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! Germany & Austria Cesare the coppersmith. I promise that I won’t get carried away. Cameron, Here are four Tuscan artisans you can get to know in Montepulciano. Maybe I’ll see you there. Also remember to look beyond the kitchen. 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. We stayed at a marvelous B &B in Montalcino. While some are more refined than others, expect muddy roads, manure smells, and tractor engines firing up in the wee hours. Elba makes for a relaxing island escape from a busy Tuscan itinerary. We have been to Cretaiole several times and it is our favorite place on earth. Rick Steves: Rome is magic after dark At the Contucci cellar, your host is the lively Adamo. 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? Italy has more than 20,000 agriturismi: farms that are subsidized by the government to introduce travelers to a unique pastoral lifestyle. Learn more about the roots of Tuscany’s obsession with towers. I thought I’d just pop in and say hi … 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. Greece Scotland Video: Watch Siena and Tuscany's Wine Country, an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. Donatello. 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. Nicola goes all-in on seasonal flavors (creamy basil), surprising combinations (carrot-ginger, kiwi-spinach), and top quality. Honest!”. So much to see, so little time. In 2007 my husband and I were in Paris on a 7 Days in Paris Rick Steves’ tour. And Siena’s — the best of them all — is a vast, slanted, brick-paved oblong that hosts a twice-yearly horse race. 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. The story behind that garden is very special. Elba is synonymous with Napoleon, who was exiled here for 10 months after his bitter defeat. Hope to do it in the future! Stick with me. 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. Everyone in attendance sang along to the group’s many hits and without a hint of an Italian accent. Stunning landscapes — check. And a wonderful Agriturismo just outside Assisi….we had a glorious view of Assisi and could easily hear the church bells pealing. Europe for Foodies Scandinavia “Tuscan cooking classes” are an entire subgenre of travel. Ireland Tuscany — like other popular European destinations — can be extremely crowded. Giulio the steak maestro. These are places where it’s actually worth paying way too much for a fancy aperitivo for the privilege of just hanging out at an al fresco table and getting serious about people-watching. It’s like I’m on some sort of globetrotting drug…freebasing the essence of peak travel. Switzerland I am looking for Florence tour guides that can take my wife and me around the Tuscany area over a 2-3 day period. Portugal Adamo the vintner. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. For 50 years, Adamo has made sure visitors enjoy a tasty education in the Nobile di Montepulciano. That’s because this region has an outrageously appealing food culture — ranging from big, sloppy plates of pasta to refined high cuisine. Amazing art — check. I think it’s because it’s so experience-rich. 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). Hold on! 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. 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. Verona, Italy: Joy of the Veneto by Rick Steves' Europe. 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