Central Tuscany: The Best of Cortona (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781523860821)

My books feature less visited sites in southern Tuscany, recount my adventures and misadventures, and share authentic family recipes.

Why are my guidebooks unique?

Experience. My family and I have been traveling around Italy since 1992 learning the towns, sites, foods, language, and culture.

Slow travel. I focus on small towns and culture for the repeat visitor to Tuscany-places that most guidebooks cover in 30 words or less. To me, if you are returning to Tuscany you want to travel slower to engage more deeply in the culture rather than "collect" as many sites as possible.

Family makes the difference. My Italian cousins give me a unique perspective. They show me the real "Inside Tuscany," its hidden tiny hill towns, incredible panoramas, and restaurants and pizzerias known only to locals. I have visited sagre (festivals dedicated to a single food like steak, or porcini mushrooms) and antique fairs. They try to teach me how to "be Italian"-but it is still hard to eat dinner at 8:30.

I speak Italian. It's impossible to recall how often church caretakers or museum docents have opened up and taken me on private tours because I could understand them. Or the number of times I learned about specialties in a restaurant that aren't on the menu, or found the perfect Vino Nobile for the secondo piatto. Thanks to the the language I've learned to harvest grapes and olives to make wine and olive oil.

I live in Tuscany two months a year. My base is in Arezzo and from there I study Italian, branch out to discover new places and events, participate in festivals and daily markets, walk in the evening passeggiata, and make friends.

Now available, a book of true stories: Walking the Aqueduct: Tuscan Adventures and Culture. These are stories about my adventures and misadventures with insights into the culture along with smart travel hints. Available in both paperback and Kindle formats.

Contact: scott.grabinger@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/scott.grabinger
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scott-grabinger-3890b073
Photo Galleries: www.grabinger.com

Book descriptions: www.insidetuscanybooks.com
Tuscan itinerary ideas: www.insidetuscanytours.com