Roadtripping With Gina
Tuscany
Tuscany, In My Opinion
This is the original “Wine Country”. Napa, California does its best to try to imitate it, which is fine if you can’t travel farther than California. But there’s nothing like the real thing. Part of what makes Tuscany so special is that it’s not just about wine. That’s only a tiny part of the reason travelers venture from far and wide to get here. Tuscany is a province in Italy. The biggest city in Tuscany is Florence (Firenze). You know it when you see it. It’s home of the Piazza del Duomo. You can’t miss it. It’s huge, and it’s visible from practically everywhere in the city. It’s one of Italy’s greatest movie stars, having been the backdrop for God knows how many movies. But Tuscany is home to other cities you’ll recognize, like Pisa, Siena, Tuscania, and Arezzo. Each city is a snapshot in time, capturing remnants of the Dark and Middle Ages. They’ve done an excellent job preserving Renaissance architecture. But aside from being a tourist trap, it would appear to be a really happening place to live. People are always outside, hanging out and enjoying the sun. The only thing that’s better than hanging out in the city is hanging out in the glorious Tuscan countryside.
Exploring Tuscany
I know most people go to Tuscany for the tourism. But if I ever had a chance to go there, I’d be looking to escape the cities and head out to the country. Quite honestly, I don’t give two craps about the Renaissance architecture. I want to see the country houses. I’m passionate about Mediterranean architecture. But most Italianate architecture is way to ornate and over the top for me. Not so in Tuscany. Tuscan architecture is the quintessential Mediterranean home…simple, countrified, but elegant and chic. Some might call it rough. But to me, the countryside is full of houses and towns that were hand hewn from stone, wood…all natural materials. Nothing 3D printed or prefabricated. They were built by people, for people. And the same families have lived in them sometimes for hundreds of years. Sounds like a dream! A table for 20 in the backyard, full of people enjoying good music, fabulous wine, and ridiculously delicious Italian food…now that is my idea of a good time.
Walk The Neighborhood
Tuscany is a province, not a city, so I’m narrowing it down for you a bit. I’m dropping you off in Florence, at the Duomo. You can tour the building, walk the streets, or venture out to some of the other cities by zooming out on the map and looking for other Tuscan hangouts like Pisa or Siena. This is the perfect place to explore with a Google map, because there are so many amazing places to go on foot.