Autumn, without a doubt, is our favorite time of year in #Tuscany. All across the region #wine makers are busy harvesting their grapes, freshly pressed and sharp tasting #olive #oil is being poured into enormous bottles, and even the most uninteresting little villages suddenly become attractive, as they begin hosting a series of traditional #sagre (rustic local food festivals). 

When the time came to pick our first sagra of the year, the choice seemed obvious – it had to be the chestnut sagra in #Marrdai.
The tiny village of Marradi, located high up in the Apenine mountains in northern #Tuscany, has been hosting its lively and delicious chestnut sargra for over 50 years.

The drive up to Marradi was spectacular, but it was only when we got there that the fun really began … We sampled caramelized #chestnuts and roasted chestnuts, ate far too many slices of chestnut cake (delicious!), enjoyed generous portions of #polenta with fresh #porcini mushrooms (that were collected that same morning in the forest behind the village), and washed it all down with some sweet and spicy vin brule’, chestnut liquor and local white wine.

If you are in Tuscany right now, you are still in time to visit Marradi – the next chestnut sagra will take place on Sunday, October 12. To find out about other recommended sagre and festivals in Tuscany, consult our travel guide – “Tuscany for the Shameless Hedonist” (now on sale, on Amazon).