Mycology
If Animals Eat a Mushroom, Is It Safe?
Squirrels and slugs eat death caps and walk away. Here is why animal damage tells you nothing about whether a mushroom is safe for …
The Journal
Journal
Field notes from the Tuscan Apennines: trails, mushrooms, birds, light, and the slow craft of reading a landscape.
Mycology
Does Cooking Make Poisonous Mushrooms Safe?
Does cooking make poisonous mushrooms safe? Heat destroys some mushroom toxins completely and leaves the ones that kill you …
Mycology
Cut or Pull Mushrooms? What the Data Says
Cut or pull mushrooms? A Swiss forest experiment ran from 1977 to 2003 and found the harvesting method makes no difference to the …
HikingHidden Tuscany
Lakes in Tuscany: A Walker's Guide Near Lucca and Pisa
Lakes in Tuscany you can walk to: two mountain lakes high on the Apennine ridge above Lucca and Pisa, plus the ones you drive to …
FaunaHiking
Ticks in Tuscany: A Hiker's Guide to Bites & Lyme
Ticks in Tuscany: where you actually meet them, how to remove one properly, why TBE is not a Tuscan problem, and when a bite needs …
Hidden TuscanyHiking
Gothic Line Museum Near Abetone, Tuscany
The Gothic Line Museum near Abetone tells the WWII story of these Apennine ridges, a short drive from Tuscany's high mountain …
Hiking
Mountains in Tuscany: Ranges and Highest Peaks
Mountains in Tuscany, range by range: Monte Prado at 2,054 m, the marble Apuan Alps, Monte Amiata, and the quieter uplands …
Photography
Tuscany Elopement Photographer: A Nature Walk
A Tuscany elopement and honeymoon photographer who works on a private nature walk: candid, unposed photos on a hidden ridge at …
PhotographyHidden Tuscany
Tuscany Photography Locations Beyond Val d'Orcia
Photography locations in northern Tuscany, beyond Val d'Orcia and Chianti: marble quarries, aqueduct arches, wetlands and Apennine …
PhotographyHiking
Autumn in Tuscany: Forest Foliage and Fog
Autumn in Tuscany from a local guide: what October and November are like in the mountain forests, with foliage, fog, chestnuts and …
Hiking
Private Nature Guide Tuscany: What It Costs
What a private nature guide in Tuscany costs in 2026: real flat day-rates, what's included, and whether it's worth it versus a …
Trees and FloraPhotography
Tuscany in Spring: April, May and Where to Walk
Tuscany in spring from a local guide: what April and May are like on the trails, where to walk, and when asphodel, narcissus and …
Hidden Tuscany
Can You Drink Tap Water in Tuscany? Yes, With One Rule
Can you drink tap water in Tuscany? Yes, and most fountains are safe too. Learn the one sign that says when not to.
Hidden Tuscany
Do You Need a Car in Tuscany? Honest Guide
Do you need a car in Tuscany? An honest guide to driving here, the real warnings, and the train alternative.
Trees and FloraHidden Tuscany
Lotus Flowers in Tuscany: Near Pisa and Lucca
Lotus flowers bloom each summer near Pisa and Lucca, on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, Italy's largest lotus field, free from …