We arrived at our Hotel Londres Eiffel a week early and ate down the street at La Varangue (an RS recommendation). And there’s a cooking class for every taste: hand-rolling pasta in a casual, family-friendly setting; going to the private residence of a talented home chef to assemble a seasonal feast; hanging out in the kitchen of a Michelin-star chef; and everything in between. “Tuscan cooking classes” are an entire subgenre of travel. And there’s no better place to commune with the Tuscans than on the piazza, or main square — particularly in the late afternoon, when families are out strolling…doing those aimless laps that they call the passeggiata. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Tuscany and the Cinque Terre are our favorites. If you want something done just right, with precision artistry and care…find yourself a Tuscan. And Siena’s — the best of them all — is a vast, slanted, brick-paved oblong that hosts a twice-yearly horse race. View the daily YouTube analytics of Rick Steves' Europe and track progress charts, view future predictions, related channels, and track realtime live sub counts. Here are a few of Tuscany’s top Etruscan artifacts, and where to find them. Rick Steves: Wonderful wineries in Tuscany Roberto Bechi, my favorite guide in the region, runs a farmhouse B&B perched on a bluff a 20-minute drive south of Siena. Travel with Rick on this video guide to Siena, Italy and find out what to do on your next trip. Best of all, because 99 percent of travelers have never heard of these sights, they’re all yours. Happy Travels!!! We love Tuscany…have been to Cesare’s workshop where he made a gift for us. A few tragically under-visited museums around Tuscany display what does survive, including delicate artwork (like the hauntingly beautiful statue called The Evening Shadow, or L’Ombra della Sera) and evocative funerary urns, showing Etruscans with big personalities lounging at an eternal banquet for the gods. I thought the village was fun, also. The thing that made the night most memorable, however, was that in the two or three hours before the celebration, a steady rain had been falling and we had waffled on whether to go to the party. 4+ stars ! I promise that I won’t get carried away. I’ll just update what’s already there. Of course, we always indulged in a mid-afternoon gelato, too! It’s an interesting art garden of an eccentric (U.S., I think) artist, open to the public. Stick with me. Each Tuscan town’s piazza has its own special character: Florence’s is in the shadow of the towering Palazzo Vecchio. And deep in the Tuscan countryside, at the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, the cloister is gloriously frescoed with fascinating works by Luca Signorelli and Il Sodoma — offering both a lesson in the life of St. Benedict, and countless examples of two dueling artists whose egos ran amuck 600 years ago. Nicola goes all-in on seasonal flavors (creamy basil), surprising combinations (carrot-ginger, kiwi-spinach), and top quality. Also remember to look beyond the kitchen. You have changed my life in such a wonderful way that I can’t even express. This roundup is designed to inspire you to pack your trip with quintessential Tuscan experiences. By Rick Steves, Tribune Content Agency on May 2, 2017 Wedged between Florence and Rome, Tuscany offers the quintessential Italian experience: sun-soaked hill towns, green and rolling screensaver hills, romantically fortified farms and cypress trees marching single file up lonely ridges. I am looking for Florence tour guides that can take my wife and me around the Tuscany area over a 2-3 day period. One visit was at Halloween, a fabulous time of year to go! In fact, I went there once after a truffle hunt (with the hunter and his dog), simply to learn about the garden. I found it a magical place to visit. We are planning to do the Venice to Rome tour and wanted to fly into Florence 3-4 days earlier. We attended that same opera while visiting Lucca. Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Tuscany. If you’re intrigued by the idea of splicing a little Tuscan seaside into your trip, check out my full report on Elba. Your email address will not be published. Travel as a Political Act, England & Wales Learn more about the roots of Tuscany’s obsession with towers. Easy-to-follow maps (including color maps of Tuscany, central Florence, and greater Florence) Trip planning: When to go, pre-trip checklist, festivals and holidays, recommended books and movies I thought I’d just pop in and say hi … Then he heads into wine country for a little dolce vita under the Tuscan sun. “Now, why might you want to go to Tuscany?”, I cut to the chase: “Look, I just want to go. While some are more refined than others, expect muddy roads, manure smells, and tractor engines firing up in the wee hours. You can walk through the vineyards, check out the olive press, and step into the hut where giant ham hocks hang on racks, slowly curing in the dry air. Paperback $16.79 $ 16. Tuscany offers a dolce vita mix of hearty cuisine, fascinating history, and gentle beauty. As fate–and the surprising Italian planning would have it–the video was completely Beatles themed, if I recall correctly. Looking for the ultimate Tuscan piazza? PS: We don’t go to Europe without a Rick Steves’ book to guide us. We rented a little Fiat 500 and enjoyed day trips from our home base, buzzing along the narrow country roads throughout Tuscany and Umbria. (I just checked my records, and the end of this year will mark the tenth anniversary of that visit.). Adamo the vintner. Today, touring his now-shabby residences is poignant. Raphael. I’m so excited cuz I’m booked on the September departure of the Tuscany tour. Rick enjoys a front-row seat at its wild horse race - the venerable Palio - and marvel at cultural treasures from the days when Siena rivaled Florence for leadership of Tuscany. Get to know my favorite gelato artist, Nicola. That architectural legacy is a boon for today’s travelers, who enjoy climbing to the tops of these towers for views over the rooftops and rolling hills of Tuscany. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. It was one of our best memories of that trip. Italy has more than 20,000 agriturismi: farms that are subsidized by the government to introduce travelers to a unique pastoral lifestyle. And many others (Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Giotto, Vasari, Fra Angelico) who don’t share their names with radioactive turtles. And now I’m back in one of my favorite places on earth. Read more about one of our favorite agriturismi: Cretaiole, just outside of Pienza. Here’s what to expect in off-season Tuscany. Here’s a list of the best viewpoints in Tuscany — where you can snap postcard-worthy photos of your own. I’m amped up, like I’m a toy-crazy little kid and every night is Christmas Eve. My wife, Sandy, and I have been to Italy several times and Tuscany is our favorite. I’ve been working with Rick Steves since 2015, and yes, he’s just as amazing in person as he is on his TV shows! Get to know my favorite gelato artist, Nicola. Tuscany’s towers date from a time long before there was an “Italy” — when this area was a loose collection of city-states and wealthy families, all vying for the upper hand. Terms of Service | Privacy. Rick Steves went to Tuscany for his travel show "Rick Steves' Europe," walking us through its fascinating pre-Roman history and gentle beauty, and showing us what the sweet life is all about. Sign in. “Tuscany, eh?” She remembers all too well that the last time I went to Tuscany on a guidebook-updating expedition, I came home with a chapter twice as long as the one I left with…including a nine-page, fresco-by-fresco, self-guided tour of an obscure monastery tucked deep in the Tuscan hills. For a change of pace, consider hopping a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the little isle of Elba. Travel with a Mobile Device Isabella taught us to make pici. The story behind that garden is very special. But, despite all of this, the Etruscans left virtually nothing tangible behind — shrouding their distant civilization in mystery. Give the Etruscans a little bit of your touristic attention…and you may just find yourself entranced by the stories they have to tell. It’s like summer camp for grownups. Our last visit was in April, 2017 and we stayed two weeks in a condo located in the serene countryside near Assisi. Comparing notes with Heather as she’s put this tour together, I’m both gratified to see many of my personal favorites on the list…and impressed by how many entirely new-to-me experiences Heather has sniffed out. For a change of pace, consider hopping a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the little isle of Elba. Settling into an agriturismo, you meet fascinating locals and feel close to the earth. And when I get home, it all feels like some sort of surreal fever dream. We recommend our favorites in the Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook, and you can also find a comprehensive list at Agriturismo.it. Here are four Tuscan artisans you can get to know in Montepulciano. Get it as soon as Wed, Feb 5. 4.8 out of 5 stars 10. Thank you When I’m in the bucolic heart of Tuscany, I have trouble getting to sleep. We chose one destination per day, soaking in the scenery and ambience of each, visiting farmers markets and vineyards, and enjoying an inexpensive lunch (usually per Rick’s recommendations). Switzerland European Cruising 101 Cameron, I’ve led many Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, but I’ve never been on one just for fun. I know — when compared to things like gelato and Michelangelo and pappardelle alla bolognese, it’s hard to get excited about the people who lived in Tuscany 3,000 years ago. Become a temporary Tuscan. One of Tuscany’s calling cards is its mind-bending scenery: Sumptuous, extravagantly green, undulating farm fields that look like a painting. During each day’s jaunt, we loved speaking with the locals in our limited Italian and they seemed to love (and get a kick out of) our attempts to do so! Many great truffle-focused eateries there…. By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. During the 1400s and 1500s, the Tuscan art world had a very, very, very deep bench: Michelangelo. Practicalities. This was our favorite visit to Italy and our takeaways were: 1) spend a couple of weeks in one homebase location (if possible); 2) rent a vehicle for sightseeing in Tuscany; 3) Learn a little Italian and speak to the people you meet; 4) Try doing some of your own cooking with the amazing, fresh Tuscan produce; 5) Enjoy a daily glass of Tuscan wine and, of course, a gelato! Six months ago, as I was plotting out my summer travels, I volunteered to do some guidebook-updating work in Italy: Orvieto, Assisi, and, oh, I don’t know, maybe a few other places… like, say… Tuscany? Every tree that’s planted, every farmhouse that’s restored, every road that’s re-routed — it’s all carefully considered not only on practical or economic merits, but also on aesthetics. Jennifer Madison Davis, the managing editor who keeps our guidebook production schedule humming like a finely tuned machine, eyed me suspiciously. Suddenly the dog got excited, started digging, and discovered a truffle right in the middle of a pathway through the park. Epic history — check. Greece In 2007 my husband and I were in Paris on a 7 Days in Paris Rick Steves’ tour. Portugal Hi Steve, your Italy book recommended one of my favourite little towns, “civita di bagnoregio” if someone wants to travel off the beaten path. Tuscany is crazy about its towers — whether it’s the turreted townhouse of a wealthy local bigwig in San Gimignano, the fancy facade of a humble town hall in  Montepulciano or Volterra, the towering City Hall of Siena, or the famously tipsy bell tower at Pisa’s Field of Miracles. I’ve blogged more about that subject than I have about entire countries. My wife and I have been to Siena three times, but the most memorable visit included two days before and after the New Year, especially because of the magnificent 360-degree video projection in the palazzo leading up to the New Year countdown. Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers how to stroll the same streets walked by Michelangelo, explore world-reknown art museums, or sample Tuscan cuisine? Elba makes for a relaxing island escape from a busy Tuscan itinerary. That’s about to change — my wife and I are signing up to be tour members on the Best of Tuscany in 2020. For inspiration, here’s a rundown of my all-time-favorite Tuscan cooking classes. Maybe I’ll see you there. Gelato — super-check. It’s like I’m on some sort of globetrotting drug…freebasing the essence of peak travel. study up on how to sniff out the best gelato wherever you go, anywhere in Italy. In this travel class, Rick Steves describes Italy's Tuscany and Umbria — adjoining regions famous for their scenery, food, wine, and fine cities and hill towns (including Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Civita, and Assisi). The ultimate farm experience is having a “zero-kilometer” meal — meaning that all of the ingredients are sourced from within less than a kilometer of where they’re eaten. Ugh, five weeks from today I was heading to Italy to start the new Tuscany tour. This hill town's history goes back more than 2,500 years to Etruscan times, but has become popular among American tourists in recent years, and for good reason -- it's gorgeous. Your email address will not be published. I’ve already signed up for one of the 2020 departures — just for fun (no work this time, I promise). My favorite gelato artist in Tuscany, Nicola Sgarbi, is a perfectionist…a total gelato snob. So much to see, so little time. One Siena native recently told me that Tuscans consider themselves the inheritors and stewards of a centuries-long legacy of beauty. We recommend our favorites in the Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook, and you can also find a comprehensive list at Agriturismo.it. Donatello. One Traveler’s Risk Assessment, Provençal Markets for Aficionados: 7 Markets in 7 Days. (Or maybe it’s just all the pecorino and truffles.). Incredible food — check. 79 $23.99 $23.99. Isabella has a knack for understanding what her American clientele are looking for in a trip to Tuscany. With about 800 Rick Steves tours this year enjoying unforgettable experiences in every corner of Europe, I wasn’t surprised to bump into one of my groups in an Etruscan cellar below the streets of Volterra having a wine tasting by Francesco. Tuscany's Dolce Vita by Rick Steves' Europe. Required fields are marked *. One of my all-time favorite trips to Tuscany came in late November. We had one of our most memorable lunch up at the castle restaurant in town. Click on the ‘Tuscany’ show to hear me, karin kibby, and rick talk about italy’s most beautiful region (warning: Karin and I are totally biased). She went for it. Spain Two examples stick out in my mind: In Arezzo, you can step into the Technicolor apse of the town church to see luscious frescoes by Piero della Francesca. The harvests and cooler air, the scent of roast chestnuts in Pienza, the warm uncrowded waters of Saturnia were unforgettable. Crossing over into Tuscany from Umbria, Steves next takes us to the town of Cortona -- which some of you may recognize from the novel and film, "Under the Tuscan Sun." Impeccably designed by Heather Lawless and other experts and guides in our Tour Operations department, it weaves together 12 days of vivid Tuscan experiences. One word of caution: Be aware that an agriturismo is truly a working farm. Highly recommend!! Tuscany & Umbria - Travel with Rick Steves by Travel with Rick Steves published on 2013-04-29T21:08:21Z Published Jun 04, 2006 - Take a holiday to Mona Lisa's backyard on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. For all of the details on everything described here, check out our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook. Come to understand the local saying, il dolce far niente — “the sweetness of doing nothing.”. Touring Tuscany in May 2016 was a dream…I was lucky to have a seasoned traveler to Italy with me……..trying hard to pack in Florence, Cinque Terre, followed by a leisurely week in Lucca ( followed by 5 days in Montepulciano )where we rented a lovely apartment and got to know the local baker and the veg &fruit lady…… we rented bikes and rode the rampart surrounding the town…..but the very best experience was a live concert of Puccini arias in a lovely old church ( since Puccini spent some time in Lucca….the town has claimed him as their own… with concerts one evening a week pretty much throughout the year…..front row….we could most reach out and touch the performers…..breathtakingly beautiful ! My inspiration for this piece is the arrival of our just-announced Best of Tuscany in 12 Days Tour, which weaves together, in some form or another, virtually all of the experiences I’ve described here. I went there earlier this summer (researching a new chapter for the upcoming 18th edition of our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook) and was totally charmed by the place. Not only did they warn Julius Caesar about the Ides of March and give their name to the region of Tuscany. I love Italy. Stately churches, humble chapels, rustic farmhouses, and circles of trees perched just so in resplendent tableaus. Or study up on how to sniff out the best gelato wherever you go, anywhere in Italy. Beauty is in the DNA of Tuscans. But the Etruscans may well be the most fascinating prehistoric people you’ve never even thought about. Or…let someone else do all that planning. Tuscany Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . Ireland 1 VHS Rick Steves Best of Travels in Europe Great Britain (2001) Hosted by PBS's Rick Steves! What we're trying to figure out first is the general outline of the trip (order, major stops, transportation, etc.). While off-season travel comes with its downsides (cooler weather, earlier closing times, fewer daylight hours), visiting Tuscany outside of peak season can be a great plan for flexible travelers. Stunning landscapes — check. And then, in the late afternoon, when they’re gone — they’re gone. (Who doesn’t?) My head spins with the sublime experiences of the day that just ended, and my pulse quickens thinking about what tomorrow will bring. Fortunately, the region remains entertaining off-season, when things are much quieter. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Over dinner, we discussed our plans for the next day’s adventure. Then he heads into wine country for a little dolce vita under the Tuscan sun. Tuscany is all about community. His weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves first aired in 2005. Da Vinci. In this travel class, Rick Steves describes Italy's Tuscany and Umbria — adjoining regions famous for their scenery, food, wine, and fine cities and hill towns (including Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Civita, and Assisi). However, I’m still upset with the local guy who kissed my wife at the stroke of midnight before I did. Rick Steves: Rome is magic after dark At the Contucci cellar, your host is the lively Adamo. Iceland It was chilly but not cold, a crop of winter wheat blanketed the hillsides with a green vibrancy, seasonal ingredients (like chestnuts, persimmons, and truffles) infused each meal with autumnal flavors, and — best of all — we could simply show up spontaneously at museums and restaurants that would have been mobbed a few months before. On the actual day of … If you take the time to slow down and seek out these modern-day masters, you’re left with indelible memories: Roberto the alabaster sculptor. Hope to do it in the future! We stayed in an Agriturismo outside of Orvieto and had the most amazing farm to table communal meals there with guests from all over the world. Read more about these two overlooked Tuscan masterpieces…and why Il Sodoma may be the quirkiest character in art history. San Giovanni d’Asso itself is a nice little town (and very striking from afar, since it perches on a little plateau). I prefer a smaller group. He makes several batches fresh every morning, so they’re not even available until mid-day. We had a boeuf bourguinon feast! Amazing art — check. (All of these craftspeople — and others — are recommended in our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook). It’s a great garden. see our FAQ. 25:05. Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves' Europe. Gregarious locals — check. I think it’s because it’s so experience-rich. Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany (Rick Steves Travel Guide) Part of: Rick Steves Travel Guide(32 Books) | by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw | Dec 3, 2019. We usually returned late to our little condo and I cooked up the fresh veggies and pasta that we purchased for a few Euros along our journey, enjoying it with a little Tuscan vino and fragrant bread. Then went on to have one of our most outstanding dinners while in Italy. And after years of traveling all up and down “The Boot,” one area in particular keeps drawing me back: Tuscany, Italy’s heartland. Scotland Because of their deep dedication to beauty, many Tuscans have devoted their lives to mastering a craft — creating something with care and precision, while carrying on a proud aesthetic tradition going back centuries. Rick enjoys a front-row seat at its wild horse race - the venerable Palio - and marvel at cultural treasures from the days when Siena rivaled Florence for leadership of Tuscany. But if you’re lucky enough to hit his shop when he’s all stocked up, you’ll enjoy his explosively flavorful creations. Entertaining cities — check. We stayed at a marvelous B &B in Montalcino. A meal like this is an interplay of earthy flavors, where the taste of each item enhances, and is enhanced by, the taste of every other item. Honest!”. Our tour company just announced a brand-new Best of Tuscany Tour for 2020. But it’s not just the landscape. We’ve always been glad that we decided to go. In this country notorious for its challenging idiosyncrasies, Tuscany is the one place where everything is in perfect, serene harmony. Tuscans have always been keenly aware that the same produce can taste very different, depending on the specific conditions in which it’s grown — soil, sun exposure, micro-climate, and so on. I went there earlier this summer (researching a new chapter for the upcoming 18th edition of our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook) and was totally charmed by the place. But many of my favorite works don’t hang in famous Florence museums; they’re hidden away in off-the-beaten-path towns and overlooked countryside churches. Cesare the coppersmith. Oh well. Germany & Austria One night in Vernazza, we sat on the cliffs with a view of the full moon over the Mediterranean! Then, hop out of your chair and join the informal people parade as it promenades through the traffic-free town center. Why is Tuscany my first choice for a European vacation? Video: Watch Siena and Tuscany's Wine Country, an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. We have been to Cretaiole several times and it is our favorite place on earth. Sign in to YouTube. What are some of your favorite Tuscan experiences? What have I forgotten? Nicola’s gelaterie — in Pienza and in Montepulciano — are just two of many great places to try top-quality gelato in Tuscany. Giulio the steak maestro. Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. Read about a zero-kilometer meal you can experience just outside of Montalcino.