🇮🇹 Why We're Spending a Week in a Tuscan Town You've Probably Never Heard Of

Photo: Authentic Tuscany

This December, Michelle and I are heading back to Italy. But this trip is going to look a little different.

Instead of basing ourselves in Florence or another well-known destination, we're spending a week in Vicopisano, a small town tucked between Pisa and Lucca that we'll use as our home base for exploring Northern Tuscany.

We've followed Authentic Tuscany for quite some time and really enjoy their videos about everyday life in this part of Tuscany. This trip, we'll actually be staying in one of their properties.

What drew us to Vicopisano wasn't a long list of things we needed to see. It was almost the opposite.

Morning coffee in the piazza. Walking to the bakery. Shopping at the local markets. Getting to know a small town while using it as a base to explore parts of Tuscany that don't always make the typical itinerary.

It's the kind of travel I keep coming back to — experiencing Italy, not just seeing it.

And since I'm still planning this trip, I thought I'd bring you along for some of the research.

Photo: Authentic Tuscany

Our home base in Vicopisano this December.

Photo: Authentic Tuscany

🚗 When to Drive — and When to Take the Train

We'll have a rental car, which gives us a lot of freedom to explore the countryside and smaller villages. But that doesn't mean I'm planning to drive everywhere.

One of the things I'm researching now is which destinations make more sense by car and which are better reached by train. Sometimes leaving the car parked means not worrying about traffic, parking or Italy's infamous ZTLs — restricted driving zones in many historic city centers.

And yes, I have some firsthand experience with those.

Let's just say I've received a few unexpected souvenirs from Italy in the form of ZTL and speeding tickets. 😂

So I'm looking at nearby train stations, drive times and parking before deciding how we'll get to each place. It's a small part of planning an Italy trip that can make a big difference once you're there.

🎄 Christmas Markets Are Definitely on My List

One of the things I'm most looking forward to is seeing Tuscany during the Christmas season.

I'm researching several Christmas markets and towns within reach of our base. Arezzo is one I'm leaning toward, but I haven't completely settled on the final plan yet.

And that's intentional.

I want enough of a plan that we aren't wasting time figuring everything out once we're there, but not so much of a plan that we can't wake up one morning, change our minds and go somewhere completely different.

I'll share some of the smaller towns and places I'm researching over the next several weeks — including which ones make our final list.

🧳 A Few Things I Won't Travel Without

The more I travel, the more I've learned that a handful of simple things can make a trip much easier.

From adapters and chargers to the things I keep with me on travel days, I've put some of my favorites together in my

Travel Essentials Library ↗

🇮🇹 And Speaking of Planning Italy…

I've also been working on something new at NomadWithDan.

This week I launched a completely redesigned Italy page, with sample journeys and ideas for experiencing different parts of the country — from Tuscany and Italy's classic cities to the Amalfi Coast and beyond.

These aren't cookie-cutter packages. Think of them as inspiration and a starting point for what your own Italy trip could look like.

Explore Italy with NomadWithDan →

More from my December research soon.

Thinking About Your Own Trip to Italy?

Maybe Italy is on your list, but you're not quite sure what the trip should look like yet. That's completely fine.

Tell me a little about how you like to travel and what you're imagining. Start with a short intake form, and then we'll schedule a consultation to talk through the possibilities together.

Complete a short intake form so I can learn about your trip and follow up with you.

Buon Viaggio, 🇮🇹

Dan
Nomad With Dan

Experience Italy. Don’t just see it.

P.S. Have a question about Italy? Just reply to this email—it comes directly to me. I’m always happy to talk Italy. 🇮🇹