Tuscany is widely regarded as one of the most written-about regions in Italy. Vineyards, cypress trees, stone-built agriturismi, and perfectly composed landscapes define its image. Yet there is another Tuscany beyond these familiar motifs, quieter, more rugged, more unspoiled. That is precisely the territory explored in the book "Verborgene Toskana – Die Geheimnisse der Lunigiana" by Dietmar W. Brandt. In it, the author weaves together personal experiences, an architect's eye, and the everyday regional culture to create a layered portrait of an area that remains largely unknown even to many Italy enthusiasts.
Author's first encounter with Italy came in childhood
Brandt, born in 1961 in Kassel, first visited Italy as a child. That early encounter grew into a lifelong relationship. "At the age of six, I lost my heart to Italy, but not to picture-postcard Tuscany," he says. Rather than glossy tourist imagery, it was always the overlooked corners that drew him in: "I'm fascinated by the hidden nooks, the forgotten villages, and the raw beauty of the Lunigiana."
After studying interior architecture in Rosenheim, he traveled extensively throughout Italy on study trips. He later spent many years representing Italian design kitchen manufacturers in Germany. Design, materiality, and spatial effect became not merely interests but professional practice. Since 2022, Brandt has lived permanently in the Lunigiana. The book is therefore not a travel project viewed from a distance, but the result of a shift in perspective, from visitor to resident.
From Passing Through to Arriving
The connection to the region did not develop through a single vacation but built up over years of driving by. In the 1990s, the Lunigiana was for Brandt primarily a transit route on the way to Liguria. "I always drove through it, on the way to friends in La Spezia and to the kitchen manufacturers I visited regularly back then." Looking back, it was precisely that constant passing through without stopping that became a turning point.
"I realized that every time I drove through there, it didn't look like a backdrop but like real life, and that I had never actually set foot in it." The transit point became a conscious destination. "That was the moment I knew: I don't just want to pass through the Lunigiana, I want to understand it and live here."
A Counter-Proposal to the Tuscany Cliché
What sets the region so clearly apart from the prevailing image of Tuscanyfor him? Brandt describes a sharp contrast between carefully staged presentation and everyday reality. "For many people, Tuscany stands for a polished image: cypress trees, wine, perfect agriturismi, everything curated, often as if straight from a catalog. The Lunigiana is the exact opposite."
The landscape is greener, more mountainous, less manicured. "More countryside than postcard, and more everyday life than stage set." At the same time, the coast is within easy reach. Many towns are only about half an hour's drive from the Ligurian shoreline. What matters most, however, is something else entirely: "Nothing there looks like a backdrop built for visitors. It is a place that exists first for itself and only then for guests." It is precisely this independence that makes the impression lasting. "It doesn't need to appeal to anyone, and that is exactly why it stays with you."
A Book Born from a Gap
The idea for the book did not originate at a desk but emerged from conversations on the ground. A real estate agent and friend pointed out to Brandt that current, narrative literature about the region is almost nonexistent. Existing works tend to be heavily historical in focus, often written in a dry style and visually uninspiring.
"Above all, there was nothing in an experiential style, no contemporary narratives with strong, expressive sketches." From that observation came not a vague plan but a concrete decision: "The gap was so obvious that it suddenly stopped being an abstract idea. It was more like: fine, then I'll do it the way I'd want to read it myself."
Travel Narrative Rather Than Travel Guide
"Verborgene Toskana – Die Geheimnisse der Lunigiana" is deliberately not a conventional guidebook. Author Dietmar W. Brandt relies on personal narrative arc rather than list-based logic. "I take readers along on a very personal journey," he describes his approach. That includes concrete scenes and places: the early morning market hours in Pontremoli, culinary discoveries such as handmade testaroli in a locanda in Bagnone, and the stone traces left by the Malaspina dynasty with its many castles and fortifications.
"Through sketches, drawings, and vivid scenes, the focus is on the original, unspoiled Tuscany off the beaten path." The author's architectural background is tangible throughout. Places are not merely described but read in terms of their structure and spatial effect: squares, alleyways, and built forms as storytelling elements.
Two Language Editions, One Year of Work
The book took roughly twelve months to complete, with one distinctive feature: a German and an English edition were developed in parallel. "That's not a matter of writing once and then translating, but of two texts that have to work in terms of tone, rhythm and precision." With a style so strongly rooted in personal experience, it quickly becomes apparent whether a text resonates or merely informs. Brandt was supported throughout by an editor as well as a native English speaker.
What the book is meant to stir in readers
The goal is not to deliver a quick insider tip, but to offer a shift in perspective. "I want readers to give this region a real chance. Not as a fleeting secret spot to check off a list, but as a region with substance." He has a particular passion for the regional cuisine, which differs markedly from the widespread image of Tuscany: hearty, honest, and distinctly its own.
He describes his aim plainly: "If someone finishes the book and no longer just passes through, but instead stays deliberately, eats, looks around, and takes their time, then the book has achieved exactly what it set out to do."
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