Blog: Florence, Tuscany, and Umbria

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A Luxury Italy Itinerary

A Luxury Italy Itinerary

December 15, 2023

The luxury travelers we work with aren’t necessarily looking for over-the-top VIP treatment. Rather, these down-to-earth and well-traveled clients want their luxury Italy itinerary to be about service and comfort while getting to know the locals as much as possible….

Christmas in Italy: A Guide

Christmas in Italy: A Guide

November 30, 2023

Christmas in Italy is festive, with markets, lights, Christmas trees, and music in the streets. And the best part is that the Christmas season lasts an entire month! The Christmas season in Italy starts on December 8th (Immaculate Conception) and…

The Best Places to Visit in Italy in Winter

The Best Places to Visit in Italy in Winter

August 14, 2023

As Italy groans under the weight of its exponential increase in summer visitors, we are starting to nudge our clients towards the quieter early spring (March/April) and late fall (October/November) seasons to avoid the crowds, heat, and general chaos that…

The Best Photo Ops (and Instagram Spots) in Italy

The Best Photo Ops (and Instagram Spots) in Italy

October 16, 2022

Sharing travel exploits with the folks back home has been a large part of the pleasure of travel since the first voyagers sketched far-flung lands and peoples in ink on parchment. The tradition has evolved through slideshows and Kodachrome to…

Five Ways to Visit Florence’s Uffizi Gallery (and One to Avoid)

Five Ways to Visit Florence’s Uffizi Gallery (and One to Avoid)

August 29, 2022

In the many years that I have been creating itineraries for independent travelers to Italy, I’ve never met a traveler who wanted to go to Florence and didn’t want to visit Florence’s Uffizi Gallery. But the Uffizi is a huge…

What To See and Do in Umbria: Our Top Picks

What To See and Do in Umbria: Our Top Picks

August 15, 2022

Most first trips to Italy include one or all of the country’s top five destinations: Rome, Florence, Venice, the Tuscan countryside, and the Amalfi Coast. It comes as no surprise that these five headliners top most bucket lists, as between…

Biking on Lucca’s Walls

Biking on Lucca’s Walls

July 15, 2022

For anyone who loves being on a bike, wants to see the city from a different perspective, or just wants to break up the museums-churches-walking routine, I definitely recommend adding this short and easy bike ride to your Lucca visit….

Florence Itinerary: One Day and Three Days

Florence Itinerary: One Day and Three Days

May 17, 2022

Florence is among Italy’s most magnificent cities, capital of Tuscany and birthplace of the Renaissance. Its UNESCO-listed historic center is a treasure trove of artistic and architectural masterpieces, plus fascinating artisan workshops and a vibrant dining and imbibing scene. It’s…

Italy in February: 7 great places to visit

Italy in February: 7 great places to visit

December 02, 2016

In many places in the world, the month of February is still the depths of winter. It’s cold, snowy, and often dark or foggy. In Italy, it’s low season, and while it is definitely chilly, there are plenty of great…

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"Madeline carefully planned a fabulous, personalized 19 day itinerary (Lake Garda, Dolomites, N/S Tuscany, Rome) that enabled us to be..."

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