Balancing Traveling and Travel Blogging

There is a balancing act to travel, blogging, and travel blogging. People seem to look at travel bloggers and think we are out experiencing the world 24/7. I wish this was true, but then there wouldn’t be a blog. As travel bloggers we have to balance the time we spend out sightseeing and experiencing a place with hunkering down in front of the laptop and writing about it all. There are days where I feel tethered to technology and social media. Then, of course, there are days where I can’t get one smidgen of a bar of cell service and just go off the grid. I actually find myself enjoying both days, but I always feel bad when I can’t get out and enjoy myself because there is work to be done. Balancing travel and writing about travel is tricky. It has taken me a while to learn the art of slowing down and allowing myself to really enjoy the place we are visiting rather than just blogging about the place we are visiting. I also learned that it is okay to take a day, or two, or sometimes three off from blogging to just be where you are and experience and live life. After all, that’s what the blog is all about: getting the scoop by living in the places we visit. There are times when we will spend a month in a given place so that we can work on the blog and other projects we dive into for the sake of traveling the globe. These month long stints are great for us so that we don’t get burnt out with all the constant speed of moving from one place to the next.

Here I am walking with our tour guide, Carmen, and travel manger, Roxana, from ABC Travel Romania.

Now, spending a month long stay every couple months isn’t always possible for us and our lifestyle. In these cases I need to get creative and keep up with balancing work and play on the road. How do I do this? Here are four quick tips I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Write in between destinations – on trains, plaines, and automobiles. This can be tough and tiring. Sometimes you just want to relax and close your eyes, but taking the time on your flight means that you have more time to explore when you land.
2. Set goals – schedule your big ticket items and even small ones throughout your week. Figure out what you want done by what date. This will let you know what you need to work on in between.
3. Set realistic expectations – Don’t try to reach for the moon. Save yourself the stress and don’t try to get fifty blog posts out in three days. Instead plan for two to three a week. As your blog grows and writing becomes second nature your blog post will flow more naturally and you’ll be able to get more written in a week.
4. Relax – Nothing gets done over night. Good things take time. You get the picture. You won’t be an instant success. Even if you’re just traveling for pleasure you need to make sure you relax. I sometimes find that I am more anxious about figuring out what I’m going to do in a new place than enjoying my time relaxing in a new place.

Now over to you, what are some of your tips and ticks for balancing work and play?

Tips For Traveling In Style

1. Keep Your Make-Up Simple

Flights can dry out your skin, so skip the foundation and opt for a moisturizer instead. When I am sightseeing or city exploring just a touch of foundation, mascara, and lipstick is perfect. Quick, easy and you’re out the door ready to explore a new place. Plus, there’s less to pack and keep up with so you travel lighter.

2. Moisturize

Healthy skin is always important, but becomes more so when you travel due to how dry air travel can make your skin. I know I mentioned using a moisturizer in number one, but this is very important. Traveling around and constantly changing climates can cause dry skin so I like to carry a little lotion in my bag. The ounce of prevention (pun intended) is well worth it, apply often.

3. Pack A Cute Pair Of Flats

Flats are great for trekking around a new city. Your feet are comfortable, yet you can still look stylish with a cute pair. They are usually small, flat, and crushable so they don’t take up too much room in your luggage. An added bonus is flats typically are very low cost so you don’t have to worry about getting them dirty or replacing an old pair on the go.

4. Pack A Stylish Hat

Hats are great for keeping the sun off your face, neck, and eyes. They can also cover up a messy head when dealing with a bad travel hair day because let’s face it, when you are on the go your hair won’t look perfect everyday.

5. Always Have A Scarf Handy

Scarfs are great for dressing up an outfit, but they hold several other purposes as well. A scarf can act as a pillow or a blanket on a long plane flight. My scarf even acted as a picnic blanket in the park once. They can even keep you warm and act as a shawl when you are wandering through a city on a breezy day. When visiting Europe in the summer some churches will not allow bare shoulders showing. My scarf came in handy in these moments, so that I could still explore the beautiful churches of Europe and wear a tank top on particularly hot days.

10 Inspirational Travel Quotes To Get You To Your Next Destination

10 Reasons To Visit Tuscany Through Instagram Photos

1. Florence At Sunset

Florence is a wonderful city filled with culture and life. There are numerous plazas to enjoy as well as some of the most famous cultural sites on the planet. The city swells with people in the summer, but don’t let that stop you. The energy, the streets, and the food will all get you into the atmosphere. The Piazza Michelangelo offers the best view of the city. Take a stroll up the hill on the edge of the city to take in the wonderful architecture and beauty of this famous city of the renaissance.

2. The Leaning Tower Of Pisa

The famous slanted tower is a can’t miss when traveling through Italy’s wine country. The structure is the bell tower to the cathedral of the city and is located in the same plaza. The tower was completed in 1372 after almost 200 years of work. Though the lean is unintentional it is certainly a happy accident. Can you get the tower standing up straight again?

3. The Tuscan Hills

The rolling hills of this area of Northern Italy are some of the most beautiful in the world. The landscape is especially magical at sunrise and sunset. The sun paints the sky with orange and purple while the green grass of the hills starts to glow. There are few other places in the world more perfectly paired with a great glass of wine and your favorite person.

4. Learn To Cook A Tuscan Meal

Italians can cook a meal! And they won’t be shy to teach you how. In Tuscany you can learn how to make some traditional foods ranging from appetizers all the way down to a sweet sugary desert. The highlight will of course be the pasta. You can make your own noodles from scratch and reap the rewards of your hard work.

5. Wine Tasting and Grape Stomping

When many people think of Tuscany they think of wine. Well, there’s a reason and it’s that the Tuscans are proud of their tradition. Wine is everywhere in the region. Not only are there bottles of wine ready for you to consume, but the hills are littered with grapes ready to be turned into the good stuff. It seems that if you own land in Tuscany, you grow grapes in Tuscany. Take advantage of this rich heritage and visit one of the many vineyards to give their product a try. Look hard enough and maybe you can be a grape harvester and wine maker for the day (queue the ‘I Love Lucy’ episode).

6. The Cyprus Trees

The landscape of Tuscany creates an unforgettable image to any visitor. One of the most iconic sights in the area is the cypress trees. These trees are often planted in long rows along roads or walking paths. They’re used to lead visitors to large estates or important buildings. One can’t help but scan their eyes across the horizon in Tuscany and not be drawn in by these beautiful plants.

7. Gelato

Though the creamy milk and sugar concoction is available throughout the country, Tuscans seem to have the most fun with their chilled desert. Maybe it has something to do with getting a cool treat on a warm Tuscan day?

8. Riding Through The Countryside

Get a bike, or a car, or a vespa. Just get something to get you mobile and explore the surrounding area. The region of Tuscany isn’t so big that it can’t be enjoyed in a few days. They will be days that you won’t soon forget.

9. Siena

Siena is one of the three major cities in the region and certainly feels the oldest. The streets are windy and flanked by tall buildings. This city feels like the most “classic Italian” with its narrow throughways, hills, and architecture. In the summer you’ll find clothes hanging outside windows, people enjoying a mid day meal on a patio, or children kicking a ball in a square.

10. The Architecture

The architecture of Tuscany deserves its own special mention. There is a feeling unlike any other place in the country. The bricks, arches, landmarks, and everyday buildings pull you into the atmosphere of the area. The people of Tuscany are proud of their heritage and work hard to preserve the feeling of closeness. Take a stroll through any street and you’ll feel it for yourself.

How To Spend A Day In Pisa

We don’t usually suggest just a day trip for any given place, but that was all we had when visiting the beautiful city of Pisa in Tuscany, Italy. So, here is our break down of what to do with just one day in Pisa.

1. Walk The Streets

We came in on the train and started heading in the general direction of the well known “Leaning Tower” because our ultimate goal was to see the structure and take a bunch of goofy photos in front of it. We were amazed by the beautiful cobble stoned streets and the gorgeous architecture around us. The city has a very old feel. The structure of the buildings, the shutters and windows, and the columns will all pull you into an older time. The city is just fun to walk around in. It’s not too big so that you get lost, but just winding enough to make you feel like you’ve been transported somewhere magical. As a bonus there are plenty of street performers and musicians to help you slip into the vibe of the city. Take a break and let the entertainment move you.

2. Shopping

One of the first things that you’ll notice while following the advice of step number one is that Pisa is a city for shopping. The city may have an old feel with its narrow streets and architecture, but it certainly attracts a lot of modern labels. We came across a number of the usual suspects from Coin and H&M to Desigual and Yamamay. On the non-clothing side there were watch stores, toy stores, and an abundance of gift stores.

Pisa is a great place to pick up a gift or two for your friends and family. Because there are so many gift stores and stalls throughout the city the prices are low. You’ll find all sorts of trinkets to bring back from the famous masks you’d find in Venice to bottle openers and magnets with he famous tilted building of the city.

Another great part about shopping in Pisa is that you don’t have to go out of your way to get it done. The shops seems to be perfectly placed around every main thoroughfare. Italy is famous for their street markets and Pisa seems to have them at every turn.

3. Food

After the long train ride and some wandering and shopping you may began to get hungry. After all, you only have one day in Pisa so you may as well enjoy some of the food! Take a little bit of time to sit, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere of the streets. During our travels we found the food in Tuscany to be amazing and Pisa is no different.

As with every city in Italy there are numerous cafes and gelaterias. Pick one of them. Just go sit down and order your favorite drink. Maybe use this time to get out of your comfort zone and order something unique? The pizza above is a local specialty. It’s a normal cheese and sauce pizza with balsamic vinegar and arugula (or Rocket as it’s called over here). It sounds strange, but it was delicious!

4. Museums and Churches

As with many cities there are museums and churches. The most popular ones in the city are the ones around the Leaning Tower, but you will have to pay to enter those and will be given a specific time to go into them. The way to make the most out of your day would be to get your tickets in advance or early on in the day so you can schedule your time slot. When we went we had to wait nearly two hours to get into the church pictured above and that really didn’t fit into our plans.

5. Parks

Around the basilica and tower there is a fenced off grass area that you are not allowed to walk on. However, on the far end of the courtyard there is one large grassed area that people are allowed to be on and believe me they take advantage of this. There you will find families frolicking, sunbathers reading or just laying out, and people picnicking. Go ahead, lay on the grass, and take in the lively atmosphere around you.

This is a great place to enjoy a snack or a packed lunch in the sun. There are so many people around, but there seems to be plenty of room on the green. You get to sit in the shadow of the famous Pisa baptistry and take a break after following the advice from our next tip.

6. The Leaning Tower

You knew this piece of advice was coming. No trip to Pisa would be complete with out seeing the Leaning Tower and taking one of those silly pictures of you trying to hold it up. Don’t worry, you won’t look that strange because literally everyone around you is doing the exact same thing. People go to great lengths to play with perspective and hold up the tower. You’ll find people standing on posts or each other’s shoulders just to get their perfect picture with the tower.

As travelers we set up our tripod and remote and started snapping away. We started “leaning” against the tower, holding it up, and just plain going crazy. This will be the highlight of your day. It’s one of the only monuments that we can think of that provides its own entertainment.

Maybe after your photo op you’ll climb the 294 steps up to the top and take in the views of Pisa from such great (tilted) heights.  If you do nothing else from your time in this iconic city you need to go spend some time around the tower. Most of our day was spent doing interesting things in the shadow of this monument. The tower was our only primary objective and we were pleased to find that there was plenty to do all around. From the tower you can easily check off the other items on the list all you need to do is pick a direction and start your adventure.

The 7 Best Things To Do When Visiting Dublin

Dublin is a wonderful Irish city and offers many great sights and activities for anyone visiting. One of the best parts about the city is that you can get almost anywhere on foot. Believe me, we walked the whole thing searching for pigs for our post Pigs on Parade. The city is jam packed with fun, friends, and activities all within a few steps from wherever you’re staying. Here are our seven favorite things to see and do during your time in this energizing place.

1. Pub And A Pint

The very first thing you’ll want to do (if you’re me anyway) when you get off that plane or boat is to go grab a drink. Fortunately, Ireland is just the place to fill this need. The best way to experience the food and culture of Dublin is to go find a pub. Any pub, it doesn’t matter. Walk in and start making friends. Be sure to order a beef and Guinness pie, you won’t regret it.

2. Trinity College

The campus of this famous college in the center of the city is filled with wonderful architecture and monuments. Spend some time wandering around the public areas and feel the energy of the students running around to classes or relaxing at the cafe. If you’re interested in a bit of history (you should be) check out the library where you can learn the history behind the Book of Kells and see The Long Room. The latter two parts of the college were pay to enter (about 9 euro each), but the Long Room at the end is stunning and the museum makes it worth the cost.

3. Tour the Guinness Brewery

Admittedly, the brewery is one of those “touristy” things to do and it almost feels like a tourist trap for all of us non-locals. Let me set the record straight: it is a tourist trap. But, it’s one that you can wholeheartedly embrace. Once inside the brewery Chris and I felt like we walked into some sort of Willy Wonka factory of beer. There was a water fall and a tunnel of lights. We kept waiting for a river of Guinness to appear (we were only slightly sad when we never found one, but they did give us a free pint!). Actually, the free pint is one of the main attractions here. You have two options:

1. Go up to the 7th floor sky bar and they’ll pour you out a pint of the best stout while you take in the views of the city
2. Learn how to pour your own “perfect pint” on the 4th floor. Here you gather around some taps while an employee teaches you how to make the perfect concoction. When you’re done you get to enjoy your handiwork.
3. The secret third option! Do both (kinda). You can learn how to pour your own Guinness on the 4th floor and then take the elevator up to the 7th. This is the best option and gives you the most of your tour.

So, go learn how Guinness is made and how the brewing tradition is still alive today. They even use the same strain of yeast from the original recipe. After each batch some yeast is pulled out and used in the next batch of beer for consistency! A trip to Dublin just isn’t complete without a tour of the the Storehouse.

4. Dublin Castle

When visiting Dublin the Dublin Castle should be on your list of places to visit. As with any surviving piece of history this complex of towers and walls is filled with great history. The grounds are a pleasure to walk around and it’s only a short walk from Trinity College. We recommend doing the two in the same trip.

5. Visit Some Of The City’s Many Galleries

There are no shortage of galleries in Dublin and all of the ones we encountered were free. The art and creativity will astound you. We were surprised at how in touch Dublin was with its artsy side. In addition to all of the locally owned shops the city hosts The National Gallery of Ireland. Entry to the national gallery is also free so you have no reason to keep away from this trove of antiquities.

6. Temple Bar

Temple Bar is a weird name and it took us a few tries to figure out what everyone was talking about. What is ‘Temple Bar’? Is it a pub? Is it a new club? How about a restaurant? Temple Bar is not the name of one place in particular, but a region of the city. The ‘Temple Bar area’ is just south of the River Liffey and spans a few streets. It’s a bit like saying the soho region of London or New York (but smaller). Temple Bar is filled with shops and pubs. The area really comes alive at night (hint, this would be a good place to go knock off #1 on the list).

7. Samuel Beckett Bridge

The Samuel Beckett Bridge is one that should be seen in person. While you’re there walk across the bridge and take in the views of the River Liffey. Get pictures from one side of the river and then cross. Walk west while taking pictures of the bridge until you come to a footbridge that also spans the river. Cross that bridge (keep taking those pictures!) and head back to the Samuel Beckett Bridge. This way you’ve just walked a nice square and get plenty of shots of a wonderful piece of architecture in the city. Fun fact, the bridge is meant to evoke the symbol of the harp (also the Guinness logo) which is the coat of arms of Ireland. There you have it; our top 7 things to do when visiting Dublin. What are yours? Be sure to share in the comments below! 🙂

The Nomadic Lifestyle Interviews William Tang

Basic Info

Name:  William Tang

Occupation:  Project Manager

Website:  http://goingawesomeplaces.com

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/goingaewsomeplaces

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/goawesomeplaces

Instagram: https://instagram.com/goingawesomeplaces/

What country do you call home:  Canada

Short Bio:

After quitting my job in consulting, I travelled all throughout Asia for 4 months and that is how Going Awesome Places began.  I was looking for a way to share my experiences with my friends and family but soon found out that I was able to reach out to so many more people.  Since then I’ve continued to travel and blog and it’s been an incredible journey every step of the way.

Interview Questions

Where are you now?

It’s funny you ask but I’m actually doing this interview from 10,000 feet in the air on my way from Toronto to Las Vegas.

How would you classify the type of travel you do (a backpacker, long term traveller, business traveller, live and work abroad)? 

I would probably call myself a seasoned traveller

Can you tell us about your most recent trip and what brought you to this location?

I recently came back from a trip to China and had a great experience going to one of the country’s central hubs for history – Xi’an. You can read about the whole journey.

When did you start to travel and where did you first visit?

I started to travel at a young age.  As a kid, I did a lot of travel within North America with my parents but typically it’d be on some sort of bus or on one of our many road trips.  I started travelling on my own when I did an exchange semester in Sweden during university and that’s really when my passion for travel took off.  The first place I went to as a kid that I can remember is Orlando when I was 5 years old.

What inspired you to travel? What people and places do you find most inspirational in travel and in life?

My biggest inspiration to travel is really the fact that the world is such a big place and that there’s so much to see.  Doing those 4 months in Sweden, I came to the realization that if I wanted to put a dent in seeing every corner of the globe that I need to start working on it right away. What inspires me the most is that no matter where I go, humanity’s redeeming qualities are ever so present.  Kindness, compassion, and love trumps all and when you encounter it on the road, it’s particularly special.

Why do you travel? Do you go places for tourism, business, adventure, or a mixture? We like to go places to experience culture and document the world through photography.

For me travel is all about new, wonderful, and sometimes crazy experiences.  Travel is so addictive because I get to break out of the monotony of everything we know and are used to at home and get to do something totally unexpected and different on the road.

How long do you often stay in one place before heading to your next destination?

You typically won’t find me in one place for too long because I’ve never been able to travel without any time limits.  As a result, I’m always trying to see as many places as I can.

What is your favorite means of transportation?

I love to fly. It’s really the only mode of transportation that allows me to cover great distances in short amount of time.  There’s nothing else that can match that.

What is your favorite country to travel in and why?

New Zealand is definitely on the top of my favorite countries.  The incredible Lord of the Rings landscape and Kiwi’s sense of adventure make it one of the best places to have “An unexpected journey”.

What are your favorite travel app(s)?

Despite being a tech guy, I actually don’t use a whole lot of apps when I travel.  The problem with most apps is that they’re designed to be paired with data but most of the time I don’t travel with a data plan.  As a result, the most useful apps for me are usually the free city or transit maps.  If I’m travelling with a big group, an app like SplitWise is useful to keep track of expenses and tabs.

Top five items you can’t travel without:

1. Smartphone (Yeah I’m hooked)
2. Buff (Most versatile clothing accessory)
3. Camera (M43 is the way to go)
4. Sunglasses (Gotta have cool shades when you travel)
5. Rainbow flip flops (Best flip flops ever)

What aspect of traveling do you enjoy the most?

A lot of times what makes a really good trip is when there’s a lot of good food along the way.  Japan was one of these trips.  While the sights were amazing, at the end of the day, what put the biggest smile on my face was always the unique snacks I could try along the way and the incredible meals I had every day.

What do you like to bring back from the places that you’ve visited?

The one thing that I collect everywhere I go are magnets.  I knew I had to pick one thing and magnets just seemed to make the most sense because they’re usually pretty small and not too expensive.

What are some of the unique foods that you have tried on your travels? Which were your favorites and which will you never try again?

Back in the day, I remember being shocked that squid ink was something you could have . While it was interesting and fun to make my lips black, I’m not sure if I’d have it again.

What is your best travel memory?

In recent years, I have to say that my trip to the Maldives with my girlfriend was epic on all levels.  Thanks to my points I was able to make it happen but I’m really not sure if I’ll be able to repeat it again unless I somehow win the lottery.

Do you have any funny travel stories?

I have quite a few. One of them involves me being on a press trip to Quebec.  We were snowshoeing one of their national parks, Monts-Valin.  Deep in snow at the peak, most of the trail is well packed which made it easy to hike through.  At one spot, I remember taking a step forward to grab a shot of the panorama when the snow completely caved beneath me, leaving me trapped in snow up to my waist.  What made it hilarious was that there was a fellow journalist with me and instead of helping me, the first thing he did was pull out is phone to snap a photo.  It was just too hilarious in the moment.

What are some of the challenges you have faced on your travels?

Language is always the biggest challenge when travelling to a non-English foreign country.  You have to become really good at charades and sign language.  It’s always a fun challenge.

What have you learned about people and yourself from your travels?

Kindness comes in all shapes, forms, sizes, and shapes.

For how long do you see yourself traveling?

Forever or as long as I’m able to!

You are the writer behind Going Awesome Places. At what point on your travels did you decided to create Travel Blog Breakthrough and why? Is it challenging managing both blogs on the go?

I learned so much about blogging after 2 years and after getting so much support and help from the community, I wanted to find a way to give back.  My goal with Travel Blog Breakthrough was to take all the little tricks I learned from Going Awesome Places and provide a platform for others to leverage to help them get to their breakthrough moment. Managing 2 blogs is definitely a big challenge.  Already committing to 2 posts a week, I also write for Travel Blog Breakthrough once a week so you can imagine how busy it gets.  What keeps me going is the amazing feedback I constantly get and the fact that I’m making a real difference whether it be folks doing research for their trip or a travel blogger wanting to learn and do a better job.

You interview so many amazing people on Travel Blog Breakthrough. What are your tips and tricks for getting these high profile interviews?

The secret to all of my guests has been to just ask.  Just like how you asked me to be part of your blog’s interview series, I did the exact same thing with the Travel Blog Breakthrough podcast.  I realized very early on that the worst that could happen was that I would get a “no” back.

What key advice would you give anyone wanting to travel the globe full time?

My biggest advice to anyone wanting to travel full time is to just take that leap of faith and make it happen.  Leaving that comfortable job or lifestyle may seem like a big sacrifice but if your passion is travel, there’s no other feeling like being free of those golden handcuffs and live out your dream.

What are your future travel plans?

I am pretty excited about my upcoming trip to Europe in July where I’ll be participating in an Amazing Race for normal people.  It’s run by a company called Competitours and I’ll be going with a good friend of mine to compete against 10 other teams on challenges all over Western Europe.  I can’t wait!

Hand-Made Pasta: Taking A Cooking Class In Tuscany

During our time in Certaldo, Tuscany we came across a little shop selling some home-made jams and preserves. After buying one and enjoying our delicious new treat with some bread we went back to the shop and signed up for the tradition Tuscan cooking class offered by the woman who makes all those yummy preserves. When you think of Tuscany you think of delicious Italian food and red wine; we couldn’t pass up on a class that promised plenty of both.

The Kitchen

We arrived to class early and enjoyed some cheese and marmalade while waiting for the rest of the group. The marmalade paired well with the delicious, tangy sheep’s cheese. We were immediately treated like family and our host graciously opened a bottle of wine. We were in for a great afternoon.

The Menu

Giuseppina, the cooking instructor, teaches each class a four course meal; the antipasto, fresh pasta made from scratch, the main course, and, my favorite, dessert. We started by making the dessert, Panna Cotta, since it would have to sit in the fridge to cool for a few hours. The desert was simple to prepare. We crushed some fresh vanilla bean and mixed in sugar, gelatin, milk, and cream. After heating up the mixture for a few minutes we poured the liquid into a bowl to congeal. Next we cooked the antipasto, a bruschetta, and enjoyed the finished result outside on the terrace overlooking the city below. Giuseppina was very particular that we use all fresh local ingredients. All of our foods were in the local tradition. Our bruschetta, for example, was to be more than a simple slice of tomato on some toast. No, Giuseppina insisted that real bruschetta should be made with prepared cannellini beans, basil, oil, and fresh tomatoes. The real key ingredient was the addition of the Certaldo onion. These onions look a little bit like leaks, but they’re a local favorite to add that sharp tang to a delicious bruschetta.

Home-Made Pasta

After the antipasto we got to try our hands at making pasta from scratch. The process is actually very simple and there are only four ingredients:

00 Flour eggs salt olive oil

Our fettuccine dish was sautéed with tomatoes, artichokes, and garlic. Next came the main dish, rosemary and garlic marinated pork with a Chianti sauce.

Dessert

After some wine, digestion, and good conversation we enjoyed the Panna Cotta we made earlier. As a topper we cut up some strawberries with some lemon zest and lemon juice. A few pieces of mint as a garnish topped off the dish for a splash of green. Cooking with Giuseppina was an amazing experience. She really made us feel like family. We got to enjoy some amazing food, wine, and company. Neither of us had made pasta by hand before and recommend that everyone give it a try, but if you want the real experience there is nothing like working dough in a Tuscan kitchen.

The Details

Where: Certaldo Alto, Tuscany Price: 95 euro a person Time: Approximately 4 hours Website: www.cucinagiuseppina.com Email: info@cucinagiuseppina.com

Certaldo Alto: Staying At A Castle In Tuscany

We arrived in Certaldo, a small town in Tuscany, after taking a 2 hour plane from London to Rome and then riding two trains from there. It was 9:00pm and our AirBnB host picked us up at the train station for the drive up the steep hills to the castle we booked in Certaldo Alto. Almost a year ago I found a room with our very own turret available for booking in the heart of Tuscany. I jumped at the chance to stay in an area that has always been a dream of mine. We booked our apartment for the month of May and this time of year the weather is perfect. Outside it is warm in both the sun and shade, but you can get a cool breeze inside with the windows open.

The Apartment

The apartment in the castle is privately owned and can be booked through AirBnB. You enter the apartment from a hallway into the lounge area. The lounge has a desk, sofa, chairs, and some english books for your enjoyment. This is the only part of the apartment that has WiFi. The apartment also has a kitchen equipped with a stove, oven, refrigerator and freezer. The space was beautiful and very clean. Stocking the kitchen with food was a bit of an adventure since the nearest co-operative was two miles away and we didn’t have a car. Then there is also the living area that has a TV, board games, and for six euro you can have a bottle of the stock wine. Though we quickly found out that wine in Tuscany is almost as cheap as water. We picked up several bottles at the store instead of paying for our host’s wine. There are two bathrooms and three bedrooms (a total of five beds) so be sure to book your stay with some friends. You can split the cost of the apartment (about 75 euro a night) and enjoy traveling to nearby vineyards for some wine tastings together.

There are two beds in this room, one behind the camera.

The Turret

The real selling point and the feature that got us to book this apartment for the whole month was the beautiful views that can be seen from the private turret. The turret is reached by a ladder and a set of stairs. Once you’re on top you get to take in your own private views of the surrounding countryside of Tuscany.

The Town

There is much to see and do in the town itself: museums, really good restaurants, terrace views of the countryside of Tuscany, and Tuscan cooking classes. The town is split up into two parts, Certaldo and Certaldo Alto. The castle is situated in Certaldo Alto (meaning up). Certaldo Alto is at the high point of the town and can be reached by road or the funicular train. The hilltop town is the real attraction of the city. The streets are filled with people at all times of day and come alive in the evenings. The best part of this small town is that it’s located in the heart of Tuscany and the major attractions are a quick train ride away. The area is perfect to see and experience the bigger cities such as Siena, Pisa, and Florence.  The train station is located in the center of town and is only a few minutes walk from the castle.

We booked our stay at the castle through AirBnB. This review is an editorial opinion of The Nomadic Lifestyle.