San Gimignano also offers various restaurants and shops, many of which fill with visitors in the afternoon when tour buses arrive. Here mushrooms and truffles hide and legumes and grains are grown. "Visiting the Hermitage archaeological site in Pienza that was owned and cared for by a local family, then visiting their family farm where the young guide and his grandfather showed us their animals, and how they produce wine and olive oil.". Our adventure begins in Florence, the capital of Tuscany. You may want to consider skipping it for late season tours and adding stays at Orvieto or Pitigliano or another hill town. Our tour guide, Cecilia and her apprentice, Eleonora were phenomenal! "I had 3 WOW moments. It was my first time in Italy. Nature gives a-plenty here when it comes to food. David's cultural and historical knowledge gave such depth to our Tour of Tuscany and his sense of humor it priceless. We saw some terrific things, but some areas were more difficult to navigate than I expected. What a setting for the history, the drama, and circumstances that has affected world history.". The meals; traveling companions; and tour sites were wonderful. Youll be able to eat what youve prepared, and try out some amazing traditional recipes. Tuscany Vacation Packages from $1,091 - Search Flight+Hotel on KAYAK Today we'll explore scenic Tuscany wandering through timeless hill towns with pristine views. To get to know the Tuscan countryside, you can go as far as the Valdichiana, the granary of Tuscany, discover the gardens of the Plain of Lucca and the Valdinievole, venture through the crags of Valdarno or into the Padule di Fucecchio (Marshes of Fucecchio), the largest inland wetland area in Italy. This morning your guide will treat you to their favorite "locals-only" part of Tuscany. Cottages Quaint homes, peaceful surroundings Villas Luxurious estates for the ultimate escape Apartments Convenient locations with everyday essentials Popular amenities for Tuscany vacation rentals From the organization of the tour to the outstanding communication to the variety of experiences, WOW! No bus. Latest Flight+Hotel prices: Hotel Attico Nel Verde from $1,091, Red apartment with terrace from $1,196, Ponte Vecchio Central Flats from $1,441, Villaflair Villa Fiesole from $1,525 . The tour was well paced, the meals and entertainment (especially the opera singer ) were excellent. I really had a great time on this trip.". "The breathtaking views of Tuscany from atop the medieval hamlet of Gorgonza, of the Val d'Orcia from the town wall of Pienza, and of the Mediterranean from the Island of Elba. All of the Tuscan countryside is beautiful. The trip was wonderful. The Best of Tuscany tour was absolutely wonderful and amazing! They were knowledgeable and helpful which allowed us the opportunity to enlarge our minds as we listened to their stories and insight about life in Italy. When in Italy, do as the Italians do. Walk along medieval fortified walls and hold . Pretty cool and fun!". "There were so many! "Hard to choose, but seeing "David" for the first time was awe-inspiring. from $3,895 per person + air. Most importantly, our wonderful tour guide, David, provided a life-time of unforgettable memories by sharing his expertise, warmth, & good humor every day. Very informative, first hand view of the local community and an outstanding guide and facilitator. Or experience Truffle Hunting in San Miniato countryside with a local guide and his truffle dog. Everyday presented a wow moment.". The Tao of Rick was evident in every way, from what was included, to what was not. Hop on a Vespa and hit the winding Tuscan roads. Every major city has a handful of bus companies that they use to get around. Seeing the caves dug out of the hillside and the images that had been carved into the walls, some early Christian, like the six-fingered Madonna, and others pre-Christian, like the mermaid. I enjoyed the in-depth focus on Tuscany, an enchanting area of a beautiful country. Our tour experience gave us something unique, surprising, informative & special each day. Wine tasting is one of true delights of a Tuscan holiday. Also having a private session in Lucca with an opera singer and pianist was extremely special for me. There was COVID on our tour and I think guides should push people more to test. And he constantly reminded people of the importance of mask wearing. We were tired at the end of each day but always looked forward to the next day's activities. Sleep near Pitigliano. The diversity of amazing Renaissance art, picturesque towns and countryside, and of course the lovely Tuscan wines, made for a wonderful feast for the soul, eyes, and palate. Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence or Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa. Everyone had so much fun and then we enjoyed a lovely meal together. The countryside in Tuscany teaches respect, to wait with patience and . Great! In fact, wine is such an integral part of the town that its eight districts compete in an uphill barrel-rolling competition every August. By far my favorite thing about the tour was THE PEOPLE! Farm Holidays in Tuscany - Discover Tuscany I loved the smaller group of seasoned travelers. The group got along well and everyone cooperated. Pisa also has frequent train services to Lucca, Livorno, and Grossetto. My first time in Europe, my first formal tour of any kind; it was FANTASTIC. David is an excellent tour guide! We look forward and plan on taking another RS tour. I felt like we were in safe hands w Mario & Francesco at the helm. Tuscany is easy to navigate by car, with just a few main road arteries connecting the region to major cities. Our other guides throughout were great, & we very much liked all other 18 people on tour. What a treat to stay in such and old city converted to a vacation spot! Neri was such an interesting, charming person. Our guide on the best ways to visit the Tuscan countryside tells you everything you need to make the journey! Tuscany is famous for its charmingsmall towns, Medieval hilltop hamlets and scenic walled townsrich with atmosphere. Wine tasting here is an art. We loved the very active pace and felt overall the opportunity presented a great value. Roll your way through the Chianti hills sipping wine . And SITA provides links to Siena and the Chianti wine region. It was the fulfillment of one of my bucket list items! Organization was spot on. "Wowed" by how congenial our tour mates were.". "Pitigliano was such a wonderful mix of all that makes Tuscany great.". Tuscany Accommodation:Agriturismo,B&B,Villa Rentals by Owners Tuscany is one of Italy's most popular regions, filled with historic Renaissance architecture, rolling vineyards, rustic little hilltop towns and villages and distinctive cultural elements that allude back to its prosperous past. We partnered with Walkabout Florence to ride our first-ever Vespa: Jeremy did the bulk of the driving, and I was quite happy to ride on the back. 7 Days. Everything about this trip exceeded my expectation. A small hilltop village founded around A.D. 1000, Montefollonico features all kinds of old-world details, including its original defense walls, the Romanesque Church of San Leonardo and its ancient water cistern. Browse our villas and vacation rentals in Tuscan Countryside. The countryside was magnificent, green, rolling hills. "The opera concert at our hotel in Lucca.". The hotels were mostly outstanding. Our room was magnificent! Wow!". "Two "wow" moments come to mind: firstly, the Santa Giulia winery experience, with its beautiful landscape, wine and lunch; secondly, the La Moscadella experience, where the dinner (and all the food) was as good as anywhere we've been, and the grounds were so beautiful it took my breath away.". The beach day on Elba Island was relaxing and needed. Elba island was pretty but hotel rooms cramped, although hotel close to beach. There will be plenty of time to kick back and relax before a leisurely dinner. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. His stories of discovery, cleaning/excavation, challenges with bureaucracy, etc. But when is the best time to visit Tuscany? "The entire experience was excellent. We started in Florence and went to many walled hill towns in Tuscany. Fun, educational, beautiful, friendly group, great tour guide and local guides, "The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial blew me away. Loved all the wine tastings, "Our hotel room in ValD' Orcia was phenomenal. Overall, the tour was decent but not our favorite. Nice pace and a perfect mix - Florence and then beautiful historic towns in the Tuscan countryside and the island of Elba. Tuscany Farmhouse Accommodation:Agriturismo in Toscana,Farm Holidays in Tuscany,Italy Fall in love with Tuscany! Oh, can't forget opera in Lucca. Recently we took delivery of a food box from Passione Toscana, a group of passionate foodies who handpick and deliver a range of the finest Tuscan food and wine products all over the world. "I have several wow moments from our trip! Not to mention of course riding a Vespa on the Tuscan hills! Looking at it gives the same emotion as being in front of a great work of art. He was detailed and in so many ways made the experience unique for all of us. I enjoy wine and the visits to the family owned wineries were a highlight. This evening we'll enjoy an opera demonstration before our final dinner together, sharing memories and toasting our new friends. If you fly into Tuscany, you have a choice of 2 airports. The Abbey of Mon Oliveto Maggiore is my next "wow" with its amazing frescos! After a break for lunch, we'll meet our coach and driver and embark on a scenic journey over the hills of Chianti, ending at our family-owned countryside hotel. Castelfalfi: Stay in a Restored Medieval Village. The guides, the scenery, the food and the cities we visited were wonderful. I learned and experienced so many new things. The 13 Best Towns and Villages to Stay in Tuscany | Italy4Real We loved the tour of Tuscany! Sipping local wines and dipping bread into just-pressed smooth olive oils is one of the main things to do in this Italian region . Just amazing. I really enjoyed every minute of this trip.". Just an amazing tour with the best guides, itinerary, food/wine, accommodations, unforgettable scenery, and fun/interesting cultural experiences, and the best tour family! Francesco is a saint. So much to see and do at a comfortable pace. Each of our local guides was passionate about their town and all of the history, art, culture and oh yes, the food and wine. more. Our guide was amazing with deep knowledge of the area and the differences between living in the USA and Italy. The agriturismos and wine tasting were much enjoyed.