Next stop Lucca, a beautiful medieval walled town in Tuscany, it is about 1 hour from Florence and 30 minutes from the coast.  Many visitors take a day trip from either Florence or Pisa but we wanted to enjoy the countryside around Lucca as well as explore the town itself so decided on 4 nights staying just outside the ancient walls. 

We left Florence, picked up our Fiat 500 Convertible at Florence Airport then set off for the approx. one hour drive to our Airbnb.  We had decided on a traditional Tuscan farmhouse about ten minutes away from Lucca itself, nestled in the pretty hills and with fabulous views of the vineyards and olive groves, plus an inviting swimming pool, it was the perfect location to relax after the tourist hotspot of Florence.  The farmhouse was gorgeous but slightly more basic, it was very traditional, however we did find the bed very hard!

Missed my Florence post, read it here!

Many people used to think of running as the gold standard for fitness but as we get older and especially in our middle and later years, we need to reconsider what works.  And there is an equally effective, lower-impact, and more enjoyable alternative.  Fast walking: or brisk walking, is a powerhouse exercise that’s kind to your joints, great for your heart, and perfect for your lifestyle.
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Whether you’re easing back into exercise or looking for a sustainable way to stay fit, fast walking might be the secret to transforming your fitness routine.

​This blog post contains paid for links.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely seen me raving about this luxurious, truly divine body oil from Desavery - and now I’m excited to share a 20% discount code with you! I’ve also been testing two of their daily skincare oils, so I thought it was the perfect time to dive a little deeper into this incredible, natural, and vegan skincare brand.

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This blog post contains an affiliate link and gifted products.

My husband celebrated turning 60 in August and this was his 60th birthday trip, for his 50th we did Vencie, so another Italian adventure seemed appropriate!  After months of planning, hours of reading Facebook group recommendations, lots of stressing over what to wear, what to pack and what man-bag my husband might agree to actually use, we finally made it to Tuscany, Italy.  And we loved every single moment (well maybe not every moment, there were downsides too) but yes we fell in love with Tuscany and absolutely want to go back! 

​I know planning holidays can be hard work, I literally did spend hours researching, drafting an itinerary, finding the perfect Airbnbs (keeping in mind a budget - ours isn't massive), finding the best and available tour guides, and then re-drafting the itinerary after I realised it was probably a bit full on!  I don't want all the hours of research to go to waste now we are back - so I am sharing three blog posts about our Italian road trip and I hope sharing a few useful tips and some inspiration for your own visit to Tuscany.

This is how we split up our Italy road trip:

Fly into Florence, Italy and spend 3 nights exploring the capital city of Tuscany.
Pick up a hire car and drive to Lucca for 4 nights.
Drive to the Chianti region for a final 4 nights of rest, relaxation and exploring.

​And my first blog post is all about the top things to do in Florence, this is how we organised our time, we tend to take it easy, preferring a slower pace rather than a full itinerary.