The church of Tofori. In the distanse LUCCA.
Behind the hills and mountain: The Mediterranean sea.
We rented an apartment in these hillsides for a year,
2004-2005, and have come back every year since for holidays,
and to see our friends, locals and "stranieri".
For us 2020 turned out very different than expected, as for most of you too.
Covid and lock-downs, people dying, holidays aborted.
We were lucky to have our youngest son and our grandson come visiting, but they had to return to Norway earlier than expected as so many others. But we had a wonderful time together.
After having bought the house in October 2019 our number one goal was to prepare as much as possible for the summer of 2020. For friends and family.
Most important: Guest rooms and totally rebuilding of the garden.
We made it. But without hardly any visitors we could keep focus on the rebuilding, and now, January of 2021 we still have work to be done.
And we love it.
But, this summer - the summer of 2021 - we expect to just enjoy it all
with family, friends and our neighbors.
Welcome to "little Norway"
at Petrognano
The town of Pinocchio,
Collodi, only 10 minutes
away
What is a garden in
Tuscany without a pool
Morning, midday and evening.
Heaven for a 7 year old Norwegian
boy visiting grandparents
The pizza oven and grill:
Lunch with the neighbors
The garden totally rebuilt.
The sun flower - taller than
all of us. 4 meters.
In less than an hour: Pisa
The Devils Bridge,
in the valley north of Lucca
The world of the rich.
Collodi
Well organized landscape with olives
and grapes. And cables.
Local markets in every town
Sweet and juicy.
The great market hall at Livorno.
1 hour by car.
Not only pizza, olive oil and wine
A lot of caves in Italy. Cool on a
warm day.
Art by nature
The aquarium at Livorno
The beach by Lido di Camaiore
Put on the grill whatever you like.
Tuscany = Fresh
20 - 20
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Buying in Italy
So many have the same dream – buying a house in Italy. WHY? Can be so many
reasons. Relatives, friends, work or just a new start later in life? Anyway; it’s a big step
for most of us.
From 2004 – 2005 we lived a year in the hillsides north-east of Lucca (Colline Lucchesi),
at Tofori, 20 minutes by car from Lucca. We rented. Had no plans of buying. The kids
had moved out some years earlier and we wanted to refresh life and reenergize our
interests and hobbies. We had enjoyed several summer holidays in Italy and had
found it to be both beautiful and cultural interesting. And the warm summer season
with the soft evenings was really a plus, coming from the south-western corner of
Norway (Stavanger) where we have more rainy days than sunny days – all year
through. Some winter days, some summer days, but so often grey, wet and windy.
In February 2004 we searched the Lucca area for a one-year rental with a view
(countryside – never considered living in a town) and found the perfect spot down
below the church of Tofori - an olive farm.
We started planning in the autumn of 2003 and had an Italian friend come over every
Saturday for an hour and a half to teach us the basics of the Italian language.
So different from Norwegian, German and English. So challenging and so important.
And it turned out to be the best investment we could ever had done. The locals loved
that we had tried to learn a tiny bit of their language even before we got here.
Doors opened, new friendships established, and the basic for our holidays the next
15 years was like coming “home”, spring or fall, and further grow our connection inside the Italian society.
When we finally bought our own house in the small village of Petrognano, above the church
of Tofori in October 2019, we felt we had landed.
Why the Lucca area?
So many reasons!
Climate is great, with four seasons but without the cold, northern winters, and for us, a summer season that starts in April and lasts till November.
Beautiful hillsides with a magnificent view, and a countryside so green and well tended that also produces so much of what we eat.
The heart of our modern world with an overflow of cultural monuments and places
in our vicinity. What about Firenze, Pisa, Sienna, San Gimignato, Greve in Chianti,
Carrara, Cinque Terre +++ And the variation in landscape and scenery in short distances.
The local people, many of whom can no English, but do their utmost to help and guide you through you holiday. And showing their pride of their local community and identity through festivals and home made kooking.
The energy spent in the steep hillsides when tending their olive-trees, cutting the grass, harvesting the olives and then let it explode in a local fiesta.
We live in an expensive area but also in a safe and welcoming area. And we bring some of our traditions and try to blend in as much as we can to feel we are a part of this local culture. But you need to learn the basics of the language. Otherwise you could risk you would live most of your time on the outside of the local culture.
So if you want to come and live here, or almost anywhere else in Italy, start learning the language - the basics. Rent a place for at least 6 months. Travel around to get to know the area. Talk to your neighbors. Invite for a lunch or a glass of Sprumante. Ask if there is anything you can do to help. "Vuoi una mano"?
You will be surprised!
WELCOME
The story
Welcome
The Garden
The House
Petrognano Capannori (LU)
Video
The story