The two faces of Tuscany

The Tuscany that we all recognise- gentle rolling hills, row upon row of finely cultivated grape vines with foliage graduating in colour from deep green to golden, interspersed with fields of olive trees, with their dark fruit and blue grey leaves. Winding tracks flanked by lines of pencil pines leading to grand villas on hills. Gorgeous patterns of nature! We have just returned from a few days down south and here is just a taste of what we saw. 

Back here in Barga we are in the more rugged northern part of Tuscany, surrounded by mountains- the heavily wooded Appenines and the sharp jagged peaks of the Apuane range. Fortified towns on the sides of hills, chestnut forests, conifers in abundance, rocky mountains streams bubbling along valley beds, terraces of grape vines. Quite a contrast, but equally captivating.