Explore Tuscany with a little local knowledge
Find towns worth a stop, places to stay and routes to explore, with practical advice from two Aussies who spend much of each year in Chianti.
From Australia to a life in Chianti.
We’re Andrew and Julie, two Australians who spend much of each year in Chianti, exploring Tuscany, Italy and beyond. We share the places we visit, the food and wine we enjoy, and the everyday realities of making Italy part of our lives.
Drawing on our own travels, we offer practical guides, itineraries and personalised planning to help you shape your trip. You’ll also find accommodation, experiences and travel gear we’ve used and recommend, whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning to explore further.
Exploring Tuscany since 2013
Years of return visits and time living in Chianti inform the advice we share.
Recommendations from experience
Places we’ve stayed, experiences we’ve enjoyed and routes we’ve travelled ourselves.
Planning around you
Personal advice shaped around your interests, time and preferred travel pace.
Experiences we recommend
Explore Tuscany through experiences we’ve tried ourselves. These are the ones we’d recommend adding to your trip.
Links to these experiences are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Need help planning your itinerary?
Let us help you plan your perfect slow-living Tuscan escape.
Plan well and enjoy more of Italy.
Explore our travel guides, planners and selected products, or let us help plan a trip around your interests, pace and time available.
Guides, Planners & Itineraries
Practical downloads to help you choose where to go, organise the details and plan your days.
Personal Travel Planning
Let us help shape your Italy trip around your interests, pace and time available.
Stays we recommend
From countryside villas to town apartments, these are stays we’ve enjoyed ourselves. Find a comfortable base for exploring Tuscany at your own pace.
Links to these properties are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Antica Dimora De' Benci, Florence
A convenient base with the Uffizi Gallery a 7-minute walk away, Piazza della Signoria 400 metres nearby, and Ponte Vecchio less than 1 km away.
Piccolo Hotel Puccini, Lucca
Located in a quiet area of Lucca's historic centre, just around the corner from the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini. Rooms have satellite TV, Wi-Fi access and en-suite facilities,
Hotel Palazzo Guadagni, Florence
Set in a 16th-century building in a quiet, neighbourhood square 5 minutes' walk from the Ponte Vecchio. Take in the amazing views over Florence or the Tuscan hills from the roof garden.
Need help planning your trip?
We offer custom itineraries and travel advice to help you make the most of your time in Tuscany.
Get Your Free Italy Travel Checklist
Keep track of what needs doing before you leave. Our free checklist helps you organise your Italy trip, from the first bookings to the final packing.
Plan Ahead
Work through the key tasks before your trip.
Keep Things Organised
Track what’s booked and what still needs doing.
Get Ready to Go
Check off the final details before departure.