THE countryside is classically - wonderfully - Tuscan. Steep hillsides dotted with picture-book villages and vineyards surround a fertile valley bursting with flora and fauna.

You certainly don’t expect to hear locals with broad Glaswegian accents discussing how to make a good steak pie amid all this Italian splendour, but this is Barga, the place where Tuscany and Scotland intersect in the most unexpected ways.

The Scottish link to this charming medieval town of 10,000, which sits around 20 miles from Lucca, was established in the late 19th century when hundreds of Barghese left their homeland in search of work after the collapse of the silk industry. Many of them ended up in the West of Scotland – initially running cafes and chip shops in Glasgow, Paisley and along the Ayrshire coast – and a bond that continues to strengthen was forged.

An estimated 60 to 70 per cent of the population here have Scots ties, while the number of Scots Italians who can trace their heritage back to Barga is both considerable and impressive, and includes violinist Nicola Benedetti, singer Paolo Nutini and actor Daniela Nardini. Scots artist John Bellany also had strong links to the area.

You can buy Irn-Bru and tablet in this Tuscan town, which even holds an annual fish supper festival. But most Scots visitors will want to experience authentic local cuisine and Barga, with its abundance of produce, is a gourmet's paradise. Indeed, you can even have a go at making some of the local specialities yourself – but more of that later.

For now, there’s plenty to explore in this beautiful town, with its narrow, cobbled streets, ancient square and pastel-painted villas. In the summer it can be baking hot, and many locals tell you spring and autumn are the best times to visit, making the walk up the steep slopes of the sleepy old town more palatable. Regardless of the season, however, the stroll uphill is enchanting; turn one corner and a bust of Garibaldi greets you alongside snoozing cats. Walk up another street and a statue of symbolist poet Giovanni Pascoli, who lived nearby, commemorates his most famous poem, which evokes the clock of the town’s cathedral.

You can still hear and see that clock today, and making all the way up to Saint Cristoforo is a must. The 11th century structure is square and Romanesque in design, though its mysterious inscriptions and markings have led historians to speculate the church may have been linked to the Knights Templar.

The views from the top of the hill, over the town and beyond, are simply stunning, and you can fully appreciate why painters like Bellany have been so beguiled by the colours, textures and flavours of this landscape.

The outlook is just as impressive from the balcony of my hotel room. The Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort and Spa nestles on a hillside just above Barga and its extensive terrace – complete with outdoor swimming pool - is the perfect place to sip a Negroni while soaking up the spectacular surroundings.

This 180-room resort has recently enjoyed a multi-million pound revamp, and the luxurious rooms offer big beds, quality linen and sizeable marble bathrooms. Enjoying a morning espresso on your private balcony overlooking the Serchio Valley is a treat indeed. Those in search of further relaxation can indulge themselves in the hotel’s spa, which offers the full range of treatments, as well as a sauna, steam room and indoor pool.

The hotel is gaining quite a reputation for its food offering and the menu at the La Veranda restaurant is alive with seasonal local produce. Meats, fish and vegetables are cooked with a minimum of fuss, flavoured with herbs grown outside in the garden. And foodies keen to learn some of the secrets of good Tuscan cooking can enjoy a lesson with one of the chefs. Though not exactly what you’d call confident in the kitchen, my rich pork and beef ragu, served with fresh pasta made from local chestnut flour was a triumph, though I say it myself.

A short drive to the local organic winery, meanwhile, also offers a tantalising treat for the tastebuds. Prize-winning Podere Concori, which sits on a small nine-acre site on a neighbouring hillside, has been perfecting the art of “slow wine” for the last 20 years and now produces some 15,000 bottles per annum. Grown without chemicals or pesticides, the grapes are picked by local hands. The resulting reds and whites are quite sublime, best enjoyed with a simple lunch of local bread, cheese and cured meats.

As a Scot, you’ll feel particularly welcome in Barga. But don’t let the Caledonian connection distract you from the deeper, more authentic Tuscan delights; once experienced, they are never to be forgotten.

Rooms at Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort and Spa start from €274 a night bed and breakfast.

Fly Edinburgh to Pisa, which is just over an hour’s drive away, from £21.99 one way.