Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/996797
117 On our first night at Renaissance Tus- cany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa outside of Barga, I'm told that we'll be having a "light dinner," and I think that this must refer to the generous appetizer spread at the hotel bar. But then we are seated at a table in the hotel restaurant, La Veranda, for a big bowl of ribollita alla toscana—a filling and delicious soup made of bread, cabbage, and vegetables. Next comes a heaping plate of salmon and spinach with almonds. And then a rich home- made cheesecake. "In Italy, we don't do like the French people, with their small plates," explains Georges Midleje, the general manager of the hotel and our group's guide for much of the trip. "What is the sense of living like a sick man in order to die healthy?" Georges raises his glass of wine and teases me for drinking a club soda. "Water will make you rusty!" It's my first trip to Italy. Normally, I would hop from city to city, whirlwinding my way through Rome, Naples, and Florence (and Capri and Venice and Sicily, too—and, who knows, maybe even a quick jaunt over the border to glimpse Germany), never giving myself a chance to catch my breath, let alone soak in my surroundings. But I'm here with a group, and the whole point of our trip is to slow down. Our itinerary will keep us within 25 miles or so of the winding, hilly roads sur- rounding the Renaissance. I'm already getting in some good prac- tice going slow. When I checked in earlier, I planned to explore the grounds of the 1,700- acre property, or maybe take a taxi into town. But instead I admired the spectacular view BY CALVIN HENNICK The scenic townscape of the medieval Italian city Barga. PHOTOGRAPH BY SHUTTERSTOCK