Ah, Christmas music in the background, hot chocolate in hand, and I'm deep into planning our Christmas market trip to Vienna next week. I might be the only one already thinking about summer 2025 trips—or maybe I'm just still reminiscing about our 2024 summer adventures. Either way, I wanted to share one of our favorite places in the world: Italy. So, to help you shake off any December stress and inspire some European travel dreams, let me tell you about Tuscany.
Italy is not underrated, and Tuscany is a dream. If you value good food, rich culture, laughter, happiness and vino, please know, you will find all this and more. I’m not going to get into the logistics—I’ll leave that to someone else’s more verified blog. I am simply going to share pieces of our trip that made us fall in love with Italy and probably each other as well.
One logistical tip I'll give (and then I'll say no more about it) is that renting a car is easy and totally worth it. For ten days, we paid $210 for a car rental through Hertz. It allowed us to explore so much more of Tuscany. Plus, you drive on the same side of the road as the U.S.—no fuss.
If you have even a day to take a drive, there is just nothing like driving through Tuscany to Siena. The drive alone will make you feel like you are living in a Bond movie. We HIGHLY recommend staying one night at Follonico, run by the most lovely couple. Homemade breakfast, renovated farmhouse, infinity pool, surrounded by fruit trees, lavender, olive groves and sweet, peaceful serenity.
From our farmhouse, we drove 15 minutes to the most recommended restaurant in the area, Podere Il Casale. This is officially our favorite restaurant in Italy. We ordered everything on the menu and every Italian meal we have had since is compared to the dishes we were served at Podere II Casale. This experience truly was our gem of Tuscany moment.
I have a running list of the top 5 restaurants I have experienced in my 32 years of life. Podre II Casale is on this list. One restaurant is in New York, one in Barcelona and one in Amsterdam. Yes, there are only 4 restaurants on this list, but that is because I am incredibly selective of what is added to the top 5. Podere II Casale made it without a second thought.
Now, we are off to the capital of Tuscany, Florence!
When staying in Florence, book at. Plazzo Niccolo It is located across the bridge in the art district of Florence. It is a ten minute walk to the center of Florence. It has the most incredible restaurant, Floret, attached to its lobby. It is a peaceful stay with a gorgeous courtyard. This is the best area to stay in Florence. You are surrounded by small shops, restaurants, and you are not directly in the busyness of the city. We have booked with Plazzo Niccolo twice now and will stay again when we return!
The next few recommendations are all based on staying at Plazzo Niccolo. The city of Florence is extremely walkable, so if you choose to stay elsewhere, know that it is still very much worth the extra time of walking.
What to do in Florence:
Rivarno cafe. If you are like me and need something more than a croissant for breakfast and lunch, go to Rivarno Cafe. Fresh juices, salads, sandwiches, great coffee. Such a perfect spot to sit for a few minutes and refuel with nutritious food.
Beppa Fioraia was another favorite dinner location. You will feel like you are dining in a private garden. It is a great spot for appetizers, and also can host large parties.
Take your pizza from (I Bastioni di San Niccolò) Which is a two minute walk from your Plazzo Niccolo and walk the hill to reach the best spot to watch the Florence sunset. The steps of - Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte. Most people go to the Statue of David at Piazza Michelangelo to watch the sunset, but it gets overcrowded and the view is better on the steps.
After the climb and a glorious sunset, take yourself to the best gelato there is. Gelateria dei Neri is the place. No questions asked.
Don’t climb the Florence Duomo, Instead wake up at 6am and walk right to it. Enjoy the sunrise and the city of Florence all to yourself. Then, when you want the view that the Duomo offers, walk to Hotel Torre Guelfa, climb their bell tower (for free) and see all of Florence, including the Duomo. Once again, all to yourself.
I hope this will be helpful for your future trip. Reach out to me if you have any questions! Now back to hot chocolate and Christmas market planning!