Experiencing a Beautiful Italian Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and for many people, that means it’s time for a vacation! Summer vacations in Italy, especially in Tuscany, can be full of many wonderful festivities and attractions; if you’re a fan of warm weather, you will love experiencing Tuscany’s stunning natural beauty. Tuscany is classified by its Mediterranean climate, with generally mild winters and nice, toasty summers. Due to the unique geography of the region, temperatures can vary widely based upon your location, with the coasts and valleys being generally warmer than hills and mountains. There’s no better time to enjoy the beautiful coasts, with gentle, refreshing sea breezes blowing in to contrast the warm summer air.

Apart from the joys of enjoying lovely Tuscan weather, summers in Tuscany come with another host of benefits. If you read our recent Tuscan food piece, you may recall that we mentioned Panzanella, a salad made of leftover bread and fresh, sun-ripened vegetables grown in the fertile Tuscan soil. It should come as no surprise that this is a terrific summer dish, so if you want to try it at its best, summertime is your best chance. It’s amazingly refreshing on a hot day! If the warm temperatures attract you to the coast, then you’ll find lots of wonderful seafood to dive into as well. And how awesome does a big scoop of authentic gelato sound for a chilly summer treat? Tuscan food is borne out of the finest resources available at any given time, and as a result, it complements the weather in ways that few other foods can.

While summer in Tuscany demonstrates itself to be a great time to enjoy seasonal dishes and the region’s natural beauty, it is also ideal for attending events and landmarks. Most of us would probably agree that a warm and pleasant day is the best time to go for a leisurely stroll; that’s enjoyable enough in its own right. But imagine doing so in the midst of some of the most well-preserved Renaissance architecture in existence! We know that warm weather brings people outside, and this will you give you the chance to observe the peak of human activity throughout the town squares and side streets of Tuscan cities and towns if you feel so inclined.  The chance to observe and explore the ways the citizens of a distant country interact and function throughout their daily lives is a valuable aspect of travel, and one could argue that it is key to fully understanding and appreciating a place. At A Toast to Travel, we believe an Italian vacation should allow you to fully immerse yourself in the culture so that you may experience how it feels to live like a local. And if you choose to embark on our Highlights of Florence and Tuscany Experience in the summer, you’ll get the chance to experience everything that a Tuscan summer has to offer.