Of all the places on our Italy itinerary, I was for sure most excited about Tuscany. I’ve always dreamed of visiting the region, sipping on wine and enjoying fresh olive oil while overlooking the rolling hills. Well Italy did not disappoint! Tuscany was even more beautiful in person than in the movies. Here are a few of our favorite stops in the region.
We spent most of our time in Greve in Chianti to experience the smaller towns of Tuscany. We also opted to visit lesser known wineries in hopes for more low key and intimate experiences.
Vignamaggio – Thought to be the childhood home of Mona Lisa (yes, THE Mona Lisa), this beautiful Tuscan agriturismo is a wonderful place to stay in Tuscany. We stayed in the old villa to get the true feel of the antique building. Be sure to talk a walk around the gardens and take in the views of the vineyard covered hills. My favorite part of staying here was waking up and walking down to the farmhouse for the breakfast buffet. Drinking coffee while overlooking the olive groves and vineyards made for the most peaceful mornings. I highly recommend the tour and sunset dinner offered here. Unfortunately when we visited, the property was under renovation so we were unable to take the tour, but the dinner and tasting were magnificent!
Montefioralle – This winery truly is a hidden gem! Montefioralle is a family run winery in the hills of Greve in Chianti. We spent the morning on a private tour of the vineyard and had a tasting of their wines. Their tours are by appointment only which ensures you will have a private or small group tour and a very unique experience. On the tour you can taste their Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva, IGT and Vin Santo. We loved the Classico and Classico Riserva so much that it is now our favorite wine to keep at our house and we have placed multiple orders from back in the States.
Dario Cecchini – This butcher shop in the little town of Panzano in Chianti was one of the most unique experiences we had in Italy. Dario’s is both a traditional butcher shop and a restaurant. We visited for a family style lunch at L’Officina della Bistecca. Upon arrival we were seated at one of two long tables on the terrace and sat with people from all around the world. We were seated by a newly wed couple from Israel and a man from Canada and his driver (the man’s wife didn’t like steak so he brought his tour guide instead, how sweet!). For lunch we were served five cuts of beef and bread, potatoes, beans and lots of wine. It was such a lovely experience to get to share a wonderful meal with people from around the world. We left stuffed and happy! I always recommend Dario’s to all of my girlfriends whose husbands are not big wine drinkers as it is a great couples activity and typically then men love all the meat!
Agriturismo dinner – Everything fabulous revolves around food. I am such an over-planner and like to have every detail of a trip planned before we go. I always try to remind myself that some of the best places are those you just stumble upon while you are there. That’s what happened to us in Tuscany. We wanted to venture out from our Agriturismo and try another small restaurant for dinner, which is how we found Ristorante Dondoli. We chose it because it was one of the few restaurants that were close to where we were staying and open since it was off season. WOW! That was hands down the freshest food we have ever eaten. The vegetables came straight from their garden and everything was homemade. We were one of two couples in the restaurant that night which made the experience even more memorable. Biggest lesson learned, don’t just try places that everyone else has been!
Lucca – When I dream of Italy, I dream of Lucca. This tiny town is affectionately known as the town of a hundred churches. It really does seem like there is a church on nearly every corner. Lucca’s town center is located inside the old city walls and only about a mile wide in each direction. It is the perfect town to stroll around in on a sunny day. We started our day climbing to the top of Guinigi Tower then wandered the streets from church to church. We even stumbled upon a flea market in one of the plazas. Later we rented bikes and went for a leisurely ride around the city walls. While you’re exploring the city, don’t miss the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro Lucca. This is a round plaza surrounded by buildings. It makes for great photos! Also be sure to try some of the restaurants in Lucca. We had dinner at La Bottega Dell’Oste Lucca which served delicious pasta and charcuterie.
