Italy

The Pros and Cons of Vatican Tours at Night

During our travels, it is hard for us to find something that we are overly eager for.

By its nature, our long-term trip is full of so many amazing moments every day that it is hard to rank one experience over another. They're all incredible and make us excited to wake up each morning.

But on our recent visit to Rome we had one that stood out above all others- after hours Vatican tours of the Museums and Sistine Chapel with Walks of Italy.

We've never been on a closed-door museum tour before, and this particular tour only is authorized on select nights of the summer, adding more to its exclusivity.

When you market it like that, you know I'll be excited.

We don't want to give away the secrets of the Vatican museum in this post, those are for you to get on your visit.  Instead, we want to take a look into why an exclusive after-hours tour may be right for you on your next trip.

There are many pros and cons, much like any itinerary, but you'll soon see why a guided tour at this particular museum should be on your wish list the next time you're in Rome.

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6 Tips and Traps to Avoid While Driving in Tuscany

Our five days of exploring Tuscany are over, and we can safely say it was one of the most interesting experiences we've ever had.  We got to see the sunflower fields Angie was desperately hoping for, toured medieval cities, and even spent a day driving through the vineyards of Chianti!

But while this all sounds exciting (and it was), we have come to realize that driving in Florence and the surrounding regions of Tuscany is quite possibly one of the worst tortures a traveler can subject themselves to. 

From obscene driving laws to poorly marked signs and hundreds, if not thousands, of speed traps, the cards are stacked against you from the moment you place a reservation for your car.

All you have is the hope that you don't screw up, because your mistakes may cost you more than your entire trip to the city, and then some!  But if you absolutely must drive in Tuscany, which is something we advise against, please keep the following tips in mind for a more enjoyable experience.

Enjoyable being a relative term, of course.  

Your nightmare is about to begin.

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Going on a Food Tour with Walks of Italy Florence

Italy is a country with such a rich food culture, and yet sometimes on the tourist trail it can feel like all you see around you are mediocre pizza and pasta joints.

It can be overwhelming or tricky to figure out where to eat and what to eat, and what foods are authentic to the particular region of Italy in which you find yourself (if you’re in Florence, it’s not pizza and pasta).

Luckily, on our recent stay in Florence, we had the opportunity to take a food tour with Walks of Italy Florence where we learned precisely what authentic Florentine cuisine is, and got to try some excellent examples of it.

As with most food tours, the day began in the very early hours of the morning with the request that we come with an empty stomach.  As if the challenge was thrown down, we happily obliged.

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Driving in Tuscany on a Quest for Sunflowers

During our stay in Florence we decided we wanted to get out of town to explore the world-famous region of Tuscany. 

From the many wine regions to the nearby medieval cities, there is definitely a lot to take in that is not normally accessible by public transportation. 

We opted against doing private day tours in this city because we wanted the opportunity to go wherever we pleased on the quest for adventure.

So we did what any logical person who has never driven in Europe would do. We rented a car to go driving in Tuscany  

A smart car no less.

But our particular quest was not just to see the above sights that makes Tuscany famous. We had another goal- a goal to see the summer bloom of sunflowers.

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