Time to pack!

REPOST:

With your trip to Tuscany coming up in about 2 weeks, 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; While often in late August it can be hot,  long time historical averages for the 2nd to 3rd week of 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 the average 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 to Tuscany, we can tell you, these averages are pretty much right on!

So with afternoon highs (typically) running around 83 degrees in early 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...

Early 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 early 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 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, neckties?  Should I bring high heels? What should we bring?
We always tell 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... We repeat: 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, polo shirts & T-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, skirts, capris, jeans & leggings.

 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 on vacation...  and of course more so in the bigger cities like Florence, Milan and Rome... But you're on vacation and you should dress in 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! We walk a lot during the Tours, so 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 women who prefer to wear shorter shorts and skimpier tops  when it's hot, carry large lightweight scarfs in their daypacks to wrap around their shoulders or waists to be able to enter the Duomos...

While it's more rare to see Italian men in shorts, our guys should feel comfortable wearing shorts, jeans or khakis... Many women vacationing in Italy wear casual pants, leggings, capris, shorts or casual sun dresses...  And over the years, some of the gals have worn casual summer dress for our Alfresco Luncheons at the Wine Estates... And lastly, at the Villa, the atmosphere is 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...  sometimes miles, and often up & down hills within villages... 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! You'll see Terese & I wearing sneakers / sport sandals most days...

While early 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 and hat... (we suggest you do too)  You don't want the rare possibility of a rainy day to spoil your vacation fun!  An inexpensive travel umbrella can be found at Amazon or Walmart for as little as $5...

PS: when you're packing, don't forget to bring something white along for Festival del Bianco! (The White Party) Trust us, You'll have FUN!!!

Originally recorded back in 1966... Almost 60 years ago! At the time, it was the most expensive single ever recorded as Brain Wilson scheduled 4 different recording sessions in different cities and locations so he could hire bunches of different session musicians... Ultimately it all paid off as Good Vibrations became an instant hit and is considered by the industry to be one the hundred greatest songs of all time!

So you've talked about so much stuff over the past 9 months...

As we get close to departure dates, we can only hope you're getting excited about your upcoming adventure to Italy!  So many of guests signup for our Tuscany expeditions close to 2 years in advance, and we know it sometimes seems so far off... But we always say, "it'll be here before you know it!"  And here we are!  We know some of you are leaving as early as today, so as they say in Italy; Buon Viaggio!  

You've talked about so much stuff over the past 9 months... So remind us, what all is included with our Tour?  As you already know, like most all Tours, airfares are not included... And with our alternative Tuscany Expeditions we leave it you to get the car you want...  Over the last 24 years, we 've tried adjusting the price and including these things, it just didn't work...  It was just way too complicated to deal with everyone's individual departure airports, and their wants & needs for their personal flights and cars... But we include so much more than most Tours do!

Truly unique, authentic & immersive, escorted & guided, experiential adventure 
expeditions to Italy... The real Italian Villa experience!  This is way more than
a vacation, this is an experience you'll remember forever!

  Your Adventures to Tuscany Expedition includes:

• Exclusive access to our  Adventures to Tuscany “travel guide blog” with daily posts & curated linked resources to educate & prepare you, and help you enjoy your adventure for a full 9 months before you get there
• Experience the magic of staying in a charming & spacious bedroom with private en-suite bathroom stocked with our specialty Tuscan Olive oil bathroom amenities, our signature room fragrance, slippers and hairdryers, and even a night light at our 10,000+ square foot authentic Tuscan Hilltop Villa set on a majestic 2200 acre, working Wine & Olive Oil Estate in the middle of rolling vineyards and olive orchards
• “Welcome to Tuscany”  orientation  Party with Wines, Beers, Prosecco's, Soft Drinks & Appetizers around the pool at The Villa
• Savor delicacies from our private Italian Chefs, with all of your incredible Breakfasts, all your authentic Tuscan Dinners and 3 of your lunches included
• All your Breakfasts – Our Super Tuscan Italian Continental Breakfast Buffet daily (7 days) includes Mimosas, Juices, Coffees, Teas, Espressos, Eggs, Meats, Yogurts, Granolas, Berries, Nuts, Fresh Fruits, Fresh Melons, Breads, Pastries, a Toasting Station, Jams, Honeys, a Daily Specialty Italian Meat Board, and  a Specialty Tuscan Cheese Board. 
• All your Dinners  (7 days) – Seven Full Mediterranean Themed Specialty Dinners prepared by our Private Italian Chefs, Angela & Giuseppe, including Appetizers, Salads, Pastas, Entrees, Breads, Desserts, and Unlimited Upscale Wine Bar… including our festive Wood Oven Fired Pizza Party and our Tuscan BBQ Swim Party featuring the famous Bistecca Fiorentina and Giuseppe's Tuscan Ribs!
• Three (3) Lunches including Wines!  – 1 fresh Italian Lunch buffet at The Villa with our Panini & Pasta Bar, as well as our wonderful VIP Alfresco Luncheon in The Courtyard of Castello Di Albola Wine Estate and the amazing “Tastes of Tuscany Alfresco Luncheon” in the Tasso Gardens at Dievole Winery Wine Estate.
• Enjoy unlimited access everyday from noon to 11pm, to our Prosecco, Wine, Beer and soft drinks bar “La Bella Vita”  while experiencing breath-taking views from the Villa’s incredible outdoor Terraces, Porticos and Pool
• Daily  “Happy Hours” on the Terrace with Prosecco, Wine, Beer, soft drinks & served hors d’oeuvres
• Private VIP Tours, Guided Tastings and upscale Alfresco Luncheons with Wines at two of Tuscany’s world famous Wine Estates
• Free unlimited Wi-Fi,  and free DIY fully stocked laundry facilities at The Villa.
• Our full Tour itinerary:
• Our group excursion & walk-about introduction to our home-base village: Radda-in-Chianti
• Our VIP seated Wine Tasting and Grand Tour of The Castello D’Albola Winery followed by our magnificent multi-course Alfresco Luncheon complete with paired Estate Wines
• Our Chianti Classico Road Rally through the backroads and Quaint & Charming Hilltowns of Chianti in your own sporty Italian car
• Our full day excursion with Insider’s Guided Tour of Medieval Siena with our Professional private Adventures to Tuscany Tour Guide
• Our Etruscan Tomb Experience
• Our “Festival Del Bianco”  (The White Party) outdoor wood fired pizza party with live musical entertainment by Aromatica Duo on The Terrace “Under The Tuscan Stars” 
• Our Magical Excursion and 2 hour walking Tour of San Gimignano with our Professional private Adventures to Tuscany Tour Guide
• Our Tuscan Steak & Ribs BBQ & Swim Party, featuring Tuscany’s famous Bistecca Fiorentina!
• Our VIP Guided Wine Tasting and Tour of the incredible Dievole Wine Estate with our Grand Alfresco Multi-course Luncheon with Paired Estate Wines in their beautiful Rose Gardens
• Our “Celebrations of Tuscany” Grande Finale Dinner Party
• All our Tours are included in your trip price! – (we do not sell optional Tours)
• A complimentary Adventures To Tuscany  hot & cold beverage thermos/water bottle for each guest
• Complimentary Adventures to Tuscany Luggage Tags
• The complimentary use of one of Adventures to Tuscany’s two-way radios for the week
• A complimentary one hour phone consultation to help assist with any trip planning for those that wish to spend a few extra days in Rome, Florence, Lucca, Lake Como or The Cinque Terre before or after the Tour, including pre or post itinerary advice, flight advice & air tix, hotel suggestions, car rental advice & reservations, acess to our exclusive Adventures To Tuscany AutoEurope website, rail tix advice, currency exchange advice, travel insurance advice, etc.
•  Pricing is per person based on double occupancy. 
• Don’t just go to Italy… Experience an Adventure to Tuscany! 

(not included:  flights,  rental cars,  lunch during free time in Panzano, Siena & San Gimignano and anything of a personal nature)

When you add up everything that’s included, you just won’t find a better value!  At Adventures to Tuscany, our goal is to totally exceed your expectations in every possible way. It starts with our experience... We've personally been touring Europe for almost 40 years and we're in our 24th year of organizing our Tour Groups. In a world of big mass-market bus tour operators, we're a teeny-tiny, very specialized boutique expedition company, and we only take four to five Tour Groups each year... But 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!... You guys know who you are, and many of us have become like family! We know our success depends on providing you with the very best value, including one-on-one personalized assistance... and the very best and most unique travel experiences you've ever had. We work hard every day to do that, and we hope you are already recognizing that! For those of you who are new to us, our hope is that you feel this already... and we hope you'll consider traveling with us again... If we can improve your experience in any way at all, please let us know.       

We can't wait to see the world with you...

The transport strikes to expect in Italy in September 2024

Well they're happening again... While these walkouts/slowdowns most likely won't affect you, we always like to make folks aware just in case...  People traveling to, from or across Italy may possibly face disruption over the coming weeks as trade unions have called walkouts affecting air, rail and public transport services. Transport strikes can be very common and happen all the time in Italy,  and this September will be no exception as unions representing airport, airline, rail and public transport staff have announced multiple walkouts which may affect the travel plans of both international visitors and locals.  Quite conveniently though, strikes are generally planned and called well in advance in Italy, and the Italian transport ministry lists them on a handy online calendar.

How bad are strikes in Italy?

Strikes in Italy are frequent but rarely cause significant disruption for travelers. The severity of disruption caused by any strike in the country largely depends on how many staff in any part of the transport sector decide to participate.And, even in the case of highly disruptive strikes, some essential services (servizi minimi) are guaranteed to run at peak times. This goes for all transport sectors, from local public transport to rail and air travel.  Terese & I have experienced these strikes many times over the last 40 years and most usually they are just "slow-downs" of service... ie: Trains that run an hour behind schedule, etc... They're designed to create just enough inconvenience to get locals to take notice, but usually not enough inconvenience that it turns the public against them.

Here's a look at the walkouts that you should know about if you’re traveling to, from or across Italy next month:

September 7th :  Airport and airline staff strikes

Passengers flying to, from or across Italy may experience delays and/or cancellations on Saturday, September 7th, as air travel is set to be affected by multiple airport and airline staff strikes. 

• Pilots and cabin staff at Italy’s flagship carrier ITA Airways and budget airline Wizz Air plan to strike from 1pm to 5pm. 
• Air traffic controllers at Rome Fiumicino and Olbia Airport, and baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa, Florence Amerigo Vespucci and Pisa Galileo Galilei plan to walk out over the same four-hour period.   (if you're flying into Rome on September 7th and scheduled to arrive between 1pm - 5 pm, you might want to call your airline and ask if your flight will be affected - typically arriving flights are not affected)
• Further information on how the protests may impact air travel is expected to be released on Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority’s website closer to September 7th.

September 8th :  24-hour nationwide rail staff strike

• Train passengers in Italy may experience disruption on Sunday, September 8th, as drivers, conductors and other on-board service personnel around Italy plan to strike for 24 hours. 
• The protest may impact both regional trains and long-distance services operated by state-owned Trenitalia and private company Italo.

September 9th :  8-hour nationwide public transport strike

• Public transport passengers may face delays and/or cancellations on Monday, September 9th as staff at bus, tram and commuter train operators around the country plan to strike for 8 hours. 
• The timing and impact of the strike, which is backed by some of Italy’s main transport unions, will vary from city to city. 
• Further information on guaranteed services is expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout.
• Staff at GEST, which operates tram services in Florence, Tuscany, is also set to strike for 24 hours on September 9th.

September 20th – 24-hour nationwide public transport strike

• The normal operation of bus, tram and commuter train services around Italy may be affected by a 24-hour public transport strike on Friday, September 20th.
• The level of disruption caused by the walkout will vary from city to city, with a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) set to run at peak commute times in all affected transport sectors.

September 24th – Scattered baggage handling staff strikes and Air Dolomiti walkout

• Baggage handlers at Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Venice Marco Polo and Bologna Guglielmo Marconi plan to strike for 24 hours on Tuesday, September 24th. 
• The protest shouldn’t affect flights’ scheduled arrival or departure times, but may cause delays in ground operations including check-in and baggage dropoff or collection services.
• Pilots and cabin staff at Air Dolomiti, a subsidiary of German airline Lufthansa which operates a number of routes from northern Italy to Germany and vice versa, plan to walk out for 24 hours on the same day. 
• Their scheduled flights may be affected by delays or cancellations as a result of the protest. 

September 30th – 23-hour regional train staff strike in Lombardy

• People travelling across Italy's northern Lombardy region by train may face delays or cancellations on Monday, September 30th, as staff at regional train operator Trenord plan to strike for 23-hours – from 3am on Monday to 2am on Tuesday, October 1st. 

Italian Transportation Strikes: More A Matter of Inconvenience than complete shutdown

• Italian transportation strikes, while often making headlines, are typically characterized by their limited impact on overall service. These strikes, often organized by unions representing various transportation sectors, are more about expressing discontent and making demands than causing widespread disruption.
• The strategy behind these strikes is most often focused on creating inconvenience rather than outright paralysis. This approach involves selective service reductions, such as limiting train frequencies or operating only a portion of the subway lines. While these actions can be frustrating for commuters, they rarely lead to complete shutdowns.
• This tactic can be attributed to several factors. First, Italy's transportation infrastructure is relatively well-developed, with multiple modes of transport available. Second, the Italian government often intervenes to ensure essential services continue to operate, especially during peak commuting hours. Finally, the unions themselves may be hesitant to cause too much disruption, fearing a backlash from the public.

Don't get overwhelmed with fear about these strikes... Public Service Strikes are frequent & common throughout Europe...  and Europeans have just learned to live with them. The announced strikes are often cancelled or rescheduled... and typically when they do happen, they last only hours, not days, weeks, or months...  The likelihood is that they won't even effect you, but again we would be negligent if we didn't mention them...

Once again, we can never stress enough the importance of comprehensive Travel Insurance.  Terese and I did one time get caught up in an Italian Air Controllers Strike last September on our way home, and while the strike itself was only for 8 hours, we had to spend an extra couple of days in Florence until they got us on another flight. Fortunately our expenses were completely covered as a "travel delay" by our Travel Insurance... The extra couple of nights of Hotel Expenses, Meals, Taxis, etc amounted to close to $1000 and our Travel Insurance covered all the expenses! In the end, we had no choice but to enjoy a couple of extra days of leisure vacation time in Florence and it didn't cost us anything!  If you haven't purchased Travel Insurance,  it's not too late! It takes just 5 minutes: Click Here

Last Call for Angela's Tuscan Cooking Class

 Hi Guys,   Angela has reached out to us inquiring about The Pasta Making Class...  She needs to know a final number of guests that want to take the class, so she can plan & prepare...  

She does this class for our guests for only 30 Euros per person. If you're interested in joining her class, please let us know no later than tomorrow (Tuesday Aug 27).  If you missed the post with details on this earlier; Click Here

Just send us an email to: AdventuresToTuscany@gmail.com and say: I/we want to take the Pasta Class!  Please use the subject line: PASTA CLASS... 

Got questions: reach out to us 610-657-7894

Friday ~ Dievole Wine Estate... Simply Magical

 On Friday, we will go to the historic Dievole Wine Estate...  it's a place that almost feels like home to us... We stumbled across this place on Adventures to Tuscany's very first Group Tour that we organized back in 2001... We had taken the group out to this special "Wine Tasting Dinner" that we had organized at a local Osteria in Castellina-in-Chianti...  A local Wine Sommelier, Marco Muccerelli was leading it... It was a beautiful place & a wonderful evening... Afterwards I asked Marco where we might go for an "authentic" tour of a working Tuscan winery, something more then just a visit to a "tasting room..."

So Marco tells us about this special Estate - Dievole,  nearly a 1000 years old! So the next day we jumped in our cars and wound our way through the Chianti hills...  I'm amazed we ever found this place... They asked us if we were Americans, and how did we possibly find them?  We told them about Marco, and asked if we could get a tour...  They looked at us kind of funny, seated us out on their little Terrace and brought us a glass of wine and a small platter of soft herbed cheeses and salami's...  I'll never forget those cheeses... They were incredible, and we'd never had anything like them before...  I don't think any Americans had ever stumbled in here before us...   After about a half hour they rounded up two guys that could speak a little English, and gave us a wonderful light-hearted tour...  One of the guys was really good looking and the girls all called him The Italian "Brad Pitt... " 

We'll never forget that first visit in 2001... It was our first Tour Group winery visit in Tuscany 24 years ago and it created so many memories...   The sautéed figs in The Chapel...  The "chickoree-chickoree-chee" rooster story...  the "Beatrice Berardo" spiritual appearance... and our good friend Michael walking out of there with what came to be known as "The Pope Bottle..."  (the biggest bottle of wine in the world, with a special cap containing soil blessed by The Pope himself when he visited Dievole..."  We had sooo much fun!  And when we take you there, we'll tell you these famous stories!

When we took our next Tour Group back to Tuscany,  Dievole actually had a small boutique tasting room and retail shop set up in the village of Castellina...  We talked with the guy that was working there and told him about our first experience at Dievole and asked him if there was any way he could arrange something "really special" for our guests at the winery...  I could tell he was touched by our story and our passion, and he told me to come back the next day, he would work on it... ( "Voglio che tu torni domani"   you come back tomorrow..." that's so Italian). 

When we went back the next day he said he arranged for a tour and a luncheon,  gave us the day and time to be there and said "i think you'll like what we've come up with..."  So we gathered up our Tour group and went out to the winery for the tour...

As we walked around the grounds of the winery that day, we couldn't help but see them in the distance setting up for what looked to be like "a wedding" outside in their garden with a long table, lots of white table linens and lots of stemware...  It was just a beautiful day, this estate was gorgeous, we were having such a great time, and we felt lucky we were gonna get a secret glimpse of this special event - an Italian wedding, at this remote winery in Tuscany... How lucky were we?   So as our tour ended, this guy says "come with me, we've got something for you to see..."   So as we're walking down past this gorgeous "wedding set up" a waiter comes out of the Villa, and says "we have you set up over here",  and takes us to the incredible white-linen-ed table they had set up in the shade of a large tree...  It was for us!   we couldn't believe it!  We were the only ones there and it just all seemed so very, very special!

                                       

So, over the years, we've gone to lots of other wineries as well, but we always, always go back to Dievole...  It is without a doubt, our very favorite...   and we can tell they've really grown this part of their business over the last 24 years...  The last several times we've been there, we're not the only ones there any longer...  They've become quite popular... And I can't help but feel, that in some small way, we've helped them shape their hospitality program...   They have a really nice website and a new blog now...  and they "specialize"  in hospitality...  

On Friday we will have our own private Tour of the Estate... And we'll have a Guided Tasting of some of their most popular wines... And afterwards, we'll have a luncheon outside in their fabulous Rose Gardens.

You're gonna love Dievole... We have a special relationship with them.... We have lots of friends there, and they treat us very well!

(you're going to want to watch this full screen with your volume on)

Their warmth, humility and kindness of the people at Dievole has never failed to impress us...  And their foods, wines and olive oils are truly wonderful!   Everyone we've ever taken to Dievole has totally enjoyed it, and we're sure we'll have an amazing experience here on our upcoming trip in just a couple weeks! The video below will give you just a little sneak peak of what we'll be experiencing...  We know you guys will love Dievole as much as we do!  We always try to save it for our last full day in Tuscany...  It's a truly magical place!

Adventures to Tuscany... the real Italian Villa experience!   Truly unique, authentic and immersive, escorted and guided experiential adventure expeditions to Tuscany... The Food, Wine, Culture and Adventure Tour for people who don't take tours... We hope you guys are excited, we'll all be leaving for Italy soon!

Thursday: Somewhere Over The Rainbow ~The Land of OZ...

 After Wednesday's respite, Il Dolce Far Niente,  the expedition is back on the road today heading over to San Gimignano - The Tuscan City of Towers! This is one of Italy's most famous & most visited hilltowns!

As you walk thru the gate in the medieval wall and down 
this famous flag-lined cobblestone street into the village,
you can't help but feel you're in The Land of OZ...

As always, we'll have the coffee and juice bar out early for the early risers, and of course our Tuscan Breakfast Buffet to follow... Everyone always laughs about all the food we put out, but most of our guests actually tell us they end up losing weight because they're a lot more active... And there's always lots of fresh fruits, melons, berries, yogurts, seeds, nuts and granolas for those watching their waistlines!  For the rest of us, there's eggs & pancetta, a cheese board, pastries and of course all those wonderful Tuscan specialties; prosciutto crudo, prosciutto cotto, capocollo, soppressata, finocchiona, and lardo di colonnata! 

This morning we will leave for for another incredible excursion… We’ll be going to one of Italy’s most famous villages, San Gimignano!  We’ll meet our Tour Guide Stella just outside Porta San Giovanni the historic gate to the city, for an amazing 2 hour walking Tour of this magical medieval village, with it’s fortified walls and breath-taking towers. While the architecture of so many of these Tuscan Villages is just phenomenal, San Gimmy will definitely take your breath away! Stella will bring the colorful history of this incredible hilltown to life for you as we walk thru the streets of this amazing city of Towers!

If this is truly The Land of Oz, then Sergio Dondoli  
is The Wizard! Whatever you do with your free time,
don't leave this village without trying
Dondoli's Gelato!  It is truly amazing!

This is San Gimignano... as legend has it,  the inspiration for The Emerald City in MGM's 1939 film - The Wizard of OZ! Just one of many amazingly quaint & charming pastel colored villages, perfectly perched on ancient hilltops throughout Tuscany... The view of it's looming medieval towers from afar offers that mystical feel that you're walking into The Emerald City and about to skip down The Yellow Brick Road... Just one of the many things that makes Tuscany so incredibly magical... 

And as you walk thru the gates of the majestic stone walls that encircle the village and stroll down flower-lined cobblestone streets into one of these amazing Tuscan villages, staring at old cathedrals and bell towers, you can't help but ponder the incredible timeline of a village that's been inhabited since before the birth of Christ... This, is truly The Old World...This isn't Disneyworld, this is the real deal... 

First settled 300 years before the birth of Christ, this stone-built medieval fortress hilltown surrounded by huge walls with large wooden gates that open to flag-lined cobblestone lanes never fails to take your breath away... As you stand at its massive gates and stare down the narrow cobblestone streets lined with ancient towers, flags & flowers, you can't help but imagine knights on horseback returning victorious from battle, galloping through the massive wooden gates to applause from grateful villagers... 

The famous medieval Towers of San Gimignano...
You'll see them from miles away and they  truly add
Magic to this amazing Village!

And today these hilltop villages with flag-lined pedestrian streets are filled with colorful cafes & wine bars, outrageous bakeries & art galleries, and quaint artisan shops with everything from hand sewn leathers, shoes & purses to hand painted pottery and perfumes blended from local herbs & flowers... One of the things we suggest:  grab some Gelato at Dondoli's!  Consistently voted "Best Gelato in the World"! You'll find incredible flavors that you can't even imagine! (be careful to pick the right place - there's a gelato shop 100 ft away in the same piazza that puts out a sign saying "best gelato in the world" ~ that's not the right place - go to Dondoli's!)

After our Tour this morning, you’ll have the afternoon as free time to enjoy either a long leisurely lunch, perhaps climb one it’s famous medieval towers,  or go shopping in San Gimmy’s incredible shops. San Gimmy is a shopper’s paradise!  Purses, Shoes, Leathers, Pottery, Jewelry, Perfumes, etc... Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it in San Gimignano! Guests always ask us; where is the best places to go shopping... So while we're probably not qualified to say what's the best, we can tell you that San Gimignano & Siena are the two villages we'll be taking you two with the most shops! In Tuscany, even the smaller villages have nice little shops, but San Gimmy & Siena have hundreds if not thousands of shops...  If there's something special you're looking for, these two villages are sure to have it! 

By the way, we'll be in San Gimmy on Thursday... which is "Market Day" here... and it adds an amazingly festive vibe to the Village!  Market Days in Tuscan Villages are fun, and more for locals than for tourists... but for those of us that like to find a bargain, you can definitely find them on Market Days! If you've been eyeing up all the beautiful Tuscan tablecloths & leather purses all week long, you'll find tons of them here at bargain prices!  (don't forget to measure your table before you leave home)

In Tuscany The Famous Bistecca Fiorentia is 
 served family style... And they cook it two
ways; rare and very rare!

We’ll meet up later this afternoon back at the gate to the village for our  drive back to The Villa, where Giuseppe will be firing up a super hot, olive & oak wood fire in the Kitchen's massive cooking fireplace for tonight's big Steak & Ribs Tuscan BBQ Swim Party, and we'll have the never-ending Wine, Ice Cold Beer & Prosecco Bar waiting for you, as well as cold Vernaccia - the official wine of San Gimignano!

This is the big one; The oh so famous Bistecca Fiorentina, Tuscany's #1, Top of The Menu speciality that they sell by the gram in restaurants! And we'll also be having Giuseppe's outrageous Tuscan Grilled Ribs that he flavors with Salé Magico; his own homemade herbed & perfumed Tuscan Salt! This ends up being a great Happy Hours  and we’re sure there will be lots of fun stories to tell over tonight’s incredible dinner! This party starts when we get back from San Gimmy and goes on all thru the evening!  Get excited guys! We'll be meeting up with the first of you in exactly  2 weeks from today!  

(ps; just a reminder, if you're driving and didn't get your International Driver's Permit yet, the clock is ticking!  Also, we suggest you let your bank/credit card folks know that you'll be traveling and using your credit/debit cards in Italy!)

Follow The Yellow Brick Road... to San Gimignano ~ The land of Oz!  

Wednesday ~ il Dolce Far Niente...

 After yesterday’s big outing with the Tour of Siena and last night's Festival del Bianco Celebration of Summer, today will be a day that the Italians so famously describe as  “Il Dolce Far Niente…” or the sweetness of doing nothing…  As many of you have come over early for time in Rome or Lake Como, and after several full days of Touring here in Tuscany, most of our guests find this mid-week respite to be a very nice break in the action... There will be no rushing around to get out early, unless you want to… This day has always been a favorite of our groups! 

This is a nice day to sleep in a little bit longer, so we'll have the coffee and juice bar available this morning a little later and a little longer, and of course our full Tuscan Breakfast Buffet open afterward .   And we'll have our famous Tuscan Mimosa Station set up for for breakfast as well! 

Our new everyday Dinner plates that we had Angela make...
We love them, and they remind us of our time in
Tuscany everyday!

We usually point those that are interested to the nearby studio of a friend of ours; local ceramics artist Angela Pianigianni... She makes beautiful hand-painted pottery (just outside of Radda-in-Chianti)... This woman makes incredible pottery and she even makes customized pieces... And she ships!  We've picked up several pieces from her over the years, and most recently, we had her make a full set of handpainted Dinner Plates for us... Her prices are very reasonable (especially if you want something custom). Of course those that want more activity may consider going shopping & going out to lunch in a few of the local villages like Radda, Castellina, Gaiole, Greve, Volpaia, or for a slightly bigger village, consider Volterra ... We'll be happy to point you in the right direction & make recommendations. 

For the foodies among you, that want a relaxing afternoon that you'll never forget we heartily recommend Ristorio di Lamole, an incredible spot high in The Chianti Hills, perfect for a long leisurely 3 hour lunch... This restaurant is our very favorite restaurant in all of Italy, and offers gourmet dining in a very casual atmosphere on a beautiful outdoor Terrace with a 100 mile view overlooking all of Chianti! When we come to Tuscany early to prepare for our Tours, we always try to make time for lunch here... It's a gastronomical experience without all the fuss & muss, and their prices are very reasonable! 

you can take drinks & snacks to the pool area, 
but we ask that you use the special 
"plastic" pool glasses we provide

And there's always a handful of folks that plan to drive up to,  or take the train and head into Florence, Pisa, or our favorite, Lucca for the day!  For other things you might consider doing on Wednesday, refer back to our previous posting: click here

And of course, for those of you heading out for the day, you may want to consider getting back to the Villa for a late afternoon swim... We'll have the bar set up, and Angela & Giuseppe will set us up with appetizers usually around 6:00pm and another amazing alfresco dinner party to follow!  We'll have the music flowing and the Wine, Prosecco & Beer Bars will be open throughout the evening! These evenings at The Villa most often turn into a fun casual party atmosphere! As always, snacks and munchies will be available throughout the evening! 

If it's Tuesday, this must be Siena

 The Piazza del Campo in the center of historic Siena... 
considered by many to be the most beautiful piazza in Italy

 If it's Tuesday, we're heading to Siena! We need to get a slightly earlier start this day, so we’ll have our coffee and juice bar and our Tuscan Beakfast Buffet open a little earlier. Today there will be an all day excursion into the amazingly beautiful medieval walled city of Siena… This is one Italy's most loved & visited cities! We’ll line up our cars rally style, turn on our private radios  and motor out of the Villa a little bit earlier this morning so we can beat the crowds & tour buses and find good parking… 

Our Adventures To Tuscany Tour Guide Stella will meet us at 9:30 at the  Bascilica San Domenico for an amazing 3  hour walking tour of Siena featuring the incredibly magical history, culture, art & architecture of one of Tuscany’s most famous and beautiful cities…  Stella is native Sienese and she knows how to bring the magical history of Siena alive for you! Siena is famous for "The Palio" - a truly amazing bareback horse race around the perimeter of The Piazza del Campo (if you've been following along, you know The Palio just ran a couple days ago). 

The Tour will include a half hour guided tour of the famous Duomo di Siena, so be sure to dress accordingly if you want to be admitted into the Cathedral... The official policy is "knees and shoulders covered" but you can usually get in with shorts if they're not "too short", but if you want to be sure, keep those knees & shoulders covered!  Many gals tuck a lightweight scarf into their bag to wear around their shoulders. Our private guided 3 hour Tour, your admission  tickets and Guided Tour of The Duomo are all included in your Adventures to Tuscany Tour.

This is one of Tuscany's premier Musical Duos & 
they will blow you away! They are so talented!

After the walking tour today, you'll have a couple hours in the afternoon as "free time" in Siena!  Lunch today, in Siena will be “on your own and at your leisure” and recommendations can be made for restaurants, sight-seeing, and shopping. You might choose to grab a simple Panini  or slice of pizza for a quick and inexpensive bite to eat...  or go all out for a nice Italian luncheon & some people watching at a Trattoria overlooking The Piazza del Campo… Many folks choose to forgo lunch in favor of doing a little shopping, and Siena is a wonderful town to shop for gifts, souvenirs, art, leather, shoes, clothing and pottery… And most shop keepers will gladly ship purchases back to the US.  

After Lunch, our day in Siena will end today with a very special VIP experience!  We've made arrangements for our group to visit and descend down into an ancient Etruscan Tomb recently discovered right in the historic center of Siena... And to top it off, we've arranged for some very special top shelf Super Tuscan & Brunello Guided Wine Tastings by one of Tuscany's premier Wine Experts.  This will be an amazing experience you'll never forget!

Our Chefs Angela & Giuseppe! You're gonna love this 
couple! Although if you wanna talk with Giuseppe, 
you better bone-up on your Italian, 
as he doesn't speak any English!

We'll all meet back at the Bascilicata San Domenico later this afternoon, jump in our cars and take the scenic route through the Chianti hills back to The Villa. For those that want to take a nap or freshen up, we’ll have a couple hours before this evening’s grand event, our Festival del Bianco! (The White Party – we encourage everyone to dress in white for tonight's party).   And tonight for Festival del Bianco, we have something really special planned at the Villa…. Our Wood Oven Pizza Party! Giuseppe will come over to The Villa to assist Angela with preparing and cooking Pizzas in the giant Wood Fired Bread Oven built into the Portico of the Villa! Feel free to jump in and toss a pie!  

We'll have incredible musical entertainment  for the party this evening: Aromatica Duo; the amazing Guitarist Davide Pepi with the fantastic vocals of Francesca Celati...  Davide (Da-vee-day) is an outstanding guitarist and Francesca has the voice of an Angel and sings in four languages!   We usually invite a handful of friends from up at the Wine Estate to come down & join us...    Festival del Bianco - Under The Tuscan Stars, will be a memory of Italy you’ll never forget… 

Our Celebration of The Tuscan Summer - White Party will kick off at around 6 pm with Happy Hours on the Terrace and around The pool at The Villa...  We've made all the arrangements for The White Decorations at the Villa, and Terese and I encourage each of you to join in the festivities and help us celebrate The Tuscan Summer  by wearing something white...  It's a totally casual affair, so whether you choose to go all out and bring that special white sundress, or just show up in a T-shirt and your "tighty whities", we're sure to have a magical evening!

Hope you guys are getting excited!!!  This is just the start of what will be an outrageous week of FUN!

I gotta feeling, it's gonna be a good night...

Monday ~ The Chianti Classico Road Rally

we'll have everyone's cars outfitted on both sides with 
these fun Chianti Classico Road Rally Decals...

It's Monday and today we will leave for our all day Chianti Classico Road Rally… a fun & exciting experiential adventure excursion into “The Beautiful Quaint & Charming Hilltowns of Chianti.”

So of course with a name like Adventures to Tuscany, you know you're in for a little bit of adventure during your week in Tuscany!  But not to worry, we're not going to have you up in hot air balloons, swimming with sharks or jumping out of airplanes... But we will give you a bit of soft adventure as we get you off the beaten path, and go up over the high peaks & mountain tops on the world famous Strade Bianchi (white gravel roads) of the Chianti Hills...   These roads are the shortcuts over the mountains that the locals use... 

The views are the best you get in Tuscany, and we can pretty much guarantee you'll never see a busload of Tourists on one these routes unless they're lost! It'll be an experience you'll never forget!

The coffee and juice bar will be available early this morning for the early risers, and our Tuscan Continental Breakfast afterwards.    (we'll always give you exact times the evening before)

Our Chianti Classico Road Rally  is a non-competitive fun rally specifically laid out for exploration, discovery and tons of fun throughout the amazing backroads, hamlets, wineries and quaint & charming little villages of The Chianti Hills… You'll love this day of exploration ~  it's so much more fun than riding in a Tour Bus, cause we get you engaged like a local!

we'll be getting you off the beaten tourist path 
onto some of Chianti's Strade Bianche - their
 famous white roads to see the real Tuscany!

We’ll line the cars up rally style out in front of  the Villa… and we'll outfit each car with our official “Road Rally Decals” and one of our nifty two way radios,  and then the Road Rally takes off!  

We’ll follow each other caravan style thru these winding back roads over The Chianti Hills, through incredible vineyards and olive orchards keeping in constant touch on our walkie talkies… A little exploration... a little discovery... a bit of shopping... We'll have great fun! We often stop in the hill-top village of Panzano to walk around and grab a bite to eat...  

Breaker 1-9... Breaker 1-9 

Terese & I have a favorite little casual (very moderately priced) Trattoria we always stop in that has the most incredible views; Oltre il Giardino... They have this wonderful outdoor Terrace completely covered with  40 year old wisteria vines and the whole Terrace looks out over the Concha di Oro...  It's a pretty amazing setting to grab lunch!  While you're all welcome to join us, lunch today is as they say in the business "at your leisure" and not included in your Tour price. (but we do always cover everyone's "Coperto" ~ the 3 euro per person cover charge and we also cover all the Pellegrino for the table ~ we like to keep everyone well hydrated). Let us know if you want to join us, as we make a reservation in advance to get a very special table with the best view! 

 Tonight, Chefs Angela & Giuseppe are sure to delight us with more of their Mediterranean Culinary skills.  This will be an incredibly action-packed day, and for those that want to savor every minute, we’ll undoubtedly gather out on the Terrace after dinner, for some great wines and discuss the days highlights and our plans for tomorrow’s activities in Siena. And after Dinner,  the party is just getting started!

The foods are outstanding & the view from this Terrace is amazing!

Sunday ~ Welcome to Tuscany!

a sampling of our typical hot & cold 
Tuscan Breakfast  Buffett

 Many of you have put in some long days traveling the past couple of days, and some of you are still feeling the effects of jet-lag... and if you're at all like the 100's of past guests we've had, you also celebrated your arrival on here on Saturday by staying up late enjoying a few glasses of wine!  With all this in mind, we'll stay a little closer to home today and take it easy on you for our first active day on the Tour!

Radda-in-Chianti is just down the road
from our Villa and is what we like to
call our "home-base village"... this is pretty
much the view you get from the Villa!

We usually have the coffee and juice bar out for the early risers by around 7:30am... and we'll have breakfast available from 8am - 9am.  Our Italian Grand Continental Hot Breakfasts includes Juices, Coffees, Teas, Prosecco, Mimosas, Eggs, Italian Specialty Meats & Cheeses, Yogurts, Granolas, Fresh Berries, Fruits, Melons, Breads, Pastries and a Toasting Station.

After yesterday’s travel, today will be a bit more relaxed… We’ll get in our cars this morning around 9:00 and head down into one of Chianti’s most famous hill towns, Radda-in-Chianti, to discover and explore our “home-base village”  We’ll gather in the Piazza in front of  The Church of San Niccolo for a short orientation to the village... And then as a group we'll take a short walking Tour around the village to make recommendations and show you where various shops & services are that you might want or need throughout the week here in Tuscany! And then we’ll allow you some free time to roam around the village. You'll be pleasantly surprised - everyone loves Radda-in-Chianti!

You're gonna love Radda-in-Chianti ~ a truly
walled medieval village!

 Radda is a wonderful village that sets high in The Chianti Hills with expansive views…  This is a nice village to shop for leather, art and pottery, and the ladies will love that there’s several shops specializing in beautiful Italian leather purses and shoes!   We’ll meet up later back at the Piazza where we started and head off for our next adventure; The Castello di Albola Wine Estate for a private VIP guided wine tasting and exclusive VIP tour of the cellars and grounds of the Estate…  And then we'll head into the Courtyard of the Castle for a wonderful Alfresco Luncheon!

This tour and our VIP seated & guided tasting event will be a great “primer” to help you feel more confident with the Tuscan wines throughout your vacation, and it will also give you a much better feel for the vastness of the Zonin Wine Empire.   Again, this is the 2200 acre estate that the Villa sits on, so you'll get to meet a few of our friends that work at the winery that you'll probably bump into a few times throughout the week! 

After our Tour & Tasting, we'll head out into The Courtyard of The Castle for a fabulous Alfresco Luncheon here at Albola. 

This is the Castle (with the twin peaks) and the
hamletat the Albola Wine Estate-
The wine production facilities are up the hill
and much of the bottling facilities
are underground

After today's tour of the Castello di Albola Wine Estate & our Luncheon, we’ll head back to the Villa, and there will be time this afternoon to go swimming, maybe go for a hike, catch a quick nap and freshen up…  or stop by “The Wine, Beer & Prosecco Bar”  for a little refreshment…  The Bar will be open all afternoon and we’ll  serve appetizers this afternoon around the pool and Terrace and then we’ll all get together later this evening  for another of Chef Angela & Giuseppe’s fabulous Mediterranean Dinners…  After dinner this evening we’ll gather out on the Terrace to enjoy some of Tuscany’s famous wines and go over some of the details of tomorrows fun adventure… Most evenings here at The Villa turn into our own little parties... and while we officially say the Bar's open until 11pm, we always try to make sure there's plenty of refreshments left out for those staying up later into the evening, as long as everyone's being safe... But we remind you that we'll be heading out early the next morning! And as always, we'll put out a "help yourself goodie basket" in the kitchen filled with some fun snacks like cashews, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, chips, cookies, chocolates, etc for anyone that might need a little something to munch on!

PS: just a reminder, if you're interested in Angela's Tuscan Pasta Making Class, please send us an email ASAP to AdventuresToTuscany@gmail.com so we can let her know how many people will be taking the class... Just say "We wanna take the Pasta Making Class" and let us know how many...  For more details on the class:   Click Here

a little sampling of just a few of things we'll see & experience in just a couple weeks!

Saturday ~ Arrival Day Tips

many of you have told us you're spending 
a few days in Rome before or after Tuscany

 So it's usually at this point, just a couple weeks out that it starts getting real to everyone and our guests start getting really excited about their upcoming adventure!   And we can tell in talking with many of you guys, that folks are really looking forward to getting away!  And what a time we're gonna have!  While we've been traveling throughout Europe for over 40 years, this year marks our 24th Anniversary since we've started Adventures to Tuscany...  And we've learned a lot over the years!  One of the things we've learned well, is that the more information we can provide you, the more you'll be able to visualize the Tour... And by giving you all the tools & resources to visualize the Tour in advance,  we think you'll know what to expect and ultimately have a much better time!   The worst thing that could happen is for you to get there and say to yourself; this isn't at all what I expected! And with that in mind, we're going to set out over the next few days to briefly go over the itinerary, day by day so that you can visualize how it all unfolds...

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence...

We know that many of you have different plans for the days before the Tour... Some of you are are flying into Rome a few days early to do a little sight-seeing... Some are flying into Rome on Saturday morning and driving up to the Villa... others are doing the same thru Florence or Pisa... And a whole bunch of you have told us you're going to Lake Como for a few days before or after the Tour...

So Saturday is "Arrival day"  at the Villa –   Most of you will pick up your pre-arranged rental cars either at the airport when you arrive or probably in the city if you came in early...  Whether you chose to get Italy’s classic red Fiat Cinquecento, or perhaps a sporty Alfa Romeo convertible, you’re sure to have an exciting time driving thru Italy!  There's always that spark of adrenaline as you get on the the winding roads of Tuscany and head in to Chianti!  As you get close,  you'll start to gradually notice the climb in elevation as you drive up into the Chianti Hills... The roads get windy and you start to see vineyards & olive groves everywhere you look!  

We always caution our guests to watch out for, and be aware of bicyclists on these back roads... The Chianti region is one of the world's premier locales for bicycle tours/vacations... and in most years, there are cyclists everywhere,  typically in groups of 8 to 12 and often spread out a bit, especially in the hills...  But again, and we can't say it with enough emphasis; these roads are very, very windy & very narrow... and we caution you to go slow until you get used to them...   

You'll come up on cyclists very fast and you can't always see far enough ahead to just immediately pull out and go around them... Often, you'll just need to carefully trail them until you get a small straight-away...  The group leaders & experienced cyclists are good at this, and will often stay out in the middle of the road, and only move to the side when the coast is clear for you to pass...  but we can't stress it enough, please be careful! Know that they have the right of way!  Wait until you can see far ahead... and then pull the whole way out into the other lane to pass...  If you force them off the road, they will get your license number and report you... There are hefty fines for this... We urge you to be considerate, polite and safe...

you typically encounter the cafe racers on the weekends

The other thing we caution guests to be aware of is motorcyclists...  The Chianti region is also one of the world's premier locales for amateur café racers...  These are your locals who race Chianti's windy back roads just for the thrill of it... Machismo is an Italian word for a good reason - Going fast is in their blood! Be it on a Ducati, in a Ferarri, a Lamborghini, a Maserati or an Alfa Romeo... On the weekends especially, they're out on their bikes, and they go really, really fast... They will ride right on your bumper and pass you on the winding corners... The best thing to do to drive at a steady speed and let them pass you at the first chance.

So not unlike a hotel, a resort or even a cruise ship, our Villa has a check-in time...  it's 4pm. All guests should plan to arrive at the Villa between 4pm to 6pm. As we've mentioned in past posts, and as politely & courteously as we can possible say it; please arrange to arrive no earlier than 4pm...  We know you'll be excited to get here, see the Villa, and relax with a glass of wine, but we will have a crew there all day cleaning, doing laundry, preparing, and sanitizing  the Villa, the grounds, the pool, etc...  and our chefs will be cooking for your arrival day dinner... 

No matter how many times we tell everyone this, someone says to themselves; oh, let's just go a little bit early and walk around... Please don't be this person. It has never in 24 years worked out well... There are two electronic security gates to go thru to get up to the Villa, and they will not let you thru them before 4pm... and this will lead to you getting upset at us, and we unfortunately can not control this...   If you find yourself in the area early, we suggest you stop in at a cafe in one of the beautiful, quaint & charming little hilltowns for a nice relaxing glass of wine... and do what the Italians do - some fun people watching, or perhaps have a little charcuterie... If you feel there's an urgent situation or some type of emergency & you think we can help - by all means, call us: 610-657-7894

This Estate will knock your socks off! This is just a very small part of it! It's 2200 acres!

This crew does a fabulous job and when you do get to the Villa, it will be freshly cleaned & sanitized, and we will be waiting for you with open arms!  We'll have cold Proseccos, Wines, and ice cold beer waiting for you, as well as a huge tray of Italian specialties!  As we get you into your rooms, there will be free time to unpack, relax, go swimming,  perhaps take a nap, freshen up, and meet with others...  and we’ll get together around 6ish for our “Welcome to Tuscany” orientation party on the Terrace and around the pool…   We’ll enjoy a little wine and sample local Tuscan specialties as we get acquainted with each other,  stroll around the Estate, and tour the Villa as we outline our amazing adventure for the upcoming week.  We’ll stop by the kitchen to introduce you to our private Chefs, Angela & Giuseppe, and get a sneak peak at what they’re preparing for tonight’s Dinner… Our dinner this evening will be served outside on the Terrace under the loggia.   After dinner we’ll get together with guests on the Terrace over a glass of wine or two to discuss  people’s experiences on their trip over to Italy, and also discuss what to expect for tomorrow’s adventure, and how to get the most out of your Villa vacation here in Tuscany. Our all-inclusive Wine, Prosecco  & Beer bar will, of course, be open throughout the evening and usually the excitement of our first day arrival always ends up as a very festive party! Get excited guys! We're almost there!