Tomas was very knowledgeable of Assisi, Cortona, and all of Italy. He also spoke English very well…read moreand was very friendly. He was an excellent and very safe driver and knew the area very well. My wife and I highly recommend him as a driver and tour guide.

We had a great time on our tour with Roberto from We Drive You Tuscany! We did the 8 hour San…read moreGimignano and Chianti Classico as well as the Pienza, Val d'Orcia, Montalcino wine and Pecorino cheese private tours with Roberto. This was my first trip to Italy, we enjoyed a comfortable ride throughout the countryside in the clean, air conditioned van! Roberto was so knowledgeable and made sure we knew all the best places to visit along with the history of the beautiful Tuscan countryside! He even gave us recommendations for our second leg of the trip to Rome. We will definitely use this service again!!

Piazza del Campo is the main public square and heart of Siena, Italy. Renowned for its distinctive…read moreshell shape and gently sloping brick surface, it is one of Europe's most celebrated medieval squares and a centerpiece of Siena's UNESCO‑listed historic center. The square is framed by elegant palaces, including the Palazzo Pubblico and its towering Torre del Mangia, and serves as a gathering place for daily life and civic events. Twice a year, it becomes the dramatic setting for the Palio di Siena, the city's historic horse race that brings Siena's neighborhoods together in a display of tradition and rivalry.

Siena was one of our stops on our all day bus tour through Tuscany and I'm so happy it was!…read more We grabbed aperitivos and enjoyed the sun set while people watching. It's such a vibrant city center. Really fun place to relax after a long day.

Named after the fameous churce at the end of the piazza, the Basilica of Santa Croce, this is a fun…read moreopen air area in Florence. The piazza is all paved, however, there is usually a famers market (mostly prepared goods vs produce), and the people watching can be pretty spectacular. It was a easy 15 second walk from my apartment, and the adjacent Taxi stand made getting to the airport a breeze. There are no services or greenery, but the steps of the church can be used as a nice place to sit. It is dotted by a large number of restaurants, leather shops, and gelato places. Its a cool place to simply stop and take a breather and the church is worth a visit as it houses the remains of many famous Italian's and the interior is quite nice as well

Piazza Santa Croce is spacious, beautiful, and full of character. The basilica is breathtaking, and…read morethe piazza feels lively without being overwhelming. Perfect for people-watching, a coffee stop, or soaking in Florence's atmosphere--especially lovely in the evening.

We came for a great day of group wine tasting, lunch and shooting. Stefano and his family were the…read moreultimate hosts to their vineyards. We came with a large group, all visitors to Italy for a wedding. He took the boys for a day of shooting (shotguns and clay pigeons). Then we got a tour of the grounds and the process of making wines. His wife made an unbelievable lunch, and it still lingers in my memory today. Course after course, we were stuffed in the true Italian way and with warmth and hospitality. Zucchini carpaccio and the cinghiale (boar) were literally to die for. And the wine was flowing, so we all had a blast. This is a small operation, family owned and run, and if you want a local experience, come here and taste wines if you are near Siena or are passing through on your way to Arezzo. Beware, they dont speak a ton of English, but they are still very happy to have you.

Beautiful place! Such a wonderful family producing great wines- from start to finish- even bottling…read moreand labeling on site. They truly understand and embody the notion of small-scale, high quality, 'farm to table' gastronomy. They hand pick all of their grapes and olives for oil. They raise their own produce and herbs. They also hunt or raise their meats and prepare excellent finocchiona, bracciola, and prosciutto. Of the wines we tried, their new rosato, the 'Le Caldie Toscana' and 'Lo Scopaio' were all favorites.

We ended up here on a Sunday evening after a long day of travel. Most other places were closed but…read morea local we happened across suggested L'artevino. We took a look at the menu and decided to give it a try. It's pretty much the small town, locals eat here, upscale kind of place. The ambiance was nice and the service was very good. We each picked a little something different because a lot of the staples of Italian food that one might see in Rome or Florence weren't on the menu and I was a little bummed because I was pretty hungry for something familiar. No, this was local cooking. I cannot recall the names of the dishes, but one was like a short rib, my pasta dish was like a local take on cacio e pepe. Different, but very tasty. As I said, this night I was looking for familiar but instead ended up with some local deliciousness! Try something new, the worst that can happen is you have a meal you don't like. But that is part of the adventure of travel. If we ever go back to the area, we will definitely stop in.

This is where we ate our first Italian meal! It definitely met our expectations, and set a very…read morehigh bar for other restaurants to meet! We ordered a local Chianti, Tuscan appetizer plate (various salami), spaghetti with sea urchin, a pasta with green beans, and, for dessert, cheese mousse with chocolate. We also had Limoncello and espresso. Everything was delicious! Our favorite, by far, was the spaghetti with sea urchin. It was so light and fresh, with only a subtle (not overbearing) flavor of seafood. It was perfect! The cheese mousse was excellent! It was not overly sweet. The chocolate was a perfect pairing.

New York beat this Street!!! Via dei Calzaiuoli is the shopping Mecca of Florence Italy! I loved…read morethe atmosphere! It was pretty crowded for a week day but obliviously Italian workers "breaks" last 3-4hrs during the late afternoon, than an American workers 1/2hr lunch schedules ;) hahaha. They have from high end to low end. What's memorable were the old tall bldgs, the cobble stoned streets and the duffle bags that each demure lady would drag behind themselves with loads of clothes!!! Shop here when in Florence!!!

Who would have thought I would be writing a review for a street? But oh man, what a street. You are…read morein essence, one of my most memorable streets as I spent many hours walking your cobblestone cracks and bumping into strangers as well as my Italian friends hustling to work. Lined with stores from leather shops to the Disney store, you end or begin at Piazza della Signoria and lead me to the steps of the Duomo, straight to the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on. My David. Or sometimes I stood at the doorway of the negozio to watch the steady stream of what it seemed like a gazillion of people a day walk on your hard stoned surface. Silly to say, but I love you Via dei Calzaiuoli.

We went to Sasso del Dante three times during our last stay in Florence: twice for dinner and once…read morefor lunch. We only tried pastas and soups. They were all excellent. For dinner, we had ravioli with truffle sauce and tagliatelle with porcini once, and ravioli bolognese and lasagna the second time. For lunch we had two Florentine classics: ribollita and pappa pomodoro. The ravioli and the ribollita were particularly outstanding. We also tried several of their wines, which were all very good. We only tried to order dessert once: biscotti with vinsanto, but they were out of vinsanto. The atmosphere and service were also good. Service was attentive and friendly. The location is great: in a quiet side street, but just steps away from Santa Maria dei Fiori. This is a very good place if you are visiting the Duomo, or staying in that area.

If you're fortunate enough to have your travels take you through idyllic Tuscany, then add the…read moremedieval town of Siena to your places to visit. It's one of the most visited, if not the most visited cities in Tuscany, and for good reason. It's also a UNESCO world heritage site. Inside the medieval city, you'll see the beautiful Duomo di Siena (admission charge for a visit inside), plentiful nice shopping and good places for food. Most importantly​, don't leave without visiting the Piazza del Campo. This is THE landmark site! It's a huge circular piazza where Il Palio, the famous horserace, takes place twice a year. It's also the main reason why Hubby, who loves horseracing, wanted to come see Siena. The riders all ride saddle-less in this four-day​ long race. It was also a part in a scene from James Bond's movie, "Quantam Solace". If you too are into horseracing, there's a fabulous little store, Luciano Valentini, that sells amazing prints of photos taken during Il Palio. They can ship their beautiful prints, or you can take them with you, as they will pristinely​ pack them. For Foodies and dessert aficionados​, you must try the ricciarelli cookies, which originated in Siena! Since my first visit to Italy after right college, these have been my favorite of all Italian cookies (and there are so so many different kinds!!!). And actually my favorite of all cookies! Yes, I like them better than even chocolate chip cookies. Sadly, the versions in the U.S. pale sadly in comparison, and I've tried them everywhere I see them. (Review forthcoming for A. Nannini, where I purchased great ones). Siena gets extremely touristy! We're here in later September, and there are still a good amount of tourists from all over the world. I've been here on previous visits during the peak of summer and it's almost unbearable. One of the best times to get a real sense of Siena is to see it late at night, about 11 pm and on when the hoards of tourists visiting for the day have all gone. Although the shops will be closed, it's very quiet, and walking through the streets in this medieval city will feel like you've gone back in medieval times. I did it once during my previous visits, and it was my most favorite and memorable moments in Siena.

City hopping in Italy is an amazing experience!!!…read more Florence is a beautiful city with amazing hospitality and breathtaking architecture I had the best dinner here. I got to people watch and walk through city and I came upon a wine wall.....Literally a wall where you walk up and knock on the window and order a drink of wine I wish I could have stayed here longer but I am glad I got to visit for a little bit Nite life is fun Restaurant's all have an amazing menu Architecture and history is a 10/10 Easy to walk around and shop I felt safe at all times

Florence or Firenze such a stunning city! With all the amazing architecture. Everywhere you look…read moreyou get amazed of its beauty. It was a quick visit. I wished i stayed longer and I wish it was not raining. Rain didn't stop us to get marveled of everything we saw. Starting with the plaza where you can admire all the magnificent statues around. The Neptune fountain and the Perseus with the head of Medusa, Hercules and Caus, and David. I was so in awe of every figure so well represented. The city is small but so much to see, so much to eat, so much to buy. There are lots of stores, restaurants, lots of streets vendors. I wanted to buy lots of things but thinking about the excess of weight at the time I am flying back stopped me from buying. There is a Bronze Warthog statue that people rub its nose and put a coin in his tongue and if the coin falls inside the cells on the bottom you get a wish granted. According to the legend. Also they have water faucet running in places around the city where you could refill your water bottle. They have clean water that you can drink from any faucet. I was surprised about that. I loved The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. A gothic magnificent church. I really love my stay there. If you get a chance to make a trip to Italy you must visit Florence. This is just a simple description of my visit but the pictures speaks volumes.