Kalyn Michele: The Tuscany Region of Italy

Ten years ago, I got my first glimpse of the Tuscan countryside while traveling from Milan to Florence. I was a college student at the time and in the country for educational purposes. A December visit didn't leave me with beautiful memories of abundant vineyards at harvest season given the bleak landscape and frigid temperatures. However, December landscape aside, the history, architecture, and wine make this area pretty spectacular.

Fast forward to present day and I found myself wanting to venture back here with my family. I knew there were parts of the area that I didn't fully see or appreciate ten years prior. This time around there were so many things I wanted to do differently. Such as, stay at a villa set amongst the vineyards and olive trees or wander around the small villages taking as much time as needed or have locals cook an authentic meal for us. And, the perk of this trip were the additional travel companions, Mom and Mark.

We picked up our rental car at the airport and drove to the town of Vinci, home of Leonardo da Vinci. Our car engine revved as it climbed a steep gravel road leading to the villa. The moon lended light in the dark of midnight for our arrival. Morning eventually came and brought much surprise as we awoke to see the landscape surrounding the property. A short walk through the garden made way to an outdoor terrace on a hillside overlooking acres of vineyards. Each morning we ventured to this serene spot for coffee and conversations. As mentioned earlier, my biggest wish of this trip was to have locals cook an authentic meal for us. With much research and many email messages later, I had successfully reserved this service for the second evening of our trip. Two Italian women arrived with baskets overflowing of fresh ingredients. They washed up, immediately started cooking, and moved around the unfamiliar kitchen with ease. They had so much passion for the local produce and were eager to show us just how wonderful it was. I stood in the kitchen, wine in hand, hanging onto every word as they told me all about their culture and cuisine. The food was so delicious and unforgettable.

While the villa was our peaceful haven, we did spend many hours away from it to mosey through Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano, Vinci, Lucca, and Viarregio. Each destination was unique in its own right and the immense historical, cultural, and artistic heritage of this region provided endless opportunities to explore, learn, and savor. Italy has stolen our hearts once again.

Travel Notes

Accommodations
Villa Betta Another awesome experience with an Airbnb rental. The villa was a mix of rustic/modern with a secluded backyard complete with a hot tub. It was centrally located to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, and Siena... just to name a few places. Who doesn't love wine and chocolate? The property manager greeted us with both, a really nice touch. The house came stocked with wines from a winery down the road, olive oil, and honey; all available for a small price per item.

In Home Chef
Chef In Tuscany is ran by owner Graziella and her small staff of chefs. They offer in-home chefs, wine tastings, and cooking lessons. There are select menus to choose from and are available for viewing on the website. Pricing came to 60 euros per adult and included 2 bottles of wine, a five course meal, and limoncello. Factor in the experience if you have reservations about this price. It was especially nice to have such high quality service and food all in the comforts of the villa. Let's be real, I wouldn't want our toddler in a fancy restaurant sitting through a five course meal so this option was perfect for us.

Literature
With so many sights to see, it can be overwhelming to know what to see or where to go. I've purchased travel books in the past but found a great selection at my local library. The Tuscany region travel book came with us for the trip and was extremely helpful to reference while we were out and about.

Florence
This is the capital of the Tuscany Region and a must-see city. We flew in and out of Florence and rented a car for the duration of our trip. We had an evening flight home and spent the afternoon in Florence to peek around and have lunch here before our return flight. This is no way enough time in the city but since I had been here years prior and had seen all of the sights, it was okay for me to not spend a few days. We had a great lunch at Casa Del Vin Santo where we watched Mario make pizzas. He was a skilled pizza artist and quite entertaining. Isn't it a breath of fresh air to watch someone love their job and take pride in it? Afterwards we stopped in a gelato cafe and ordered 2 cups of gelato at the tune of 20 euros. Thankfully they were heaping, but still.... All over Europe I have never paid more than 1.50 for a scoop of gelato. With no prices listed, I just assumed it was the same price. wrong. Buyers beware, ask in advance!

Pisa
As recommended by a friend, we were in and out of Pisa just long enough to see the leaning tower with our own eyes. It's magnificent to see and to read the history and restoration process of the tower. I'm glad we stopped there but after being in the quaint hills of Vinci, the crowds were a bit much.

San Gimignano
We loved this walled medieval town that's known for its towers. There are wonderful shops lined along the street selling everything from wild boar salami, vernaccia wine, olive wood cutting boards, pinocchio figurines, and beautiful linens. Ricca Pizza had some of the best pizza we've ever had. We circled back at the end of the day to order a large one to take along with us before departing this gem of a town.

Vinci
Since our villa sat above the hills of Vinci, we were too close not to take the time to walk through the birthplace of Leonardo and spend time at the Museo Leonardiano.

Lucca
This city has Renaissance walls that encircle its historic center. You will see people walking or riding bikes along the top of the ancient tree-lined walls. Make your way to the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, once an amphitheater during Roman times. Today, take a seat at one of the many restaurants located in this space.

Itinerary- 5 days and 4 nights