You’re headed to Tuscany for a wonderful trip to see a new city and experience a different culture. You’re bound to be excited, but you might feel a little overwhelmed too. There’s so much to see and so little time, so which tour agency should you pick to guide you?
If you’re looking for a tour with a personal touch, a view of the villages, and a walk through the cities, family owned agencies like Tuscany Untouched Tours may be just what you need to make your trip that much more memorable.
Experience Slow Traveling
Most large agencies take you through Tuscany without stopping for a break. They want to ensure that you see everything, but traveling so quickly isn’t always fun.
Slow traveling provides you with a much more authentic experience that’s separate from the manufactured tourism you’ve come to expect.
Instead of rushing through the city, you experience Tuscany from a local’s point of view. Eat what they eat, where they eat, and try out their daily life.
While it would be routine for locals, it’s something novel and gratifying for any world traveler. By traveling more slowly, you’ll experience the culture not only in cities, but in underrated areas not many travelers go to.
Explore Underrated Locations
You won’t skip over the big cities and landmarks when you head over to Tuscany and travel with a family owned agency, but you will have the opportunity to tap into the authentic way of living.
As you explore underrated locations, you’ll find that your experience is much more authentic rather than exhausting.
Get to know the local producers as you discover traditional food and connect with the people, without disrupting peoples’ ways of life while you’re there.
Dive into the local culture by heading on over to towns that you wouldn’t be able to find on your own, or with a larger agency either.
With a specialist tour guide from one of these family-owned agencies, it’s possible to see the untouched pieces of Tuscany that will truly make your trip memorable.
By viewing these locations, you’ll be able to experience Italian culture like never before, while taking a genuine interest in both the culture and the people who live there.
Embrace the local tradition by checking out the best goat cheese producers in the region, or gaining a first-hand look at a woodworker’s studio as you see art come to life.
Experience Authenticity
There are few ways better to have an authentic experience in Tuscany than to travel with a family-owned tour agency that truly knows the sights and culture. Be flexible as you go with the flow and plan to stay a little longer in one place.
Even though you’d like to see as much as you possibly can, you won’t have an authentic experience if you over-plan your trip. You can’t hurry through an authentic experience in any of these locales.
Play with Chianti Cashmere Goats
If you’re looking for something most tour agencies never get to do, you’ll love checking out the Chianti Cashmere goat farm.
This is one of the largest producers of cashmere wool in Europe, and of course the goats are cute too. Chat with the owner Nora before playing with the goats just a little.
Local Agriturismo
Instead of staying in some big name, impersonal hotel, you can experience Tuscany in a local agriturismo, or a farmstay.
Surround yourself with olive trees and vineyards as you stay in a beautiful villa that really makes you feel like you’re a part of Tuscan history and culture.
Sunset Vineyard Hike
You’ll know that Tuscany is famous for its vineyards, so why not take some time to hike through one to see where all the magic happens?
Meet your guide for a wonderful afternoon picnic after a hike through the vineyards. When you finish your tour, a traditional dinner will be made for you to enjoy.
Organic, Sustainable Farming
Head on over to places like Maremma, which is one of the lesser-visited and more rustic parts of Tuscany. Check out the farming methods used by the vegetarian owner who now runs the farm in a sustainable and organic way.
Of course, you’ll see some beautiful and healthy animals when you visit too.
Mingle with the Locals
When you partake in slow travel with a smaller agency, you have the chance to mingle with the locals and perhaps even make a few friends.
Companies like Tuscany Untouched tours will take you to some of the most undiscovered parts of the region where you can talk with people without feeling like you’re disturbing their ways of life.
Rely on your local guide to introduce you to the welcoming people of Tuscany and help you connect with them. You can share a meal with a Tuscan family or learn how to make pasta or wine from a farmer.
Since tour groups are small too, you’ll have a chance to speak with locals one-on-one without feeling like you’re just one person in a sea of many tourists that they see every day.
Conclusion
It can be stressful planning a vacation. Even being on a vacation can be stressful when you’re jumping from place to place in an attempt to see it all. Instead of cramming too many activities into one day with a large travel agency, check out a local family-owned agency like Tuscany Untouched Tours.
You’ll have a chance to experience the local culture, meet the people, and live like a real Italian as you embrace the personal experience you’re looking for.