Description

Inside the Tuscan Hills

With unprecedented access to the vineyards, artisans, workshops, kitchens, and homes of the Tuscan people, each 26-minute episode of Inside the Tuscan Hills will take you deep into the rich culture of rural Tuscany, a place where ancient traditions have never disappeared. Every episode brings the viewer face to face with the traditional artisans who still practice their craft. You will meet master shoemakers, mosaic artists, ceramic painters, coppersmiths and many others. Inside the Tuscan Hills reveals the secret corners of Tuscany and takes you on a journey you will never forget.

Highlights include:

-In Cortona, cross-bow archers in Renaissance costumes compete in a 700-year old festival.

-A visit to the bubbling hot-springs of Saturnia reveals both the glamour of its private spa and the wild beauty of the public pools.

-A blessing of the fields melds pagan beliefs with Christian rituals.

-The traditional wine harvest at a 800-year old castle in Chianti.

These programs take an insider's look at the rich rural culture of Tuscany.With exclusive access to the workshops, kitchens and homes of the Tuscan people, the series is a journey into one of the world's most beautiful places.Each episode shows viewers how the Tuscans themselves really live, visiting master craftsmen and country cooks, ancient farmhouses and rustic cheesemakers, while soaking up the singularly beautiful landscape. Camille Abbe hosts.

The Chianti
The series begins with the wine harvest at a medieval castle and a small family winery.Then it's on to a gourmet butcher and an unusual wine shop in the picturesque town of Greve, a leather workshop and a luxury jewelry-maker.

Chianti and Central Tuscany
The trip to the Chianti region concludes with a visit to a ceramic artist, a cooking demonstration and a small farm-inn - or agriturismo.In Siena, a master shoemaker displays his art.The stopover in Volterra, where the ancient craft of alabaster carving is alive and well, includes a visit to a glass studio.

Cortona, Montepulciano and the Val d'Orcia
The hilltop town of Cortona shows off its crossbow contest, in Montepulciano a mosaic master demonstrates his technique.Then it's on to the lush hot springs of Bagno San Fillipo before going to see a cheesemaker.A lesson in hand-rolling pici, the local pasta, concludes the episode.

Montalcino and the Maremma
The famous wine town of Montalcino is the home of Castello Banfi, a massive winery where the chef shows off his recipe for filetto in Brunello.In Montigliano, a rural festival celebrates the harvest with grilled rooster and an unusual competition.In the Maremma, the hot springs of Saturnia have greeted visitors for thousands of years.

Rufina and Pontassieve
On a wine estate, viewers meet an old couple who are a reminder of Tuscany's feudal past.A ceremony to bless the fields shows traces of a pagan tradition.A celebrated local chef prepares his gnudi, or pasta-less ravioli.Visits to several agriturismos, farms that open their doors to visitors seeking a rural Tuscan experience, end the episode.

Northern Tuscany
The final episode includes a visit to an artisan knife maker in the walled town of Scarperia.Lucca's own walls surround a city built around a Roman amphitheatre.A steamy grotto provides a unique spa experience.The marble mountains of Carrara have yielded white marble for more than 2,000 years, viewers go inside a quarry before visiting a school for marble carving.

What's New in Version 4.0

New version fixes bugs while running under iOS 5.