Europe for the past ten years has been strongly discouraging single use plastics, resulting in the all too common convenience store bottle of water becoming less common and way more expensive... Here at Adventures to Tuscany, for both our Provence and Tuscany Tours we typically provisioned 3 bottles of water a day / per guest for the week, so for our typical Tour, we went through about 40 to 50 bottles per day or between 300 -350 bottles of water for just one Tour Group! When we did the math, we realized we were responsible for several thousand plastic bottles every year, and unfortunately, many of these never make it to a recycling plant...
So back a few years ago, we decided to get on board and be a little more environmentally conscious! With this in mind, we'll have a little gift for you when you get to The Villa... As a small token of our appreciation, each guest will get one of our official Adventures To Tuscanythermos bottles! We think you'll love these; they'll hold half a liter (17 ounces) they're super lightweight, double walled, vacuum insulated & powder coated 18/8 stainless steel thermos' bottles... You can fill them with water, coffee or even wine, and they'll keep beverages ice cold or steaming hot for almost 24 hours...
They'll easily fit in the side pocket of your daypack and they're wonderful to take along for your daytime activities while you're with us in Tuscany! We're typically out all day long... It'll be mid September, so it gets pretty warm in the afternoons, and it's nice to have something ice cold to sip on! Terese & I actually fill one of ours with ice water and the other with espresso and share throughout the day! You'll find they'll also work well to fill with ice water and have at your bedside overnight while you're at The Villa! And don't worry, we think you'll find the water at our Villa, high in the rural Chianti Hills is ultra pure and tastes wonderful!
We first discovered these years ago when we were looking for something functional for ourselves, as it's not always convenient for us to find somewhere to buy water or coffee while we're out leading our Tours... and after a few years, we decided it would be a nice gift for our guests as well... We think you'll enjoy these for many years! So many of our guests over the years tell us they use them everyday! Got one of these in red from a previous trip with us? Now you've got two! We really love the new "Guide Yellow" color!
Thanks again for choosing us for your Adventure To Tuscany! We really appreciate it & we're looking forward to spending time with you!
we like to think we pick the very best seasons for our Tours, but as we all know, it's really up to Mother Nature!
With your trip to Tuscany coming up in just about 3 months, a lot of you are starting to think about clothes and packing... And of course the big questions are always "What's the weather gonna be like while we're there? What does everybody wear? And do we need anything dressy?
So here's the lowdown on the weather; long time historical averages for mid-September in Tuscany are average high temps of around 82 - 84 degrees F in the mid afternoons... and average low temps (overnight) of about 59 - 61 degrees F... But keep in mind, while these temps can give us a good guideline, these are theaverage highs and lows of the day, and as we all know, historical averages can vary dramatically from actual temps we'll experience on any given day... (Think about it; one day with a high of 69 and another day with a high of 95, gives you an average of 82...) but after 24 years of running these Tours in Tuscany, we can tell you, these averages are pretty much right on!
So with afternoon highs (typically) running around 83 degrees in mid September, you certainly want to bring at least some lightweight summer clothing... And of course, your swimming suits! But keep in mind, the temps listed above are the highs and lows of the day... And the week you're at the Villa is actually going to be getting close to the beginning of Fall...
a bunch of our Tour Guests enjoying the Terrace at The Villa - this is typical of the style of clothes we often see our guests in...
September has become a prime time for vacationing in Tuscany, as many folks try to avoid the high summer heats and those oh so famous European heat waves that often occur in July and August... This is why we don't have Tours here in July and early August! And with all that being said, keep in mind, it will be September and just like at home in the US, those temps could just as easily be well above, or well below average...
September is a transitional season... we'll be touring all day, and you'll likely be outside a lot more then you normally are at home... We suggest you bring at least one lightweight summer sweater and perhaps a light windbreaker or rain jacket for a cooler day or our evenings out on the Terrace... Another thing to keep in mind is that in early September, sunset in Italy happens around 7:45 pm! And with that, we tend to spend a lot of time outside at the Villa in the late afternoons and into the evenings. In fact, the picture above is a late afternoon/early evening shot of some of the folks from one of our Tour groups in early September, and you'll notice most everyone in shorts...
a couple of our guests sneaking a snack in the Vineyards at one of the Wine Estates
So, do we bring shorts, pants, jeans, sport jackets, sun dresses, sports jackets? Should I bring high heels? What should we bring? We always suggest to our guests to dress in whatever you're most comfortable in... There is no dress code! Our Tours, the places we go, and the overall itinerary is very casual... There is no need to "dress-up" unless you want to... I tend to wear a lot of light-weight khakis/jeans/sneakers and polo shirts during the week. But if we hit a hot spell, you can bet I'll be wearing shorts & T-shirts! Terese wears a lot of casual sun dresses, shorts & capris.
If it's important to you to "fit-in" or look Italian, know that the average Italian dresses up just a little more then the average American... and of course you'll notice this more so in the bigger cities like Florence, Milan and Rome... In Italy people are raised with the concept of Bella Figura; (putting your best face on) and in a country with a struggling economy like Italy,Bella Figura is about presenting yourself well in all aspects & creating a positive impression... And that includes how they dress... While it can be a little difficult for Americans to understand; they have far fewer clothes, so they tend to buy the best they can afford, and wear those items more often...
But you're on vacation and you should dress in whatever you enjoy and whatever makes you comfortable... One thing we can assure you of is that you won't catch us personally, in sport jackets, dress slacks or dress shoes! It's often warm, we tend to be active and we dress casually to be comfortable...
The Duomo in Siena - This place is amazing... Your Adventures to Tuscany Tour includes the Admission Tix & Tour... our Tour guide Stella will be taking us thru...
If you enjoy touring the big Duomos, know that most of the bigger famous cathedrals in Italy have dress codes that prohibit"short shorts" or bare shoulders... The rule has always been "knees and shoulders need to be covered". This isn't enforced as much in the smaller churches as they don't have the man power to police it, but in the bigger Cathedrals, they'll certainly stop you if you're wearing short-shorts, a tank top, or a sleeveless tube top! The big Cathedrals in Florence, Rome, Milan & Siena are major tourist attractions and most still adhere to the knees & shoulders rule for both men and women... Sometimes they'll have paper robes they'll ask you to wear if you're not dressed properly, but if they're out of them, they'll just refuse your entry... Lots of tourists carry large lightweight scarfs to wrap around their shoulders or waists in summer...
While it used to be rare to see Italian men in shorts, we're starting to see more of that these days... our guys should feel comfortable wearing shorts, jeans or khakis... Whatever you're most comfortable in. Many women vacationing in Italy wear casual pants, capris, shorts or casual sun dresses... And over the years, some of the gals have worn a casual summer dress for our Alfresco Luncheons at the Wine Estates... And lastly, at the Villa, the atmosphereis very casual... It's just us... t-shirts, swimming suits and bare feet are totally acceptable...
With our Tour Guide Stella in San Gimignano
And then there's "footwear..." We always say, wear whatever you're comfortable in! But remember we will be doing a fair amount of walking during the daytime... especially during our Tours of Siena and San Gimignano... and of course, a lot of the streets you'll be walking on will be cobblestones! So we suggest comfortable walking shoes for touring! As we do this a lot ~ we'll be wearing sneakers!
While September is one of the least rainy times of the year in Tuscany, we have experienced a rainy day a couple of times over the last 24 years... so Terese & I each also always have a tiny travel umbrella tucked away in our daypacks as well as a super lightweight rain jacket... (we suggest you do too) You don't want the rare possibility of a rain shower to spoil your vacation fun! A tiny compact travel umbrella can be found at Amazon or Walmart for as little as $5... Other things we suggest; sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a water bottle, individually wrapped hand wipes, etc... We'll be posting a full checklist of suggestions as we get closer to your departure!
PS: when you're packing, don't forget to bring something white for Festival del Bianco! Trust us, You'll have FUN!!!
When you do what we do, you get a lot of questions... Here at Adventures To Tuscany, we always tell people: "What makes us different, makes all the difference in the world." Soour guests often ask us: "what makes you so different?"
Hopefully you’ve already read and know a little bit about us from our website and our introduction of ourselves on this Blog. So this post focuses on who we are, how we got here, why we do what we do, how we travel, how we choose who to work with, and how we make money…
We thought we’d lay out for you our Code of Ethics that’ll let you see, transparently, what it is that we’re up to, how our company makes money, and what our mission & our goals are for our small boutique expedition company.
First, some basics. We’re full-time Tour Operators, tour guides, travel consultants, travel writers and expedition leaders... This isn't a part-time gig we do on the side a couple times a year; this is what we do full time, and we work at it 365 days a year!
Goals of Our Travel Blogs & Expedition Operations
We want to:
Share our travel stories, travel tips, and photos
Inspire you to travel and visit the places we go
Provide you with quality resources & information to help you plan your trips
Give back to the world in at least some small way
Generate an income that lets us keep doing the above four things
This last point is the one we’ll focus on in regards to our Code of Ethics.
Our Mission
At Adventures to Tuscany, our goal & mission is to create Expedition-Style International Tours that totally exceed your expectations in every possible way. It starts with our experience... We've personally been touring Europe for over 40 years and we're in our 24th year of organizing our Tour Groups. We're honored & proud that so many of our guests who have traveled with us, choose to do it again, and again... and sometimes again & again!... We know our success depends on providing our guests with the very best value and the most unique travel experience they've ever had. We work hard to do that and we hope you are already recognizing that! Our hope is that are guests are impressed enough to tell their family & friends... and we hope they'll consider traveling with us again... If we can improve your experience in any way, please let us know.
How We Generate an Income Like most self-employed people, we make money in several different ways and these can differ a bit each year. But here are the primary ways we earn our incomes and support ourselves.
Our primary source of income is our boutique Expedition Operations. For the last 24 years,we personally research, design, curate and market Expedition Style Tours to just two destinations; Tuscany, Italy & Provence in The South of France. We strive to market totally unique, authentic & immersive, escorted & guided experiential adventure expeditions
We do not make any commissions from any airlines, hotels, restaurants, attractions, wineries or activities that we recommend, but we do get small referral fees from only two of the vendors we recommend; InsureMyTrip Travel Insurance, and AutoEurope.com Car Rentals. Purchasing travel insurance or renting a car from one of our links may earn us a small referral fee, but it NEVER costs you anything extra. We only recommend vendors and services that we believe are both relevant and good quality. We do not personally recommend any service we have not used ourselves. And when we use these services, we pay for them, just like you do. We again, only work with brands that we are excited about and genuinely believe in.
Our Code of Ethics:
At the very core of our ethics is integrity; And integrity is the core of trust... and to us this means acting with honesty and fairness. It's doing the right thing even when no one's looking. We call it "Our Golden Rule Philosophy". It's our foundation for self-respect and a positive reputation. Our guests rely on us, and we want our word to hold weight.
We will never recommend a product or service that we don’t believe in ourselves.
We will only market tours & expeditions, that we genuinely believe are unique, alternative, immersive and of the best possible value.
We will only work with brands that we believe in and are relevant to you
We will never work with third party destination management companies that operate mass-market tours.
We'll never allow the components & activities of our Tours to be dictated by others – we control all the components of our Tours and our Villa accommodations. Our loyalty lies with you, our guests.
We limit & always disclose clearly if we receive referral fees from a vendor or service provider that we provide a link or recommendation for.
We are proud to be a long time member of the NTA (The National Tour Association) and adhere to the NTA's high standards & The NTA's Professional Code of Ethics.
We have been running our Expedition Operations for 24 years, our company is legally incorporated, and we carry Professional Tour Operator's Liability Insurance.
We subscribe to the National Tour Association's Code of Professional Ethics to strive for the honest & truthful marketing of Organized International Group Travel.
What does all this mean
Well, we believe in both Karma & The Golden Rule
And these two concepts intersect in their focus on the impact of our actions
The Golden Rule focuses on empathy and reciprocity. (ie: treat others how you'd like to be treated, creating a more positive and harmonious world.)
Karma focuses on cause and effect. (Our actions, good or bad, have consequences for us, encouraging self-reflection and responsible choices.)
Both principles ultimately nudge us in a similar direction: above all else,act with kindness and consideration for others.
For us they provide different angles on the same basic truth: our morals, our ethics & our actions have the power to shape our our experiences... and ultimately our world. it's as simple as that
Privacy Policy We respect and protect your privacy. We will never share your personal information you provide us unless specifically agreed upon.
while John had relationships with dozens of celebrities, and there are equally as many rumors about
who he wrote this song about, he actually has admitted he wrote it about his high school sweetheart
For those of you visiting Rome for a few days before or after we meet up in Tuscany, the link below will take you to the Ultimate Guide for Visiting The Colosseum in Rome for 2024... We used to write our own posts with tips for visiting the Colosseum, but this page is great and has all the details you could want... But before you say to yourself, I'll just read it on the plane, know that: you have to buy your tickets in advance! Don't be disappointed... read this now so you know how and when to buy tickets... There's no tickets sales at the Colosseum! click here
For any of you looking to get from Rome to Lake Como (via Milan): A new high-speed Frecciarossa (The Red Arrow) train service linking Rome and Milan offers a journey time of two hours and 45 minutes, Italy's state railway company has announced. That's as average of about 130 miles per hour! (This is over 355 miles and would take over 6 hours by car!)... Taking a look at this futuristic train, you gotta think it's made by the same people that bring you the Ferrari...
The direct service, which avoids the central train stations of both cities, launched just last Fall, and has been a huge hit for both tourists and locals from Rome who want to go to the far north of Italy for getaway... and Lake Como is nearby!
The train will leave from Roma Tiburtina Station at 05.30 and will arrive in Milan Rogoredo Station at 08.15, with a train leaving Rogoredo at 20.44 to arrive in Rome at 23.29.
The new connection does not include Milano Centrale or Roma Termini however both stations can be easily reached.
The new link brings the number of daily Frecciarossa connections between Rome and Milan to 90, including seven direct Roma Termini - Milano Centrale services, with a journey time of 2 hours and 59 minutes, and 81 Frecciarossa Rome-Milan routes with intermediate stops and journey times starting from 3 hours and eight minutes.
We may not be able to afford to stay in the most exclusive hotels in Rome, but we may still have a drink in them! Here are seven luxury hotels whose lounge bars, inner gardens or rooftop terraces are open to outside guests for an aperitivo in style, just in time for warmer weather: click here
Driving in Italy is a big part of the adventure. While most forgo driving in the cities and rely on public transportation, driving your own car is really the only way to access and explore the incredible beauty of the Italian countryside. We will be taking you to beautiful places that no Tour Bus would ever dream of going! You will experience Italy in a way that very few "tourists" ever do... And when we say: deeply immersive and culturally explorative, experiential discovery adventures, trust us - this is much more then just a motto or tagline... We'll show you the real and authentic Italy!
Driving Requirements
If your driver's license is from the U.S. or other countries outside the European Union, you should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with your local license. You'll need to show your IDP if you get stopped by the police for any reason, including if you're in an accident. The IDP is not a license, requires no test, and is basically just a translation of your driver's license. While in over 38 years of driving in Italy, no one has ever asked to see our IDP, Italian Law says you need it so we always get them. Every now and then we hear stories that the rental car offices required them before they'd release the car, but we've never been asked. You get them at your local AAA office . They're approx $20 - $25. (only people driving the car need one)
Checklist for Driving in Italy:
Your Home State Driver's license (required - if you don't have a license in the US, you can't drive in Italy)
IDP (required)
Proof of liability insurance (required, will come with rental car)
ID/passport (required)
Reflective safety vest (required to have in car, will come with rental car)
Reflective triangle (required to have in car, will come with rental car)
Parking Disc (probably in the glove box or adhered to window of your rental car- if not, ask for it)
Rules of the RoadIf you know Italian law, you can avoid being stopped by police or photographed by speed and red-light cameras, and return home without incurring a traffic fine. While most of the rules are similar to driving laws in the U.S., some, like the Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL), are particular to Italy.
Seatbelts: According to Italian law, any time you ride in a vehicle that has seat belts, it is compulsory to wear them.
Distracted driving: You cannot text or talk and drive while holding a phone. Use your speaker phone. (note: we will be giving you a two-way radio to use for our caravans as we go out touring daily... have a navigator/ passenger handle the radio).
Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL): Do not drive in an area with a ZTL sign or one marked Area Pedonale (limited traffic or pedestrian zones). Most cities have these zones, and even in small towns, you usually find them in or near the historic center, or centro storico. A special permit is needed to drive in a limited traffic zone (which your hotel can usually provide, just for dropping off luggage). There is usually a camera that takes a photo of your license plate as you enter and you may get a fine in the mail, sometimes months later, even if you don't get stopped right away. Look for a parking lot outside the center—you'll often find one within walking distance or with a shuttle to take you to the center of a town.
Speed limits: Except when posted otherwise, speed limits apply throughout Italy, including 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour) on major highways, 110 kph (68 mph) on non-major highways outside of major urban areas, and 90 kph (56 mph) on local roads. In town speed limits vary by commune & can be much lower.
Traffic lights: Italy has a three-light system (red-yellow-green) just exactly like in the U.S.NOTE:In Italy, it is illegal to make a right turn on a red light even if you stop first.
School Buses: Just exactly like here in the US, you must stop when a school bus is stopped and unloading and loading passengers.
Right of way: The same as here in the US, yield to traffic on the right when you are at a junction or crossroads. In reality, Italian drivers will not wait for you to proceed if you are hesitant.
Roundabouts: At roundabouts, yield to traffic that is already in the roundabout. The driver in the roundabout always has the right of way. To exit the roundabout, use your turn indicator signal.
Parking: When parking on an urban street, park on the right-hand side. In marked "blue zone" areas, you must display a parking disc, valid for one hour, which can be obtained in tourist offices. (again, there's most likely already one of these attached to your windshield or in the glovebox)
Headlights: Even on sunny days, the law requires you to drive with your headlights on outside of urban areas. Always drive with your headlights on while on the autostrada.
In case of emergency: Emergency numbers in Italy are 113 for police, 115 for the fire department, and 118 for an ambulance.
Driving on the Autostrada or Toll Road: The autostrada is Italy's system of toll roads. Autostrada highways are designated with an A in front of a number (such as A1, the major autostrada that connects Milan and Rome) and signs pointing toward them are green.
The maximum speed limit is 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour) but on some parts slows to 110kph and can be as low as 60kph on some curvy stretches, so watch for posted speed limit signs. You'll take a ticket as you enter the autostrada and pay a toll when you exit...
you'll see plenty of these in Tuscany, and everyone
always asks; and the answer is yes, you can rent
one of these... they start at about $3000/day...
and if you get one, I wanna go for a ride in it!
Italian drivers tend to drive fast, especially on the autostrada, but are generally not aggressive. But unless you're planning to race in the fast lane, just leave the left lane for passing and stick to the right-hand lanes.
Remember that Italy is the home of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, etc... Every now and then, on the Autostrada, you will encounter one of these coming at you from behind at a very high rate of speed... If you're in the left- lane they will be blinking their headlights at you from way far behind - basically saying "please move over"... use your turn signal to signal your intentions... be careful, if they think you're not going to move over, many of them will try to pass you on the right.
Speed Traps Italy has two main devices for catching speeders, Autovelox and Sistema Tutor. Always be on the lookout for Autovelox, which can be found on the autostrada, regular highways, and even in some towns. The Autovelox looks like a big box with a sign but inside is a camera that takes a photo of your license plate. You could receive a ticket as late as a year after the incident even if you were driving a rental car. You almost always see a warning sign in advance that says Polizia Stradale, Controllo Electtronico della Velocita. (if you're using a GPS, they usually tell you when you're coming up on one of these)
Sistema Tutor is a new system used on some stretches of the autostrada. An overhead camera takes a photo of your license plate as you pass under it. When you pass under the next camera, your speed is averaged between the two points and the average should not exceed 130 kph (81 mph), or 110 kph (68 mph) if raining. You may receive a ticket in the mail or through your rental car company.
While we feel compelled to tell you these things, we've never received a speeding ticket in Italy in over 35 years, and to our knowledge, none of our hundreds of guests have ever received one since we've been bringing multiple tour groups every year for the last 24 years.
Road Conditions. Streets in historic centers of the larger cities are often very narrow, winding, and congested and motor scooter drivers will dart in and out of traffic. Riders of bicycles, motorcycles, and other vehicles may ignore traffic signals and traffic flow. Just be aware of your surroundings.
Italy has over 6,000 kilometers (4,000 miles) of autostrada or superhighways. In rural areas, many roads are often narrow and often have no guardrails. In rural areas of Tuscany, especially in the highly popular Chianti area,be careful of bicyclists...Because of it's beauty, Tuscany is one of the world's premier regions for bicycle vacations, often in Tour groups of up to a dozen. You'll want to pass them - BE CAREFUL! The roads are very windy and it will be hard to see very far ahead... Be patient and be sure you have enough time to safely get around them. And for the very same reasons, Tuscany's quaint & charming winding roads throughout the vineyards & olive groves of Chianti provide fertile territory for local motorcyclists whose primary hobby is cafe' racing, mostly on the weekends... Just be aware of them in your rearview mirrors. They WILL pass you on blind corners at very high rates of speed.
If you are driving a gasoline-fueled car (make sure you find out at the rental car counter), get Benzina (gasoline), not Gasolio (diesel), at the pump. (this is confusing for the obvious reason). Gasoline stations are usually open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you will find 24-hour stations along the autostrada. Whatever you do,do not put Gasolio in a gasoline fueled car... or Benzina in a Gasolia fueled car; the engine will stop running.
you'll find a link in the right sidebar to order this map
Don't Rely Too Heavily on GPS. You can use the mapping programs/ GPS on your phone if your car doesn't come with GPS. And while a GPS will come in handy for navigation, don't rely on it exclusively. In Italy, it is common to find two (or more) towns with the same name in different regions so be sure to look at your map to see if you are heading the right way. We strongly suggest ordering a Michelin Map of Tuscany from Amazon. In addition, a GPS may direct you into a ZTL or to turn the wrong direction on a one-way street or even into an alley that ends in stairs. GPS systems do not always reflect the latest road openings and closings, so it's always good to travel armed with a map and an appeal to your sense of direction. (if you decide to get a map, we urge you to get a Michelin map; they're the only maps we've found with enough detail. (usually if there's a map in the rental car, it's totally useless - often a bad 8 x1l B & W photocopy of the whole country ).
On-the-Spot Fines. According to Italian law, if a resident of a non-European Union country such as the U.S. violates a traffic law, the violator must pay the fine at the time the ticket is issued. If you do not pay the fine, the police officer may confiscate the car.
Driving on Sundays. Sunday is a good day for long-distance driving on the autostrada because trucks are prohibited on Sundays. Be aware that in summer, coastal roads become very congested, especially on Sundays. Roads around the northern lakes (Lake Como, Lake Garda, etc) are often congested on weekends, too.
We know we post a fair amount about driving in Italy, but we want you to be mentally prepared so it relieves any anxiety... but know that there's really very few differences... and when there are differences, we try to highlight them so you're aware. In all the years, and with 100's and 100's of guests, no one's ever had any problems. Mostly because we take this time to get you prepared... There will be more posts like this... We want you to be comfortable driving. And if you're comfortable driving here in the US, and you follow along with all our Blog postings, you will be comfortable driving in Italy!
We're getting close now and it's starting to get exciting! With all our travels to Italy over 35 years, we still get excited as our Tours grow near! Once you experience the way we do it, you'll understand why we say; What makes us different, makes all the difference in the world!
my favorite artist in all the world, James Taylor singing Carole King's; "You've got a Friend"... (her response to James' "Fire & Rain"). Carole King behind him on Piano (this is from 53 years ago... she suffered stage fright and at the last minute asked James to sing the song for her). Two renowned studio musicians on stage with them; Leland Sklar on bass and Russ Kunkel on percussion, both still play with both James & Carole from time to time
If you haven't made your rental car arrangements, and are still searching, check out our new Adventures to Tuscany & Provence booking engine at:
Adventures to Tuscany & AutoEurope. We've expanded our relationship in both Italy & France with AutoEurope and we're proud to announce that they have now supplied us with our own Booking Engine! (full disclosure: we get a small referral fee from them at no extra cost to you if you book from our new site)
AutoEurope is by far the global leader in international car rental services and have been helping travelers find the perfect rental vehicle for their trips worldwide for over 60 years. They offer the most competitive car rental rates in the industry, guaranteed. With that said, here at Auto Europe, we don't believe customers should expect less because they pay less. Our rates will always be competitive, and we continue to remember this is also a service-based business. Auto Europe also understands that clients appreciate saving money whenever possible, so we not only take pride in guaranteeing the lowest car rental rates, but we also offer great deals on accessories, and have an extensive car rental fleet selection
We've personally been using AutoEurope for all our rental cars for over 40 years! They're the agency for all the major brands .... They make it super simple to find, compare and reserve cars from all the major rental car companies and their prices are usually 20 - 25% cheaper than going direct!
Gambero Rosso's Tre Foglie (three leaves) . Gambero Rosso is a highly respected Italian Food & Wine Publishing Company that has for many years rated Restaurants, Wines and Olive Oils...
For Olive oils,
One Leaf is a "Good Olive Oil"
Two Leaves is a "Very Good Olive Oil"
Three Leaves is the top rating; an "Extraordinary Olive Oil"
We always knew it was the best but... Now it's official! Tuscan Olive Oil is very top of the list in the Gambero Rosso rankings! 43 olive growers in the area have been awarded the Three Leaves, the highest recognition reserved for producers. And Sting & Trudie are among the winners! Gambero Rosso awarded the Three Leaves, the highest award, to 43 Tuscan labels out of a total of 217.
A triumph for Tuscany and its oils!
Sting and Trudie on their Wine & Olive Oil Estate in Tuscany By the way, Sting and Trudie's place is just down the road from our Villa... Their Estate isn't nearly as large as the one you'll be staying on, but trust us, it's a nice neighborhood!
Most Tour operators don't include wines with dinner, and the one's that do, will most often offer Just a single glass of "red" or "white" with dinner... And most often these wines are what in Italy is called "Fusco" or bulk wine... wines that here in the US, we most closely associate with "box wine."
At Adventures to Tuscany, we look at it this way: Why would you travel to one of the largest wine producing regions in the world... A region renouned for world class wines. and drink bland bulk wine? Our Bars feature upscale, bottled, corked & sealed wines ... They're not served in water pitchers or carafes... You'll see them on the Bar, corked & sealed with the "tax stamp" and quality designation on the bottle neck, the same as you get them from your wine store ! All our wines are DOC, DOCG, and DOCG Riservas... And occasionally even some DOCG Gran Selziones! And as you may already know, we don't limit you to a glass of wine with dinner... Our wine bar is "unlimited"... and not just for dinner; When we're at the Villa, our wine bar is open all day and evening till 10pm! And if you're still going at it, as we're tearing down the bar for the evening, we'll be happy to leave a few bottles out for you! (but just a reminder, mornings can come early, and our Expeditions have itineraries & schedules to stick to...)
Another of Castello di Albola's outstanding wines; Santa Caterina Chianti Classico DOCGGran Selezione takes its name from a single vineyard measuring just over five hectares, (12.4 acres) completely exposed to the south at an average altitude of 550 metres. This vineyard is not far from the Villa...
It is a prestigious parcel due to the composition of the soil – which is rich in galestro (limestone marl) – and the quality of its Sangiovese grapes. They are vinified separately and then aged for a long time via measured use of select woods, yielding a wine that delights the nose and is decisive and long-lasting on the palate: an authentic incarnation of the soul of Castello di Albola.
The Gran Selezione designation is the very highest designation that an Italian Wine can achieve... To earn this distinction, the wine is required to be made of grapes that are 100% estate grown, with at least 30 months of ageing in oak barrels, and minimum alcohol percentage is 13%. This is a truly world class offering and will be among the many great wines we'll have for you at the Villa! PS: the picture above is our good friend Carloalberto who you'll meet at our Tour & Luncheon at Castello di Albola on Sunday!
Loren Allred is just spectacular in her rendition of this classic!
