The sea of Tuscanyeven at the gates of autumn, is the common thread which combines the two new stories of Women's Grand Tour. This sea which flows between the most extreme point of the province of Livorno, Saint Vincentand kiss that of Grossetoenveloping the islands and in particular Giannutrithe wildest of the archipelago. The two new protagonists are both called Francesca, they belong to two different generations, but they are united and inspired by the same blue space that connects the sky and the sea.
Francesca Vierucci and the “organic” welcome in San Vincenzo
Francesca Vierucci led Poggio ai Santi, a complex immersed in an organic farm on the hills overlooking the sea of San Vincenzo, just 5 km away. A botanical park of more than 3 hectares, which extends from olive groves to Mediterranean scrub, tells the story of a unique and gentle Tuscan countryside, because here we breathe the sea. Even the environments are warm and refined: vast buildings accommodate the open space suites , with attention to the smallest details and all with views of lush nature, in an almost dreamlike world to be experienced all year round also thanks to a very favorable climate. .
The added value is offered by organic products and careful cuisine and zero kilometers. Francesca saw this place born and grow, cultivating its products, studying the needs of customers and the market: she took care of every detail, transforming it into a dream place.
“What unites my passion for agriculture with my work is the love of raw materials – explains Francesca Vierucci -. My business is self-sustaining because it derives from the products of our land and our animals. My philosophy? It is based on respect for traditions and the rhythms of nature, but welcomes innovation and mixes it with local artisanal tradition. I put a lot of energy into building this world. »
Etruscan Coast, to the rhythm of Maremma
The central villa, the heart of the resort, dates from 2005, but two years of research were necessary to recover the original materials (beams, doors, old staircases in pietra serena) which were then integrated according to the principles of bioarchitecture. For example, cork and Kenaf fiber alternate with bricks, but there is no shortage of classic Tuscan beams and terracotta.
Everything revolves around the concept of organic: Francesca Vierucci, very involved in projects on the empowerment of women, collaborates with the numerous organic agritourism companies managed by women on her territory, for the creation of a real organic neighborhood of the Etruscan coast.
“I would like to create a sort of generalized nursery to put rare horticultural varieties into circulation and promote the biodiversity of cereals – says Vierucci – but also to explain that the link with the earth has a maternal connotation”. And in fact, we are in the heart of the Etruscan coast, a land and a civilization in which women have always had a decisive role, which passes through the land and the sea. With whom Francesca maintains a special relationship: “I have grew up by the sea, in contact with water, and the sea is my natural element. I may not even set foot there, but the light and the scent that it emanates and that I perceive here are priceless. The sea never ceases to amaze me even when San Vincenzo empties in winter, in fact perhaps winter is the best season to enjoy the intensity of the light that the sky and the sea offer us. But we must accept its slowness. We are in Maremma: you do not set the pace but the territory does it for you.”
READ ALSO: Women's Grand Tour: journey to the heart of Tuscany – Part one
Francesca Rodriguez: from Lombardy to Giannutri one way
Francesca Rodriguez she is a young girl of 27 who chose to leave Lombardy to live on an island immersed in a nature reserve permanently inhabited by around fifteen people. HAS Giannutri she is a hotelier and restaurateur. Her story begins when, born in Gallarate (Varese), as a child she spent her summers on the southernmost island of the Tuscan archipelago, with an area of only 8 square kilometers.
It was his grandmother who fell in love with him during a boat trip and decided to buy a vacation home, transformed over time into happy retirement of the whole family. Her mother Anna then bought another one and Francesca and her brothers spent every summer of their lives in this corner of paradise.
“In June 2020, I decided that our house would become a place dedicated to hospitality – says Francesca -. This is how my restaurant was born Animosquewhich recalls part of the Latin motto that my grandfather always said to encourage the determined women in our family.” A dream place open to the sea, where Francesca cooks authentic dishes based on zero km products such as fish from Porto Santo Stefano.
From restaurant to holiday home, always with the sea in front
After this experience, Francesca Rodriguez decided to also take over another structure on the island to make it vacation home overlooking the sea.
“This sea represents the added value of my choice, because it gives me joy and positive energy – says Francesca -. Sometimes the storms are such that they isolate us, the boats can remain immobile for up to 15 days. Giannutri is rough, but he allows those who arrive there to get to know each other and find each other!
Do you want to stay up to date on the world of travel?
The small Tuscan island, according to the young entrepreneur, also offers the key to introspection: “It’s home, the only place in the world that, in my opinion, belongs to me. Here the phones don't always answer cutoff it becomes natural. But when I'm exhausted, I just need to walk down the slope towards the sea in front of the restaurant and the island immediately gives me energy. Those who come here do it to relax, not to seek luxury and comfort: you have to earn every square inch, but this gives you the scent of the sea, incandescent sunsets and an indescribable starry sky. It is no coincidence that Francesca defines Giannutri as “one of the 15 places in the world where better admire the stars“. Definitely, a promise of happiness.
Info: Visit Tuscany
RETURN TO THE SPECIAL: Women’s Grand Tour in Tuscany 2024
