Italy Dreams

Tag: Tuscany

  • Byways of Italy Brings You Closer to the Good Life in Italy

    Enjoy views of the Coliseum in Rome or any other sights you wish with a Byways of Italy tour. Picture shared by Jessica Caceres.

    If you’ve ever dreamed of getting to know Italy up close and personal but you’re not sure where to start, then the Rome-based company Byways of Italy is a great place to start.

    Byways of Italy is a tour operator and destination marketing company (DMC) that creates customized travel itineraries and provides experiences at Italy’s iconic destinations as well as lesser-known gems, says founder Manuela Mocci.

    The company began in 2021 in response to a growing demand from travelers looking to rediscover Italy after the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses most frequently on cultural and food and wine experiences along with a commitment to conscious, responsible travel, Mocci says.

    Florence, Italy.

    What Makes Byways of Italy Different?

    Byways of Italy’s travel advisors work closely with clients to create a customized travel experience.

    “I would say that clients choose us because of the balanced mix in our proposals, combining the most well-known spots with off-the-radar day trips offered at the right pace, and the dedication we bring from the start,” Mocci says.

    The company’s typical client will be a couple or family that’s from Australia, the U.S., Canada, or Latin America. Although Byways doesn’t usually work with large groups, they make an exception for multigenerational families.

    “Our correspondence with clients sometimes lasts months or even over a year, allowing us to get to know their preferences, build trust, and carefully curate every detail of their journey,” Mocci explains.

    A view of Lake Como in northern Italy.

    Although travel options abound online, many people still want the value of working with local experts.

    “Younger travelers often want unique experiences that are hard to find online, and they don’t have much time to dedicate to planning,” Mocci says. “Older travelers can feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the web and are looking for someone they can trust to provide guidance and support when needed.”

    A classic view of Venice, Italy. Picture shared by Jessica Caceres.

    Where Can You Go With Byways of Italy?

    Instead of asking, “Where can you go with Byways of Italy?”, perhaps the better question to ask is, “Where do you want to go?”

    Do you want to take a relaxing bike ride along Lake Garda? Live the luxe life on a yacht cruise on Sardinia’s coastline and enjoy an onboard fish lunch? Or, do you just want to meander in the countryside of the region of Marche and sample authentic food and wine while you stay at a local agriturismo (a farm-based home that usually offers activities like tours or cooking classes)?

    All of this and more are possible with the help of Byways of Italy. That’s because it specializes in customized tours.

    “We add special touches to make each trip one-of-a-kind, especially for occasions such as honeymoons and anniversaries,” Mocci says.

    Mercato Centrale in Florence, italy.

    However, Byways also offers classic tours to help you get to know Italy better. Here are a few popular highlights:

    ––The 10-Day Italy Tour features Milan, Venice, Florence, and Rome. Activities you can enjoy include a guided tour of Milan’s Duomo (cathedral), a private boat tour on famous Lake Como, a sightseeing tour of Venice with a Venetian apertif, a visit to a glass factory in Murano, a guided tour of Florence’s famous art museums, and a walking tour of Rome’s main monuments. Of course, no classic Italy tour is complete without wine tasting in the Tuscan countryside!

    ––A Journey of Self-Discovering in Tuscia. Get off the beaten path for this 7-night/8-day tour in Tuscia, located in the Lazio region near the border with Umbria and Tuscany. This remote area helps you enjoy less crowded ancient Italian towns and connect with yourself and your loved ones. Take a guided tour of Tuscania, relish in the thermal baths in the town of Viterbo, spend a day at a family-run winery, and visit the Palazzo Farnese to take in its awe-inspiring frescoes.

    —Northwest Sardinia. For something truly different, book yourself a Byways of Italy tour to Northwest Sardinia. Sardinia is an island off of Italy’s western coast and is one of Italy’s 20 regions. It has famous beaches but still has many parts that are less discovered compared with Italy’s bigger cites. This 10-day/9-night tour includes a visit to Alghero, which has a strong Catalan influence; a panoramic road trip to the colorful and historica town of Bosa, featuring the area’s vineyards; and a visit to the small village of Castelsardo.

    Some of the other tours via Byways of Italy include:

    –Milan and the lakes of North Italy

    –Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

    –3 Days in the Tuscany Countryside

    –Procida, a fishing island in the Gulf of Naples

    Rome’s Coliseum. Picture shared by Jessica Caceres.

    Tips for Planning Your Trip to Italy

    As you plan your trip to Italy, there are some general travel tips you should follow, Mocci recommends:

    —Begin to plan your trip 6 to 8 months in advance so you have more options and better prices.

    —Keep a running list of useful information and points of interest about your destination, such as attractions, museums, bars/restaurants, streets, etc.

    —Buy those museum tickets ahead of time. “During high season, tickets for the most famous museums sell out quickly and need
    to be booked in advance. This will help you save some time,” Mocci says.

    —Double check schedules in advance. Some museums and cultural sites may be closed when you least expect it, especially in small towns or outside of peak season.

    —Don’t overplan. “Leave space for unexpected discoveries and improvisation, and make sure to leave time to rest, enjoy a coffee in a nice bar, or take a leisurely walk through the center,” Mocci says.

    Mocci shares some final wise thoughts: “Travel isn’t about ticking
    boxes, it’s about finding experiences that feel meaningful to you,” Mocci says. “What one traveler enjoys might not suit another, and that’s what makes every trip personal.”

    To contact Byways of Italy about your Italian trip, find them online at BywaysofItaly.com. You can also message them through the following contact form on their website.

    Beautiful Bellagio in Lake Como, Italy.

  • Here’s What It’s Like to Bike Nearly 1,000 Miles Through Italy

    Viewing Italy’s scenery by bike, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa.

    Imagine gliding your way through Italy’s smaller, quieter towns by bike, avoiding the hustle and bustle of packed cities. You get to enjoy fresh air, bellissimi panorami (beautiful views), and local cuisine.

    That’s exactly what two residents of northern Italy did in summer 2025. Read on to find out what type of planning this special trip took, what were some of the highlights, and how seeing Italy by bike made them appreciate their country even more.

    Fabio B. (left) and Ernesto G. (right) of northern Italy, on their summer 2025 bike ride through Italy.

    Ernesto G. and Fabio B., both of Brescia, Italy, are long-time bikers. After taking a successful long-distance bike trip in 2023 (843 miles/1,357 kilometers and 16,000 meters of elevation) throughout Italia, they enjoyed it so much that they set their sights on a new trip that covered 976 miles/1,571 kilometers and 18,000 meters of elevation.

    These guys aren’t just weekend warriors. They brought athleticism to their trips, with Ernesto swimming competitively in the past and also doing trail running, ski mountaineering, and climbing as well as other long-distance bike trips in the past.

    “Cycling is my favorite exercise,” Ernesto says. “I have a strong desire to explore new places, and doing it by bike makes me feel alive and happy.”

    That sense of wanderlust is also what led him to pursue the recent long distance bike trips through his home country. He says he loves geography and wants to get to know as many places as possible.

    An early morning view during a bike ride through Italy.

    Of course, planning a bike trip that would take Ernesto and Fabio from the town of Bagnolo Mella near their hometown of Brescia all the way to Lecce in south Italy is not something they could just wake up and do spontaneously. Ernesto says that trip planning involved the use of Google Maps, Google Street View, Basecamp, and various other online tools to create a route. Using those apps, he could target roads that are better and safer for bikers.

    The pair planned in advance to leave nothing to chance and to enjoy overnight stays with showers and comfortable beds. “Cycle tourism is also practiced by those who don’t plan anything in advance, sleeping in tents without a daily destination but only a route to follow,” he says. That wasn’t their plan, but it may work for others. “You have to experience cycle tourism according to your own personality,” he says.

    In his newest trip, he and Fabio wanted to go straight toward south Italy and reach some specific destinations, including new cities, mountains, and valleys they did not visit before. Most of the time they planned to avoid big cities, although they weren’t completely off the planning table.

    Starting the Trip

    The trip took about two weeks, with an average of 104 kilometers/65 miles each day. Although they initially biked longer distances, they eventually reduced that amount due to elevation gains.

    The bike ride took them through towns that were charming and quaint like much of Italy, but much less crowded.

    Enjoying the scenery, usually at a relaxed pace, was a highlight of the bike ride.

    “We stopped to enjoy the views many times to photograph landscapes and towns,” Ernesto says.

    Since the trip was during the summer, the heat was a challenge. Sometimes the temperature would reach the mid-30s Celsius or near 100 Fahrenheit. They would often leave their overnight stay in the wee hours of the morning to get ahead of the heat. “There was a strong heat in Italy during those days, but luckily it was too hot just the first day and on the coast,” he says.

    On the type of route they followed, encounters with stray dogs also were a potential threat. However, they only saw them in two or three places.

    The bike trip took Ernesto and Fabio through some famous Italian destinations, including Pisa with its Leaning Tower of Pisa; Matera, known as the oldest city in Italy; and Alberobello, which has a series of homes called trulli, with domed roofs that date back to the mid-14th century. Both Matera and Alberobello are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

    When the tiring but exhilarating trip was over, Fabio and Ernesto returned home by train.

    A nighttime view of Matera, Italy’s oldest city.

    Reflecting on the Journey

    One surprising point for Ernesto was the diversity of dialects he found in their home country. “I was impressed at how dialects drastically change in just a few kilometers,” he says.

    Although Italian is the main language of Italy, the country actually has several dozen recognized languages and dialects. Ask any Italian you meet, and they most likely know both Italian and another language or dialect (or at least a few words of it) they’ve used in their hometown and with family members.

    There were also several towns among their favorites:

    —Berceto, in the Emilia Romagna region, located in the Apennine Mountains. “It’s a little old town in the mountains with beautiful views and fresh, clean air,” Ernesto says.

    —Castiglione della Pescaia, in the region of Tuscany on the coast. The town has a medieval castle to visit, narrow streets, and sea views.

    —Lecce in the Puglia region, with its Baroque style, Roman Amphitheater, Cathedral, Bell Tower, and more. “All places definitely worth a visit,” Ernesto says.

    —Pitigliano in the Tuscany region. This medieval-style town was built on volcanic tuff and has well-kept alleys and squares as well as a Roman aqueduct fountain.

    —Barrea in the Abruzzo region, located on Lake Barrea. “Its mountains, old town, castle, and narrow streets make it a must-see,” Ernesto says

    More long-distance bike trips are slated for the future, Ernesto says. The next trip is planned for Italy’s Dolomites region in north Italy, with future trips in south Italy, including the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily.

    “Traveling by bike makes me feel so good,” he says. “It gives me freedom. I think I’ll always travel by bike because I’m basically an explorer.”

    Advice for Future Bikers

    If you are thinking of a long-distance bike trip in Italy or elsewhere, Ernesto shares some advice:

    1. Start with shorter trips to get used to the pace of longer distance rides.
    2. Train for at least five to six months before your departure.
    3. Learn how to create routes and not just blindly rely on navigation apps. “Study maps and check roads on Google Street View,” he advises.
    4. Pack lightly.
    5. Invest in a good navigation advice; one pick he likes is the Garmin Edge 1040, which is a GPS created for biking.
    The trulli, famous dwellings in Alberobello.

  • What’s It Like to Tour in Tuscany? A Tour Leader Gives Us the Details!

    Beautiful Florence, Italy. All pictures with this article taken by tour leader Renata De Masi.

    Tour guides and tour leaders in Italy have a pretty sweet deal. They spend their time surrounded by Italian art, history, and food, and they get to share it with others (sign us up, please!).

    Tour guides and tour leaders in Italy also have the scoop on best ways to prep for your Italian adventure. Italy Dreams interviewed Tuscany-based tour leader Renata De Masi, and we definitely learned a lot based on her experiences. If you’re with a tourism agency and you’d like to work with her, you can find her contact information at the end of this article.

    Tour leader Renata De Masi in San Gimignano, Italy.

    Italy Dreams: So, how did you become a tour leader?

    Renata D.: I think I was born a traveller! Since I was a teenager, when my parents said that we were to take a trip, I was filled with joy! Packing, visiting new places, meeting new people, new foods…everything seemed fascinating.


    Growing up I continued to travel in Brazil (I was born in Brazil from an Italian family) and abroad but strangely enough, I did not decide to work in the tourism industry.

    I was working in an office for years and years. Then, I decided to change everything and take a sabbatical from work and move to Italy. My life changed for real—I married a Florentine and got into the Italian mindset of tourism!

    In this wonderful country where art and beauty are everywhere, it enticed me to become a tour leader. And I’m so glad I did. It’s just the job for me, both the beauty and being in contact with people.
    I love seeing the joyful faces of my tourists when we arrive in Tuscan cities!

    Florence, Italy, where you can see part of the Duomo (cathedral).

    Italy Dreams: For how long have you been a tour guide in Tuscany?

    Renata D.: I’d like to specify that I’m a tour leader. In Italy, there are differences between a  tour leader and a tour guide, and we must respect the differences.

    To become a tour leader, you have to pass a licensing exam at a regional or provincial office to obtain a license. After that, you also have to obtain a license issued by your municipality of residence, and then you’ll be registered in the regional register of tour leaders.

    To become a tour guide, you must take a National Licensing Examination for the profession. After passing the Licensing Examination, candidates will be enrolled in the National List of Tourist Guides established at the Ministry of Tourism.

    So, back to me. I have been a tour leader since 2016 after passing the licensing exam. I started the Tour Leader course in 2015 and it took almost 9 months of study. I did 450 hours of practice with an agency. When I got my license, I started to work for that agency.

    Siena, Italy.

    Italy Dreams: Where are some of the places that you take tour groups? Which places are most popular?

    Renata D.: Tuscany is a wonderful region of Italy and even if you live here, there is always a place to discover. Sunday is the famous day for the ‘giratina fuori porta‘ (Sunday outside tour). Every Italian likes to do that.

    Florence is an open-air museum and should be visited with a tour guide who will tell the story of the Medici family and how they loved this city.

    Basically, we do daily tours from Florence to Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, the Chianti area, Pisa, Lucca, Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano.

    Every day we take tourists to these cities, and people end the day with so much beauty inside that no photo can ever express the reality!

    As a first approach, these tours are very good for those who do not want to plan the trip themselves and don’t want to worry about transportation and various logistics.

    One special city I’d like to mention is Volterra. Volterra is a city founded by the Etruscans and is famous for alabaster working. There is so much to see in this town and its historic center is very beautiful! (Note from Italy Dreams: Volterra is the city that appears in the movie “Twilight: New Moon.” )

    Certaldo, the upper part of Volterra, is a walled Medieval Village and the lower part is modern. It is famous in the summer for its Mercantia Festival where you will find art, dance, theater, music and juggling throughout the streets of the town.

    There is so much to see and so many other cities to discover!

    Monteriggioni, Italy.

    Italy Dreams: What are some questions you commonly get from visitors about places you visit?

    Renata D.: Some tourists are very interested in Italian art and history. For example, there are unique places in Italy, such as the towers of San Gimignano or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, so these places normally have a lot of curiosity.


    People also ask a lot about the food and wine of each Italian region. They ask me about when it’s OK to drink a cappuccino. Let’s dispel the myth: It is not forbidden to drink a cappuccino after 12 o’clock. Sometimes, you can even snack on a cappuccino. But we don’t drink cappuccino with pasta. Noooooo! Pasta should be paired with a nice wine.

    San Gimiignano, Italy.

    Italy Dreams: What are a couple of things that you think visitors should know before visiting Tuscany or Florence?

    Renata D.: A lot of the cities in Tuscany are UNESCO Heritage Sites, and the buses can’t enter inside the city center. They have a parking lot made especially for them, and we walk with the group to the destination.

    My advice is to wear comfortable shoes in order to enjoy the tour.

    Prepare your trip in advance and obtain information about the cities you want to visit.

    Know that most of the sites in Tuscany were populated by the Etruscans and they began their settlement high in the hills as a matter of defense.

    Renata De Masi in Florence, Italy.


    Italy Dreams: What advice do you have for someone visiting Italy for the first time?

    Renata D.: Here are a few suggestions:

    1. Book tickets in advance. Italy is sought after, and tickets for attractions run out quickly. To avoid being disappointed, it is best to book tickets in advance.

    2. Carry some cash. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

    3. On regional and local trains throughout Italy, it’s important to validate your ticket before getting on board. Once you’re at the rail station, look for a green machine in which you can place your ticket to have the date and time stamped. Anyone who forgets is liable to pay a fine, which ranges depending on if you pay the controller on the spot.

    4. If you go on a tour with a tour guide or tour leader, they should have a license prominently displayed, so you are sure it is a professional in good standing and not a bogus one.

    5. In Italy, food is serious business, and table etiquette is always highly valued. Dress appropriately and be patient if the service is slower than you are used to. A few words in Italian like grazie and prego are very welcome!

    6. Pay attention to the calendar of village festivals where you are visiting. It is a lot of fun to be able to participate in events with Italians!

    7. Prior to booking a tour, read carefully all the activities that are included or if something is optional. Sometimes, you can lose a good chance to do a guided tour or enter inside a wonderful cathredal.

    8. A large number of artworks and tours are done inside the churches. Dress appropriately or otherwise, you will not be able to enter.

    Italy Dreams: How can people get in touch with you for tours?

    Renata D.: Certainly. We tour leaders are freelancers, and we can work with any travel agency in the world; we cannot work with individuals. If any tourism agency is interested in my work, please email me at demasire@hotmail.com.

    We will wait for you here in Italy!