Tuscan delights are limitless. 
Why do so many people equate Italian trip memories with the provincial beauty of Tuscany? It’s because it’s picturesque and full of character. The pastoral scenery seems boundless and the countryside pride is infectious. Villas and farms as far as the eye can see set among rolling hills and landscapes are the vistas to be encountered in beautiful Tuscany.
Organic farms, meadows and markets are so idyllic, they’ll saturate your senses. How do you plan a visit to Tuscany? or Umbria? Here are some suggestions:
Stay at an organic farm villa, like Locanda Rosati in Umbria, near Orvieto, and several other majestic walled cities. While staying at Locanda Rosati, you can take day trips to Todi, Spolleto, Orvieto, San Gigminano and Siena.
Fit in a cooking class at your farm villa. You should dedicate a day for this or at least a half-day. At our cooking class experience in Umbria, the format included the following: take the class, pick the herbs on the property, relax while everything was cooking and the table was being set, change for dinner and then dine with a group of guests. As with anything, you need to leave time to charge up your camera, too. We wanted to savor this experience so it made sense not to be rushed by trying to go into town and do other activities.
You’ll want to recreate the dishes back home, so audio or video record the class in case notes don’t make it home with you for some reason. An added touch to this experience is to bring some souvenirs from that location to go with your recreated dinner party back home. It brings the “flavor” of that area back home with you and makes a good conversation starter and party favor. For example, easy to pack and flat placemats made with local textiles, pretty napkins, wines, chocolates or coffee from that region are ideas.
Other day trips/activities are to drive to Cinque Terre or go into one of the nearby towns for Chianti wine and olive oil tastings at a local winery. The Uffizi Gallery Tour in Florence is also popular. However, it is important to point out here that many tourists have decided the best way to absorb and enjoy a destination is to sit in a plaza, eat a pastry and people-watch. I LOVE museums and galleries but some tourists feel overwhelmed by these details. They work for the organized traveler who can fit it all in. But if this is not you, don’t stress about it. Shop and learn from the locals and take photographs of the vistas. It’s all good!
If traveling with kids, send them into the kid-friendly museums while the adults enjoy some cappuccino (or vino!) at a table in the square. Mom-kids outings and dad-kid outings gives the adults some alone time to decompress and recharge and it helps to break up all that togetherness.
Tuscany is one of the reasons that Italia is the most visited destination in the world. Ponder that while you’re savoring Italian food in an osteria or trattoria with some decadent Tuscan wine, cheese and pasta.
for more information on traveling in Italy, read the links below:
I have been to Tuscany many times a friend of mine has an Olivita (olive grove of 100 trees) I go help her pick the olives to make into the best evoo ever. We stay at a villa, pick olives a few hours each day and then sight see, eat and drink wine rest of the time.
how wonderful!