Another great season for traveling to Italy is fall. The weather is starting to cool off then, but it’s still warm enough to enjoy great outdoor activities. It’s an ideal time for hiking the mountains or cycling your way through the cities and towns, enjoying the gorgeous fall foliage and natural beauty before winter comes. It’s also the best time to taste Italian food, as fresh mushrooms, truffles, olives, and wine are at their peak. There are many food festivals during the fall where you can enjoy delicious Italian treats. As in spring, airfare in fall is usually very cheap, and the enormous summer crowds are gone. Be sure to bring warm clothes—maybe even a winter jacket if you’re traveling late in the season. Don’t forget your rain jacket, rain boots, and umbrella, too, because November is the rainiest month in Italy. Bring comfortable sneakers for hiking or exploring!
You can always visit Italy in the winter, too. Though it may be cold outside, you can still have a great time, especially if you enjoy winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding. Italy’s majestic mountains are a great place for this. The winter holidays in Italy—Christmas, New Year’s, and Carnival celebrations, among others—offer an excellent way to witness Italian traditions and sample delicious holiday foods. It’s also a great time to explore cultural opportunities such as operas and theater events. Italian winters are beautiful and romantic, with gorgeous snow-covered hills offering amazing views. Be sure to bring plenty of warm clothes with you, including a jacket, gloves, a hat, boots, and scarves.
No matter what the season, the rich culture, beauty and delicious food of Italy never disappoint. In deciding when you want to travel there, consider the kinds of activities you enjoy and factor that into your decision. Spring and fall are great for hiking, summer is great for swimming, and the winter is great for snow sports. Visiting at a time when you can take advantage of your favorite activities will help you make the most out of your Italian vacation.
MY FAVORITE PLACES IN TUSCANY
If you go to Italy, Tuscany is a must-see spot. Located in central Italy, it comprises beautiful countryside, gorgeous hills, the sea coast, and even some islands. It’s rich with culture, history, delicious food, and abundant beauty.
Florence, the capital of the region, was home to many influential Western artists and thinkers, including Leonardo da Vinci, Petrarch, Dante, Lorenzo de Medici, Alberti, Botticelli, and Machiavelli; Tuscany boasts numerous museums dedicated to these important figures. The area also has an abundance of fine art and architecture from the Etruscans, Romans, and the artists and artisans of the Renaissance, with thousands of amazing sculptures, frescoes and architectural masterpieces to enjoy. If you are interested in Tuscany’s amazing art and history, I recommend visiting the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Florence, the Accademia Gallery in Florence, the Siena Cathedral in Siena, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the churches of Saint Augustine and San Biagio in Montepulciano, among others.
The foods of Tuscany are justifiably famous. People from all over the world travel there to enjoy fresh homemade pastas, outstanding wines, and delectable pastries. One excellent place to taste the one-of-a-kind Tuscan food is Gigi Trattoria in Lucca, Italy. This quaint Italian restaurant, located on the Piazza del Carmine, has been open since the 1950s, and is well known both for its traditional dishes based on Tuscan cuisine and its friendly service. Another great spot is Osteria del Borgo in Montepulciano, which serves various Tuscan specialties including homemade pasta. It offers indoor and outdoor seating, and when the weather is good, the seats on the terrace offer a stunning view of the Tuscan Hills of the Orcia Valley. Montepulciano is also famous for its fabulous red wines. Be sure to try Nobile di Montepulciano, which is one of the most highly regarded Italian reds.
There are many spectacular places in Tuscany to relax and have fun during your stay. The Castello di Spaltenna, located in Gaiole Chianti, is a magnificent hotel with a castle-like appearance and luxurious rooms appointed in beautiful Tuscan style. The hotel offers all the usual amenities such as Wi-Fi and satellite TV, and also boasts two swimming pools, a gym with sauna and steam room, a tennis court, mountain bikes, a restaurant, and even a boutique. Nearby attractions include the Parish Church of Spaltenna, Vertine Castle, Brolio Castle, Le Miccine winery, Meleto Castle, and Coltibuono Abbey. The Hotel Cala del Porto, located in Punta Ala, right near the Bay of Follonica, is also highly recommended. This five-star seaside resort and hotel offers magnificent views of the water, along with amenities to meet every possible need. You can spend your time here relaxing by going to the spa, lounging in the pool, soaking in the hot tub, or enjoying the hotel’s private beach. Activities such as windsurfing, horseback riding, tennis, snorkeling, mini-biking, cycling, golf, mini-golf, and tours of the area are also available. There are many great places to explore in Punta Ala, including Bagno Punta Hidalgo, Bagno Belmare, and Stabilimento Balneare (seaside resort) La Vela.
I know visiting Tuscany can be overwhelming because there are so many tempting places to visit! I hope these suggestions will give you a start on exploring the magnificent culture, history, food, and beauty that this special region of Italy has to offer.
TRADITIONAL DINING IN ITALY
Food is an essential part of Italian life. There are cafés and restaurants everywhere, and if you visit any Italian home, you’ll be offered a drink or something to eat before you can even sit down.
There are several regions in Italy—Tuscany being one— each with its own specialties and particular ways of preparing standard dishes. For example, you might order a pasta dish in one region, then order the same dish in another region and find that they are prepared very differently, despite having the same name.
The Italian approach to food is different from what is generally found in America. For example, Italian breakfasts are small, just an accompaniment for morning coffee and talk about the upcoming day. Lunches involve a little more food—a salad and a pizza, for instance. Not a large American-style pizza, though; Italian pizzas are very thin and much smaller, and you won’t find them overburdened with toppings or cheese. As a matter of fact, my favorite pizza in Tuscany is simply topped with anchovies, capers and a light sauce with no cheese—just enough to satisfy the midday appetite. Dinner is served later in the evening; many restaurants in Italy don’t open until 7:30 p.m. You may walk by a restaurant at 7 p.m. and notice the proprietor’s family eating together at a table—they will not open until they are finished with their evening meal.
There is a famous saying in Italy for dinner: “How many courses can you eat?” The first course is the antipasto, or appetizer course, which usually consists of olives, cheeses, anchovies, pickled vegetables, and a variety of delicious meats. The next course is the primi piatto (first dish), generally consisting of fresh homemade Italian pasta or rice. Next comes the main course, or secondi piatto. This is usually made up of meat and a vegetable platter called the contorno. Most places serve delectable cuts of meat accompanied by perfectly cooked fresh vegetables. (If you get a chance, try eating boar—many restaurants serve it, and it is astoundingly good.) The final course is the dolce, or sweets. Italian desserts, which are justifiably famous, consist of many pastries, cakes, and other original specialties.
None of these courses are large; in Italy, a course consists of a small plate of food. For example; if you order ravioli, you might get one large piece of ravioli, not a full plate of pasta. When ordering, always remember to give your server all your course selections at once.
Italian restaurants tend to be much more relaxed than restaurants in the U.S. You are never rushed, and servers treat you more like family than a customer. There is a great feeling of closeness among the guests, and it’s very easy to make great conversations and find new friends. Some restaurants even have long tables where many customers sit together. I love these types of restaurants, because they allow me to meet many new and interesting people as we bond over delicious Italian food.
While dining in Tuscany, you’ll notice that bread is not automatically brought to your table;