Sell Tuscany, Buy Emelia

06/15/2011 - 03:29

After living here in the Bagni di Lucca area of Tuscany for a few years, I have just spent a glorious week in the Correglia/Modena area of Emelia, What a difference, Tuscany now feels like a backward region. I have just enjoyed some of the best Pasta with fungi Porcini & Passata sauces I have tasted. The quality of some of the Fish dishes put the Coastal Towns of Tuscany to shame. We have been saying for a some time now how we find it more and more difficult in our area to get even a decent Pizza at a reasonable price, let alone good quality and well cooked food, Compared now to what we have just had……’A melt in the Mouth’ Pizza margerita con Prossuito crudo con Buffolo Mozzarella, glass of wine and coffee…€9 each, which included €1.5 copperto. This is compared to €15 each in our area, and a deriating quality. We also had a little car problem and needed a small part, no problem, found a small ‘Accessori Auto’ which had the part and at a reasonable price…more to the point they were very helpful. We stayed in a 4* Hotel in Correglia for €85 a night, this compares to similar prices in the Bagini d Lucca area for small 1970s style Hotels & Albergi. This makes Tuscany feel like a backward region, especially in the Mountain areas which I know a lot of People like but you can have old Traditional combined with Modernity. Perhaps the Tuscany Region has had it to good for to long and they have become apathetic with every Year Millions of New Tourists pouring in. I would be interested in other peoples experiences with different Regions.

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Ooh Brian - that's a can of worms you've opened! All non-Tuscans are going to sing the praises of their own region! So I'll start with mine. Your description of helpfulness etc mirrors mine in southern marche. My brother, speaking no Italian and with four young children, found his brake pipes leaking outside the local restaurant where they'd just had their evening meal (the type where you see the ENEL etc vans parked at lunchtime - so you KNOW the food will be good and cheap!) This was quite late at night but the owner rang his mate who came and took the car away, took bro and family home and brought the car back next day. He also wrote up what had happened for AVis who were mightily impressed. So I may say was my brother!! I suspect that if my area becomes as popular as Tuscany then some of that will disappear - it's inevitable. Other regions make great play of "learning the lessons" of Tuscan tourism and I reckon that people who come to Marche presently aren't interested in ticking off visits to the Uffizi etc so don't flock in hordes to places but disappear into the countryside and stay there. And I'll finish my peaon of praise by saying we had a couple of well-travelled American friends to stay last September who, having been taken from one hilltop town to another - all with unequalled views and friendly restaurants - said that this was the most beautiful place they had ever been to.

I would MUCH prefer people to keep going to Tuscany as Le Marche is SUPERB for all the reasons (and many more) stated earlier, but hang on.........................don't tell everyone they'll all want to come here !!! S

Funny! I nip across into Tuscany to get away from the rip-off restaurants in my bit of Umbria - though the problem is restricted to tourist industry and shopping stuff; the corner garages, stonemasons, glass merchants etc. are just as helpful and reasonable as Annec's in Marche. Some of the extra costs are imposed by the region, true, and entrepreneurs in Tuscany and Umbria do get hit by higher local taxation, but they also get helped by the money from this higher taxation too - (which is why restaurants which should have closed long ago still struggle on and act as a fiscal and commercial drag IMO.) In a touristy area, like Bagni di Lucca, or around Lake Trasimeno the native Italians aren't that interested in eating out (and when they do it's generally a big celebration and they don't care about the price), whereas around Modena there are many more younger working Italians who are more cosmopolitan. In a really sleepy place (out in the sticks of any region) there will be decent cheap places to be found, usually on a main road so the lorry drivers will be attracted for lunch. Interestingly the ENEL type vans are often outside a particular eating house because ENEL have done a deal with the restaurant, and all the drivers need to do is sign for the meal. The food is usually good.

Well Brian we've lived in the Bagni Di Lucca area now for 4 years and have always enjoyed the mix of people and the services here. As far as food goes I think you should change your restaurant rather than the area, as we know of lots of good quality, inexpensive restaurants here and on the Coast. Every area and Country for that matter has it's good and bad points/food/people etc, but to right off probably the most popular area of Italy due to a couple of iffy restaurants and hotels is a bit harsh. If you long for 'Modernity' live in a big City but frankly I love the 'backward' people and culture around Bagni Di Lucca, and have never once found them unhelpful, welcoming or fun. Maybe you are looking for something else that the area does not possess, but don't write off Tuscany as backward......

Brian, you must be speaking about Emilia Romagna.... aren't you? Well, I like Modena, we usually go for a day visit to Modena or even Bologna.... but I would rather stay in Bagni di Lucca. Where else could you be 25 minutes from Lucca, 40 minutes from Pisa and just over an hour from Florence. And you can go to the coast (have you visited the Cinque Terre, Lerici, Porto Venere?) or to Abetone in winter if you like skiing. Backwards?...I do not understand what you mean by that. High prices? I must agree with Flip, change your favourite restaurant (I think that I know which one you are talking about....) and "rediscover" the area. P.S. By the way, when you mention "Correglia" are you talking about Coreglia Antelminelli? Should that be the case, I have news for you, it is located in Lucca Province, part of Tuscany.... Modena is Emilia Romagna.

"and have never once found them unhelpful, welcoming or fun." Sounds like a right barrel of laughs round your way Flip

Do you have a problem with reading/understanding English Esme....? Read it again, as I take your comment was meant to be sarcastic.

I have no problem reading or understanding english and I read that the same way ;) So, people around Bagni di Lucca aren't welcoming or fun. Barrel of laughs there it seems :)

ma, cio di cui sono completamente sicuro e' che voglio evitare qualsiasi causa di conflitto con te, but what was there for me to misunderstand Flip?

Calm down calm down........... We spent many years hoofing around everywhere Rome northwards on the west coast, some perfect locations (albeit touristy at times), through Turin, Milano and all of the lakes (fantastic) summer and winter........Emiligia Romana (VERY VERY nearly bought there - Castell D'Arquato - very nice), BUT........... coming down the east coast, ended up some four years ago in Penna San Giovanni, but any of the villages here in Le Marche would have done us............marvellous ............we did the right thing for us. S

I agree with Sprostoni, personal experiences, personal choices. What is right for one person may be wrong for the other. This is why we should not generalize. Italy has plenty of wonderful regions to choose from and, as I always say: Ubi bene, ibi patria. (Where I feel good, there is my home)

I completely agree with Gala it is down to personal choice and what one is used to. So please stay away from Emilia-Romagna, we love the place and we would hate to see it overrun with tourists like some of the places in the south. I am joking about staying away but not about the tourists!

I have lived and worked in both Bologna and Forli, and both are fantastic. And great for shopping, all the designer shops - Max Mara was my favourite- plus specialised shops, like the one in Bologna selling hand-printed tablecloths - tovaglie romagnole. And you are within easy reach of the coast: Marina Marittima is nice, and I have a soft spot for Rimini, no longer synonymous with mass tourism, in fact quite chic. But couldn't afford a house there... that's why we've bought in Basilicata.

We have a property recently renovated in the Bagni di Lucca area, we are still compiling a list of favourite restaurants, does anyone have any recommendations?thanks

"Il Buon Gustaio" (Bar Rudy) on Via Val di Lima (road to Abetone) is excellent and excellent value for money. They serve lunch menus for 9.50 euros. It is all homemade and their "gelato" is excellent. http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g644271-d2102592-Reviews-Osteria_il_Buongustaio-Bagni_Di_Lucca_Province_of_Lucca_Tuscany.html Also, "Il Cavallino Bianco" in Benabbio (they used to be in Boveglio).