For all its well-deserved history and art accolades, Italy is a land of festivals. Regardless of where in Italia your travels take you, and when you choose to visit, chances are that you’ll end up finding a local festival to attend. Festivities are diverse; they can be centered around the celebrations of traditional dishes, religious […]
Author: Jessica Spiegel
What to Eat in Florence: Our Top Picks for Florentine Fare
If Tuscany in general is well-loved by foodies (and we can agree it is), one can argue that Florence is the region’s pièce de résistance. But with so many options the question remains – what to eat in Florence? One of the truest pleasures for any food lover in Italy is how a dish can […]
The Fascinating Story of Tuscan Bread (And Why It’s Salt-Free)
When you first start to nibble on Tuscan bread in Florence, you’ll probably notice it tastes a little… Odd. You may not know what it is, but there’s definitely something different about this bread. The answer is that there’s an ingredient missing in Tuscan bread – salt. At its simplest, bread consists of four ingredients […]
Sun and Sand in Tuscany: Exploring Beaches Near Florence
The Arno River cuts through the middle of Florence, snaking its way through the countryside en route to the sea. The river makes a lovely backdrop for, say, watching a sunset. But, when the mercury climbs in the summer, you’d do well to follow its lead and head for one of the beaches near Florence. […]
Sustainable Travel in Florence: The Complete Guide
When we talk about sustainable travel, the assumption is usually that we’re talking about eco-friendly travel—and that’s true. But sustainability also means making sure the travel experiences we get to have today are still available for future generations. In a city like Florence, with so many world-class sights, that’s especially important. What if we expanded […]
17 Florence Hidden Gems You Won’t Want to Miss
Florence has been a popular tourist destination not just for decades, but for centuries. The Renaissance jewel is positively packed with world-class attractions, drawing countless visitors from all over the world. It was a required stop on any Grand Tour, and it’s the city where Stendhal syndrome (that overwhelming feeling from almost unbearable beauty) was […]
Tuscan Culinary History: A Complete Deep Dive
It’s impossible to dig into the history of Italian cuisine without seeing the influence of Tuscany in every era. And while a thorough review of Tuscan culinary history would be a heavy tome, there are a few particularly important points on the timeline that are worth highlighting—both because they demonstrate Tuscany’s delicious reach and because […]
The Surprising Truth About Tuscan Pasta Dishes
The ubiquity of Italian restaurants around the world can be both a blessing and a curse. On the plus side, a very basic understanding of Italian food terms gives travelers something of a confidence boost before they visit Italy. The problem, however, is that this same basic understanding may also bring a false sense of […]
7 Best Places for Aperitivo in Florence (& How to Do It Like a Fiorentino!)
Sometimes travel introduces you to flavor. Sometimes it’s history. And sometimes, in the case of Italy’s beloved aperitivo, it’s a little bit of both. Dining in Italy is almost always an experience above and beyond the meal, and aperitivo is no exception. Aperitivo is about unwinding after work, having a light snack and a drink […]
Guide to Tuscan Truffles (Including Truffle Hunting!)
We here at Devour Tours love the kinds of stories that food can tell us about a place. So when there’s a food story that includes witchcraft, Marilyn Monroe, and the Roman god of thunder, we’re even more eager to share. Few foodstuffs inspire devotion like the truffle—and we don’t mean the chocolate kind. We’re […]