Dietmar W. Brandt

I visited Italy for the first time at the age of six and lost my heart to a country that never let me go. Years later, while I was studying architecture in Rosenheim, countless study trips took me all over the country, but it wasn't the famous, gentle and golden Tuscany that captivated me. It was the hidden corners, the forgotten villages, the rugged beauty of Lunigiana - a piece of Italy that leads its very own life off the beaten track. What does a market in Pontremoli smell like in the early morning? What do the handmade testaroli in a locanda in Bagnone taste like? What stories do the ancient walls of the over one hundred castles of Malaspina tell? In Hidden Tuscany - the secrets of Lunigiana, I would like to take you on a personal journey through this mysterious, wonderful and truly inspiring region. With sketches, drawings and lively stories, I capture what many seem to overlook: the original, unspoilt Tuscany hidden among the rocky hills, waiting to be discovered. Are you ready for the real, hidden Tuscany?