Have you ever seen the movie Benvenuti al Sud? If you have, you know what I am talking about. If you haven’t, you should, especially if you are planning a holiday to Southern Italy. It is very funny and shows the negative perceptions and stereotypes of South Italy, which turn out to be mere prejudic...
In 2024 Italy is the fifth on the list of most visited countries in the world. Tourism is booming, hotels are packed, cruise ships tower over small ports, people queue for hours to get into the Vatican or even worse, to a certain bar because it went viral on social media.
However, the crowds are c...
TRIP-OF-A-LIFETIME — FIVE STARS!
In planning our seven-week trip through Italy, my wife and I wanted to “slow-travel” as a couple - staying 7-10 days in a single location before moving onto the next province. Fortunately an internet search located a travel agent who was perfect at Italy-SlowTravel...
I am not a city person. We live in a tiny village among green hills, and whenever I am in Milan, Rome or any other big city, I feel that one day is enough. Of course I am impressed by The last supper or Bernini's sculptures, and I enjoy laughing with friends at a Trastevere wine bar, but the follo...
I had been travelling around Tuscany for years, but somehow I never made it to the southern part, close to Lazio. This is a less visited area of Tuscany, quite far from the Florence-Siena-Pisa triangle, so most tourist groups avoid it. This fact makes it wonderfully quiet. Pitigliano perched on top...
I had seen the impressive walled town of Monteriggioni sitting on top of a hill many times while driving on the highway between Florence and Siena. Then one day I finally had the time and made the turn off to see what is hiding behind the medieval walls. I have found a cute village, definitely worth...
You all know the name Vinci. But probably many of you don't know that it's not only the name of a Renaissance genius, but it's also a wonderful small town in Tuscany. It's not a coincidence, as Leonardo was born here on April 15, 1452. Most travellers visit Vinci because of the famous polymath, but...
If you think of Tuscany, you'll be thinking about green rolling hills, olive groves, cypress lanes and vineyards. Rocky mountain peaks and ski hills will probably not come to your mind, although this is also Tuscany. The splendid Garfagnana valley can be found in the northern part of Tuscany, betwee...
When I first visited Tuscany with my friends 15 years ago, we just spent a few days in the northern part. (Little did I know that only a year later, I would be working around Italy as a tour leader, returning to Tuscany over and over again.) During this first visit, I was looking at the postcards sh...
Volpaia is a charming Tuscan village with just a few inhabitants, another one of my favourites besides Montefioralle. This wine-making hamlet is hiding among the Chianti hills, and it's easy to just drive by. But you shouldn't! Watch out for the signs by the road between Greve and Rhadda in Chianti,...
I have discovered the tiny village of Montefioralle by accident, when I was driving around aimlessly on the winding Chianti roads, stopping all the time to capture the beauty of the Tuscan countryside with my camera. I have returned several times since then, and while booking an agriturismo for my c...
Lucca is still overshadowed by other Tuscan towns like Florence, Pisa or Siena, but if you are planning to go beyond the main sights during your Tuscan road trip, make sure you don't miss this gem. It’s worth spending a couple of nights in Lucca, but if you only have a day in the area, you can combi...
