Summer has never been my favorite vacation time. Why going somewhere else, when it’s so nice, warm and sunny at home?! I have always been happy to wait until everyone comes back from vacation and the weather starts showing first signs of autumn. Then it’s always been THE time to go away and extend my personal summer as much as possible! This year would’ve not been different, if not for Andrea Bocelli, one of the world’s biggest opera singers.
We’ve been talking about attending a concert of him for a while and after some research realized that the easiest way to do this, would be to buy tickets for his annual performance in Teatro del Silenzio next to his home village of Lajatico in the heart of Tuscany. The concert takes place every summer in July with no exceptions. As flying to Italy for just one concert didn’t make much sense, there we were – going for our first real joint summer holidays!
It was not our first time to Tuscany, but for the first time we had a chance to explore it in more detail. This region of Italy is incredibly reach and even though we realize one can spend years discovering every little corner of it, those were our main highlights.
LIVING IN A TRADITIONAL TUSCAN VILLA
SAMPLING DELICIOUS LOCAL FOOD
VISITING HISTORICAL RIVALS – FLORENCE…
…AND SIENA
WANDERING THROUGH MEDIEVAL LUCCA…
…AND AREZZO
WINE TASTING AROUND SAN GIMINIANO
SOAKING IN ITALIAN ATMOSPHERE
ADMIRING SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE
AND OF COURSE, ATTENDING ANDREA BOCELLI CONCERT IN THE MOST SPECTACULAR SETTING EVER!
Last but not the least, we had 7 days of perfect, real summer weather – just how I remember it from childhood, when spending summer school holidays in Crimea with my grandparents. My regular summer holidays stopped when I was 15 and together with them left the perfect summer. Since our trip to Tuscany a couple of weeks ago I know where it was hiding all these years and I am definitely going to visit it again next year 
Do you normally go on vacation in summer? How do your perfect summer holidays look like?
Masha, Tuscany is amaizing! Next time you go there, include Montepulciano vine cellars into the must-see list
Definitely!! This time it was on our list as well, but at the end we were too tired of sightseeing and Montepulciano was about 2-hour drive from where we stayed.. Next time we are definitely going there plus to the nearby Montalcino
Totally awesome. The villa looks cool. I have been to Florence and didn’t like it so much. Of course I was just coming from a full week of enjoying Bologna, so maybe got a bit turned off by the tons o’ tourists.
I don’t really like hot, so summer is not my favorite time to go traveling either. I like september or october in warm places. They are usually still warm, but not hot or as crowded.
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We were actually quite surprized to find Florenece less crowded in July, than in spring time. Last time I was there in May and didn’t like it at all for the same reason as you. Think quite many people are afraid of Tuscan summer heat (luckily for us), so we had a very private experience in some of the towns we visited (even in Siena, which is normally very crowded too).
The villa was definitely the highlight! Every time we went for our morning swim, we simply couldn’t believe it was possible to live in such a stunning place…
I agree, summer could totally be enjoyed locally. Toronto is really warm, green, and sunny. I love my neighbourhood with large parks and a ton of shade. We tend to go away in the spring and then for Christmas. I get 10 days off between Christmas and New Year’s – it would be wrong not to you use free vacation
But my husband is starting to teach at a university, so he’s going to get 2 months off every summer. This would be interesting. I’m now in search for a more flexible work arrangement so we can just take off for 2 months!
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