Italy Travel Tours

Posts Tagged ‘Tuscany’

The well known Italy travel highlights are pretty much a given. This includes Rome, Venice, and the Italian Riviera. With over 20 million visitors a year, more and more sites are becoming popular tourist attractions.

This is how the leaning tower of Pisa became a tourist attraction. It is unique, one of a kind and has become a World Heritage site. This tower was constructed in 1173, but there are many buildings older than this in Italy.

What most people come to see, at least on their first visit, are the old Roman ruins to give visitors a feel for how much Rome has expanded from this time. One of the oldest is the Pantheon. The construction on this temple was started in 27 BC. When it was constructed, the Pantheon was on the outskirts of Rome. Because of fires, the present day Pantheon is the third one that has been built. The present day building was rebuilt starting in 126 AD. This building has been in continuous use since it was first constructed. Since the 7th century, it has been a Roman Catholic Church that is dedicated to Saint Mary and the Martyrs.

The Roman Coliseum was constructed in 80 AD.  It too has seen the effects of fire and earthquakes that have left it in disrepair. It had been in continuous use until the early 19 century when finally, because of the numerous earthquakes and fires, it has become only a place for tourists and as a sacred place where so many Christians were sacrificed.

There are also the canals of Venice where over 400 bridges crossing the waterways can be found. Florence is in the heart of Tuscany. This is home to the renaissance period where works from Machiavelli and Michelangelo can be found.

Sorrento is the kind of Italian town that most people think of when imagining Italy. This city overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea, on top of high cliffs.

These are just a few of the better known Italy travel highlights. With so much to see, it is nearly impossible to mention them all.

Many Americans take Italy travel tours to Tuscany, but where do you begin to absorb all that this region has to offer?  Tuscany means different things to different people.

Some people associate Tuscany with olives and the many products made with this ancient fruit.  Chief among them is olive oil and there are hundreds of farms, both large and small, that press the nectar from the olive to produce a staple of cuisine; olive oil.

Recognizing the allure of watching ages-old artisan techniques, some groves now open their operations to visitors.

Tuscany also means wine and the famous “wine road” of Chianti is another popular activity for travelers.  Your tour guide will take your intimate group to the many vineyards around Greve, including Casaloste and Villa S. Andrea.  You’ll learn how 21st century technology meets practices hundreds of years old to produce world-class wine.

Fine art is how some people define Tuscany.  There is no greater collection of Renaissance art in the world than what can be found in Florence.  Michelangelo’s “David”, considered by many to be the greatest statue in the world is a must-see, however there are lesser known works hidden throughout this city and your knowledgeable guide will help you discover it.

Perhaps the simple geographical and historical beauty of Tuscany is what you desire most.  In that case, your guide will have many options for you.  Would you like to explore one of the most scenic places in the world?  Then Cinque Terre is for you.  Consisting of five towns, Cinque Terre is navigable by boat, train, car and foot, depending upon your activity goal.

Whatever you seek in Tuscany, your guide will be ready with information, organization and a wealth of English-speaking help to make your Italy travel tours a memorable experience.  Check with Federica Merli at TuscanyWithMe.it to help you design the perfect tour of Northern Italy.

There are northern Italy tours to suit every taste and budget.  Northern Italy is best known as Tuscany, that enchanting part of the world that has spawned books and films and drawn visitors from across the globe.

To the north Tuscany is fringed with mountains; the Pratomagno range and the Apuan Alps.   Between the Alps and the coast lie the lower Chianti hills, an area famous for its wines, its soil rich in minerals for growing, and its gentle climate.

The coast features the sandy shores of Versilia to the north and the rocky cliffs near Livorna at the mid-point.  And just off shore are the islands that form the Tuscan Archipelago.  The most popular among them are Capraia, Giglio, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo and Giannutri.  All of these are well equipped for visitors looking for sun, beaches, charm and excellent cuisine.

With its Mediterranean climate, look for hot summer months and warm winters, except  in the mountains where snowfall allows for winter sports.  Generally, Tuscany has favorable weather no matter when you go.  The month of July is the hottest and it can feel quite tropical throughout the region.

Tuscany is the birthplace of Italian art, dating back to the Iron Age, but the Etruscan civilization is credited with spawning the best ancient art.  Items of terracotta and pottery in the form of vases and urns are considered masterpieces of the time.

Visitors to Tuscany are treated to an abundance of art from the Middle Ages which occurred after the fall of the Roman Empire.  The walls of Monteriggioni and the Castle at Prato are some of the surviving architecture on display from this period.

Siena and Florence reveal the Italian Gothic influence and in Florence the zenith of Renaissance design delights tourists and students alike.  Contact TuscanyWithMe.it to organize a trip within northern Italy tours and see history on display.

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When it comes to a wine tour, Italy has some of the most popular reasons to explore this beautiful country.  According to statistics from the Biteg Wine and Food Tourism Forum, wine tourism in Italy is a 2.5 billion euro per year business and it represents only 20% of the potential.

Like the localized wine tours in America; in Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes of New York and other regions, Italy has established “wine roads” which offer scheduled stops in wineries and vineyards.

So-called Open Cellars bring more than one million tourists to the vineyards in May to learn about grape varieties and wine-making methods.  Many of the wineries have been in business for more than 100 years and offer techniques honed by generations of grape growers.

Tuscany is the birthplace of this annual event that has spread throughout the country.  Offerings have expanded too, giving participants an opportunity to witness farm life in the olive groves and other venues.  Many hosts prepare a dish featuring local specialties to the tourists who stop by.

Food and wine is the second biggest reason why tourists choose Italy as their destination.  Censis, a social trend research organization, states that every euro invested in a vineyard produces 5 euros in tourism for the local economy.

Tourists desiring a wine experience on their trip have other festivals they can attend throughout the growing season.  The Goblet of Stars, or Calici di Stelle, involves a community toast on the night of August 10th.  The night honors the Night of the Shooting Stars during the Feast of Saint Lawrence.

If you prefer the glorious weather of autumn, the Welcome Harvest, Benvenuta Vendemmia  opens vineyards to tourists to observe the busy wine production process which begins with crushing the grapes after harvest.

For every palette and season, there is a region and vineyard ready to entertain you with a wine tour italy.

The best Olive Vineyards in Italy are difficult to discern.  It’s like asking an American which are the best wine vineyards; Napa Valley or the Finger Lakes of New York?  However, most Italians will concur there are outstanding olives in the hills of Chianti, in Tuscany.

An experienced tour guide might suggest a novel mini-working vacation at an olive grove in Muricciaglia where you can pick the olives and become involved in the art of making olive oil.

Plan your trip in Mid-November.  This is when olives are harvested.   After the growers place nets beneath the trees, you’ll be instructed to pick every single olive regardless of the size or color.  Small or large, black or green, nothing is left on the tree when it is selected for picking.

The olive industry is vital in Italy and there are many ways to get the olive off the tree.  Some farmers shake the tree to release the fruit.  Other more commercial operations resort to mechanical devices at harvest time.

The weather in Tuscany remains sunny, warm and beautiful for the job.  You’ll spend all morning in the fields picking the olives and then settle into a long, delicious and relaxing lunch featuring local items and some wine before picking a few more olives in the afternoon.

Once the harvest is completed, the olives are taken to an extraction plant, or “frantoio”.  It is here where the olives are extracted from the fruit after they are all washed and weighed.   The plants operate all day and night at harvest time, as trucks bearing the labors of the harvest from all area farms come in.

In the end you’ll be able to sample the oil you helped to create, making for a lifelong memory of your time in Olive Vineyards in Italy.

Many Northern Italian Tours are best experienced with the whole family.  Children over the age of 5 will remember more than you think after this grand adventure through one of the world’s best regions.

You can begin your trip in the village of Cortona, the setting for the best-selling novel Under the Tuscan Sun.  Take the scenic road numbered SS71 north to Arezzo.  Be sure to bring your camera because this road is classic and quintessential Tuscany.

Arezzo is chock full of ancient art and frescoes by Piero della Francesca.  Movie buffs will also recognize some of the street scenes from the Academy-Award winning film Life is Beautiful.   If you time your trip right, your children will delight in the medieval joust that occurs during the Street Fairs on the first Sunday of each month.

The next day consider the old tunnels in Orvieto, a small hilltop city that is lit with spotlights at night.  The food is very special there and there is a wine by the same name.  Visit the toy stores with colorful puppets, and get ready for the requests.  Your children will surely ask to take one home.   After lunch you can visit the Etruscan Tombs.  Don’t worry, there’s nothing scary, but it’s an impressive place from an urban engineering standpoint.

Make your way to the Parco Naturale della Maremma to see white cattle and wild horses.  Have your camera ready to spot a wild boar.  Your tour guide will arrange a guided horseback ride in the early evening.

One cannot travel to Italy without seeing the famous Leaning Tower in Pisa.  The entire family, including children over the age of 8, are welcomed to climb inside to the top.  As famous as this is, you needn’t budget more than a half day in Pisa.

There is much to explore with Northern Italian Tours, and the best way to do that is with your family.

Read here about Northern Italy Travel with Kids

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The Northern Italy Travel kids areas are perfect for a lifetime of learning.  Italy loves children and it is apparent in the many books and novels that familiarize children with Tuscany before they step on the plane to visit.

To plan a trip with children, offer the many books that focus on real and fictitious characters.  You might wish to incorporate these books into your bedtime reading in advance of your trip.  The Stravaganza series of fiction for young readers is a prime example of fact meeting fiction over Italy.

The City of Masks and the City of Stars feature a long simmering battle between two families in the fictitious city of Giglia, remarkably similar to Florence.

The picture book Museum of Adventures allows children to travel back in time to Michelangelo’s day.  He transports them to the marble quarry and art studio where he worked on his sculptures.  Another picture book entitled Leonardo provides a pictorial biography of the Italian Master.  Young readers will become acquainted with da Vinci’s scientific experiments and art as well as his eccentric lifestyle.

We continue the theme of Leonardo da Vinci with another picture book of the same name.  In this work we see the inventor’s sketches and models.  His magnificent flying machines, a gigantic crossbow and water pumps are astonishing since he lived many centuries ago.

Why not teach your children about Botticelli?  Unlike many artists who toiled in obscurity, Botticelli was a famous artist of his day.  The picture book of the same name will explore his creation of the Birth of Venus which your children will see in real life at the Uffizi gallery when you go.

There are many ways to prepare for Northern Italy Travel, kids and books are an excellent way to begin.

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Good Italy vacation tours will help you determine your priorities so you can make the most of your time there. Italy has 20 regions and unless you have six months of travel time you won’t see everything in your first trip, which isn’t a bad thing because we can all use an excuse to return to Italy.

Tuscany is the region everyone has heard about and everyone wants to visit. The Renaissance was born here, it is the home of Chianti wine and Michelangelo spent time here. Tuscany is not particularly large and it is not served well by public transportation. A car and tour guide are indispensable in any area of Italy outside of Rome.

You can drive from the north of Tuscany to the south in three hours on the highway but you would miss the beauty of the region. The back roads are the way to go to really enjoy the spirit of any region of Italy and Tuscany is no exception.

Many travelers begin their vacation in either Florence or Pisa after arriving by plane in Rome or Milan. Some American airlines now have direct flights from the east coast to Pisa or Florence, eliminating interim train travel from Rome and Milan.

If crowds and long lines and high prices are an issue for you, avoid the peak season of July and August if you can. Instead, consider spring or fall for your visit. The weather is still attractive, the prices are better and massive crowds have dispersed.

If you’re traveling with your entire family, watch for festival schedules. Italy offers unique opportunities for children they can’t find in the States. Bring your camera to take photos of the kids watching “knights” on horseback in Arezzo, or they might smash nuts in Cortona.

Big or small, spring or fall, Italy vacation tours can help you experience the best that country has to offer.

As we publish this article on Christmas Eve we wish all of our readers the very Merriest of Christmases and to all a prosperous and wonderful New Year.

This is the best time of the year to make your travel arrangements for your next vacation to Italy.

Contact: Tuscany with Me to plan now for the vacation of a lifetime!