Scandinavia Yes, I have been to that lovely garden! Check out this “best of” list. Hold on! Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. Easy-to-follow maps (including color maps of Tuscany, central Florence, and greater Florence) Trip planning: When to go, pre-trip checklist, festivals and holidays, recommended books and movies Thank you for this new tour and thanks so very, very much for all the wonderful experiences I’ve had with your tours. But there’s much more to this rocky little island: pebbly beaches, hardworking harbors, seafood dinners, and a truly terrifying gondola ride. Rick Steves went to Tuscany for his travel show "Rick Steves' Europe," walking us through its fascinating pre-Roman history and gentle beauty, and showing us what the sweet life is all about. Stunning landscapes — check. Tuscany and the Cinque Terre are our favorites. We stayed at a marvelous B &B in Montalcino. I know — when compared to things like gelato and Michelangelo and pappardelle alla bolognese, it’s hard to get excited about the people who lived in Tuscany 3,000 years ago. Paperback $16.79 $ 16. Giulio the steak maestro. For 50 years, Adamo has made sure visitors enjoy a tasty education in the Nobile di Montepulciano. We had one of our most memorable lunch up at the castle restaurant in town. We had a boeuf bourguinon feast! Donatello. Don’t let your eyes glaze over. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. We love Tuscany…have been to Cesare’s workshop where he made a gift for us. During each day’s jaunt, we loved speaking with the locals in our limited Italian and they seemed to love (and get a kick out of) our attempts to do so! And after years of traveling all up and down “The Boot,” one area in particular keeps drawing me back: Tuscany, Italy’s heartland. Not only did their advanced culture lay a foundation for the ancient Romans, and ultimately for all of Western Civilization. We enjoy the culture and energy of busy cities but are country dwellers at heart. Elba makes for a relaxing island escape from a busy Tuscan itinerary. My wife and I have been to Siena three times, but the most memorable visit included two days before and after the New Year, especially because of the magnificent 360-degree video projection in the palazzo leading up to the New Year countdown. Then he heads into wine country for a little dolce vita under the Tuscan sun. Hi Steve, your Italy book recommended one of my favourite little towns, “civita di bagnoregio” if someone wants to travel off the beaten path. For a change of pace, consider hopping a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the little isle of Elba. On the actual day of … When I’m in the bucolic heart of Tuscany, I have trouble getting to sleep. Rick Steves: Rome is magic after dark At the Contucci cellar, your host is the lively Adamo. Highly recommend!! But, despite all of this, the Etruscans left virtually nothing tangible behind — shrouding their distant civilization in mystery. Or…let someone else do all that planning. Travel with Rick on this video guide to Siena, Italy and find out what to do on your next trip. Of course, we always indulged in a mid-afternoon gelato, too! While some are more refined than others, expect muddy roads, manure smells, and tractor engines firing up in the wee hours. It was one of our best memories of that trip. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Gregarious locals — check. What’s not to love? The harvests and cooler air, the scent of roast chestnuts in Pienza, the warm uncrowded waters of Saturnia were unforgettable. My head spins with the sublime experiences of the day that just ended, and my pulse quickens thinking about what tomorrow will bring. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. Give the Etruscans a little bit of your touristic attention…and you may just find yourself entranced by the stories they have to tell. (Who doesn’t?) We recommend our favorites in the Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook, and you can also find a comprehensive list at Agriturismo.it. Read more about one of our favorite agriturismi: Cretaiole, just outside of Pienza. Here are a few of Tuscany’s top Etruscan artifacts, and where to find them. (All of these craftspeople — and others — are recommended in our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook). If you take the time to slow down and seek out these modern-day masters, you’re left with indelible memories: Roberto the alabaster sculptor. Honest!”. But it’s not just the landscape. Best of all, because 99 percent of travelers have never heard of these sights, they’re all yours. But many of my favorite works don’t hang in famous Florence museums; they’re hidden away in off-the-beaten-path towns and overlooked countryside churches. 4+ stars ! Six months ago, as I was plotting out my summer travels, I volunteered to do some guidebook-updating work in Italy: Orvieto, Assisi, and, oh, I don’t know, maybe a few other places… like, say… Tuscany? We attended that same opera while visiting Lucca. But the Etruscans may well be the most fascinating prehistoric people you’ve never even thought about. PS: We don’t go to Europe without a Rick Steves’ book to guide us. These are places where it’s actually worth paying way too much for a fancy aperitivo for the privilege of just hanging out at an al fresco table and getting serious about people-watching. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. Not only did they warn Julius Caesar about the Ides of March and give their name to the region of Tuscany. Then he heads into wine country for a little dolce vita under the Tuscan sun. Read more about these two overlooked Tuscan masterpieces…and why Il Sodoma may be the quirkiest character in art history. But if you’re lucky enough to hit his shop when he’s all stocked up, you’ll enjoy his explosively flavorful creations. Isabella has a knack for understanding what her American clientele are looking for in a trip to Tuscany. Each Tuscan town’s piazza has its own special character: Florence’s is in the shadow of the towering Palazzo Vecchio. “Tuscan cooking classes” are an entire subgenre of travel. Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers how to stroll the same streets walked by Michelangelo, explore world-reknown art museums, or sample Tuscan cuisine? I found it a magical place to visit. Everyone in attendance sang along to the group’s many hits and without a hint of an Italian accent. It’s an interesting art garden of an eccentric (U.S., I think) artist, open to the public. My wife, Sandy, and I have been to Italy several times and Tuscany is our favorite. Europe for Foodies I thought I’d just pop in and say hi … We stayed in an Agriturismo outside of Orvieto and had the most amazing farm to table communal meals there with guests from all over the world. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, Rick Steves: Wonderful wineries in Tuscany Roberto Bechi, my favorite guide in the region, runs a farmhouse B&B perched on a bluff a 20-minute drive south of Siena. My trip was in 2005, Loved it, wish I could live the there, did almost everything you suggested except cooking class, not enough time. “Now, why might you want to go to Tuscany?”, I cut to the chase: “Look, I just want to go. Impeccably designed by Heather Lawless and other experts and guides in our Tour Operations department, it weaves together 12 days of vivid Tuscan experiences. I’m so excited cuz I’m booked on the September departure of the Tuscany tour. Here’s what to expect in off-season Tuscany. His weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves first aired in 2005. That architectural legacy is a boon for today’s travelers, who enjoy climbing to the tops of these towers for views over the rooftops and rolling hills of Tuscany. “Tuscany, eh?” She remembers all too well that the last time I went to Tuscany on a guidebook-updating expedition, I came home with a chapter twice as long as the one I left with…including a nine-page, fresco-by-fresco, self-guided tour of an obscure monastery tucked deep in the Tuscan hills. While not technically a “cooking class,” going on a truffle hunt in a Tuscan forest — chasing after a smart-as-a-whip dog who has the scent of those precious deposits — gives you a whole new appreciation for a plate of truffle pasta. Towers both served a defensive purpose and stood as status symbols for proud communities. Tuscany is all about community. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Portugal “Farm-to-table” was a thing in Tuscany centuries before it became trendy among 21st-century American foodies. Click on the ‘Tuscany’ show to hear me, karin kibby, and rick talk about italy’s most beautiful region (warning: Karin and I are totally biased). I’ve already signed up for one of the 2020 departures — just for fun (no work this time, I promise). It’s like summer camp for grownups. Agriturismi are required to be working farms (that is, they must actually produce something) while also offering accommodations, restaurants, educational activities, or all of the above. I went there earlier this summer (researching a new chapter for the upcoming 18th edition of our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook) and was totally charmed by the place. Hope to do it in the future! It’s a great garden. Isabella taught us to make pici. That’s about to change — my wife and I are signing up to be tour members on the Best of Tuscany in 2020. In 2007 my husband and I were in Paris on a 7 Days in Paris Rick Steves’ tour. Many great truffle-focused eateries there…. Incredible food — check. Tuscany Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . You are, in effect, eating a very specific place. study up on how to sniff out the best gelato wherever you go, anywhere in Italy. Many Tuscan farms invite visitors to learn about how they make their wine, olive oil, and prosciutto. Cesare the coppersmith. It’s like I’m on some sort of globetrotting drug…freebasing the essence of peak travel. Required fields are marked *. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. Jennifer Madison Davis, the managing editor who keeps our guidebook production schedule humming like a finely tuned machine, eyed me suspiciously. You can walk through the vineyards, check out the olive press, and step into the hut where giant ham hocks hang on racks, slowly curing in the dry air. I’ve been working with Rick Steves since 2015, and yes, he’s just as amazing in person as he is on his TV shows! How to choose? Tuscany’s towers date from a time long before there was an “Italy” — when this area was a loose collection of city-states and wealthy families, all vying for the upper hand. To help you get started, we've listed our top picks for where to go in Tuscany, and our plan for your best two-week trip. Read about a zero-kilometer meal you can experience just outside of Montalcino. We're currently planning on spending the three weeks in the the lakes area and Tuscany; thinking roughly 7 days in the lakes and 14 in Tuscany. What we're trying to figure out first is the general outline of the trip (order, major stops, transportation, etc.). We usually returned late to our little condo and I cooked up the fresh veggies and pasta that we purchased for a few Euros along our journey, enjoying it with a little Tuscan vino and fragrant bread. Become a temporary Tuscan. There’s so much more that I haven’t covered here — cycling around Lucca’s ramparts, taking a dip in the Roman-era hot springs of Bagno Vignoni, doing a tasting of high-end “Super Tuscan” wines at a Florentine enoteca — but hopefully this is enough to stoke your wanderlust for your next trip to Tuscany. Learn more about the roots of Tuscany’s obsession with towers. I think it’s because it’s so experience-rich. And fireflies (none where we live) just added to the magic. Cameron, Da Vinci. We chose one destination per day, soaking in the scenery and ambience of each, visiting farmers markets and vineyards, and enjoying an inexpensive lunch (usually per Rick’s recommendations). We are planning to do the Venice to Rome tour and wanted to fly into Florence 3-4 days earlier. Practicalities. Our tour company just announced a brand-new Best of Tuscany Tour for 2020. Over dinner, we discussed our plans for the next day’s adventure. Or study up on how to sniff out the best gelato wherever you go, anywhere in Italy. Verona, Italy: Joy of the Veneto by Rick Steves' Europe. And Siena’s — the best of them all — is a vast, slanted, brick-paved oblong that hosts a twice-yearly horse race. Nicola goes all-in on seasonal flavors (creamy basil), surprising combinations (carrot-ginger, kiwi-spinach), and top quality. Our last visit was in April, 2017 and we stayed two weeks in a condo located in the serene countryside near Assisi. In this travel class, Rick Steves describes Italy's Tuscany and Umbria — adjoining regions famous for their scenery, food, wine, and fine cities and hill towns (including Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Civita, and Assisi). European Travel Skills With about 800 Rick Steves tours this year enjoying unforgettable experiences in every corner of Europe, I wasn’t surprised to bump into one of my groups in an Etruscan cellar below the streets of Volterra having a wine tasting by Francesco. France Comparing notes with Heather as she’s put this tour together, I’m both gratified to see many of my personal favorites on the list…and impressed by how many entirely new-to-me experiences Heather has sniffed out. I love Italy. Amazing art — check. Lucca’s follows the footprint of an old Roman amphitheater. One night in Vernazza, we sat on the cliffs with a view of the full moon over the Mediterranean! I thought the village was fun, also. And now I’m back in one of my favorite places on earth. Travel with a Mobile Device Here are four Tuscan artisans you can get to know in Montepulciano. A meal like this is an interplay of earthy flavors, where the taste of each item enhances, and is enhanced by, the taste of every other item. Maybe I’ll see you there. Terms of Service | Privacy. Every tree that’s planted, every farmhouse that’s restored, every road that’s re-routed — it’s all carefully considered not only on practical or economic merits, but also on aesthetics. It is, as you describe, somewhat eccentric and an enjoyable place for a little walk. Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves' Europe. Ireland ... VOLTERRA on Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves by VolterraTelevision. Two examples stick out in my mind: In Arezzo, you can step into the Technicolor apse of the town church to see luscious frescoes by Piero della Francesca. (I just checked my records, and the end of this year will mark the tenth anniversary of that visit.). One visit was at Halloween, a fabulous time of year to go! And a wonderful Agriturismo just outside Assisi….we had a glorious view of Assisi and could easily hear the church bells pealing. Spain Thanksgiving in Tuscany: A Treasured Travel Memory, Jams Are Fun: Making the Most of a Bad Situation, Is It Safe to Fly During the Coronavirus? Touring Tuscany in May 2016 was a dream…I was lucky to have a seasoned traveler to Italy with me……..trying hard to pack in Florence, Cinque Terre, followed by a leisurely week in Lucca ( followed by 5 days in Montepulciano )where we rented a lovely apartment and got to know the local baker and the veg &fruit lady…… we rented bikes and rode the rampart surrounding the town…..but the very best experience was a live concert of Puccini arias in a lovely old church ( since Puccini spent some time in Lucca….the town has claimed him as their own… with concerts one evening a week pretty much throughout the year…..front row….we could most reach out and touch the performers…..breathtakingly beautiful ! You have changed my life in such a wonderful way that I can’t even express. Tuscany is crazy about its towers — whether it’s the turreted townhouse of a wealthy local bigwig in San Gimignano, the fancy facade of a humble town hall in  Montepulciano or Volterra, the towering City Hall of Siena, or the famously tipsy bell tower at Pisa’s Field of Miracles. In Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany you'll find in-depth Rick-tested information on:. What have I forgotten? It was chilly but not cold, a crop of winter wheat blanketed the hillsides with a green vibrancy, seasonal ingredients (like chestnuts, persimmons, and truffles) infused each meal with autumnal flavors, and — best of all — we could simply show up spontaneously at museums and restaurants that would have been mobbed a few months before. He makes several batches fresh every morning, so they’re not even available until mid-day. Entertaining cities — check. In this country notorious for its challenging idiosyncrasies, Tuscany is the one place where everything is in perfect, serene harmony. I went there earlier this summer (researching a new chapter for the upcoming 18th edition of our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook) and was totally charmed by the place. I promise that I won’t get carried away. Scotland Italy has more than 20,000 agriturismi: farms that are subsidized by the government to introduce travelers to a unique pastoral lifestyle. If you want something done just right, with precision artistry and care…find yourself a Tuscan. 79 $23.99 $23.99. This was our favorite visit to Italy and our takeaways were: 1) spend a couple of weeks in one homebase location (if possible); 2) rent a vehicle for sightseeing in Tuscany; 3) Learn a little Italian and speak to the people you meet; 4) Try doing some of your own cooking with the amazing, fresh Tuscan produce; 5) Enjoy a daily glass of Tuscan wine and, of course, a gelato! Fortunately, the region remains entertaining off-season, when things are much quieter. Come to understand the local saying, il dolce far niente — “the sweetness of doing nothing.”. Rick enjoys a front-row seat at its wild horse race - the venerable Palio - and marvel at cultural treasures from the days when Siena rivaled Florence for leadership of Tuscany. Ugh, five weeks from today I was heading to Italy to start the new Tuscany tour. As fate–and the surprising Italian planning would have it–the video was completely Beatles themed, if I recall correctly. If you’re intrigued by the idea of splicing a little Tuscan seaside into your trip, check out my full report on Elba. By Rick Steves, Tribune Content Agency on May 2, 2017 Wedged between Florence and Rome, Tuscany offers the quintessential Italian experience: sun-soaked hill towns, green and rolling screensaver hills, romantically fortified farms and cypress trees marching single file up lonely ridges. For all of the details on everything described here, check out our Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook. For inspiration, here’s a rundown of my all-time-favorite Tuscan cooking classes. Rick enjoys a front-row seat at its wild horse race - the venerable Palio - and marvel at cultural treasures from the days when Siena rivaled Florence for leadership of Tuscany. Just wondering if you, Sarah Corfield, or any of the guides (including Rick) have been to ‘Basco della Ragnaia’, just outside the village of San Giovanni D’Asso? One of Tuscany’s calling cards is its mind-bending scenery: Sumptuous, extravagantly green, undulating farm fields that look like a painting. Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. Looking for the ultimate Tuscan piazza? I prefer a smaller group. One word of caution: Be aware that an agriturismo is truly a working farm. Greece I’ve blogged more about that subject than I have about entire countries. So much of the traveler’s Tuscany is rolling farm fields, world-class art, stony hill towns, and hearty, meaty cuisine. Nicola the gelato artist. In fact, I went there once after a truffle hunt (with the hunter and his dog), simply to learn about the garden. We recommend our favorites in the Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany guidebook, and you can also find a comprehensive list at Agriturismo.it. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Tuscany. Play “King of the Castle” atop a Fortified Tower. This roundup is designed to inspire you to pack your trip with quintessential Tuscan experiences. Linger on a Convivial Piazza and Join the, Visit Off-Season — and Have the Place to Yourself. Adamo the vintner. Today, touring his now-shabby residences is poignant. Then, hop out of your chair and join the informal people parade as it promenades through the traffic-free town center. One Traveler’s Risk Assessment, Provençal Markets for Aficionados: 7 Markets in 7 Days. One Siena native recently told me that Tuscans consider themselves the inheritors and stewards of a centuries-long legacy of beauty. Stick with me. In this travel class, Rick Steves describes Italy's Tuscany and Umbria — adjoining regions famous for their scenery, food, wine, and fine cities and hill towns (including Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Civita, and Assisi). Video: Watch Siena and Tuscany's Wine Country, an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. Tuscany & Umbria - Travel with Rick Steves by Travel with Rick Steves published on 2013-04-29T21:08:21Z Published Jun 04, 2006 - Take a holiday to Mona Lisa's backyard on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Stately churches, humble chapels, rustic farmhouses, and circles of trees perched just so in resplendent tableaus. And deep in the Tuscan countryside, at the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, the cloister is gloriously frescoed with fascinating works by Luca Signorelli and Il Sodoma — offering both a lesson in the life of St. Benedict, and countless examples of two dueling artists whose egos ran amuck 600 years ago. Tuscany — like other popular European destinations — can be extremely crowded. Get to know my favorite gelato artist, Nicola. Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany (Rick Steves Travel Guide) Part of: Rick Steves Travel Guide(32 Books) | by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw | Dec 3, 2019. However, I’m still upset with the local guy who kissed my wife at the stroke of midnight before I did. European Cruising 101 And many others (Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Giotto, Vasari, Fra Angelico) who don’t share their names with radioactive turtles. Then went on to have one of our most outstanding dinners while in Italy. She went for it. Hillsides grooved with twisty rural roads and lined with pointy cypress trees. This hill town's history goes back more than 2,500 years to Etruscan times, but has become popular among American tourists in recent years, and for good reason -- it's gorgeous. Here are some key elements to living la Dolce Vita during your next stay in Tuscany, as presented in the show. Oh well. Tuscany offers a dolce vita mix of hearty cuisine, fascinating history, and gentle beauty. Suddenly the dog got excited, started digging, and discovered a truffle right in the middle of a pathway through the park. Epic history — check. Crossing over into Tuscany from Umbria, Steves next takes us to the town of Cortona -- which some of you may recognize from the novel and film, "Under the Tuscan Sun." Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 2:17. 1 VHS Rick Steves Best of Travels in Europe Great Britain (2001) Hosted by PBS's Rick Steves! For a change of pace, consider hopping a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the little isle of Elba. Italy My inspiration for this piece is the arrival of our just-announced Best of Tuscany in 12 Days Tour, which weaves together, in some form or another, virtually all of the experiences I’ve described here. Tuscans have always been keenly aware that the same produce can taste very different, depending on the specific conditions in which it’s grown — soil, sun exposure, micro-climate, and so on. The thing that made the night most memorable, however, was that in the two or three hours before the celebration, a steady rain had been falling and we had waffled on whether to go to the party. Germany & Austria So much to see, so little time. Sign in. I am looking for Florence tour guides that can take my wife and me around the Tuscany area over a 2-3 day period. My favorite gelato artist in Tuscany, Nicola Sgarbi, is a perfectionist…a total gelato snob. We have been to Cretaiole several times and it is our favorite place on earth. We arrived at our Hotel Londres Eiffel a week early and ate down the street at La Varangue (an RS recommendation). And, after years of visits, I’ve assembled this “best of” list — a running tally of the intensely pleasurable experiences that put Tuscany in travel’s all-time hall of fame. The ultimate farm experience is having a “zero-kilometer” meal — meaning that all of the ingredients are sourced from within less than a kilometer of where they’re eaten. San Giovanni d’Asso itself is a nice little town (and very striking from afar, since it perches on a little plateau). Also remember to look beyond the kitchen. We rented a little Fiat 500 and enjoyed day trips from our home base, buzzing along the narrow country roads throughout Tuscany and Umbria. Happy Travels!!! The story behind that garden is very special. Pienza’s is a perfect Renaissance cube. And there’s no better place to commune with the Tuscans than on the piazza, or main square — particularly in the late afternoon, when families are out strolling…doing those aimless laps that they call the passeggiata. Hi, Rick. We’ve always been glad that we decided to go. At a zero-kilometer meal, you’re not just eating food. Here my top dozen things to do in Tuscany — whether you’re going with a tour, or on your own. Iceland Gelato — super-check. Turkey, ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | 4.8 out of 5 stars 10. Because of their deep dedication to beauty, many Tuscans have devoted their lives to mastering a craft — creating something with care and precision, while carrying on a proud aesthetic tradition going back centuries. I’ll just update what’s already there. And there’s a cooking class for every taste: hand-rolling pasta in a casual, family-friendly setting; going to the private residence of a talented home chef to assemble a seasonal feast; hanging out in the kitchen of a Michelin-star chef; and everything in between. A few tragically under-visited museums around Tuscany display what does survive, including delicate artwork (like the hauntingly beautiful statue called The Evening Shadow, or L’Ombra della Sera) and evocative funerary urns, showing Etruscans with big personalities lounging at an eternal banquet for the gods. Elba is synonymous with Napoleon, who was exiled here for 10 months after his bitter defeat. Tuscany's Dolce Vita by Rick Steves' Europe. (Or maybe it’s just all the pecorino and truffles.). What are some of your favorite Tuscan experiences? Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Here’s a list of the best viewpoints in Tuscany — where you can snap postcard-worthy photos of your own. Raphael. 25:05. And when I get home, it all feels like some sort of surreal fever dream. I’m amped up, like I’m a toy-crazy little kid and every night is Christmas Eve. Settling into an agriturismo, you meet fascinating locals and feel close to the earth. Get it as soon as Wed, Feb 5. Nicola’s gelaterie — in Pienza and in Montepulciano — are just two of many great places to try top-quality gelato in Tuscany. Your email address will not be published. That’s because this region has an outrageously appealing food culture — ranging from big, sloppy plates of pasta to refined high cuisine. Beauty is in the DNA of Tuscans. Get to know my favorite gelato artist, Nicola. And then, in the late afternoon, when they’re gone — they’re gone. One of my all-time favorite trips to Tuscany came in late November. By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. Why is Tuscany my first choice for a European vacation? During the 1400s and 1500s, the Tuscan art world had a very, very, very deep bench: Michelangelo. Switzerland I’ve led many Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, but I’ve never been on one just for fun. Sign in to YouTube. View the daily YouTube analytics of Rick Steves' Europe and track progress charts, view future predictions, related channels, and track realtime live sub counts. see our FAQ. While off-season travel comes with its downsides (cooler weather, earlier closing times, fewer daylight hours), visiting Tuscany outside of peak season can be a great plan for flexible travelers. As an added bonus we were able to throw open our shuttered windows….it was April and the nights were cool…and one of the resident cats hopped through the windows and spent the night in bed with us! Thank you Travel as a Political Act, England & Wales Your email address will not be published. At Halloween, a fabulous time of year to go every morning, so they ’ re with. 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