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Sweet Tuscany/Lively Dublin

An April 2005 trip to Europe by SeekingUp

Hills and Valleys Photo - Accidental Tourist, Florence, Italy

Quote: Taking pleasure from the small things in Florence and Dublin.

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Accidental Tourist

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "We Were Accidental Tourists"

Quote:

It was April in Italy, and our second day in Firenze dawned gray, damp and chilly. Still, we were excited to venture outside the city center and visit a small villa and winery in the Tuscan hills.

Having signed up for a half-day picnic and wine tasting with Accidental Tourist, we were undoubtedly disappointed when the picnic was canceled due to the weather. Fortunately, the tasting was to continue so we loaded up two cars and headed out from our meeting point just on the other side of the Arno river, looking forward to an authentic experience. As the title Accidental Tourist might imply, our small tour group consisted of people who were only tourists by the nature of being on vacation in a new place; the minds and hearts of our fellow travelers were as open to the traditions and economic implications of the region as they were about the splendid Chianti.

About 40 minutes later, we had pulled up a winding drive to a small villa. Inside, huge vats of olive oil and many barrels of wine sat as we walked through the stone rooms, listening to the process for making each. When we stepped back outside, the clouds had lifted, revealing a breathtaking view past the Cyprus trees to the rows of olive trees beyond.

But the tour wasn't over yet. The sun had finally made an appearance and our tour guide escorted us into a small grassy courtyard where ivy lined the tops of the walls. She then led a tasting featuring salted bread, five different types of wine from the villa, and the villa's own olive oil, which is certainly much different than anything you can buy on shelves in most parts of the U.S.!

The entire half-day experience was 50 euros per person, plus the cost of any wine we purchased. After securing some of the olive oil, Vin Santo and Chianti, we departed from the group and were driven back into the city, while the others stayed for a cooking class. In just a few short hours, we had experienced some of Italy's finest trademarks: the warmth of the Tuscan landscape, the hospitality of its people, and the richness of its wine. The Duomo's spectacular, the Uffizi's a must-see, but this tour is highly recommended if you want something a little bit different -- a little bit more. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 27, 2007

Accidental Tourist
Via Roma, 647
Florence, Tuscany 50010
+39 055 699376

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Dublin Literary Pub Crawl

Attraction

Quote:

Quick--Which Irish playwright won an Academy Award for the screenplay of Pygmalion, which was also adapted into a musical?If you answered George Bernard Shaw, you just might win a t-shirt from Dublin's Literary Pub Crawl, a famous walking tour that highlights two famous aspects of Irish culture: bustling pubs and a rich literary tradition. Beginning at the Duke Pub on (where else?) Duke Street, the two guides - working actors - led our group of about twenty-five people through Dublin streets. Along the way, they sprinkled trivia, songs, and scenes centered around the work of famous Irish write...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 27, 2007

Dublin Literary Pub Crawl
9 Duke Street
Dublin, Ireland
+353 (1) 670 5602