Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Travel Guide :: Val D'Orcia, Tuscany


There aren't many places that have captivated me more than the Val D'Orcia region of Tuscany.  Perhaps it's the fact that the rolling hillsides dotted with dancing cypress trees, grape vines, and clear blue skies make you feel like you've just stepped into an Impressionist painting.  Maybe it's the fact that some of the best wine in the world is just steps away from nearly everywhere you are.  It could be the pasta.  Or the incredibly kind people.  But whatever it is, I absolutely fell in love with this region and dream about the day I will return.

As I mentioned last week, my mom and stepdad are currently on a three week jaunt through Italy which I helped plan.  Since I had been to nearly every place they were visiting I pulled together a lengthy list of recommendations to ensure their trip was pure magic.  Over the past year I have received several other requests from friends, family, and readers for travel recommendations, so I thought I'd pull together some quick favorites.  Last week I shared with you my thoughts on the Cinque Terre, and this week it's all about Tuscany.  From where to stay, to what to eat, to what to do, I have listed six of my must-see's if you're ever in Tuscany.  Enjoy, and if you have any questions or need more detailed recommendations feel free to reach out to me!

PS - Have you entered in my giveaway to win a print of your choice from my Etsy shop, Dreams in HD Photography?  If not you can do so here.

27 comments:

  1. This place looks amazing! I would love to go back to Italy! Great pictures!!

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  2. Beautiful photos!! I studied abroad in Italy, and you're making me reminisce!

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  3. Beautiful photos. What an amazing pool and view.


    pinkandnavystripes.com

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  4. Molly, those pictures are breathtaking!!I am working on putting together my honeymoon currently and Italy is definitely a must stop for us! I am working on a list of top places we want to make sure to visit and mapping out routes etc but your blog is my go to for inspiration and planning! We are thinking of stopping in Tuscany after we leave the Amalfi Coast and I am book marking your suggestions!

    whatsarahknows

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  5. Ah what an amazing trip! I would love to go there, seriously.

    xo

    Michaela

    http://michaelajeanblog.com

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  6. Molly, thank you for inspiration. I love Tuscany. Tuscany has something beautiful and unique to offer. I would love to go there.

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  7. not only do you seem to travel often but in such luxury! i'd love to squeeze myself into your carry-on one of these days ;)

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  8. Oh, wow, this is dreamy. Almost looks unreal! Thanks for sharing :)

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  9. The more I read about your trip, the more I want to go! This looks absolutely beautiful! Your photography is insane! :)

    Maggie
    www.PolishedClosets.com

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  10. Looks like an amazing trip. I went to Tuscany recently on my honeymoon and fell in love. It's such a special place!

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  11. Lovely! Can you add that picture of the bathroom to your shop? It would be beautiful piece to hang in the bathroom.

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  12. i know, italy is one of my favorite places on earth! i'd have to say of everywhere i've been there that tuscany are the amalfi coast are my top picks...but it's all amazing :)

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  13. thanks jessica, i'd love to go back to italy too!

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  14. thank you sara! what a fabulous place to study abroad, i can only imagine how magical that must have been for you <3

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  15. thank you so much albertina! of all the places i have been in italy tuscany definitely took the cake when it came to phenomenal food. when we were there it was truffle season so i'm pretty sure i ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner :) and is there much better than homemade pasta? i think not...

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  16. thank you so much kate! i couldn't recommend tuscany enough and also found it to be much more economical than a lot of the other places we have been in italy. plus the food was probably the best i've ever eaten :) if you ever go let me know and i'd be happy to give you some tips!!

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  17. thank you so much sarah! so you're getting married in napa and honeymooning in europe? well, it sounds like you're basically having my dream wedding :) and of all the places i have been in italy tuscany and the amalfi coast are my two favorites! both are incredibly beautiful, romantic, and have fantastic food. if you need any more suggestions or any help feel free to shoot me an email mollyms619 [at] gmail.com. xoxo!

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  18. thanks allie, i can't even imagine how magical of an experience that was for you! italy is truly like no where else on earth - i love it so much :)

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  19. it was definitely one of my favorite places on earth and i believe has something unique to offer to everyone. i couldn't recommend it enough!

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  20. thank you zelle! italy is absolutely amazing and, while a bit off the beaten path, i couldn't recommend tuscany enough :)

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  21. thank you for the sweet comment margaret. i completely agree with you that tuscany has something unique to offer everyone!

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  22. i try to travel as much as i can but of course thanks to vacation time and budgets it never seems to be enough :) as gorgeous as the places we stayed were, they were surprisingly much more reasonably priced than i had anticipated!

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  23. your honeymoon looked absolutely amazing, i can't imagine many places more romantic than italy. and totally agree - tuscany is incredibly special :)

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  24. thank you so much maggie! italy is one of my favorite places on earth, it truly has something special and unique to offer everyone :)

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  25. wow, is all I can say. Gorgeous pictures. What kind of camera do you use?

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