We have been friends for more than 50 years. Our travels have taken us to France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Poland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia, Estonia, Scotland, London and Ireland. And, of course, we have had many adventures along the way!
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Although we have used tour companies, we really enjoy striking out on our own with a rental car and the freedom to explore our surroundings. But with COVID still looming on the horizon, it was time to be a bit taken care of; I have been a fan of Rick Steves since his first programs on public television, and we have used his books as references constantly.
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His company is ethical, fair and professional. If there were any problems with a spike in COVID, I trusted him to continue the tour or cancel it.
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Come along with us now as we present a taste of the Best of Tuscany!
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Tuscany was named after the first known settlers, the Etruscans, who lived in central Italy between 700 and 200 BC.
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They were a peace-loving sophisticated society who were expert at designing towns.
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They were conquered by and assimilated into Roman society around the 3rd century BC.
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Because they were so knowledgeable, the Romans used to build aqueducts and heating systems in Roman towns.
Did you know....
Italy was a group of warring duchies until it became a unified country with the inclusion of Venice and Vatican City in 1871?
Our wonderful knowledgeable and ever patient guide, Alfio Di Mauro, left, led us through the dramas of Italian history, hand signals, and pasta delights.
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He always brought up the rear of our group, so not to lose anyone, and introduced us during bus journey to Italian music, both contemporary and historical.
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Our fearless and capable driver, Rodolfo, right, handled our huge bus as though he would his own car, patiently driving so he could turn it around and shyly admitting he loved working in his garden and cooking and baking in his Tuscan restaurant.
Our intrepid band of 22 friendly, easy-going and adventurous members came from all over the country (and then some)...Hawaii, Washington, California, Vancouver, Wisconsin, Texas, Nevada, Maryland and Connecticut. our tallest member was our guide, Alfio (rear left row), and we ranged in age from 40s through 80s. Quite a mix! Being one of the shorter women, I appreciated that Alfio always reminded us that short folks go in front, and tall folks stand in the back of the group.