Enchanting Tuscany and Andrea Bocelli experience
Tripsmiths team member Sandra Bernard joined our six-day tour of Tuscany, with the highlight being a night in concert with Andrea Bocelli. The experience truly exceeded her expectations and here, she shares the highlights of her trip.
Italy has always been a destination on my bucket list - but more specifically, the region of Tuscany. Famed for its delicious cuisine and wine, breathtaking landscapes and rich culture, and of course Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli - there are many reasons to visit.
The tour definitely didn't disappoint and encompassed everything I dreamt Tuscany would be - and more - with the right balance of escorted tours and free time to enjoy a relaxing lunch in a Piazza or continue to explore the surroundings further with helpful insights of points of interest.
Out tour leader was fantastic, ensuring everyone was comfortable during the trip - especially on the hotter days, with plenty of water available during the coach transfers. The instructions on timings and locations were also clear. This was my first holiday on an escorted tour and the organisation was fantastic - especially during all the various excursions and accompanying transfers.
During the trip, we were treated to the flavours of Tuscany with authentic and delicious cuisine. We also visited a pretty wine estate near Lucca, where we explored the vineyards and olive groves, sampling both their wines and olive oil. This was a great insight into some of the region's traditions.
Two of the stand out highlights included the meal at the Bocelli family restaurant, Officine Bocelli, and our group's farewell meal at Antica Osteria Toscana.
It was a wonderful experience at Officine Bocelli learning about the history of the Bocelli family and their foundation. We sampled a few of their wines (highly recommend their Rosso Toscana IGT) and it was a complete revelation having some honey accompany the cheese - simply delicious.
Antica Osteria Toscana was a stunning restaurant, embodying the style and flavours of the region. I can still vividly remember the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with Tuscan ricotta and stracchino cheese, and the rolled rosticciana (Tuscan pork ribs) - the meal was memorable and the perfect ending to the trip.
We stayed in Montecatini Terme, a town located between Florence and Pisa and best known for its thermal baths. During our free time here, there was plenty to do: shopping opportunities, a fabulous market, lots of restaurants and of course, visiting the thermal spa complex. You can also take the funicular up to the medieval town of Montecatini Alto, which offers spectacular views from the vantage points. It's here I tried a delicious (if unusual) celery and ginger gelato.
The town has decent transport links with the train allowing access to Florence and Lucca, the beach at Viareggio and even further afield. With another free day, I ventured to the Cinque Terre National Park to explore the string of five ancient fishing villages - which can only be reached by rail or water. The scenery here was stunning and well worth a visit.
Of all the destinations we visited, Florence was my favourite. We spent the morning with our tour guide, who shared facts on the city's history and modern culture during a walking tour. As well as the city's main attractions, we were shown the wine windows, which date back to the 1600s but have recently been revived. During the afternoon, which was spent at our leisure, I decided to grab a slice of pesto pizza from a takeaway eatery, and cross the Arno River to the Boboli Gardens. What a wonderfully relaxing afternoon - seeing the views over Florence and beyond.
I also loved Pisa, and would recommend a visit to the Cathedral, which houses an art gallery within its Romanesque façade. If you buy a ticket for the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, admission to the Cathedral is included.
This year (2025) marked the 20th anniversary of Andrea Bocelli performing in his home town of Lajatico at the Teatro del Silenzio and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience - the concert was phenomenal.
Prior to the trip, I hadn't researched the concert venue and I'm glad I didn't - the experience started en route to the Teatro del Silenzio. The walk to the open air stage was beautiful, set amongst the countryside - you could easily sit on the hillside with a picnic blanket taking in the scenery and summer sunsets.
The acoustics in the open-air amphitheatre were incredible and Bocelli was of course the star on stage, evoking goosebumps with his performance. I was also impressed at the collaboration with various artists during the concert - from operatic and classical musicians to modern pop artists and the very talented dancers. The accompanying light show was also fantastic. In all, it was a really memorable experience.
