Choosing the best wine region in Tuscany is not as simple as picking the most famous name. Chianti, Montalcino, and Montepulciano each offer a very different atmosphere — from elegant rolling vineyards to medieval hill towns and world-renowned cellars. The right...
Choosing where to stay in Tuscany is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning a romantic trip. It shapes how your days feel, how relaxed you are, and how deeply you experience the region. As a local guide working in Florence and across...
One of the most common questions I hear from American travelers is: “Can we visit Tuscany without renting a car?” The short answer is: yes — but only if you plan wisely. The longer, more honest answer is that Tuscany can be done without a car… but the...
A very common question is: “How many days do we actually need in Tuscany?” The truth is: Tuscany can fill a weekend… or a lifetime. I’ve been living here 20 years and I haven’t seen everything! But if you’re planning your first visit, there are ideal timeframes...
Best towns in Tuscany for first-time visitors (a local guide’s picks – me!) After a lot of thinking (or maybe not!) you’re finally planning your first trip to Italy and Tuscany is an important leg – I hope so. I know also that it can feel overwhelming —...
Visiting Florence in September? Don’t Miss These Wine Festivals & Harvest Events September is the crucial moment in Tuscany, especially around Florence —the grapes are ripe, olive trees heavy, and vineyards buzz with activity, and the golden light makes it perfect...
The Vasari Corridor is a hidden gem in Florence! It’s an elevated passageway about 750 metres long, it was built by architect Giorgio Vasari in 1565: the Medici family used it to reach Palazzo Vecchio from Pitti Palace (the Medici family’s residence)...
We all are (I am!) in LOVE with truffles: in pasta, on meat or on a simple piece of bread. It doesn’t matter how it is presented, it is a delight. In 2022, the price of the white truffle, the most valuable of all due to its rarity, was over five thousand euro...
All those who take the highway to go to the sea see that wonderful aqueduct that accompanies travelers by car for a few seconds. Few people know that it was built by the great architect from Segromigno – Lucca, Lorenzo Nottolini. That aqueduct in 1833 will bring clean...
You can’t say you know San Gimignano if you don’t know who Santa Fina is. Serafina or Iosefina Ciardi, for friends Fina, is a very young blessed who lived in the mid-1200s. From an early age she cultivated a great devotion to the Madonna, in fact it is said that she...
