Myths In, Tips Out: What You Should Actually See in Tuscany

Tuscany is one of the most documented regions on earth which means everyone has an opinion on it and the "best place to go". Consider this episode a course correction for your itinerary since we are all tired of the same places promoted over and over.This week, Georgette and Valentina take a blowtorch to the "SEO Tourism Complex" — that self-perpetuating cycle of viral reels and recycled listicles that has quietly turned beloved local landmarks into interchangeable tourist traps. We move well past the typical clichés to talk honestly about what happens when the "undiscovered" hill town becomes oversaturated — and which places actually deserve your time and attention.What we cover:The Tuscan spots we genuinely love — Certaldo, Mugello, Lunigiana, Gambassi Terme, and the Val d'Elsa in general as well as pretty Marradi. We talk about the Sagra delle Ciliegie di Lari (running May 30–31 and June 1–2 and 6–7, 2026 — don't sleep on it), the Cambio project in Castelfiorentino, which is doing something genuinely interesting by bringing culture, art, theater, and good food — via the restaurant Corale — to the surrounding area. And Pitigliano, built dramatically into volcanic tuff cliffs, with its layered history and the flower festival Infiorata celebrating the Corpus Domini every June. Wine and Villas we Love — Chianti is great. It is not the only place to go. Valentina makes a case for the Colline Lucchesi DOP near Lucca (and specifically recommends Villa Reale di Marlia as a place worth visiting — note it has extraordinary closures May 18 to June 13, so plan accordingly), Tenuta Mensanello in Colle di Val d'Elsa, and the superb natural wine haven of Enoteca Marilù in San Miniato Alto.Florence - We love it, we get annoyed by it but we will tell you all of the things, places, special openings for art, that are genuinely worth your time, both Valentina and Georgette share our top picks!Cose a Caso our segment where we talk random things — this week we read the most unhinged one-star TripAdvisor reviews of Italian monuments, including the person who said this about the Ponte Vecchio "A bridge full of gold shops. Genuinely unclear why this is famous "Enjoy and please share with anyone you know visiting Tuscany in the near future!