Nautilus Restaurant, Tirrenia: Renato Keber incontro con il Produttore DiVino

Nautilus Restaurant, Tirrenia: Renato Keber incontro con il Produttore DiVino

Al “Nautilus”di  Tirrenia, Pisa

Appuntamento ormai immancabile quello del  giovedì sera con Andrea Baldeschi, esperto Sommelier AIS, che nel suo “Nautilus”, elegante ristorante a Tirrenia, intrattiene i suoi ospiti con una cena a tema.  Trovo questa iniziativa geniale.  Senza andare troppo lontano , direttamente a Pisa , ogni settimana  ho la possibilità di divertirmi, fare nuove amicizie, mangiare e bere di qualità, scoprire bottiglie importanti e grandi nomi della produzione vitivinicola italiana.

Andrea è un appassionato di Enogastronomia e lo scorso Aprile ha fatto il grande passo di mettersi in proprio, dopo una lunga  esperienza  di lavoro in  bar e catering. Così a Tirrenia, una delle località balneari più affascinanti della Toscana, nasce il “Nautilus”. Si tratta  di un piccolo ristorante raffinato, che racchiude tante innovazioni, a partire dalla cucina, non nascosta da muri e porte, ma a vista per permettere ai clienti di scrutare tra i vetri i cuochi all’opera. Andrea, affiancato da due chef professionisti nonostante la giovane età , ha scommesso sulla sua Passione per il Cibo e il Vino. Ha  iniziato un’avventura, puntando soprattutto sulla ricercatezza dei piatti: pranzi, cene e apericene, primi, secondi, pesce e  carne,  tutto preparato al momento con prodotti locali, toscani e sempre freschi. E le soddisfazioni non mancano! Andrea  ha già una sua  clientela fissa e l’affetto di tanti, me compresa, perché  oltre a essere un ristoratore esperto, è  soprattutto  un gran padrone di casa. Andrea ti accoglie sempre con un grande sorriso, ti  fa sentire come in famiglia, e ti fa venire voglia di ritornare.  Non  ti stanchi mai di ascoltare  i suoi  aneddoti sui suoi giri per le cantine Italiane. Da Nord a Sud Andrea esplora lo stivale per collezionare Vini d’Autore, tutti gelosamente esposti nella cantina del suo “Nautilus”. In questo prezioso scrigno divino scintillano le etichette di Renato Keber, Winemaker Friulano, protagonista indiscusso di questa indimenticabile serata. 

L’Azienda Renato Keber.

Renato Keber è un  enologo , un numero uno tra i Produttori di Vini Friulani,  che ha dedicato la sua vita alla propria famiglia e  alla sua Azienda Vinicola .  

L’ Azienda Keber si trova in Friuli Venezia Giulia,  una  terra di grandi vini, e precisamente a Zegla, a nord  di  Cormons, sul Collio, ai confini con la Slovenia. Le colline di Zegla sono un territorio meraviglioso dal punto di vista panoramico, e ideale per la viticoltura di qualità. Le colline  godono di un microclima eccezionale, grazie all’esposizione favorevole e ad un’escursione termica ideale. Il resto lo fa il terreno: le marne arenarie del periodo Medio Eocenico  (ponka) , che in questa zona conferiscono ai vini eleganza e longevità.  Renato Keber produce vino in questa zona  da quattro generazioni  dal lontano 1900.  La storia di famiglie contadine attaccate al loro lavoro, al proprio territorio, per cui l’allevamento di bestiame, e le coltivazioni agricole, la viticoltura, sono state da sempre le principali attività di sostentamento.  
L’Azienda Keber si estende per  15 ettari terrazzati , impianti fitti, allevati con sistema Gujot11  a Zegla, 2  a Cormons e 2 al confine di Plessiva. Vengono prodotte dalle 60 mila alle 70 mila bottiglie. Essa punta in prevalenza sui bianchi, non solamente  gli  autoctoni Friulano e Ribolla Gialla, ma anche gli internazionali Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, e Chardonnay. Non mancano le varietà a bacca rossa: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. L’ Azienda Keber si è oggi evoluta, adattandosi alle esigenze di utilizzare macchinari più moderni e complessi, senza rinunciare alla qualità del lavoro in vigna ed in cantina, che ha sempre contraddistinto i vini di Renato Keber.

A Tavola con Keber!

La Cena Degustazione al “Nautilus” con i Vini Bianchi e Rossi di Renato Keber, sapientemente abbinati con invitanti portate di pesce e carne, mi portano direttamente in Friuli Venezia Giulia, e vengono fuori i ricordi di questo posto straordinario dove sono stata un paio di anni fa.

Ecco un  viaggio enogastronomico nell’estremo Nord-Est della nostra Penisola attraverso il menù proposto dal “Nautilus” questa sera a cena:

La regia “culinaria” di Andrea e l’ingresso in scena dei Vini di Renato Keber sono un film da oscar. Il premio è per loro l’attenzione quasi sacra di noi commensali. C’è silenzio, parlano Andrea Baldeschi e Renato Keber, che regalano il meglio della Cucina Toscana e della Tradizione Vinicola Friulana, abilmente intrecciati e spiegati in ogni minimo particolare. Ed è questo il momento più bello di questo incontro con il produttore friulano. Siamo tutti incuriositi e rapiti dalle storie di Renato Keber sulla produzione dei suoi vini, che, tra una domanda e l’altra, degustiamo e comprendiamo meglio. I vini di Renato Keber non sono vini modaioli, ma di nicchia. Sono  fini , minerali, intriganti, ma anche molto complessi. Non sono vini facili e immediati, di quelli che ti seducono con poco,  per poi farsi dimenticare. I vini di Renato Keber hanno bisogno di un po’ di tempo per aprirsi, farsi conoscere, un po’ forse come gli stessi friulani, di quelli che all’inizio possono sembrare un po’ alteri, ma poi,  ti danno l’anima . Ciò che mi ha colpito di Renato Keber è la sua personalità, che ti coinvolge piano piano con gentilezza, con riservatezza. Scambiando due chiacchiere con Renato Keber capisci subito che è un uomo genuino, serio, che porta avanti i suoi ideali e con successo, senza gridarlo al mondo. E questo è tanto chiaro quanto il tono della sua voce, che diventa più penetrante, quando durante la serata ci fornisce l’anteprima del suo prossimo traguardo in viticultura, il “Progetto Cru di Zegla”. Renato Keber ha  deciso di creare un Cru seguendo un disciplinare ben preciso:  

E noi aspettiamo che questo sogno si realizzi, perché esiste vento favorevole solo per chi sa cosa vuole, e Renato Keber arriverà presto al suo porto, spinto dalla passione per il suo lavoro, per il vino e per il suo territorio, il   Friuli Venezia Giulia. Renato Keber ama ciò che fa e non lascia nulla al caso, come alcune delle etichette delle sue migliori bottiglie affidate a un artista veneto Maurizio Armellin, che cura anche l’immagine del ristorante stellato “La Madia”, di Pino Cuttaia a Licata, mia bella città natale in Sicilia. Come è piccolo il mondo! Non finisce qui il legame tra Arte e Vino. Renato Keber è tra coloro che finanziano il film del 2013  “Zoran, il mio nipote scemo”, del suo amico regista goriziano Matteo Oleotto. Un film che ha ricevuto vari riconoscimenti  come quello avuto alla 70° Mostra Cinema di Venezia, perché in modo semplice e diretto parla del Friuli Venezia Giulia e della Slovenia e del rapporto viscerale di questa gente con la terra e il vino! Nel film Paolo Bressan, quarant’anni, inaffidabile e dedito al piacere del buon vino, vive in un piccolo paesino vicino a Gorizia. Trascina le sue giornate nell’osteria del paese, l’”osmiza” ,che nella cultura rurale friulana e slovena è il luogo principale di aggregazione, più del bar, perché somiglia a una casa. Paolo si ostina in un infantile stalking ai danni dell’ex-moglie Stefania. Un giorno muore una sua vecchia zia, unica tutrice di Zoran, quindicenne un po’ strambo, nato e cresciuto tra le montagne della Slovenia, e a Paolo spetta il compito di supplire all’anziana signora. Prendendosi cura del ragazzo, Paolo ne scoprirà una abilità singolare: è un vero fenomeno a lanciare le freccette. Questa per Paolo è l’occasione tanto attesa per prendersi una rivincita nei confronti del mondo.

Il  vino di Renato Keber è un ottimo motivo per ritornare in Friuli, una terra magica, che anche se a  volte è dimenticata dai consueti itinerari turistici, è molto ricca di cose da scoprire. Storia, Arte, Cultura, e paesaggi diversi e mozzafiato, splendide città e borghi gioiello. Il Friuli Venezia Giulia ha tantissimi luoghi inaspettati e vale la pena andare alla ricerca di questi tesori che non hanno nulla da invidiare al resto del nostro Belpaese, così come i vini di Renato Keber. E se non sapete dove pernottare, Renato Keber ha pensato anche a questo: l’ ”Agriturismo Zegla” , situato proprio nel cuore dei vigneti dell’azienda. 

 Renato Keber, vi aspetta !

Enjoy it!

Stefania

Who is Roberto Cipresso?

Who is Roberto Cipresso?

If you want to thrill someone,  first try to feel  the same emotions you desire to awake…” .

R. Cipresso.

Roberto Cipresso, international winemaker of Montalcino

Scanning across the bookshelves in my flat, it dawns on me that my collection falls into three categories: wine, food and  travel! The three passions that form the  main plot of  Wine, the secret Novel , a book written by Roberto Cipresso. Roberto Cipresso presented his  outstanding work at ‘Nautilius, an elegant restaurant by the sea and close to  Pisa .

It was an unforgettable event  that allowed me  to meet  one of the most important winemaker in  Italy, Roberto Cipresso . He is a special person, as well as a great wine entrepreneur.  From his base in Montalcino, Tuscany, he has changed winemaking worldwide. How?  Read his incredible story, and you will find the answer!

Roberto-Cipresso-The- Secret -Novel

‘Wine the Secret Novel’ , a novel by Roberto Cipresso

Andrea Baldeschi , the owner of the ‘Nautiliusrestaurant,  hosted that memorable dinner in honour of  Roberto Cipresso.  A crowd of people were waiting to hear the famous vigneron speak about his life and his professional achievements.

First of all, Roberto Cipresso greeted us all with a big smile and then went on to introduce  ‘Wine, the Secret Novel‘  , one of  the three books he has written about wine.  It is an attempt to give a general outline of the history of wine.  Wine has rolled its barrel from the shores of the  Black Sea to the mountains of the Andes, following humans and their dreams. His book goes back through time  retracing the grape’s conquest of the world, stopping in each winemaking country, from the oldest to the most recent,  discovering wines past and present, while also looking to the future.

3 tops wines of Roberto Cipresso 

That evening at the ‘Nautiliusrestaurant there was also a fantastic wine tasting, including some of the best wines of Roberto Cipresso :

    • ‘Punto Bianco Toscana IGT :  This is a white wine made from Vermentino and Verdicchio. These grapes are the most representative of Italy, being cultivated in the region of the  the 43rd Parallel. This is  an imaginary line, which  traces through all the places that have given origin to viticulture throughout the world from Europe to the New World. The wine had a dry and even astringent taste , with a  contrasting rich coconut aroma, giving a nice round feel in the mouth, and a long-lasting finish.  It was paired with a delicious tuna pasta;
    • ‘Pi Greco Toscana IGT ‘ : This is a red wine made of 100%  Sangiovese   . It  offers primary flavours of tart cherry, red plum, strawberry, and fig, with subtle notes of roasted pepper, leather, and clay.  In its nose offers aromas of earth and tea leaf.  On the palate it is a full-bodied wine,  displaying a marked acidity, an important tannic structure and a long and intense persistence. It  was paired with a pasta enhanced with wild boar ragù;
    • Quadratura del Cerchio’ : This wine is made from  Sangiovese (60%),  Montepulciano (20%) , and  Sagrantino (20%).  This is Roberto Cipresso‘s first attempt to make the ideal wine and it is his first attempt at wine experimentation. Its grapes are the best in Italy, and above all they grow along  the 43rd  Parallel!  This wine went perfectly with a  dish of (soft) veal and tiny roast potatoes.

Guests enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of that unforgettable dinner at the ‘Nautilius restaurant, while  Roberto Cipresso was seducing us all with his beautiful spell.  Here  are some important acts about his life  and professional background.

Roberto-Cipresso-writer-winemaker-Montalcino

Who is Roberto Cipresso? 

I felt the power of Roberto‘s personality,  while he was presenting his book that evening at the ‘Nautilius restaurant! Roberto Cipresso is an oenologist, an international  winemaker, and writer. Without any doubt he is also a visionary leader . His way of  life makes him stand out from the rest of the crowd as regards the field of wine.

He can imagine things that others cannot imagine and sees the whole  landscape of winemaking as a big picture,  and not a single step. He is present and focused. You can connect with him, when  he talks about what he has in mind, or  when he teaches you something about wine,  or when he tells you about his travel, his previous job experiences, and his life!

The story of Roberto Cipresso 

Roberto Cipresso was born in  Bassano del Grappa (Veneto) in 1963 . Initially his first love was the mountains. He studied agriculture and received a master’s degree in viticulture in Padua, Northern Italy only out of necessity.  He thought  that skiing and climbing would  be his future,  though a terrible accident caused him to  change his ideas.

In order to study with Professor Attilio Scienza, a respected Italian scientist in the field of vine, in 1987 Roberto moved to Montalcino  . Forgetting that tragic episode,  he fell in love with the world of the wine,  thus  starting his winemaking career at three outstanding estates in Tuscany :

Mountains have played a large role in the life of  Roberto Cipresso.  In fact, he learnt how to survive and how to know  his limits! At the same time he improved his skill in observing nature, developing an extraordinary knowledge  of the vineyards of Tuscany in order to create wine.

He  learnt a lot about wine during his younger years in Montalcino , from the planting of grapes to how  the wine was bottled. It was the most challenging and formative step of his fantastic life’s work with wine.

The goals of Roberto Cipresso

Roberto Cipresso soon gained success, being invited to advise Italian producers  as well as wineries around the world, including those in South America (‘Achaval-Ferrer Winery’,  Argentina). Travelling helped  Roberto Cipresso open his mind. He experienced different realities of wine ,  observing wine from a different angle,  and eventually was ready to work as a wine consultant !

The opportunities Roberto Cipresso had to put his professional skills and ideas  as regards wine into practice are exemplified by  four of his major projects:

  1. ‘Fattoria La Fiorita’In 1992 together with two popular partners, he founded this boutique winery in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, near Montalcino , which is still running. This boutique winery produced the iconic Brunello , gaining  numerous prestigious awards, including Parker points of 99, 98 and 97; 
  2. Winemaking project’: In 1999 at the behest of wine industry professionals he created a team of qualified consultants in the field of agronomy and oenology  in collaboration with his brother Gianfranco, and his friend Santiago Achaval, who is the founder of  the stunning ‘Matervini winery’ in Argentina ;
  3. ‘Wine Circus’: In 2001 he created this big  wine lab  in Montalcino  , where ideas and projects are shared with wine experts and universities   in order to solve  problems  regarding the winemaking process;
  4. ‘Poggio al Sole’: In 1990 he crafted this modern five starred wine relais , which is situated between Siena and Florence.  Here  Roberto Cipresso  planted his precious grapes of   Brunello   , which are used in  the making of the  best labels of his red wines.
The wine hits parade of Roberto Cipresso 

Recalling the most important enterprising ventures of Roberto Cipresso together with his lifetime achievements awards in terms of wine and food  culture, means understanding his complex and sensitive soul: 

The 3 books about wine written by Roberto Cipresso

The list here above would already be too long, taking into account that  Roberto often gave  lectures and speeches at wine schools and important universities in the world ! Already famous for his achievements in Italy and Argentina,  Roberto  rapidly obtained recognition in Europe and North America as one of the world’s elite winemakers.

Roberto is a creative and multitalented man. Along with the benefits of his many abilities and passions, there is his love for writing, represented by  another three books he has written about wine and its mystery, published between  2006 and 2009::

The ‘Cipresso 43rd project’. How to  make the wine of the future!

Without any doubt, Roberto Cipresso  is a  charismatic, brilliant and enthusiastic wine entrepreneur! He still continues on his incredible adventure in his inspiring  wine experiment entitled ‘Cipresso 43 rd project’. According to Roberto Cipresso, rules are important  in producing a perfect wine,  though they cannot stop evolution. We should consider rules as a point of departure, not as a point of arrival!

Bearing this in mind, Roberto  started his revolution in the world of wine, thereby provoking scandal! He went beyond the traditional concept of terroir, which was not identified as such as being in a specific area of the world, though within the same horizon!

The theory of the 43rd Parallel 

According to Roberto’s recent research this horizon is  the 43rd Parallel, a magical  line containing singular physical and spiritual features regarding wine production,  situated halfway between the Equator and the North Pole.  This parallel runs through central and florid places, which have shaped the main grapes and phases in the evolution of vine culture from Mesopotamia to the USA:

‘The Cipresso 43 rd project is an attempt to create an oenological itinerary using only grapes grown at a Northern latitude of 43rd degrees.  It could be considered an attempt to make the wine of the future.

Roberto-Cipresso-WeLoveItalyeu-wine-travel-blog-secret-novel-nautilus-restaurant-Tirrenia-Pisa

The X-factor of Roberto Cipresso

The life of Roberto Cipresso is about striving for excellence and harmony  not only in wine,  though  also in life.  Roberto doesn’t  limit himself only to his own thoughts and ideas. When you talk to him, he listens to whatever you have to say  attentively. He  encourages you to be as creative as possible and never to be afraid of presenting your own point of view!

Roberto  explained to me  the big picture of  his vision of wine and how to live  in this world. His  work is an essential part of his existence. It is not only about running a laboratory or doing analysis, it is mainly about being part of making something amazing. It  is by combining science, creativity and love, that you keep things interesting, and it is a great industry to be involved with as well. Roberto Cipresso  experiments with unconventional colors to find inspiration for his next masterpiece, that is still to come! I’m looking forward to it!

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Pisa,Tuscany

Pisa,Tuscany

“Pisa, o Pisa, per la fluviale , melodia che fa sì dolce il tuo riposo , ti loderò come colui che vide , immemore del suo male ,  fluirti il cuore , il sangue dell’aurore ,  e la fiamma dei vespri ,  e il pianto delle stelle adamantino , e il filtro della luna oblivioso

Gabriele D’Annunzio

Beyond the “Leaning Tower” !

Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian sea. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its Leaning tower” (the “Bell Tower of the City’s Cathedral”) , it contains more than 20 other historic churches, several palaces and various bridges across the River Arno .  Pisa and its architecture of was financed from its history as one of the Italian Maritime Republics”.

Pisa is also home of the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century and also has the mythic Napoleonic Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa” and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies” as the best sanctioned Superior Graduate Schools in Italy”. Read this post about Pisa to know what to do in this amazing city of Tuscany!

Top 10 things to do 

When Pisa is mentioned, everybody thinks about its tower,  but this impressive “Leaning Bell Tower” it’s just one of the many monuments you can find in this nice Tuscan city. The beautiful “Piazza del Duomo” collects, in a unique architectural complex in the world, the so called “Campo dei  Miracoli (“Miracles Square”), the main religious monuments of the city:

Pisa, however, it’s not just about this square: it will be enough to move just a little to discover the artistic beauty that make Pisa one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Buildings, monuments and museums keep alive the memory of a past time during which Pisa was the  Maritime Republic” and, for a long time, the undisputed master of the Mediterranean sea .

1 The “Leaning Tower”

Symbol of the city, thanks to its characteristic slope, this tower is the most famous monument of Piazza del Duomo” and it was built between the XII and the XIV century. The “Leaning Tower of Pisa”  leans because the ground gave during its early stage of construction, and since then it has remained in this way.

The tower  will never fall down!

Even if it could looks scaring, you don’t have to worry about it: the vertical axis, passing through its centre of gravity, falls into the support base, so the tower will never fall down, unless the laws of physics should be subverted.

We don’t have certain information about who built this tower, maybe it was the architect Diotisalvi, who in that period was working at the Baptistery. But even if there are several analogies between the two monuments the diatribe about the paternity of the tower is still open.  

2  The “Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta” 

The “Cathedral of Pisa”, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, is the most significant example of the Pisa Romanesque Art. The architect Buscheto joined the classical tradition with elements from the Norman, Byzantine, Pre-Christian and Arabic Arts, creating a new style which anticipated the Florentine Renaissance. It testifies the prestige that the Maritime Republic of Pisa” reached in its moment of maximum power.

The revenge against Venice

Its construction began in 1604, in the same date of the beginning of the works of  the “Basilica of San Marco” in Venice.  Probably it was risen a sort of silent competition between the two Republics for who was able to build the most beautiful and sumptuous worship place.

The current aspect of the the Cathedral of Pisa is the result of continues restauration works made in different epochs. During the IX century some of the statues has been substituted with copies, the originals are now  in the Museum of Opera del Duomo of Pisa”.

3 The “Baptistery”

The “Pisa Baptistery too forms the monumental complex of “Piazza del Duomo” . Its construction began in 1153 thanks to the architect Diotisalvi, as an  inscription inside an interior pillar testifies, but a lot of the sculptures on the façade have been made by Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni.

The great Nicola Pisano

Nicola Pisano made also the pulpit that represents scenes from the Christ’s life and subject that represents the virtues: all masterpieces testify how their creator has been one of the principals precursors of the Renaissance Art.

 

 

The external dome covers only the first part of columns and probably the lack of money caused it. The dome, in fact,  is made by different materials (red shingles and lead plates); for the same reason there are no frescoes on the ceiling, even if they were on the original plan.

 

 

4 The monumental “Graveyard “

The last wonder of Piazza del Duomo”  is the monumental “Graveyard of Pisa, a sacred place. The crusaders brought there the saint-ground taken on the Golgotha mountain, just outside Jerusalem.

There are buried the most important people of Pisa, and there can be found art works from the Etruscan time passing through the Roman and Medieval era until the last century. Simple white marble walls guards the graves; the most important persons were buried into the garden or in the Roman sarcophagi, while the other were buried under the arcades.

The “Graveyard of Pisa” in the XIX century

In the XIX century Graveyard of Pisa”, was restructured, the sarcophagi was moved under the arcades to protect them, so currently everything is under them. The mix between celebration of the history and the death made this Graveyard of Pisa”, one of the most visited place during 1800 until the second world war bombardments caused serious damages to the frescoes. In 1945 started the renovation works and they are  still in progress.

5 Banks of the Arno

Pisa is also known for its Banks of the Arno: all the streets that go along the Arno are an important point of meeting for young people and reference’s point for the tourists.

There are important buildings, dated back to the Middle Age, that during the centuries have been transformed. Towers, bridges and buildings, in spite of their actual Renaissance appearance, have a medieval soul, which can’t be ignored by the eye of an attentive tourist.

What to see in the banks of Arno 

Among the great number of the banks of the Arno, the most famous is the Medicean one which hosts a great number of historical buildings, such as:

The beautiful church of “Santa Maria della Spina”

On the bank of the Arno Gambacorti” there’s a small gothic jewel, the church of “Santa Maria della Spina”. It took this name in 1333 when it hosted  the relic of a spur from Christ’s Crown (now exposed in the church of  “Santa Chiara”).

If you are in Pisa on 16th June, you cannot miss the illustrations of San Ranieri: the backs of the Arno are illuminated by candle lights enhancing the outlines of all buildings and  creating a play of light and colors.

“Piazza dei Cavalieri”“Knights Square” 

“Piazza dei Cavalieri” owes its name to the presence of the headquarter of the Order of Knights of St. Stephen”.  For centuries it has been the site of a national civil power, even though today it’s above all a cultural and study place thanks to the presence of the:

“Piazza dei Cavalieri”  is an example of  designed by Giorgio Vasari, who decorated it  with allegorical figures and zodiacal signs. Close to it there is the beautifulPalazzo dell’Orologio” (“Clock Palace”), medieval building in which it was built the “Torre della Fame” (“Tower of Starvation”).In the “Divine Comedy” Dante told the story that  the Count Ugolino della Gherardesca died in 1289, in that tower, with its children and grand children.The other buildings in the square are

The Mural made by Keith Haring 

In 1989, passing through Pisa, Keith Haring left to the city an extraordinary work of art:

The “Church of St. Anthony”

The “Church of St. Anthony”.is located close to the station, in an urban context in which the artist used to expressed itself at the best. A few months later Haring would die and this mural is one of his last works. He had this idea in  New York after a casual meeting with a Pisa student with whom he talked about world peace.

What about “Tuttomondo”

The characters inside the murals are 30, stuck like a puzzle, and each one represents one aspect of a world in  peace: there are “humanized” scissors defeating the evil serpent that was eating the head of the another figure.

Then there is motherhood, represented by the woman with the baby in her arms, the nature with the two men supporting the dolphin and so on. Haring used soft colors, as a form of respect for the beauty of Pisa.

He worked on it for a week, with the intention of making a permanent work, in fact, he used the colors specially made by craftsmen of the Caparol Center, tempera and acrylic that could keep intact the quality of color for a long time. After 20 years “Tuttomondo” is still there to remind us the brief and intense life of this extraordinary artist.

The city center 

If you pass through the old town centre of Pisa probably  you’ll pass through the “Narrow Borgo” (“burg”), or “the Borgo” as people of Pisa use to call it. It’s the most typical street of the center, with its colonnades, the shops, the café. Along the way you can see buildings of the XIV and XV centuries that formed the nucleus of the ancient Pisa: here the noble families and merchants competed to build the most beautiful, the tallest and  colourful building.

All that beauty  can be seen so much today. Going along “Via delle Colonne” you can arrive in “Piazza Vettovaglie”, secular place of the food market, originally “Piazza dei Porci”. Once the arcades of “Narrow Borgo” are finished there is “Piazza del Pozzetto”.

Marina di Pisa and its harbour 

Marina di Pisa and its tourist harbour  (also called simply “Marina”) is a seaside town located just 12 km from Pisa and, unlikely the majority of the Tuscan cities, its foundation is rather recent. In 1606, Ferdinando I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, decided to reclaim the area by moving the River Arno mouth as he believed that the south-west wind could block the normal flow of the Arno River, increasing the risk of flooding in Pisa.

On the left bank there was an hexagonal building surrounded by a moat, called “the Fort“, which was the custom for the river traffic. Probably the first houses of fishermen were built around this structure, but the official foundation of the town dates back to 1872, when the municipality of Pisa drew up a plan of a grid-pattern town divided by three squares connected to Pisa by a major road, currently known as “D’Annunzio Avenue” (Viale d’Annunzio).

The first railway from Pisa to Marina di Pisa

On June 23, 1892 a steam railway line from Pisa to Marina di Pisa was inaugurated (later replaced by an electric one, no longer working as well), which contributed to its rapid growth as a tourist destination.

The first restaurants were built in this area, as well as beach resorts and inns. Also many beautiful Art Nouveau and Neo-Medieval Villas were built there, therefore many celebrities chose to buy a house in this new coastal town.

Gabriele D’Annunzio and Pisa

Gabriele D’Annunzio, a famous Italian writer, poet and journalist, brought an house here and Marina di Pisa  has been a source and inspiration of many of his poems.

Marina di Pisa is  a renowned destination for summer tourism, offering many accommodation facilities. Beaches are both sandy or with pebbles, and along the coast there are many bathing facilities and restaurants. In 2013, the “harbour of Pisa” was inaugurated just 10 minutes away from the city and its famous Leaning Tower” and its international Airport, Galileo Galilei”.

“San Rossore”, the green ara of Pisa

It is located in the center of the most extensive nature reserve of Tuscany, the “Natural Park of Migliarino”, San Rossore” and Massaciuccoli, which covers about 24,000 hectares, ensuring that the view from the sea of dune plants is quite unique.

The harbour has 354 seats and has been designed to be entirely walkable thus you can walk admiring the sea, the mouth of the Arno, the Apuan Alps and the port itself.

Marina di Pisa offers relax and a beach break from the city, we suggest you to enjoy the seafront, a day at the (free) beaches or in a bathing establishment which is a structure with bathrooms, hot/cold showers, changing area, café and sometime restaurant.

You can rent an umbrella with chairs for the day/week/month/season and the service is available seven days a week. The harbour is a perfect spot for a walk and you can have a drink or a coffee here.

Night life 

Unlike other major European cities, Pisa is far from being the most sparkling venue when it comes to nightlife opportunities. Even the fact that Pisa is a university city and that students represent a consistent percentage of the population, a fairly solid buzz takes hold of certain parts of Pisa at night, especially nearby the University.

Students, are, as it were, the most reliable barometer as to the places fitted for drinking, making conversation and, why not, dancing and listening to live music. Thus, Pisa hosts a reasonable number of pubs, bars and clubs which yield mild and yet appealing nightlife opportunities. Tourists with a penchant for long conversations, drinking and dancing may find the center of the city to be the best fitted for their night time activities.

“Via Lungarno” 

“Via Lungarno” is a thoroughfare in terms of nightlife venues with its:

All these places offer good music, a fine selection of drinks and, why not, quick snacks in the early hours of the evening.

Live music 

Other recommendable venues in Pisa refer to:

During summer night time buzz seems to shift from Pisa to the nearby coastline resorts, such as Tirrenia, Viareggio and Marina di Pisa. If accommodated in Pisa, a trip to one of these resorts is worth making, if for nothing else, than for sampling the wonderful nightlife opportunities they put forward!

9 things to eat 

The gastronomy of Pisa isn’t very popular, because it isn’t very different from the Tuscany one, even if it’s more spiced and abundant . Here below  it is the ultimate list of top 10 foods you must eat :

 

Lampredotto sandwich

1.Lampredotto”

Crostini toscani

2. Crostini Toscani”

Panzanella

3. Panzanella” 

Lardo di Colonnata

4. Lardo di Colonnata” 

Ribollita

5.Ribollita”

Pappa al pomodoro

6. Pappa al Pomodoro” 

Caciucco

7. Cacciucco” 

Castagnaccio

9. Castagnaccio

 

 

Where to sleep 

Pisa attracts about 1 million of different tourists: there are many foreigners. Italians who visit for a school weekend, many trips and even a good number of people who commute to the city to take advantage of the excellent local hospitals.

It’s therefore not easy to find a cheap room, especially in high season and during periods of school trips. I suggest, therefore, to book in advance especially if you want three stars midrange hotels in the tourist areas.

The prices of hotels 

The prices of hotel in the center of   Pisa  start from 80 € per night in a double room including breakfast. A good alternative are the hotels and cottages on the outskirts of Pisa. If you are looking for a right accommodation in Pisa, go to Booking.com . There is a big choice  with prices, pictures  and comments of guests already stayed there.

Pisa, a stunning destination for your holiday in Tuscany

Travelers come from all locations of the world to discover the beauty of Pisa for several reasons: art, culture, friendly people, wine & food, extraordinary country side,  attractive beaches and  weather (spring and late summer are the best times to visit  Pisa).

Click  here in the web site of  “Pisa Unica Terra”   to discover much more in Pisa. We’re waiting for you!

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