Best of Tuscany Tour

My tour of Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa was amazing. I feel like that's how I start every entry, but these last few days have been especially incredible. Tuscany is my favourite stop so far, and I'm gutted to be leaving tomorrow.

I have to first acknowledge how great my guide, Sandra, was. Walkabout Tours Florence had been recommended to me by my hostel and I was in no way disappointed. It was the best tour I've been on, which is not saying much, considering it's only like my fifth or so, but it's the thought that counts.

We arrived in Siena mid-morning, and did a short walking tour with a local guide. I really enjoyed learning more about the Sienese history and Il Palio, as well as the Sienese-Florentine history that I had no idea existed (My lack of knowledge of European history would depress you.). We got to briefly enter the cathedral, and I would have loved more time there, but when you sign up for guided tours, you do resign yourself to moments like these.

We had lunch on this farm close to San Gimignano. It was my favourite kind of food - the kind that they keep giving to you. It was a feast of pasta, bread, pork and roast potatoes. And let's not forget the wine-tasting - there were four different kinds of wine, including a sweet one for dessert. Then we got to San Gimignano and I realised I had to walk uphill after stuffing my face. No regrets though!

San G. is just as beautiful as Siena. The views you get of the Tuscan countryside seem too perfect to be real. In fact, the Tuscan countryside in and of itself seems too perfect to be real. I've never felt such a urge to return to somewhere I've visted before. But I know that I have to return to Tuscany, because I've only begun to discover its beauty.

Pisa was my least favourite stop today. You can attribute that to the heavy rain that popped up while I was there, or to the fact that the ticket office closed early and so I didn't get to go inside their Cathedral. But to be frank, seeing Pisa was more of a bonus for me than anything. I hadn't planned on it, but it was included in the tour package, so I'm grateful to have seen it (And yes, I did take the obligatory pretending to touch the tower photo.).

Being in Tuscany has reminded me of how blessed I am to be able to take this trip and see so many beautiful sights. Despite the sting of missing the SKN election, there's nowhere I'd rather be. I leave tomorrow for Venice, with its Carnival and canals. If it's even half as good as Tuscany has been, it will be epic.