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Top 4 Food Experiences in Tuscany You Must Try!

May 16, 2020 by Expert paper, posted in Italian Travel, Tuscany

Image by Jonathan Brown http://flickr.com

Tuscan’s cuisine is well known for its freshness and flavorful. It won’t be out of place in a fine-dining New York restaurant. The quality of the ingredients is extraordinary, the ambiance is wonderfully inviting, and there is the best wine you must try!

Beauty, art, and romance await every step of the way in this stretch of Italy. Besides, you can spend the time to taste a dolce vita, a kind of afternoon crowned with the day’s catch a sea view of Il Pellicano or enjoying a smooth creamy scoop of gelato in the shadow of San Gimignano’s medieval towers. Those are just other best things to do while you are in Tuscany.

So, are you curious about what’s the best food experiences you have to try in Tuscany? Keep scrolling down to the very end to find it out!

1. Cooking Class at Villa Bordoni, Chianti

Image by Roberto Serrini http://flickr.com

There are many cooking classes offered in Tuscany. You can learn how to make your own pasta or focaccia in a traditional farmhouse, find the secret of homemade gelato under the direction of an expert Italian gourmet expert, and even enjoy an entire week of a cooking course in a private estate.

For an incredible foodie experience, we recommend you to go to Villa Bordoni. It’s a splendid countryside retreat in the hills outside Greve in Chianti whose culinary credentials reach out a long way past the sensational Tuscan fare which is served in the charming onsite restaurant.

Besides, it features more than 200 labels of Italy’s best makers and plays host to the Chianti Cooking School. The visitors have an opportunity to learn the art of Italian cooking in all forms like rustic Cucina Povera to sophisticated fine dining.

Moreover, Villa Bordoni also owns Enoteca Il Cardo. It is a wine bar in the hilltop wine village of Panzano where cooking lessons can be accompanied by wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar tastings.

2. Michelin Dining In Maremma

Image by Arnaud Bachelard http://flickr.com

Tuscany is home to 35 Michelin-featured restaurants. But, a time-travel stone village in the Maremma locale is maybe the last spot you will hope to visit one day. But then, there it is – tucked into a stone house amid the quiet cobbled boulevards of Montemerano.

Run by a chef, Valeria Piccini and her husband Maurizio, Da Caino serve a memorable two-star Michelin food including a 9-table dining room. The cuisine comes from the regional identity which is experimental and refined with dishes like a wild boar with fennel or fresh Argentario anchovies and tomato sorbet.

3. Meal with a View at Il Pellicano

Image by Ron Gunzburger http://flickr.com

Get yourself to a little bay along the stunning Argentario coast, Il Pellicano which feels straight out of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Besides, this is considered as one of Italy’s most enchanting, where beautiful, carefree socialites have been coming to experience their dolce vita dreams since the ’60s.

You can also enjoy a relaxing pool including a chic rocky beach or waiting over “luscious alfresco lunches” overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Most importantly, near the pretty seaside town of Porto Ercole is a destination that is often visited by visitors for a perfect Italian summer. Food is very much at the center to experience!

4. World’s Best Gelato in San Gimignano

Image by Maria Vernigora http://flickr.com

If you are a Gelato-lovers, this place is arguably the best in the world for homemade Italian ice-cream. The shop is located in the city center, Piazza Della Cisterna, and specializes in creamy frozen which is prepared with the freshest local ingredients including organic raw milk and organic products, fruits, and San Gimignano DOP saffron.

Some of the most beloved specialties including Rosemary Baby (with raspberries and rosemary), Crema di Santa Fina (orange cream with Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar, San Gimignano saffron, and pine nuts from Pisa), and Vernaccia Sorbet made with the best vintage Vernaccia wines of the area.

5 Tips to Visit Tuscany on a Budget, Must-Try Guide for First Timers

May 11, 2020 by Expert paper, posted in Italian Travel, Tips, Tuscany

Image by นิธิ วีระสันติ http://pixabay.com

Tuscany is such a dream vacation for travelers. But, planning a trip to Tuscany doesn’t need to be cost-prohibitive. You can spend less money by making a proper plan and strategy for your itinerary. You’ll be surprised how far your money can stretch.

Each financial plan is unique, yet stick to these general rules and you should have the option to make the most of your vacation without draining your savings. Below are the several tips you can try for budget travel to Tuscany.

1. Skip the tip

One possibility that makes tourists (especially North Americans) unexpectedly overspend money in Tuscany is because they give too much tips at eateries or after an exchange of services. Administration staff in Tuscany are not dependent on tips and often any “additional items” won’t go into their pockets. Note: private, authorized visit guides and hotel bellhops. So, if you’re on budget travel, it’s better to skip tipping during your vacation.

2. Travel during “low season”

No season in Tuscany will be totally free from individual tourists – each season offers a convincing reason to visit. But, from November to February (excluding Christmas and the period from New Year’s to Epiphany), Tuscany is in a low season. Between those times, accommodation and flight costs are regularly lower, ticket costs to certain attractions are also reduced.

3. Make an effective itinerary

Spontaneity and flexibility are important when traveling – especially in Tuscany, where time tends to be a bit flexible. But, having a diagram for your transportation plans (like getting from the air terminal or train station to your inn, moving around town and among towns) and a general “guide” of your meals will save you money.

Even if you need to deviate from the plans once in a while. “winging it” will immediately cost you since you will put together your choices concerning the most helpful and quick (rather than cost-effective) solution at the time.

4. Try this meal plan: countertop coffee at breakfast, long and leisurely lunch, low-key dinner.

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter http://pixabay.com

Act like a local at breakfast time and enjoy an espresso and a cake while resting at the bar’s countertop (table service generally cost extra). Come at noon or at lunchtime, fixed-cost or tasting menus are normal and a simple method to enjoy a meal here.

You can also enjoy a glass of wine for under 15 euro (simply don’t go to a café where the menu is posted outside in 15 languages!) Dinner dishes will be pricier; if you have a long and comfortable early afternoon meal.

At that point, night snacks from street food (think lampredotto in Florence, a porchetta panino, a cone filled with blended fried seafood while on the coast), and it should be adequate for your third square. At the point when it fails, an inexpensive pizza or snack with a glass of wine at aperitivo hour never disappoints.

5. Learn some “survival Italian” to make everything smoother

It’s a general guideline to get familiar with several neighborhood dialects in any place you go. Packing on a flight won’t make you familiar, yet carrying a phrasebook and even trying to say Salve, grazie (thank you), and some different comforts could curry favor with retailers and service workers. Also, it’s good manners.

In addition, if you’re ready to spell out a portion of the words in the hand-scrawled menu hanging on the window at that gap in-the-wall trattoria (instead of picking the English-substantial hotspot up the street), your wallet and sense of taste will both much thank you.

Top 5 Best Places to Get an Incredible View of Tuscany

May 10, 2020 by Expert paper, posted in Best Place, Italian Travel, Top 5 Best Place, Tuscany

Image by Robert Louden http://flickr.com

Tuscany is well known for its landscapes often imagined as soft and pretty. There are several rolling hills topped by medieval walled towns and winding streets lined by cypress trees. Besides, to these stunning peaceful panoramas, the region of Tuscany also offers more dramatic landscapes that are no less beautiful and perfect for hiking.

So, it’s your time to browse this list below to know 5 best views in Tuscany and look forward to adventures with your loved ones as soon as possible. Keep scrolling down because Tuscany will never disappoint you!

1. The Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna

This national park in the Apennine area of Tuscany and Romagna was established in 1993. It protects more than 365 square kilometers of Italian flora and fauna. It is divided between the regions of Florence, Arezzo, and Forli-Cesena and is home to the best protected and biggest woodland in Italy.

Over the recreation center, you will discover mountains, valleys, springs, and more than ten villages. You can also enjoy several interesting things such as biking, horse-riding, climbing, and bird-watching.

2. The Passo di Dante

The Passo di Dante on Monte Pisano is located close to Pisa. It is an incredible spot for those who look for charming views. Monte Pisano has many various routes to look over. The Passo di Dante is a moderate 5km circle that starts close to San Giuliano Terme and Santa Maria del Giudice and heads up to the pinnacle of Monte Pisano and takes in views over the landscape.

Take a look to the story behind Passo di Dante, it was taken from the 33rd canto of the first book in Dante’s famous series, Inferno. The passage refers to Dante’s conversation with Ugolino di Guelfo Della Gherardesca and Count of Donoratico. This spot is a simply-breathtaking and a must-visit place to those who explore Pisa and who want to admire the incredible landscapes in the area.

3. Monte Oliveto

Image by renzo dionigi http://flickr.com

One of the most popular landscapes in Tuscany must be the extraordinary Crete Senesi. This spot is at the heart renowned rolling hills and perfectly panoramas which make this region famous. This is the regularly charming Tuscan landscapes of textbook images, postcard shots, and holiday photos.

In addition, the best spot to take pictures is from Monte Oliveto. It is situated near the town of Asciano. There are around ten diverse climbing routes in and around Monte Oliveto to look over. You will be spoiled by the breathtaking views over this lovely part of Tuscany.

4. The Grande Traversata Elbana

Image by Hedonistic Hiking http://flickr.com

The Grande Traversata Elbana, or Great Elba Crossing, is a long circuit of routes and trails around the Tuscan island of Elba. It is the primary route that crosses the island. It is a trekking route that moves in an east to west direction, starting from Cavo, close to the north-eastern finish of the island, and afterward crossing the central ridge Elba towards Monte Capanne.

The north-western area passes through the valley of Rio Gabbiola and reaches out to the tip of Polveraia, while the south-western route extends down to Pomonte. But, it is around 60km long and takes days to finish. Besides, if you’re not up for a whole holiday of extraordinary trekking, you can simply look over the changed sections and go on a day trip or for two or three hours.

5. Pratomagno

Image by Stefano Ermano http://flickr.com

The Pratomagno Mountain Range is located between Casentino and the upper Valdarno. It is an incredible, rich, and beautiful piece of Tuscany which is made up of slopes by a few streams, wrinkles, hillocks, fields, groves, and forests. There are several forests of the area which become home to oak, beech, chestnut, pine, and fir trees, and many more.

Along with it, you’ll experience a wide range of excellence from windflowers in spring and summer, to brilliant leaves in harvest time, to towering snow-capped tops in winter, to a various biological system of greenery, and substantially more than as you advance along trails. At that point, after arriving at the peaks in the area, you’ll be spoiled with all panoramic views.

Discover Monte Argentario Tuscany: Best Things to Do and See

May 9, 2020 by Expert paper, posted in Italian Travel, Tuscany

There are several natural hidden gems in Tuscany. Its infinite coast presents a dreamy beach which is overlooking a crystal clear water. One of the most beautiful places in Tuscany is Maremma, it is situated in the southern territory of Grosseto. It has just as rich Mediterranean vegetation.

Besides, this piece of Tuscany has a splendid sea, with transparent water and wonderful colors. Actually, Monte Argentario has become the most renowned and exclusive tourist destination in Italy because of its breathtaking views and wild beaches.

This place is near Orbetello and connected to the mainland including two strips of land. In addition, you will be spoiled by the excellence of its landscapes, like Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano, which have made Argentario a well-known tourism destination.

So, let’s find out the most beautiful beaches, activities, and all the things to see in Monte Argentario. This would be perfect to start a plan for your amazing trip to Tuscany!

1. Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano

Image by Ludovicadeangelis http://flickr.com

There are several hidden gems in Tuscany to be discovered. Visit Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano, there is an ancient seafront village which is dominated by a fortress. Besides, there is a chic destination patronized by several yachts as well as a town where fishing is still a tradition here.

In addition, you can discover the best cuisine available in a typical restaurant while strolling around these cities. But, the most beautiful landmarks of Monte Argentario are not all found close to its occupied centers. The famous Spanish Fortresses are such as Porto Santo Stefano, Forte Stella, and Forte Filippo which are the magnificent buildings surrounded by greenery.

Moreover, there are several little palaces that were built in the Spanish era. It served to protect the Mount from attack by Saracen privateers. In addition, you can also enjoy on the top of the Mount, there is a church which offers breathtaking views! Such a perfect idea!

When you can reach the highest point of the mountain, it is the perfect experience for trekking and mountain bike lovers. The excellent nature trails wind through woods and charming scenes until you can reach a height of around 700 m. Here you can see a 360° panoramic view of the Orbetello lagoon.

2. Argentario Golf Club

Image by Argentario Golf Resort & Spa’s Photostream http://flickr.com

In addition, there is a golf course including 18 holes at the Argentario Golf Club. You can see an incredible vertical wall under the towers of Capo d’UOmo where you can climb and discover its secret parts of coast during a sailboat ride. Actually, this is such a perfect idea for several coves, natural caves, and Monte Argentario’s surrounding areas.

But, if you prefer to drive your own car, you can explore Argentario on the stunning panoramic road which is connected to the main attractions and offers some splendid views you might like.

3. Beaches of Feniglia, Giannella, and Cala del Gesso

Take a look at Monte Argentario which also has an unbelievable ocean and several beautiful seashores. Every quality of coast is not quite the same as the others and presents one of a kind highlights which makes it suitable for various kinds of visitors.

Along the two coastlines connecting to the Mount to Orbetello, you will find the long sandy beaches of Feniglia and Giannella. It is situated inside the Mediterranean clean of two large Nature Reserves. This stretch of coast is ideal for your whole family, as it is equipped with several comfortable things and is easy to reach.

In addition, if you rather spend the time on wild beaches, you can visit the spectacular beaches of Cala del Gesso which is considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in Tuscany.

Besides, there are La Cacciarella or Cala Grande, it is quite far from the centers and can be reached by long downhill paths. It might be tiring but it’s definitely worth visiting! The landscape, rocky beaches, crystal waters, and unique marine fauna are the things you will probably enjoy here.

The last spot you should visit is Cala Mar Morto: this little seashore tucked away among the precipices presents a wonderful characteristic pool with perfectly clear waters!