Every Woman's Guide to Surviving Italy

Just before Christmas, I went to Florence to visit the Florence Christmas Markets.

It was something I’d always wanted to do but for the last few years family commitments meant that I had to wait and be patient. I’d heard from my friends that it was an amazing experience so it was tough having to wait.

Finally, this year, after waiting, very, very, patiently, I got my chance. I visited the German markets in the Piazza Santa Croce in Florence and after a brilliant overnight stay in the Loggiato dei Serviti, a 500 year old Florence hotel where we were upgraded, I went to a craft artisan, market.

It has to be said though that I was extremely underwhelmed by the German market which was more of an international flavour with Scottish, English, French and Italian stalls which were all very sparse on the ground. I put this down to the atrocious rainy weather which managed to soak us right through.

Although it was possible to eat there as there were table and benches set out, they were all wet and so couldn’t be used so we found a classy little restaurant which was warm and dry.

The absolute highlight of my trip to the Florence Christmas markets was our accommodation at the Loggiato dei Serviti, a 500 year old hotel where we were upgraded on arrival and we had a wonderful piazza view which was seen in the film A Room with a View. The hotel was refined with very unobtrusive and polite staff. I loved the scent of the soaps and spa goods provided and it is now my obsession to try to recreate them in some of my handmade Tuscan soaps and toiletries. Yes I’d go back there again in a second and yes I recommend it to you.

Watch my video for my Florence Christmas markets experience. I loved Florence which never disappoints and also found an artisan craft market in Florence the next morning.

Christmas in Italy is different to what I’m used to so if you’d like any more information about an Italian Christmas, please don’t hesitate to ask below.

It’s boxing day or Santo Stefano, here in my little village. We, as in my family, spent Christmas day together just relaxing and eating with our two stufe (wood burners) cosily keeping us warm.

Today, the sun is shining and the air is warm. Time for a check on my little piece of land. I have three small terraces which were neglected for over 10 years and which took me a huge effort, a pair of secateurs, small hand saw and a lot of determination to clear on my own.

My friend’s son, a gardener came to help but left after a few hours, never to be seen again. The brambles were above head height and dense. It takes a determined woman to deal with it and some weeks later I could finally walk from the top terrace to the bottom.

My dream is to be able to wander down into my fragrant and colourful garden and sit and relax. Perhaps painting, listening to music or the music of nature and just soaking up the wonderful view that I have, but not yet.

I’m building a dry stone wall. Yes little me actually building a dry stone wall with no experience but the knowledge gained from a couple of YouTube videos and from speaking to a couple of people who had built them before.

I have so far spent two spring / summers trying to finish this job. My stones are there. I dug them out of the soil. There was a wall there before but it has slipped so I had to dig the building materials out myself. Now I have build about a quarter of it and it is my aim to have it built and the garden in full and spectacular colour, by this summer.

Today was the day to go down and see what I had to do. The weather has been atrocious for weeks with rain so heavy that it poured into our little, ancient village home. Now with a few clear days, I am keen to get out there and get on with my building job!

I always go down into my garden with a mixture of fear and excitement. Fear because all too often those irrepressible weeds can take hold again and if so, mean days of hard work trying to get them out before I even lay a stone.

Today though, on boxing day, it was good news. The land looks great. The stones are lying on the floor ready to go and my goal of hosting a summer party looks within grasp.

Visit to the Florence Christmas Markets

Boxing Day in Rural Tuscany