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​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 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.

​Happy Holidays!  Stop looking for the perfect gift, do all your Christmas wins shopping at CSIWines.com! Our good buddy Anthony Frevelletti is back with us, and he tells us you can have some incredible wine from Tuscany under your tree by Christmas day! 

​Also, Anthony is super excited to share his thoughts on what he thinks was an incredible harvest for 2019, and what makes it unique, especially for the smaller producers in the Tuscany. If you have heard Anthony on our podcast before you know that he is uber passionate bout wine and he does not disappoint in this episode. 

​In today's world of unique travel of experiences, people are quick to rent a property on the internet sight unseen where reviews are manipulated, and pretty pictures don't tell the whole story.

When it comes to a trip of a lifetime to Tuscany, or even Italy for that matter, why chance it? You shouldn't and why Parker Villas is the best when it comes to first-class rental properties and excellent customer service and satisfaction.

Parker Villas just added a new property in Tuscany.  It's calledCatini Alto. Here's the description from the Parker Villas website:

​Hosting a podcast explicitly dedicated to Tuscany has many advantages. The one we like the most is the network of friends that we have made over these 59-episodes. We hope that when you listen to every episode that you feel you have created a bond of some sorts with our guests as well.

We have discovered that not one size fits all when it comes to travel. Some of you like to do your planning.  Some of you are not that detailed and want everything mapped out down to the smallest detail. This service is where Italy Customized comes in and is here to help.

Linda has lived in Florence for the past 18-years; she has dual citizenship, Australian and Italian. Her credentials described on the Italy Customized website tell you she had cut her teeth in the travel and tourism industry.

​Our interview covers a lot, like the strangest request Linda has gotten when putting a tour together. She also reveals her hidden gems. Those places off the beaten path that tend to go unnoticed by tourists because they are on the road(s) less traveled. 

Linda is part of our network of friends. We share a common passion, a love for Italy and the desire to tell stories or create an experience that inspires you to travel, experience a different culture, and take in a part of the word that still seems it like it was centuries ago. 

We would love to hear your stories! Email us your pictures, and where you are at and with your permission, we will share them on our social media channels. The more we share, the more we inspire. The more we inspire, the more we live! 

We have done several interviews here on the Total Tuscany Podcast. This being the 58th episode we have introduced you to fascinating people who make Tuscany so unique.  With no disrespect to our previous guests, our discussion with Andrew Cotto just might be our favorite.

Why do you ask? Well, there are a number of reasons, but the number one reason is we just connected with him.  We are similar in age, love food, wine, people, and most of all Tuscany.

Andrew lives in New York City. He is an author, academic, and if you can’t tell by his last name, comes from Italian descent. When he was in this 30’s Andrew was looking for a life change (don’t we all go through this?) Unlike so many of us he actually acted on his impulse, quit his job, sold some property, and moved to Italy for a year this wife and young daughter.

What came out of that one year? Memories to last a lifetime for sure and the inspiration to write! Andrew has penned three novels; his latest, Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure.  We dive deep into the book throughout the interview but here’s a taste of what the book is about... food!

​Andrew has a dynamic personality. He’s and award winning author and has written travel articles for the biggest newspapers and magazines in the world and today we are fortunate enough to have him be our guest and share his amazing story with you.

Tucked away in the hills outside of Castellina in Chianti is one of our favorite places to visit when we are in Tuscany.  It's a family run estate called Querceto di Castellina. Our love affair with the estate started when we stayed on the property in 2011, and it is one of the stops on the Total Tuscany Experience.

The buildings on the property date back centuries. The winery has been sustainable since 1998, and it has been certified organic since 2012. In our book, Querceto di Castellina is certified awesome! Not only does it produce amazing, the Matriarch of the family, Laura cooks incredible Tuscan dishes that are simply to die for. 

Mary Shea, the Marketing Director at Querceto di Castellina, is always looking for new ways for visitors to enjoy the estate and the Tuscan countryside. A couple of years ago a corporate client asked if they could have a large dinner in the vineyard. It had never been done at the property before, Mary and her team pulled it off without a hitch. That experience got Mary thinking, why not make it a regular affair so more people can enjoy the experience. 

If you can't make it to one of the vineyard dinners, there is no need to worry. Querceto di Castellina has so much to offer, there really is a picture to take in every direction you look.  There are also plenty of spaces to sit back, relax, and take in the Tuscan countryside.
From wine tastings, lunch, cooking classes, and apartments that sleep anywhere from 1 to 10; Querceto di Castellina really is the epitome of Tuscan authenticity and hospitality.

Are you ready to visit? Your trip is already planned, join us on the Total Tuscany Experience September 29-October 6, 2018.

Planning on going to Tuscany but don't know where to start? We can help! Email us atinfo@totaltuscany.com and we will work one-on-one with you to help plan and coordinate the perfect trip. 

​If you are a regular listener to the total Tuscany Podcast, you know that Pat Campagna has a great passion for the region. If you are not a regular listener well, then you will hear Pat's enthusiasm as he details his five favorite things about Tuscany.

Visiting Tuscany, or Italy for that matter is not about travel and tourism, it's about the experience. You can travel anywhere, but it's what you do, what you see, what you taste and smell once you get there that makes the memories last a lifetime.  Food, wine, people, landscapes, art, it all comes together to what we think is euphoria.

Sitting around the table with food, wine, and a a full day of experiences make for the best conversations.

Visiting local hilltop towns and watching local artists in action gives you a feeling that everything is genuine and you are taking home something that is unique to you and your experience.

The landscapes at every turn will take your breath away. Sometimes you just have to stop, get out the car and take it all in.

It's the people you meet in the places you visit that make a at trip a a true experience. The more we learn not just about the places we visit but about each other is what makes the world a better place to live in.