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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Italian Adventure 2014: Tuscany

The last stop of our Italian Adventure was the unbelievably beautiful Tuscany.


We rented a car in Rome, which ended up being a huge ordeal. Long story short, I booked the car way ahead of time and paid for it in full. When you pick up your car they need a card so they can hold a certain amount of money for insurance. This was fine and we expected it. What we did not expect was that they would not take our card because the numbers on it were not raised. It was pretty silly. So after about 3 hours of trying to find wifi, making some phone calls, researching trains and some super frustrating conversations we finally got it worked out. And it was the best feeling in the world! We were so thankful to finally hop in the car and make our way into the Tuscan Countryside.

We headed to San Gimignano where are gorgeous resort was located and enjoyed such a spectacular drive with a view on the way. When we arrived, this area lived up to everything we had heard and so much more.





We were blown away by our resort and I mean blown away. We could not recommend this place enough. Our agenda for this leg of the trip was to relax, explore some little towns and just enjoy the amazing beauty around us. La Collegiata was the perfect place to do so {more info on tips and tricks at the end of the post}. 






 Our rental car...#bigmanlittlecar.


We just adored this place.



We spent our days exploring a few of Tuscany's quaint towns {like San Gimignano and Volterra}, enjoying scenic drives and relaxing by the pool. We would shop, eat, explore and then go relax. We had no agenda and it was perfect.



 I love this man so. He is the cutest!


One night we went to an Agriturismo and I think it was probably our favorite part of the trip. This is a place that is basically a combination of a farm, winery and resort. Pretty much amazing. This night and this amazing place deserves a post of it's own, so stay tuned next week for more details. 


Robert and I had a hard time deciding which Italian stop was our favorite, especially after loving Venice so much. But we both came to the conclusion that the Tuscan Countryside topped the list. The beauty, the green, the hills, the wine, the quaint towns, the adorable shops, the amazing resorts, the relaxed feel...I could go on and on. But it truly is a place unlike any other, a place that you leave feeling in such awe of God's creation. 


Lastly...

Where to Stay:
La Collegiata in San Gimignano. Man, this place was amazing. The greatest breakfast each morning, a gorgeous pool, clean and spacious rooms, all surrounded by beautiful countryside. We highly recommend this place.

Where to Eat: 
Fattoria Poggio Alloro. This is the Agriturismo/Winery we went to and had the best meal of our life here. More details to come in a post next week. But make sure to book a tour, wine tasting and dinner. You will be SO glad you did.

What to Do:
- Relax!
- Drive through the countryside
- Enjoy where you are staying
- Visit and explore some Tuscan towns like San Gimignano, Volterra, Siena, there are many to choose from and I don't think any could disappoint.
- Visit an Agriturismo or/and Winery

Thank you Tuscany for the time of our lives! So thankful we got to visit you. We dream about going back one day.

If you would like to check out the rest of our Italy trip or all of our travel adventures, check out my Travels Page here!

Going on an Italian Adventure? Have any questions? Please feel free to comment or email me!

Linking up with Travel Tuesdays.
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13 comments:

  1. haha, that picture of your husband in that tiny car made me smile. Looks like a lovely little trip! :)

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  2. Ah we loved Tuscany too!! We also went to Volterra! Love your photos, that hotel looks amazing! Your tall hubby in that mini car.. haha!

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  3. I loved Tuscany <3 You're photos are fantastic and the resort looks incredible! Also, can I please have that car?!

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  4. oh my goodness, so beautiful! I would love to go there someday!

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  5. Your pictures are gorgeous!! I'm so jealous. It looks like you had a fun time!

    www.madeintheshadeblog.com

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  6. This looks amazing!!! We've been saying Italy needs to be our next big trip and this just settles that. B-e-autiful!!

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  7. Fiat 500's rock! Tuscany is so beautiful and your photos have captured that; it looks like you had a fabulous break x

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  8. Wow!! The Tuscan countryside looks like everything I ever dreamed it would be!! It is so beautiful! I have wanted to go for the longest time (ever since watching Under The Tuscan Sun!). Your tips are fantastic and I think the resort you stayed at sounds divine! I hope to get and see it all for myself one day :) just discovered your blog through Travel Tuesday and I'm excited to check out your travel archives!

    Carly xo

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  9. The Tuscan countryside was by far my favorite stop in Italy. You resort looks so beautiful!

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  10. I so enjoyed this post!! We stayed in Tuscany last spring, and left a piece of our hearts there for sure. Your photos brought back so many lovely memories! We, too, had a ridiculous time getting our rental car to clear- though ours was at the Pisa airport. There may have been tears... But after that ordeal, we had the time of our lives! Is the resort you stayed at the one in Letters to Juliet? Sure looks like it! We stayed in Volterra, and traveled all over southwest Tuscany (the Val d'Orcia and Chianti regions mostly-with a wine stop in Bolgheri, and a terme stop in Saturnia. Thank you for bringing back all those wonderful memories!

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  11. Wow - if I ever go to Tuscany I will for sure take your advice and go stay in that place, it looks wonderful! And i love that picture of Robert in the car haha Europe makes everything so small!

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  12. Wow Tuscany does look exactly like it appears in paintings! So beautiful. Thanks for the advice--if I ever get to go I will definitely take your advice! :)

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