The smell of harvested wheat in a Mediterranean region. 

Wind blowing through my hair while holding my face outside the window of the car.

It reminds me of my childhood , growing up in the countryside. 

I open my eyes. Kilometers of gentle hills , golden wheat, green vineyards and old farmhouses.

Welcome to Tuscany, the forever beauty of Italy. Our summer 2020.

Our 3 day itinerary for Tuscany

We started our 3 day trip in the northern part of the province, in the region of Chianti. The most unique and sustainable way to experience this part of Italy is by staying in an Agriturismo – renovated farmhouses with spaciously decorated rooms . They are mainly run by locals and have a limited number of rooms (often a maximum of 10-12). The tranquility and silence you’ll experience will make you feel like you’re on a yoga retreat. We stayed at Porto Pietrafitta, a Relais from the 15th century who offers a small number of rooms as well as self catered apartments. 

Primo giorno – in vino veritas 
Tuscany js famous for its red wine which makes it the perfect spot for wine lovers like me. So first things first, we visited some local vineries. During their visiting tours they taught us about the techniques and different years of aging for making different types of wine. And it always ends with a tasting of their wines. Many of them are producing organic wine – you won’t taste a difference. Our favourites: 
Not fully sustainable but worth a visit – the famous Antinori new Chianti Classico. A unique farm with a wine tradition of more than 800 years. Book early for your wine tour as it’s fully booked fairly quickly.
Querceto di Castellina – a small family run and fully organic vineyard. Well hidden is this small fully organic farm which offers delicious chianti Classico and shares its knowledge on the art of sustainable winemaking. PS: they offer a breathtaking dinner in the vineyard experience.
Our all time favourite vineyard remains la Cantina Salcheto, the #1 producers of the nobile wine of Montepulciano. The awarded vineyard is built in a fully circular way. Besides producing fully organic wine, their barrels are reused as furnitures or recycled as glasses or watches and the whole farm is run with renewable energy. The architecture of its wine cellar is unique as it’s fully lightened by natural light.

Secondo giorno – exploring medieval towns 
Our first point of interest is San Gimignano, a medieval town surrounded by ancient walls and old shops and delicious food. Our next stop takes us to Siena, famous for its yearly race the Palio Di Siena. Once entering the Piazza del Campo you can feel the energy and spirit of the city and can easily imagine the atmosphere during the famous horse race.
After eating a focaccia with pecorino (typical cheese from the region) at one of the local bakeries in Siena, we continue to the south of the region. The famous Val d’Orcia region. The must sees in the region are : Montalcino, Montepulciano, Montecchiello, Pienza. You can easily visit all of them within one day. If you feel like a more adventurous experience , get yourself a mountain bike or e-bike and explore the region in 2 wheels. We opted for the e bike as temperatures in August are high and none of us has Tour de France ambitions. 

Terzo giorno – Maremma
This coastal area of Tuscany offers cristal clear waters, charming towns and again, a world famous wine culture. If you are looking for a unique Italian experience on the sea without the touristic crowds visit the island of Elba. Many delights are waiting to be discovered. 

Extending your trip? We give you some insights on zero emission activities in the region.