- Lucca – With its tree-topped fortified walls wide enough to stroll and ride bikes like an arm protecting everyone within its reach, this is a wonderful, mostly pedestrian city worth exploring on foot. Given its size it is small enough to get to know, yet large enough to have lots going on.
- The Beaches – This is the only part of Tuscany with access to broad, sandy beaches, great for families and those who want to be seen at the chi-chi beach clubs in Forte dei Marmi. Yes, its crowded in summer, but hanging out in Lido di Camaiore, Viareggio or Forte at a beach club is a great Italian experience.
- Olive Oil: Just as the people from Florence and Siena battled for geographic supremacy of Tuscany over the ages, there are still deeply divided opinions about which part of Italy (forget about the rest of the world!) makes the best olive oil. We can arrange tastings so you can understand the peppery taste of oil from southern Italy, versus the lighter oils of Tuscany. And from within Tuscany, many say the oils from Lucca are the best in the world. You be the judge!
- Florence: Experience the Renaissance in Florence, with more great art per square mile in its original location than just about anywhere else in the world. One of the great cities of the world, it has a great vibe of preserving the past for all to see and yet is still a vibrant city. It may be crazy busy in the summer months packed with tourists, all the more reason to go in the Spring and Fall, when the crowds die down.
- Cinque Terre: Roughly translated into Five Lands, this string of five small towns is a wonderful (long) day trip from Lucca to walk along the seacoast, by foot, by boat, by car and by train. Absolutely stunning scenery.
- Pisa: OK, maybe we’re biased and yes, it is touristy and hokey, but if you haven’t climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you are really missing out on one of the wonders of the world.
- Wine Tasting: Let’s face it, Central Tuscany has great soil and climate for growing great red wines, the same way Napa Valley is blessed with a great climate. See how the wines are made by visiting wineries, taste the differences between the Chianti Classico and the Super Tuscans. Have a robust debate over which you like better during long dinners at your villa!
- Siena: A wonderful hilltop city, a powerhouse in the region known for its banking in medieval and Renaissance times. A great walking city (although a bit hilly) with great public spaces and a Duomo to beat the band. It also hosts the Palio horse races twice each summer in the main square, one of life’s great “bucket list” events.
- Great Food: What can we say except that Tuscan food is simple and delicious. And Lucca is said to have the most flavorful food in Tuscany, if not all of Italy with its great mix of seafood and meats, farm-fresh vegetables, and superb olive oil. It is hard to have a bad meal here.
- Shopping: OK, we’re the first to admit that there are few “bargains” in Tuscany when shopping, yet Lucca is known for its knitwear and there are two wonderful designer clothing outlet malls close to FLorence, usually showing last year’s fashions. (And yes, many of the sizes are for people pencil-thin!) There are also many specialty shops in Lucca and Florence where the craftsmanship is still superb.
