Ann’s Tuscany Adventure

I’ve been to Tuscany before, but always with Florence as my home base. Doing day trips to Siena or Lucca, or heading out into the countryside for a day of winetasting before retreating back to the city. When the opportunity arose to spend a whole week in Tuscany, I jumped at it! 

The focus for this trip was romance travel (destination weddings and honeymoons). We had the opportunity to tour some gorgeous properties and meet some fantastic local business owners (florists, caterers, event planners, and photographers). And, of course, eat and drink some amazing local food and wine.

If you’ve ever dreamed of getting married in Tuscany, we can absolutely hook you up!

[Photo: The dining hall of Corte dei Papi villa in Cortona]

But I am really excited about Tuscany in general, and what a different experience it offers vacationers when compared to the big cities.  

Accommodations

We stayed at the Buccelletti Casali and Cantina, in Castiglion Fiorentina. It’s a charming property that has been in the Buccelletti family since 1625. They’ve been growing olives and making olive oil for generations, and they now make wine as well.

They have converted the old farm workers’ houses into clusters of villas and apartments. Plus, they’ve turned the olive oil mill into a stunning event space. It was the perfect home base for a week spent exploring the surrounding countryside.

[Photo: Buccelletti Casale and Cantina]

The accommodations themselves were the first big difference from previous trips to Italy. I was in a cute little house with two bedrooms and bathrooms, a living/dining area and small kitchen, and a private yard/garden.

We could prepare our own breakfasts of farm-fresh eggs, homemade bread, and locally produced yogurt, jams, honey, and fruit. We had bottles of wine and olive oil produced right there on site. And the cuisine could not have been more “farm to table”. So different from staying in a hotel! 

When you’re out in the country at an agriturismo like this, it does help to have a car, so that you can get out to the local shops and markets. But at the Buccelletti Casali, we had a basket of provisions (replenished mid-week) and it was more than enough for breakfasts and snacks.  

The Countryside

We were a group, with a very organized itinerary (and drivers/guides), but I would highly encourage clients to rent a car and enjoy a more independent stay in Tuscany. The roads are great, the traffic is light, and they drive on the right side of the road. It’s very manageable for American drivers.

[Photo Credit: MIP Studios via Shared Adventures – a road in Cortona]

While we were there, we had a busy itinerary filled with site inspections at hotels/inns/B&Bs, guided tours of Tuscan hill towns, tastings at local vineyards, and many lengthy multi-course meals with wine pairings. Brutal, I know.

We learned how cheese is made. We met mayors, hoteliers, restauranteurs, and the fascinating couple who purchased and renovated the villa featured in “Under the Tuscan Sun”.

[Photo: Ann & Kristy at Villa Laura]

Highlights

Some of the highlights, for me, included: 

  • Cortona – a town of steep streets, gorgeous views, Etruscan history, and tempting shops.
  •  Pici – traditional hand-rolled Tuscan pasta, made from just the “poorest” of ingredients (flour and water).  
  • Podere il Casale – a pecorino cheese producer, organic farm, and farm-to-table restaurant outside of Pienza, where we enjoyed a fabulous meal completely sourced from right there onsite. (So delicious that I purchased and carried home their very heavy hardbound cookbook in the hopes of recreating that magic
  • Brunello di Montalcino wines – made with 100% Sangiovese, bold and fruity, one of the best Italian reds!

The Tuscany Takeaway

Tuscany is all about the slow food movement, slowing down to take it all in, and enjoying the views.

There’s no long list of “must-sees”. You can while away an afternoon (guilt-free) sitting by the pool sipping wine and snacking on prosciutto. Or riding an e-bike through the countryside. Or rolling up your sleeves for a cooking class.  

I realize now that I was doing it all wrong when I visited Tuscany as a quick side trip from Florence. Tuscany invites you to stop, linger, indulge, experience, and enjoy. And I can’t wait to come back and do it all again! 

[Photo: Villa Le Prata in Montalcino]

Going to the chapel…

Have you ever dreamed of running off to Vegas for a quickie wedding? Or wondered whether people really do that anymore?   

 Well, I have (wondered…not dreamed about it for myself), and my questions have now been answered! As part of the “Wedding MBA” conference in Las Vegas this week, we were treated to a tour of some of the most popular stand-alone wedding chapels in the city, and it was a real eye-opener. The most surprising part? It wasn’t the pink Cadillac that drove the bride and groom down the aisle, the Elvis impersonators who perform hundreds of weddings a day, or the drive-through lane at another chapel. Nope. The most surprising thing to me was that many of these chapels seem so NORMAL.

Modern white wedding chapel

We saw chapels that felt like traditional churches, a rustic chapel that looked like it was lifted out of a Tuscan hill town, and another that was a sleek, white space in which any modern bride would feel right at home. We met the wedding planners who work hand-in-hand with out-of-town couples — who often book their Vegas weddings months (or even years) in advance — and we learned that the reasons for a Vegas wedding are as varied as the couples themselves.  Some do it to save money, some are seeking a unique and quirky atmosphere, and, yes, some are doing it on the spur of the moment and like the fact that there’s no waiting period or blood test required.

Tuscan wedding chapel

From what I saw, there’s a Las Vegas wedding experience that’s right for just about anyone, and I can’t wait until I can help the right clients plan a “Vegas-tastic” destination wedding of their own!

 Elvis wedding officiant

Engagement Season!

It’s that time of year…shiny new engagement rings are popping up all over the place and giddy couples are starting to think about 2010 and 2011 weddings.

What does that mean for Annie’s Escapes? It means that honeymoon season is not that far behind!  Of course, the honeymoon is often the very last thing the couple thinks about, but I like to get out there ahead of the curve and at least plant the seed that I’m here, ready and waiting to help whenever they get to that point in their plans.

To that end, I’ll be taking part in La Bella Bride Magazine’s Newport Wedding Showcase next weekend (Sunday, January 10th)  It’s an intimate little boutique-style show at the Hotel Viking in Newport, and it showcases some of the best wedding vendors in southern New England.

If you want to come and check it out, just let me know — I have a limited number of free passes that I’m happy to share.  And I’m very excited about my booth! I’m working with some of my friends in the Rhode Island Wedding Group, and will have beautiful linens from The Perfect Setting at Felicia’s and gorgeous tropical flowers from Conceptual Image Designs.

I’ll be sure to post some photos after the fact!

You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

Carli (Italy and Spain)