InTouch Travel

Antonella grew up in a small town in the eastern Marches region of Italy and studied French at university. Her passion for languages took her first to France, where she worked and studied, then on to England. After a year in London, she and her husband lived in the middle east, the United Arab Emirates. "It was a great experience," she writes, "because I learned so much about other cultures and I met lots of people from different countries. Our daughter was born there. After 6 years we moved back to Italy."

The Calzolaios settled in Lucca, in the northwest corner of Tuscany, where Antonella and her husband set up a language school for local students. And, realizing how much Lucca and its surroundings have to offer travelers, she and a colleague started a tourist service agency as well.

"It's not just the guided tours that will reveal its beauty and culture but also the traditional cuisine and the wine making process. I love the charming atmosphere of this area and I would like to share my passion with everyone coming here."

The Tuscany Nobody Knows: Two day tours

Within just a few miles of Lucca and the coastal resorts of Italy's Adriatic coast are landscapes so far removed from the traditional image of Tuscany as to make them seem from another country.

Sheer, soaring mountain peaks, lush alpine meadows, ski-runs, vast areas of semi-wilderness where wolves are still spotted, great fortresses of medieval castles, submerged villages and remote settlements where people live a life that's hard and self-sufficient, an existence that seems little changed in the past century.

This is Tuscany's own private wilderness. It's part of the region called Garfagnana, classified as a national park, and it's virtually unknown.

Day one: Starting in Lucca, we follow the Serchio river to the awesome, asymmetrical Ponte del Diavolo (Devil's Bridge). Heading north, we reach Castelnuovo Garfagnana, whose origins date back to the 8th century and has always been considered as the center of this area. Our lunch break is in a typical osteria where we enjoy locally produced products such as faro (tarts), salami, ham, crostini with mushroom pâté ... and local wine, of course. After lunch, our journey continues to Barga, the medieval town with the unspoiled beauty of its surroundings, works of art and the undeniable charm of its historic center.

Day two: Today we'll head northeast, past Gallicano to the Hermitage of Calomini, built against a rocky precipice and carved into the cliff. Its origins go back to the year 1000 and it's still one of the most visited pilgrimage sites. Our lunch break is in a typical trattoria where we can enjoy some traditional food, such as bruschette with ham and salami, cheese, olive oil... and of course wine. We then drive through the woods to get to Trassilico, a lovely village where time seems to have stood still. Walking on the pebbled streets and admiring the flowers on the houses is so pleasant. The highest point of the village is the fortress from where you can admire the Pania mountains and the Monte Forato.