San Giovanni d’Asso itself is a nice little town (and very striking from afar, since it perches on a little plateau). This roundup is designed to inspire you to pack your trip with quintessential Tuscan experiences. It’s a great garden. Giulio the steak maestro. Isabella has a knack for understanding what her American clientele are looking for in a trip to 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. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Not only did their advanced culture lay a foundation for the ancient Romans, and ultimately for all of Western Civilization. Or…let someone else do all that planning. Epic history — check. Nicola the gelato artist. For inspiration, here’s a rundown of my all-time-favorite Tuscan cooking classes. Portugal 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. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Elba makes for a relaxing island escape from a busy Tuscan itinerary. Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves' Europe. Our last visit was in April, 2017 and we stayed two weeks in a condo located in the serene countryside near Assisi. 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. It’s an interesting art garden of an eccentric (U.S., I think) artist, open to the public. 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? Then he heads into wine country for a little dolce vita under the Tuscan sun. Our tour company just announced a brand-new Best of Tuscany Tour for 2020. My wife, Sandy, and I have been to Italy several times and Tuscany is our favorite. Become a temporary Tuscan. As an added bonus we were able to throw open our shuttered windows….it was April and the nights were cool…and one of the resident cats hopped through the windows and spent the night in bed with us! What are some of your favorite Tuscan experiences? We enjoy the culture and energy of busy cities but are country dwellers at heart. Incredible food — check. 79 $23.99 $23.99. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Of course, we always indulged in a mid-afternoon gelato, too! Sign in. The harvests and cooler air, the scent of roast chestnuts in Pienza, the warm uncrowded waters of Saturnia were unforgettable. 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. Read more about these two overlooked Tuscan masterpieces…and why Il Sodoma may be the quirkiest character in art history. My trip was in 2005, Loved it, wish I could live the there, did almost everything you suggested except cooking class, not enough time. Play “King of the Castle” atop a Fortified Tower. (All of these craftspeople — and others — are recommended in our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook). Entertaining cities — check. 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. 4.8 out of 5 stars 10. Tuscany's Dolce Vita by Rick Steves' Europe. I thought I’d just pop in and say hi … ... VOLTERRA on Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves by VolterraTelevision. Tuscany is all about community. Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. Many Tuscan farms invite visitors to learn about how they make their wine, olive oil, and prosciutto. 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. 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. (Who doesn’t?) 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. European Cruising 101 We attended that same opera while visiting Lucca. Not only did they warn Julius Caesar about the Ides of March and give their name to the region of Tuscany. It’s like I’m on some sort of globetrotting drug…freebasing the essence of peak travel. We're currently planning on spending the three weeks in the the lakes area and Tuscany; thinking roughly 7 days in the lakes and 14 in Tuscany. I promise that I won’t get carried away. 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. Maybe I’ll see you there. Learn more about the roots of Tuscany’s obsession with towers. One word of caution: Be aware that an agriturismo is truly a working farm. 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. “Now, why might you want to go to Tuscany?”, I cut to the chase: “Look, I just want to go. I’m so excited cuz I’m booked on the September departure of the Tuscany tour. Yes, I have been to that lovely garden! Read about a zero-kilometer meal you can experience just outside of Montalcino. That’s about to change — my wife and I are signing up to be tour members on the Best of Tuscany in 2020. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Da Vinci. Read more about one of our favorite agriturismi: Cretaiole, just outside of Pienza. 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. 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