​The two of the most popular things to do when you go to Tuscany are drink wine and take a cooking class. Well, since we can't travel right now, what if there was a way to put a sommelier and a Tuscan chef right in your kitchen? 

COVID-19 has reinforced our need for connection to people. Linda Sorgiovanni from Italy Customized wants to come into your home, virtually. Linda collaborates with her friend Claudio Bisanzio on a unique cooking class and wine tasting with you and your family and friends.  The 2-hour experience includes wine, a food menu with step by step coaching during the cooking process, a recording of your cooking class, a recipe booklet, and memories that will inspire you to travel to Tuscany to experience the real thing. 

This virtual experience's price is very reasonable—$ 50 per person up to four people and $40 per person for larger groups.  We recommend that groups are not larger than eight people. 

​Yes, there is a pretty big time difference between Florence and the United States. But don't fret; Linda and Claudio are night owls and will work directly with you to schedule a time that works for you and your guests. You can email Linda directly to set up your class.  
linda@italycustomized.it

​If you can’t go to Tuscany for Christmas, why not bring Tuscany to you for the holidays? 

​On this edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast, Arriana Cini from KM Zero Tours has the perfect gift to put under your tree. A Tuscan gift box with 100% locally sourced goods from Tuscany. 

​The idea for the gift box is not a new one, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for her business to survive until tourists return the plan and production were expedited.

​Order your KM Zero Christmas box today and give a gift that is truly unique for the Tuscan lover in your family.

KM Zero is a small boutique travel company based in the Chianti region of Tuscany. They believe in slow, sustainable travel and love creating meaningful and immersive travel experiences aimed at discovering the authentic cultural and culinary heritage of the Tuscan region.

​They support and value the amazing craft and talent of passionate local farmers and artists, who deeply respect and love their land with its ancient flavours and deep-rooted traditions, and who are willing to share it with new visitors and friends.

In our current “new normal” of COVID-19 and physical distancing, sitting on the back porch with a good book sounds pretty relaxing. It won’t take you long to realize your reading a masterpiece byAuthor Laura Morelli. A historical fiction account of Michelangelo’s The David.

Florence, 1500. Fresco painter Jacopo Torni longs to make his mark in the world. But while his peers enjoy prestigious commissions, his meager painting jobs are all earmarked to pay down gambling debts.

​When Jacopo hears of a competition to create Florence’s greatest sculpture, he pins all his hopes on a collaboration with his boyhood companion, Michelangelo Buonarroti. But will the frustrated artist ever emerge from the shadow of his singularly gifted friend?

Our interview dives into the labor of love writing this book was for Laura, it was 20-years in the making! Lots of research trips to Florence, and a true understanding of Renaissance Art History.

"It has been a passion project for me, the subject of Michelangelo's David is something that wouldn't let me go. The drama and the unfolding of the creation of the sculpture and its journey through the streets of Florence."

​The streets of Florence are quiet right now. Italians are looking forward to the day when their surroundings take on a new life, and crowds can gather and feel safe as they look in awe at the architecture. Sit in an osteria and drink wine and eat excellent local cuisine. Or visit the cafe for an afternoon espresso. 

When the heavy burden of COVID-19 goes away, our friend Federico Bonechi wants you do know that you have a place in Florence that feels like home.
 
When we first visited Federico back in December of 2014, there was only one property, Palazzo Belfiore. We have visited Federico several times on our return trips, and we have watched his buisness grow over the last five-plus years. The addition of Palazzo San Niccolo, and Palazzo Del Moro. Each property is unique, located in a different part of the city, each with the capability of providing you with a short or longer-term stay.  If it's a Tuscany countryside experience you are dreaming about, Federico also offers VILLA PIETROSA.

You can find all four locations at one website address,www.yourplaceinflorence.com.

In the first half of this edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast, we talk to Anthony and Becca about what they are going through. 

The second half is a conversation with Anna Madaffari, who owns and operatesCool Tours. We also spent a day with her in the Tuscan countryside when we visited last December. A day to remember that ended with a conversation we featured inepisode 67. 

​Esperienza personale.Translated to English, personal experience. Urbano Brini is on a mission. He wants everyone who visits Florence and Tuscany to have a once in a lifetime adventure. 

Several years ago, he started Florencetown Tours. What began as a simple self-guided bike ride around the city, has grown into something much bigger.  Something more unique. Something more personal.

Last December, I visited Urbano in his office, located a stone's throw from the Arno River. The view alone must provide Urbano with some of his most creative ideas. He is laser-focused on customer service and has a keen understanding of what savvy tourists desire.  Urbano will be the first to tell you what visitors want changes over time. 

Take Florencetown, for instance. Many of the company's offerings are group outings.  Several people, many who you don't know, take a tour to see David, ride Vespas, or retrace the footsteps of the Medici family. Typical things a lot of us do when vacationing to Tuscany, but leaves us feeling more like a tourist rather than having the authentic experience we yearn for when visiting Italy. 

Urbano and his team noticed this and wanted to offer their clients something more.  They didn't need to reinvent the wheel; they just needed to look at the way people want to experience Florence and Tuscany differently.  By differently, we mean privately, uniquely, and off the beaten path. Something that when you tell your friends what you did on your trip, they say, wow! How in the world did you get to do that? 

Urbano makes dreams come true. It shouldn't be that much as a surprise, as you will find out by listening to this podcast, Urbano is one of the biggest dreamers of them all. We are lucky that he wants to share them with the world. 

​When you sit and talk to Mario Scalzi about Italy, it's like a living version of Google. Ask Mario a question, and he doesn't even need time to think, he answers instantaneously.  Maybe Amazon can rename its Alexa to Mario. 

"Hey Mario, what about the Marche region of Italy can you tell us?"

If you want the answer, you will have to listen to this edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast.  Mario is one of our regular guests on the podcast because he brings so much value to you when we talk with him. 

Of course, we always find time to talk about his company, Parker Villas, but the stories he shares about going off the beaten path are what inspire to plan our next trip! 

When planning a trip, you are going to need a place to call home. Sure there are several places you can rent from online.  But do you really know what you are getting? Take the guesswork and the worry out of your rental property.  Parker Villas offers exclusive homes throughout Italy. What does exclusive mean?  Well, you can't rent them anywhere else. Every villa has been inspected and meets the five star standards that Mario has demanded since he founded the company in 1993. 

It was a brisk December afternoon, my wife and I were sitting in the Piazza della Republica in Florence waiting to meet up with our friend Linda Sorgiovanni. You've heard Linda on the podcast before, she owns and operates Italy Customized with her business partner Alberto Bassilichi. However, our afternoon plans were to experience the other business they own and operate, Urban Adventures Florence. 

We were excited because Linda was going to give us a sample of the Florence Foodies Walk. The walk, a two-and-a-half exploration of the city streets, where we found some hidden gems and experienced the following:
Truffles. Gelato. Chianti. Olive Oil. All the essentials of the Italian food pyramid were included on this Florence tour. Leave the diet at home and embrace the feast that is Florence.

• Gain insight into the best local food stores, restaurants, and wine bars
• Sample delicious local fare including earthy truffles and artisan chocolate
• Learn about local extra virgin olive oil (and sample some, too!)
• Experience a localized food history lesson before sampling the best gelato in townRelax with a glass of chianti at the end of the tour

A local, English speaking guide gives the tour, and for about 75-bucks, everything you eat and drink is included. ​

​A local, English speaking guide gives the tour, and for about 75-bucks, everything you eat and drink is included. 

We were fortunate to have Linda give us a private walk, but it would have been amazing to have other people to share the experience with and get different reactions. 

Our first stop was a new Antinori wine bar/restaurant that included a small museum.  Besides giving the history of the Antinori family, the courtyard housed a replica "Crazy Cart," which could haul up to 2000 bottles of chianti. 

​The next stop was a short walk from the Piazza Santa Maria Novella.  We went behind the scenes at Top Bakery, where the owners were making their world-famous Panettone. A sweet cake popular around the Christmas holiday. Close your eyes and imagine the most fabulous smell a bakery can produce. That's what we experienced at Top, and everything we tasted was just as delicious!

​It was time to sit down, Linda had something special planned as we walked into Procacci, a wine bar.  We stared with the most refreshing glass of Prosecco and followed it up with not one, but two truffle and butter sandwiches that were simply unforgettable! 

​Our final stop, Forno di Antonio Mattei.  A quaint little shop where we sampled biscotti.  Not only did we taste several varieties, but the shop documents the history of the family and the business that is still thriving today.  We purchased our biscotti in the replica "hatbox" that was traditional before modern packaging. 

​We ended our tour at Linda's office to record this podcast. Enjoy!  You will want to experience one of the Urban Adventures Florence tours.  We want to save you some money doing so! When you book online, enter the promo code, TOTAL TUSCANY, and you will save 5% off the purchase price.  If you love (or like) food, and wine, Urban Adventures Florence will give you the best day ever!

​It was a bright sunny morning mid-December in Florence. My wife and I waited outside our hotel in Florence, about 400 yards from the Duomo. We were meeting our friend Anna Madaffari who operates Cool Tours.  

Our plan for the morning was simple. We would walk to Caffe Gilli, have a cappuccino and a pastry, catch up with Anna whom we hadn't seen in a year.  In the large crowds walking to and from the most famous landmark in Florence, emerged the spunky Italian with a smile a mile wide dressed in her traditional black. She was bundled up more than we were as the temperatures were cooler for her, but mild for us considering we were coming from winter in the Midwest. 

"Buongiorno!" Anna lets out, followed by a peck on each cheek; she repeated the greeting for my wife. 

"I am parked around the corner, let's get in the van," Anna said. 

"But what about our morning plans?" I said. 

"Oh, we will stop and get a coffee, but it's too nice of a day not to go for a drive and see something new," she said.

​Anna introduced us to Nicola, who helps manage the estate and the three large but friendly dogs whom Nicola tries desperately to keep from escaping.  While Anna made a couple of phone calls, Nicola took the time to give us a tour of the organic farm. The small cellar that houses what we are about to find out are some amazingly great tasting wines.  Next, it was off to the tasting room for lunch and food.  On the table were red, green, white, and black label wines. Each with its own unique taste that paired perfectly with our appetizers, pasta, and chocolate lava cake for dessert.  My wife and I were seduced by the atmosphere, the smells, the tastes and purchased six bottles, two red labels, two white labels, and two black labeled bottles.  They arrived at our home in Nebraska about three weeks later. 

After about two and a half hours at I Balzini we climbed back into the van to head back to Florence.  We made one more quick stop at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. This is the final resting place for 4,398 Americans who helped liberate Italy in World War 2. It is one of two American cemeteries in Italy and a must-visit for any American.

​We left the cemetery in the late afternoon as the sun was setting into the horizon. Anna maneuvered the streets of Florence and was able to find a parking spot on in the Oltrarno side of the Arno river. We walked to a tiny but upscale wine bar where we sat next to a large window overlooking the Arno. Anna ordered water, my wife and I ordered wine.  It was like a dream, and I didn't want the day to end.  So I counted down, 3, 2, 1, and started interviewing Anna with my portable recorder. The result, the 67th episode of the Total Tuscany Podcast which you can listen to by hitting the play button at the top of this page. 

We talked about our perfect day together, her growing business, and what you can expect when you hire Anna to be your guide a day or even longer. 

Anna is simply the best! If you are going to Tuscany, do yourself a favor and hire her. Your experience with this sweet, spunky Italian will most likely turn into the most memorable part of your trip.  You will see Tuscany through her experienced eye and know the place better.