Italy Travel Tours

Archive for the ‘Tour Tuscany’ Category

There are many Short Escorted Tours Tuscany available for your vacation.  Why not begin with a trip to the divine waters of the Val Di Chiana?

Mount Amiata produces a spectacle that prompted ancient Etruscans to think they had divine provenance.  The Mount is an ancient and extinct volcano.  It produces water that freezes from the lofty woods near its peak to hot lava that boils beneath the soil on other slopes.

Though modern science has an explanation for the thermal spas that bubble up from the land, the early peoples erected temples to these springs.  In later years, poets like Horace and intellectuals like Chagall, Fellini and Pirandello visited the spas for renewal.  This two thousand year old tradition continues and beckons the global traveler to step in and partake in this ancient practice.

Another short itinerary includes the “wine roads” which feature wineries and vineyards.   There are a total of 14 wine roads and all of them feature history, culture and environmental science that will keep you interested in this intriguing part of Italy.

Ask your guide to plan this itinerary for you because you can otherwise spend long distances traversing the countryside in search of the next “wine road”.  Your tour guide will also know which of the wineries have tours on horseback, a truly unique and Old World experience you will remember for a lifetime.

Yet another short trip to consider is a hike along the Etruscan Coast.  You begin your 45 minute walk in Populania at the Piazzale del Reciso.  A well-worn path takes you past olive trees and oaks, past ruins of the Hellenistic Age and ending at the cliffs overlooking the ocean where you can enjoy a bagged lunch before walking back up the hill.

These are just a few suggestions for Short Escorted Tours Tuscany that your guide can organize.

For touring with your Guide Northern Italy in the spring and in the fall, Valtellina is an area you should consider.  It is a mountain valley northeast of Lake Como and it is perfect for people who like to hike and who enjoy wine.

Early in the morning you can begin with a walk into a little adjunct valley called the “Little Yosemite” of Italy, named after Yosemite Park in the United States.  After taking in the splendor of the area, try a wine tasting at locally famous vinifera Nebbiolo, which is the grape used in the production of Barolo wine, a very dry vino da meditazione.

Another northern area of great interest is Lake Como, characterized by steep slopes leading down to the water.  Local residents are working to protect these magnificent hills from too much development and once you visit this majestic waterway you will understand why the Italian people wish to protect it.

High above the Lake are two regions popular among tourists of all nations, including Italy!  They are the villages of Como and Bellagio.  Ask your guide to arrange a session at cooking school with one of the many fine chefs in these villages.  Also north of the lake are new wineries opening every year.  It is an exciting area where old meets new.

Bellagio is actually a cluster of small villages that lie along the lake and also up the hills of Monte San Primo which is 6,000 feet above sea level.  There is a cultural museum you will want to visit.  This area also has a beautiful botanical feature called the Villa Melzi Gardens.

There is a scenic overlook above the Lake and a breathtaking villa called Carlotta, famous for its collection of art treasures.  Consider a boat trip across the lake to the village of Varenna for dinner.

Whatever your itinerary, your Guide to Northern Italy will provide you with a memorable trip.  Check with Tuscany with Me for ideas and prices.

Planning Tuscany vacations has never been easier.  They say all roads lead to Tuscany and it’s easy to see why.

The comfortable climate, the perfect blend of mountains and seashore, charming architecture, delicious meals and great shopping make this region of Italy near the top of everyone’s “bucket list” of places to go before one departs this earth.

This area, made popular by books and films like “Under the Tuscan Sun”, Tuscany is luring travelers from all over the world.  Getting there is easier now that there is a direct flight from New York to Pisa.  Once in Tuscany, you’ll meet your tour guide or you’ll arrive at your hotel to explore the region on your own.

There is no end to the activities available for your pleasure.  Try rafting along the Albenga River.  Take a bike tour on the Sogna Hamlet, soar above the hills in a two-seat parasail, explore the National Park and its myriad of colors, or go fishing in Casentino.  Everything you enjoy doing in America you can do in a whole new environment in Tuscany.

Why not take a food and wine tour through Chianti?  This wine is synonymous with Tuscany and there are tens of thousands of acres of vineyards producing this historic product for a global market.   A bonus with your tour of the wineries, are the olive vineyards ringing the grape fields.  Cyprus trees spiking skyward tell you you’re not in Kansas anymore.  This is beautiful and historic Tuscany!

If you are near San Giovanni Valdarno, you’ll be able to visit a balsamic vinegar lab where this popular ingredient in salads and cooking reductions is aged in giant vats made of balsa wood.  The best balsamic vinegar in the world originates right here.  Take some home as a memento of the first of many tuscany vacations for you.

Do your planning now and contact TuscanyWithMe.it to plan the vacation of a lifetime.  What ever it is you want, they will arrange for you.  Custom vacations are the specialty of this Italy travel company.

The beauty of Christmas in Tuscany is unforgettable.  Combine history with excellent cuisine and wine, add your loved ones to the mix, and you have all the ingredients for a Christmas holiday you will remember all your life.

Christmas Shopping Tuscany

Italy is more overtly religious than most English-speaking countries.  Christianity and particularly Catholicism are part of the fabric of everyday life.  As such, there is no controversy surrounding municipal religious displays and traditional foods are enjoyed by all residents and visitors alike.

If you are fortunate enough to travel to Tuscany at Christmastime, one of the most traditional foods is panettone.  This is a cake filled with nougat or torrone, candied fruit and panforte, a candy-like confection that is topped with honey, almonds and hazelnuts.  The nuts make it quintessentially Italian as most Christmas season dishes include nuts of one kind or another.  Traditional Italians believe nuts increase fertility.  Honey is another common holiday ingredient.  With a new year approaching, honey is believed to make the New Year “sweet”.

Pannetone Cake Tuscany

Christmas festivities in Italy begin in early December with the Santa Lucia celebration December 13th.  The customary dinner on the eve of Santa Lucia includes Bollenti or Necci, crepes of chestnut flour with a special cheese.  Chestnut trees are abundant in the Northern Tuscan provinces of Massa-Carrara and Lucca, and in South Tuscany on the Amiata Mountain.  Chestnuts have a proud history in Italy as they were used to feed needy people during times of difficulty, particularly during World War II.

Ironically, it is these peasant dishes that are enjoying a renaissance throughout Europe.  These simple but wonderful recipes are now prepared by world-class chefs in Italy who command the highest price for what was a staple of the poor.

You will find marvelous new experiences as you experience the ancient history of Christmas in Tuscany with your family.

The tours of Tuscany are among the most sought after destinations in the world.  The popularity of region was helped by the best-selling novel “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Now everyone wants to experience renewal and rebirth that comes from this beautiful part of the world.

There are as many ways to tour this region of Italy as there are people to experience them.  There is truly something for everyone “under the Tuscan sun”.   A sample itinerary includes a hotel in the historic center of Florence where you can walk to see the art of the Renaissance.  You can visit Chianti and sample the wine of the same name, sold around the world.  Siena is a must-see locale with its stunning gothic cathedral.

Large tour groups are common all around Italy and are identified by their familiar colored umbrella held high so that no one straggles from the group.  However there are many smaller, more personal tour companies that specialize in intimate groups.  These companies can gain access to more authentic local hot spots like cafes and restaurants where a large group could not be accommodated.

Like the large tour companies, smaller firms can take you anywhere you want to go and they’ll provide a custom presentation along the way such as slide shows preceding new locations.  A one-week tour like this costs approximately $3,400. for the land costs of hotel, most meals, and entrance fees to museums, galleries and monuments.

There are times when travelers wish to remain in the country to make other plans after the structured tour is completed and most tour companies will help you with transportation to your next destination.    Whatever method you chose, a large tour company or a small one, make sure you bring your camera for tours of Tuscany because the sights are too lovely to pass by.

You will be able to have a completely custom designed itinerary by selecting our blog sponsor, Tuscany With Me.  There is no better way to enjoy your trip than to see just exactly what you have always dreamed of.

There are northern Italy tours for nearly every interest under the sun.  If your hobby is food, wine, art,  or cathedrals, a tour company has an itinerary just for you.

For the best dedicated travel to Italy, small independent operators who are Italian-based offer the most knowledgeable ideas and the internet is a good way to start.

The sponsor of this blog is TuscanyWithMe.it. When you choose the services of a custom tour guide company such as this you will maximize your enjoyment by being able to visit exactly what it is you came to see.

For instance if you were to take a tour bus trip you would see things of interest that the tour operator has decided would be of interest to the most visitors.  However when you select Tuscany With Me you will describe in detail what it is that you would prefer to see and your days of visiting Italy will be filled with just your own choices.

If you are signing up for a guided tour, request a schedule of activities. Ask about the size of the group you’ll be part of and get information on the nature of the group; is it for college kids?  Or retirees?  This will impact the entire tour.

Inquire about the options for accommodations and the prices.  Research these hoteliers on the many online travel sites for feedback from prior patrons.   See what is included in the price such as meals and admission to museums.  Are there hidden fees such as taxes and airport fees?  These are usually tacked on after you’ve committed to the total amount.

Escorted tours are a great way to see a new country as they manage a large number of activities and sites in a short period of time.  All the work is done for you; you simply leave all the planning to the tour guide and enjoy the experience.  Vacations involving northern Italy tours will leave you wanting to return again and again.

Your search for Tours Tuscany ends here, with some of the best kept secrets of this marvelous region of Italy.  Old world charm is very much the order in the Tuscan region.  Hotel prices have come down a bit from 2008, making this the best time to make that trip you’ve always dreamed of.

While everyone is going to Florence, you might want to try Siena.  The Palazzo Pubblico boasts the best secular fresco in all of Italy.  Significant artists such as Domenico Beccafumi, Simone Martini and Duccio are evidenced throughout the city with their works dispersed in private and public arenas.

If your visit is long enough to travel to Florence, be sure to look at the Cappella Brancacci at the Piazza del Carmine.  Created by Masaccio, Michelangelo himself studied the work when he was alive.  Masaccio is considered the finest Tuscan painter of all time even though he died at the age of 27.  Many of his works are housed at the Uffizi Gallery.

Public transportation is the normal way to go in Europe.  To rent a car can be quite costly, thanks to lofty insurance rates. A far better way to travel is to rent a car with a driver.  This is a way that every little detail that you would be otherwise concerned with will all be taken care of for you.  Your personal tour guide at “Tuscany with Me!” will be happy to make the arrangements for you.

For rail transportation you may check train timetables at http://www.trenitalia.it.  Train service is ideal to Arezzo, Lucca and Prato as well as Le Crete and Val d’Orcia.   Again, these details will be arranged for you by your personal tour guide.

Smaller areas are best accessed by bus and a pdf. schedule is available for download at http://www.lfi.it, and http://www.sitabus.com/.

As you will likely rely on your tour guide, try to plan as far ahead as you can.  The best accommodations and prices are usually available to those who plan their trip 6 to 12 months in advance.

Tell your tour operator your preferred budget of price for your hotel and it will all be taken care of for you.  The same goes for meals, a guide with experience in Tours Tuscany is invaluable in helping you navigate this beautiful and historic country.

New in Tuscany Italy travel this year is the range of options in accommodations and a reduced price structure.  The global recession hasn’t stopped restaurants and museums in Italy from increasing their prices a little.

However the hospitality industry has responded by dropping their rates.  There have never been more options for tourists hoping to discover this destination admired the world over.

Here are some of the highlights of Tuscany for today’s traveler.  First of all, the ancient town of Assisi is recovered from the earthquake that decimated it in 1989.  Tourists are hard-pressed to see signs of the disaster.  The cathedral and fortress had final repairs in 2006.  Assisi remains a top choice for religious Pilgrims hoping to see St. Francis’s birth place.

There are exciting things happening in Cortona, including the Museo dell’ Accademia Estrusca and the church of San Francesco.  The museum now has some of the relics which were removed from the facility years ago.

Livorno has a spectacular waterfront area which has just been overhauled to resemble Nice or Cannes.  Buses will take you to the waterfront on the southern shore as it is a bit of a haul for pedestrians, and it is known for its fine seafood restaurants.

One of the best kept secrets of Tuscany is Lucca, a favorite among the tour guides themselves.  The Puccini Festival offers an opera concert every night in San Giovanni.

Montepulciano capitalizes on the wine industry.  Many of the locals will put you up in their apartments. A professional tour guide will bring you right to the wineries.  You will find a delightful choice in tour guides by visiting the website of the sponsor of this Blog, “Tour Tuscany with Me”.

Of course there is Pisa and its famous leaning Tower.  The hotel industry here has suffered from the recession and has responded by luring Delta Airlines to provide a non-stop flight from New York.

Even if you’ve been to this region before, Tuscany Italy travel has many updates for new memories.