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…
Considering a visit to one or more of the great cities in Europe? Getting the most out of your city travel experience takes a special kind of planning, especially as we navigate COVID and how it has altered the way we dine and sightsee. You can still enjoy the best of Europe’s cities. Many have…
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…
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…
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…
If Italy is the king of wine in Europe, then Tuscany is the jewel in its crown. Tracy Hyde is our on-site staff person for the Tuscany UnTour. She is also our cooking teacher for UnTours at Home Virtual Events, with a loyal following of Zoom students. But better still, she is a wine expert and…
Our colleague Helen Glave, UnTours on-site staff in Florence, shared this update with us this week from Florence, where residents are under Red Zone restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Italy. It was really lovely to get your heart-warming message. For many people it is a period of great anxiety as regards both…
So much to see and do in Europe already, but why not plan your trip around some of the season’s special events? Festivals and fairs are a window into a culture, a signifier of what is important to a community, and an excellent way to rub elbows with the locals. Here is your 2020 trip…