Falling in love with Tuscany all over again

Italy (especially Tuscany) has captured my heart with its rich history, beautiful cities and countryside, and, of course, shopping and food opportunities. Italy has always felt like a country that called to me! Many years ago, on my second visit to this wonderful country, I was whisked away to Florence, a city that has remained my favourite in all the world ever since. From there, my date and I took a day trip to a Tuscan vineyard.

As our car drove along the winding roads of the countryside, I was awestruck.

Thus, my love for Tuscany was born!

As you know, I am an adventurer who loves to explore the world around me, so I made sure to plan my trip to Tuscany for my photoshoot with additional time after to reconnect with my favourite country and explore Tuscany with a road trip before I needed to fly back to the UK.

After my third night at the Villa just outside of Siena, I departed the company of my photographer and his make-up artist to drive north to Chianti, where I would use my hotel as a base to explore Tuscany.

Staying in History

Chianti was the perfect opportunity for a road trip, with its beautiful hilltop regions and long winding roads; I was able to enjoy the picturesque beauty of Tuscany and fall back in love with the area.

Although I love the open road, I have a penchant for staying in luxury. That’s why, for the 4 nights I was in Chianti, I opted to stay in a stunning historic hotel that used to be a former palace dating back to the late 1200s the perfect fortress to protect my sleep after the days of exploring.

The beautiful hotel was my base, allowing me to enjoy day trips exploring the hilltop towns, surrounding vineyards and medieval castles. It gave me a quiet place at the end of each day to unwind in the luxurious bath before being wrapped in silk sheets as I drifted off to sleep.

Three Days Of Exploring Tuscany

Over the three days, I explored all that the area had to offer.

For the first day, I decided to drive to the hilltop towns of San Gimignano and Monteriggioni. As I took in the historical architecture and cobbled streets, I was the picture of elegance and sophistication in my pink tailored pinstripe suit and white open-toed shoes.

Both towns offer rich history that appealed to my inner history buff. In San Gimignano, I visited the Torre Ross, the city’s famous tower, and enjoyed the bustling plazas and the Piazza del Duomo (the religious heart of the town). Before heading down the Florence-Siena highway to enter Monteriggioni through the gates of the historical medieval outpost.

Walking the outpost’s walls offered me the chance to see the entire town before I walked through the Piazza Roma and learnt more about the town’s history at the Monteriggioni in Arme Museum. After a full day of immersing myself in history, I drove back to my hotel to relax before my second day.

On my second day, I drove back from Chianti to Siena, enjoying a full day exploring the city, where just a few days earlier I had enjoyed having my photos taken nearby.

As I enjoyed my time solo, I was able to explore all that the city had to offer, including the town hall and Duomo di Siena. The beautiful church was both breathtaking from the outside, with its high towers and arched doorways, and inside, with its black-and-white striped floor and eye-catching sculptures and floor mosaics. It was also a welcome resting place from the sunshine that covered the city.

Other places that I explored in Siena included the main square, where I was able to enjoy my second favourite thing to do when exploring new cities: people watching with a refreshing drink to keep me hydrated.

After two days of adventuring, by my third and final day, I knew it was time to slow it all down. Opting to choose one destination, I planned on enjoying a beautiful tour before sampling the beautiful Tuscan cuisine.

An Appetite For Italy

For the last day of my holiday, I decided on a leisurely afternoon at Castello di Brolio, a vineyard located at a castle. I enjoyed a tour of both the castle and vineyards (and sampling the wine) before treating myself to lunch.

Can you really enjoy Italy without the food?

Another reason that I adore Italy is my enjoyment of food and trying new things.

As I explored the different hilltop towns and Siena, I enjoyed freshly made food from the Independent trattorias; something that I love to do is support small businesses, but on the final day, after I toured the vineyards and castle, I decided to toast the trip by treating myself to a tasting menu for lunch at Osteria di Brolio.

As I sampled the lunch tasting menu, I had:

• Osteria’s welcome
• Roasted octopus, fava beans, guacamole and burrata
• House-made tagliatelle, porcini mushrooms topped with pecorino crumble
• Roasted beef tenderloin, chicken liver paté, truffle and seasonal vegetables
• Osteria di Brolio’s Tiramisu

Paired with local wines to help elevate the taste of Tuscany throughout the meal.

Want To Take Me On An Adventure?

For me, road trips are the perfect way to explore; who doesn’t love the feeling of the wind blowing through your hair as you listen to your favourite playlist and watch the world around you?

I love these experiences as the perfect extended date, a private adventure just for two! Some of the ones that I am eager to explore include:

• The Wild Atlantic Way – I have previously enjoyed parts of this route and would love to reconnect with the Emerald Isle’s beautiful countryside and rugged West Coast. This is the perfect getaway for those longer journeys, with the lush green landscapes of the countryside on one side and the romantic views of the Atlantic on the other.
• NC500 – As a lover of Bonnie Scotland, my last trip ended too soon, and I would love to explore the Highlands some more. Let’s drive north along the west coast through Oban and then on to the north coast, taking our time to enjoy the scenery (and each other).
• Amalfi Coast – As a lover of Italy, it may surprise you that I have yet to explore the south of Italy. For my gents who love the sun, let’s embrace the Mediterranean sunshine, driving through lemon groves and cypress trees and taking a romantic swim in the clear blue sea as we go.
• Iceland – I’ve had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful country in both the summer and arctic winter. However, I’ve never had the pleasure of a road trip to get off the beaten track. We could explore the dramatic landscapes of the waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, and black sand beaches through the Ring Road or enjoy a slower pace around the South Coast and the Golden Circle.
• Norway – My favourite of the Scandinavian countries I’ve been fortunate to visit. Let’s explore its Western Fjords and dramatic mountain scenery or take the time to stop off in some of its charming villages for a chance to rest and relax in the privacy of a log cabin.

These dates are the perfect opportunity for a longer trip, allowing us to enjoy our time together as we explore the world around us.

Ready to arrange a road trip adventure with me? It’s as easy as 1-2-3 by sending me an invite. 

And hats off to Italy!