contains a pair. We paid €69.99 per pack and needed two, so not cheap – BUT we figured that if they kept the room warm and cosy, we’d be cutting down on using heaters. They are also black-out curtains and worked well this morning – even in the winter, the sun does shine brightly into this bedroom, but they did the trick. So, not the cheapest – but also, not the most expensive – and definitely worth it for what we wanted…
by Helen | Nov 29, 2022 | Morocco, Travel
Marrakech is absolutely everything we ever thought it would be. We’ve only ever visited in January, as a stop over before journeying across for a longer break on the western coast, in Essaouira. But even in what we would consider to be the depths of winter, that pretty gloomy time just after New Year, it is hot, vibrant, colourful, noisy, chaotic and totally beautiful. Mostly. But more of that later. Wherever you are staying, the point to gravitate towards, is probably Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square and market place in the medina quarter (old city), which transforms from dawn to dusk.
During the day the square is full of sights. You’ll see monkey trainers who have trained the animals to climb all over tourists, snake charmers and henna tattooists. Whilst you can generally just watch and photograph from a distance, you do need to have your wits about you in the square – we have seen unsuspecting tourists end with a monkey on their shoulders and a friend of ours, who got a bit too close to a snake charmer, found himself with a snake around his neck and having to pay to have it removed. The tattooists can be quite agrressive, too – I had my hand pulled by one, and she had quite a tight grip! Thankfully, I did manage to wrangle my hand free. You’ll also see dentists, who proudly display the teeth they have recently extracted – whilst at the same time offering their dental services. The square is also filled with traditional musicians – they are very mesmeric, and again, if you want to watch and listen, rather then hand over money, keep your distance. You will also find numerous stands selling the most aromatic foods and spices and drinks – a great way to fill yourself up during the day.
If the clamour and noise of the square becomes a bit overwhelming, which it can, it’s easy to escape and find yourself surrounded by peace and quiet, not too far away. Today, the city walls are mainly to mark the limits of the medina with other areas of the city, but in years gone by there were defensive ramparts, protecting the medina from invaders. To cope with attacks, the Sultan of Marrakech, Ali Ben Youssef, around 1120, decided to erect strong 9m high walls, to defend the city, forming a circuit of approximately 10 km around the city, originally including as many as 200 towers and 20 access gates.
At 70m high, the iconic minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque is the highest structure and the largest mosque in Marrakech. Along with the square of Jemaa el Fnaa, The Koutoubia, is a symbol of Marrakech. The Koutoubia Mosque is located on the edge of the medina at the beginning of Avenue Mohammed V. The easiest way to reach it is on foot from Jemaa el Fnaa, as it’s just 250 meters from the main square – but once you are in front of it, you feel a world away from the madness of the square.
The minaret can be seen from all across the city, and beyond – on a clear day, from as far away as 25kms – and we had a gorgeous view of it from the roof terrace of our riad.
At dusk, Marrakech’s main square transforms and the morning stalls disappear to give room to food stands where you can have dinner, surrounded by Moroccan musicians playing traditional music. Although locals certainly frequent the square and its stalls during the day, they are much more in evidence at night and so it seems a lot more authentic. Not just a tourist trap. Smoke rises up from the stalls and the aromas are just mouth-watering. If you don’t have dinner plans, the food at these stands is tasty, very cheap and very popular.
Around the medina, you can lose yourself in shopper’s paradise, especially if you love a haggle. You can wander the souls to your heart’s content and if you are determined to make a purchase or two, this is definitely the place to do it. However, it’s very easy to get lost in the souks. The narrow alleyways – with overflowing items that snake off to more thin passageways with even more goods – can all start to look very similar, and as many are covered too, it can be more difficult to get a good idea of where you are. Getting lost is generally part of the fun of exploring the souks, but if you really need to ask somebody for directions, our advice would be to try and approach families or females as opposed to younger men. The reason for this is that it’s a lot more common for younger males to make a friendly offer to take you to where you want to go, and although this might seem like a blessing at the time, it often ends with you paying a substantial ‘tip’ – after possibly having been carted to several stalls, from where the ‘helpful’ stranger is trying to score commission on a sale along the way. We know this from experience – but thankfully in our case, all ended well and we did make a rather beautiful purchase of a Berber rug. Which we hadn’t intended to do, and it’s a blog all of its own, because it was a bit of an adventure…
Marrakech is definitely a city of great contrasts. There is undoubted poverty, as well as great wealth – and everything in between. It is noisy and chaotic, but if you’re staying in a riad, calmness descends. we stayed in a very inexpensive one, just outside the medina, and it was very beautiful. Once through the big wooden entrance door, it was like being in a different world…
We’ve only stayed in Marrakech for short bursts, so are certainly no experts on this North African city – but, as a stop-over to elsewhere, it’s perfect, especially if your final destination is the coast which is a good 4-5 hours away.
by Helen | Nov 28, 2022 | Interiors
Not all renovation projects need to involve demolition and mess and heavy tools and living with dust and dirt. I like to think that’s all kind of behind us – at least for now, but we never say never. These days, our renovation projects are quite small scale, very sedate, quite tidy and always done by us. It’s a nice position to be in, in the journey of our home. I quite like not having to haul the Henry hoover up (or down) three floors to get rid of thick layers of dust and plaster. These days, a bit of a tickle with a damp cloth, seems to be what’s involved in reno clean up.
Our upstairs landing has always been a bit of nothing space. We have tried, over the years, to make it into something, but nothing has ever really felt quite right. Until now, and I think we’ve finally achieved what we’ve always wanted, but not really known that we do. It now ties together the upstairs floor, and rather than just being a space to walk through, it’s almost become a room of its own.
Floating shelving has been fitted in the corner outside the main bedroom. We don’t have a socket in the hallway – something on the “to-do” list – and so we have to think about lighting. The two wooden slatted lamps are perfect as they are battery operated and on timers, meaning we have lovely shadows cast across the landing, when it’s dark. The two copper Moroccan style lanterns were bought a few years ago, and now seem to have found their home, after being fairly nomadic. These lovely little baskets are the perfect storage place for batteries for the lamps and tealights for the the lanterns.
The wooden floors throughout the house are painted a very deep navy, and walls are all white. The ceiling is very high with original beams, which we painted a very soft grey to match the woodwork, so the overall feeling is now of space. Despite there only being one window, it’s a very light and airy part of the house, but we’ve created a more wintery cosy feel with the addition of big, thick mustard coloured rugs. The wall where the window is, is still natural stone, although completely cleaned up and painted white. I’m at that stage with our house, where I’m kind of over the original stone work and depending on how much longer we are here, plans are being made to plaster all walls. However, they’ve not been plastered yet, so in order to hide away the stones, we’ve hung floor length sheer, muslin drapes. These don’t block out any light, but add softness, which I think was originally missing. The addition of a mustard yellow Moroccan leather pouffe adds a little bit more interest – and helps create a little Moorish corner in our home.
by Helen | Nov 18, 2022 | Lifestyle
Kozlović winery is one of the best-known wineries in Istria. The family has been producing wines since 1904, and today, the winery is run by its fourth generation. We are lucky that it’s about twenty minutes from our house and so we can visit at less busy times – because during the summer months especially, this winery can be extremely busy and often, you will need to pre-book a table/seating area.
As well as being a renowned winery, this destination in the north of Istria, is also a fabulous eaterie. Although not a restaurant, it does serve fantastic charcuterie boards – either meat or veggie. These sharing boards are substantial and are packed with locally made cheeses, breads, olive oil and other seasonal delicacies. We rarely eat meat and so can’t comment on these boards, but every time we’ve been, they look very popular.
Spring-time at Koslovic. The perfect place to sit out on the terrace and watch the world go by.
Even in the winter, this winery is set up for outdoor eating and drinking, as there are now fire pits and outdoor wood burners, as well as big blankets to wrap around yourself.
However, if you find it just a bit too chilly, but don’t want to miss out on the Koslovic experience, there is some indoor seating, too, as well as the opportunity to purchase some of their fine wines. We always seem to return home with a few more bottles than we anticipated. Just can’t think how this happens…
by Helen | Nov 1, 2022 | Italy, Travel
On our road trip around Italy, driving in the Calabrian south was tiring, so we needed to break the journey up from Villa San Giovanni (where you cross to & from Sicily) to Matera and so consulted our trusty oracles – a well thumbed road map and google. Tarsia seemed to be a place that was just about equi-distant, but very remote. As boutique style hotels seemed to be a bit on the sparse side, we plumped for the agriturismo option.
We found Agriturismo B&B Mandria Del Dottore Toscana through a series of internet searches – although it has to be said, finding it online is MUCH easier than finding it in reality. We got to Tarsia relatively easily, then the trail went cold. One thing we have realised is that Italian road signage, once you’re off the main roads, is pretty rubbish. Road signs are often covered in vines/foliage, or twisted, or burned, or simply not there. After about an hour of aimless driving around, we gave up and asked for directions in a very small bar. We clearly weren’t the first to do this as a call was made and 15 minutes later, a car arrived, we followed & after many twists and turns across hilly countryside, arrived at our destination.
This was definitely a very rural location, so if you’re after a wild night of clubbing, this farmhouse won’t appeal. Set in acres of rolling hills, there is literally nothing else around you – apart from horses, olive groves and beautiful silence. We felt the need to whisper until we realised that actually no-one else was around to hear us. I think the owners clocked on that we were a little bit stressed when we arrived, and a bottle of their own wine was put out on the table in front of us, with two glasses. Very little communication as they spoke no English, and our Italian, at the time, was pretty basic – but a generous gesture is a generous gesture in whatever language.
The owners live on the farm, and it is a working farm. It’s rustic and rural and although not full of the most modern amenities, it’s perfect for a bit of a get-away. Most importantly, the bed was super comfortable – something that Italians do hold in high regard as we have not slept in anything other than VERY comfortable since we’ve been away. The bathroom was spotless, with a great sized shower, too. A definite plus point.
We could have had dinner (with everything being sourced from the land we were staying on), but as we had a kitchen in the apartment we chose to cook & eat on the terrace. We’d picked up some supplies on the way – it’s worth having some staples to cook with, as if you don’t fancy what’s on the menu that night, you’re stuck. Breakfast was very simple – bread, cheese, preserves, proscuitto – but ALL locally sourced.
There are four apartments. We think we might have had the largest as it was the most expensive, and had a terrace, but it was still only 68 euros to stay the night – worth every cent for the solitude and peace. There is also a swimming pool – although this had just been covered up when we arrived (mid-October), but would imagine this is a welcome relief from the Italian sun in the height of summer…
