Valdinievole It is the “valley of the mists”, rich in water, do wonderful caves, of thermal parks, of ancient villages, gardens, palaces of art. Because if it is true that there is one Tuscany well known, there is also a lesser known, from Val di Cecina to the Val di Cornia up to the Valdinievole In the province of Pistoia, where a holiday is made up an expanded beauty, from the ribollita to a bath to the spa. We spread a perfect itinerary for a long and beyond weekend.
Monsumano Terme
Monsumano Terme, in particular, is known for its waters and for Giusti cave, a natural thermal complex that arose around an incredible cave – discovered in 1849 – which releases beneficial vapors in an underground environment of stalactites and stalagmites, while the outdoor thermal pools (the main of 750 m², with 40 whirlpool stations) invite relaxing bathrooms, in waters rich in magnesium, sulfur, calcium and bicarbonate at a temperature of 28-34 °.
With the exception of the cave (ticket of 50 euros per person), access is free for those who stay at the Giusti Thermal Spa Resort cave – and so also the two wet paths with ice shower – equipped with a secular park, outdoor swimming pool (in the summer season).
The Restaurant – The poet – open only for dinner, also for the outsidersthe stop deserves: for a few months the chef Alex Agostinelli has landed in the kitchen, who is ferrying the new course and that in measuring himself with the raw material it prefers “the determined flavors”, but refined. This is the case of Carpaccio di capasanta on pea cream, asparagus, candied tomato, burrata and almonds. Even if his-forty plate, always on paper, is the Packter to Lucio. Tomato trilogy, parsley, garlic and chilli pepper (If someone the recipe reminds the famous paccheri to the three Da Vittorio tomatoes, you know that this has a completely different story. However: “When I met the chefs, we confronted each other on the procedure,” says Agostinelli. “To find out that it is almost identical, of course top secret»).
In the village, however, the obligatory stop is The pig – “Osteria next to the butcher from which everything has started”, as stated on the site – which obviously makes a pivot on excellent meat and on a sincere tradition, between ribollita, pappa with tomato, Fiorentina steak, lampredotto in zimino, cutting board of cured meats and cheeses to lose your head. All at more than honest prices.
The pork for another also exists in bistrot format 10 minutes away – locality Montecatini Terme – where the same offer takes on a more casual dimension. Not a detail, in the locality – this time yes – tourist, where there is still a stage -aperitif in the upper city: to climb the historic village there is the famous “Red train »of Montecatini, funicular inaugurated in 1898 That in 8 and a half minutes the slope dates back (38.5% in the final section) with an open view of the Valdinievole, aboard the two red cars: Gigio and Gigia. A journey through time.
In the town of Collodi
And it is also a nice journey that leads to Pinocchio Park, Collodi localityrecommended for young and old: born in 1956 to celebrate the most famous puppet in the world, it is a path between art and nature. It welcomes mosaics, sculptures and installations signed by artists such as Emilio Greco, Venturino Venturi and Pietro Consagra. In short, not an amusement park, but an open -air fairy tale all to be discovered (and to relive), between decorated squares, groves and carved characters.
With a single ticket you also access the neighbor Park of Villa Garzoni – Seicentec home immersed in a Baroque terraces garden among the most scenographic in Italyequipped with fountains, statues, water games, nymphs, labyrinths and a butterfly house rich in exotic species. Wanting to conclude to the great, for dinner we recommend a small detour in the direction of Florence (just over half an hour, by car) – locality Cerreto Guidi – At the PS restaurant in Villa Petriolo, a green star of the Michelin guide. Where all the ingredients, cultivated and raised in a sustainable way, come from the villa-factory and trusted farmers.
“My cuisine is based on decisive flavors, those I call” the flavors of our house “, typically Tuscan,” says chef Stefano Pinciaroli. “For example, when I cook meat I always have family memories in mind: a well -made sauté, a mince of aromatic herbs, a brown background”. But be careful, why Here the roots with the territory take a creative road. For example, with the unforgettable snails of the photo above: «I prepare them from a simple but intense bottom, of garlic and shaded sage with white wine and then tied with a brown background that gives depth and persistence. The result is an enveloping taste, which remains in the mouth for a long time. To balance there is always something that lightens, like a fresh salad and an acidified Jerusalem artichoke cream with Jerusalem artichoke vinegar. It works almost like a seasoning: it refreshes you, cleans the palate and makes the dish balanced, so that the richest part never becomes heavy ». The basic philosophy is this: “Few ingredients, but chosen and processed in such a way as to leave an indelible memory». To summarize the concept, it is White and black – Almost a -symbol dish – always present in paper: spaghetto of egg pasta (km0) cooked in the sheep’s serum, completed by black truffle sheets and a sprinkling of fermented black garlic. From applause.
Stop in the city, between Lucca and Pistoia
Valdinievole is a historical region on the border with the provinces of Florencein fact, of Pistoia and Lucca. And also, of course, they deserve a stage, especially if the weekend in Tuscany stretches. In the first case, for a quick and satisfying stop of taste among the beauties of the center (Piazza del Duomo; Church of Sant’Andrea and Pulpito di Giovanni Pisano; Hospital of the Ceppo; Il Fregio Robbiano; Palazzo Fabroni; Civic Museum) there is the Contemporary Pizzeria, 2 Rosso Gambero wedges, 30th among the 100 best pizzerias in Italy and 69th among the best pizzerias in the world according to 50 top pizzleto. Where Manuel Maiorano proposes three different doughs, seasonal and classic fillings, from contemporaries to thin and crunchy, up to the steam variants, fried or the shovel. And even the uramaki fusion, morsels of pizza served as sushi.
In Lucca, however, after theindispensable walk on the Renaissance wallsit is advisable to go down to via del Fosso, where for 30 years (in 2026) the mecenate restaurant is located: here you will find The real simple Tuscan cuisine, based on local ingredients, the result of the work of small producers. Translated into dishes where the territory, personal memory and history of the restaurant coexist: Household Tordelli Lucchesi; Walchers Lucchesi (beef rolls) with the Lucca strings; Canestrino Lucchese tomato salad; The Fagiolo Cannellino di Lucca; Buccellato (typical Lucchese dessert) with cream and strawberries. And other delicacies.
Source: Vanity Fair
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