English blogs from Lunigiana

There is a large expat community in Lunigiana, mainly European and a lot of Brits. There are also a few Americans and a couple of Australians. Not, many of them blog, but here is a list of those I follow:

• Alex, who lives near Pontremoli, is a translator by trade (German/English) and blogs about life in general.  A Buddhist, Alex loves Irish traditional music and plays the flute. If you are in the area and hear Irish music, Alex may well be lurking nearby
• Forrest is an American, who is renovating a house in Codiponte.  He is partial to the odd rant, so be warned. Somehow, you can’t help getting drawn into his plans and colour schemes.
• Heiko and his wife, Susan,  live in a small hillside village above the town of Santo Stefano di Magra in the province of La Spezia and grow as much of their own food as possible. Heiko is very knowledgeable about wine and offers wine tastings. Heiko blogs on their ‘slow’ lifestyle
• James is a travel writer targeting the US market and spends half the year in Lunigiana, the other half in California.  His writing covers all of Italy . Because he is based in a small village between Aulla and Fivizzano, his blog contains a good deal of information on the area, particularly on local food
• Martha & Mike are photo professionals who have a base in Ameglia Capoluogo. They’ve explored the region for over 20 years and their blog describes interesting walks together with lunch suggestions.
• Serena is responsible for the Italian version of the Transparent Language blog. Her blog is a great way to learn or practise Italian and there are frequent references in her lessons to life in Lunigiana and even the local dialect from Pontremoli

Interesting blogs from nearby Tuscany, Liguria & Emilia Romagna.

• Celia has lived in Lucca for a decade.  A musician, bookbinder and conservator, Celia is active in the tourist industry in Lucca. Her blog is already brimming over with information on the area.
• Kate, a certified Italian sommelier and Italian tour coordinator, lives in  Fontona, a village between Monterosso and Levanto.  Before that, Kate lived in Monterosso itself , so she is pretty much qualified to comment on most things Cinque Terre. If you’re looking for the insider’s view on the area, this is a good place to start.
• Mario, a professional writer and photographer, is from near Piacenza in Emilia Romagna, and his blog is all about food and a real favourite of mine. Mario occasionally strays into Lunigiana.
• Megan lives in Lerici, which is such a popular coastal destination for folk visiting or living in Lunigiana.  Megan’s blog is my top resource if I’m looking for a recommendation for a restaurant anywhere in or around the Gulf of Poets or for ideas on new places to visit in the area. And if you’re looking for help with excursions or villa rentals in the area, Megan is definitely your ‘go to’ person.

Last updated 12 May 2012.