One of Tuscany’s wealthiest and most graceful cities, Lucca is a gem not to be missed. It’s worth a visit from your Untour in Florence or even our rural Tuscany Untour, based in the southern part of the region. Colonized by the Romans in the 2nd century BC, this otherwise flat Tuscan “hill” town still…
All of us on the UnTours team have been here for 20 or more years, which is a good thing, given how knowledge intensive our work in Europe is. So when Andi Cancelliere Sheehan, our Italian Untour Director for 25 years, left our staff during COVID, it was hard to imagine how to fill those…
…And we’re back! Italy was the first country in Europe to shut down, so it felt particularly satisfying and a little poetic that it was one of our first countries to welcome Untourists this summer. The Lorenzis and the Moormans were our first guests in Italy, the first Untourists to return to Italy since 2019….
While our Tuscany Untour is in Brunello wine territory, the Chianti Valley is within easy day trip distance and offers another flavor of farm traditions, scenery, village life, and viniculture. If you love natural beauty, robust red wines, and hearty food, look no further than the Chianti Valley. The Chianti villages hold a special place…
This guest post by Carol Yee is adapted from her book book Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again: How I Became a Citizen of the World. When one thinks of Tuscany, one may think of Florence, the leaning tower of Pisa, and the Palio in Siena, but also of pasta, wine, and gelato. And this is…
Our Tuscany Untour staff Tracy Hyde has been busier than you might expect during this pandemic that has frozen travel. She has turned her talents to Zoom and invited Untourists into her kitchen to learn to make traditional Italian dishes with her. Here’s Tracy’s recipe for eggplant parmigiana, along with wine recommendations. In addition to…
You might have heard of the Stendhal Syndrome, or the Florence Syndrome. You may have even experienced a mild case of it yourself. It is the feeling of being overwhelmed by too much art: too many beautiful paintings, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, architectural wonders. It is a particular physical and mental response to art that was…
When we say Renaissance, what is the first city that comes to mind? For us, and for most, it is Florence. A cradle of architecture and artistic growth under the patronage of the Medici, Florence was seminal in the development of western art and culture. On our upcoming Virtual Weekend in Tuscany, we will explore…
Missing Italy? Here’s a little glimpse of one of our favorite towns in Tuscany. A short taxi or bus ride from the city center of Florence, Fiesole doesn’t feel quite as ambitious as a day trip. Yet its history is distinct and important. No trip to Florence is complete without a side trip up into…
Anyone who has been following our exciting Virtual Events on Zoom knows that our Tuscany Untour staff person Tracy has become a regular. As she teaches the Italian classics in fun lessons broadcast live on Zoom from her kitchen, she has developed a loyal following. You can check out her upcoming classes here. In the…