Tuscany Adventures

When we planned our trip to Italy, spending time in Tuscany was a no-brainer. As I mentioned in my last travel guide, we decided to only spend one day in Florence so we could spend more time in Tuscany. There are a lot of different areas to choose from when you’re deciding where to visit. We wanted to stay in a small bed and breakfast that would give us an authentic experience, so we made a short list of those and researched the areas around them before deciding. We ended up near San Gimignano, a small medieval town in the province of Siena, about an hour outside of Florence, encircled by 13th century walls.

Where We Stayed

Casolare di Libbiano is a 16th century farmhouse in the Tuscan hills. The owners, Berta and Andrea, restored the farmhouse in 1988 and have been operating it as a bed & breakfast ever since. There are nine rooms with lots of character, and nicely updated bathrooms. Berta is an amazing chef, and they serve breakfast and dinner every day. There’s a pool and beautiful outdoor space, although we didn’t get to use them much. I will caution that the last part of the drive to get there is on a windy dirt road, so make sure you’re prepared. But, it’s totally worth it! Berta and Andrea are friendly and warm, and do everything they can to make sure that you have the best experience possible.

Day 1

On our first day, we had breakfast at the villa, and then joined Berta in the kitchen for a cooking lesson. I cook at home almost every weeknight…Rob makes eggs, and that’s about it. So, needless to say, I was very excited when he agreed to do this with me. Berta was a great teacher, and we worked together to make our own pasta with sauce, ravioli with herbs we picked from the garden, and a parmesan soufflé. She gave us tips on technique and cooking in general, and was happy to repeat things so I could take notes. Once we were done cooking, Berta put everything together for lunch. It was so good and definitely an experience I will remember forever.

After lunch, we took a cab into San Gimignano. Our plan had been to stop first at Falchini Vineyards for a wine tasting on the outskirts of town, but it turns out that they don’t do formal tastings. They were nice and let us try a few things anyway, but we could have skipped that stop. From there, we walked up the hill to the main part of town.

We spent the afternoon browsing in the shops and exploring. It was raining off and on, so at one point, we took refuge in the La Rocca Tasting Room. They have a museum and offer tastings, both of which focus on Vernacchia, a (white!) wine that is only found in that area of Tuscany. We learned a lot and the wine was delicious!

Later on, we stopped for a snack. Months ago, when I first mentioned this trip to my friend Aliza, she said that the best gelato she ate in Italy was at an award-winning gelateria somewhere near where we were going. We eventually figured out that the place she remembered was Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano, so I was very excited to check it out. She was totally right…it was amazing! I don’t know what they do differently, but it was so good that I wanted to go back for more. Rob got caramel and chocolate, and I got espresso and Nutella.

Eventually, we made our way outside of the city walls for dinner at Il Trovatore. We were seated upstairs, and unfortunately, a big party which included a lot of kids was seated nearby soon after. They were very loud, and I think that definitely affected our experience (and the service). That said, the food was good. They specialize in grilled meat, and Rob liked what he had. We also enjoyed the Pici alle Briciole and lasagna.

Day 2

We were supposed to get up very early and drive to another part of Tuscany for a hot air balloon ride. But, the day before, the weather was looking questionable and they had to cancel. I was heartbroken since this was one of the things I was most looking forward to, but I realized that we could reschedule for the next day if the weather held out.

So, instead we took it easy in the morning, eating breakfast at our villa and relaxing until we got picked up for our wine tour. When we planned the trip, we knew we couldn’t go to Tuscany without experiencing as many wineries as possible. I read about Tuscan Drivers (although I can’t remember where), and reached out to them about setting something up. They are a small, family-run company, and they really do everything they can to set up the perfectly customized experience for you. I made things a little difficult because I prefer white wine to red, and we were in red wine territory, but they were very accommodating.

Our driver Raymond was fantastic. He grew up in Scotland, but his and his wife’s families were both from Tuscany, so they decided to move back when their kids were still young. Raymond was so friendly and incredibly knowledgable.

At the first winery, Querceto di Castellina, we had a tour and then a tasting with lunch. The food, made by the owner’s mom, was so good, and the wine was too. After that, we went for tours and tastings at Casale Sparviero and Castellare di Castellina. Everyone was very welcoming, and each experience was unique. Everywhere you go in Tuscany is absolutely gorgeous, and these vineyards were no exception. It was a fabulous way to spend the day! That night, we headed back to the villa for a low-key dinner.

Day 3

On our last day, we were up early for our rescheduled balloon ride! We booked it through Tuscany Ballooning, and they did a fantastic job all around. We drove about an hour to the designated meeting place (an empty field), and parked our rental car. They gave us booties to wear over our shoes so we could get to the balloons. Each balloon has a basket which is divided into five sections. The pilot is in the middle, and there are two sections on each side, each of which holds two people. After all of the safety checks have been completed, the balloons take off. We had four balloons in our group, and they all stayed fairly close to each other. The pilots are in constant communication about the conditions.

I’m not sure I even have words to describe the experience of floating high above the Tuscan countryside in a hot air balloon. It was breathtaking and surreal. I wanted to take pictures, but I also made sure to put my camera down and just take things in. A lot of people were surprised when I told them we were doing this, and they asked me if I was scared. For some reason I wasn’t, even when we were up there. I think the beauty just overwhelms you and you don’t think about how high in the sky you are at any given moment. You’re up in the air for 45 minutes to an hour, and then the pilots find a place to land. The crew sets up a prosecco breakfast and everyone toasts and enjoys bread, meat, cheese and pastries.

One note: the landing place is different than the takeoff point. They have to play it by ear and see where they are when it’s time to come down. After breakfast, you’ll get a ride back to your car, but make sure you build in that time when you’re scheduling the rest of your day. We were driving back to Florence to drop off the car and get on a train, but fortunately we had left extra time. The Tuscany Ballooning team was fantastic and I would definitely recommend flying with them if you have the chance!

The last leg of our trip will be coming up next! Let me know if you have any questions about Tuscany!

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