Adventure in Tuscany Florence is my favorite city in the world, and I’ve visited dozens of times over the years. But the past few years I’ve been branching out to explore Tuscany’s adventurous side. I’ve cycled. I’ve rented a Vespa and driven around the countryside. And last month I hiked… Read More
90km of Fun through Tuscany: Hiking the Via Francigena
The Via Francigena If you haven’t heard of the Via Francigena, you’re not alone. The pilgrimage path dates to the 9th century and connects the Canterbury Cathedral in England and the Vatican in Rome, but pilgrimages have been declining since the Middle Ages, and the path is now overshadowed by… Read More
Photography Expeditions and Workshops: A Ranking
I’ve just returned from a photography expedition in Oman and United Arab Emirates with National Geographic. On the flight home, I started thinking about the ten photography expeditions and workshops that I’ve now done around the world and what made each one successful (or not). To my mind a successful trip needs:… Read More
A Week in Florence Without Kids
The Best Text Ever The text arrived on a Tuesday in May: “Any chance you’ve got an opening for a quick trip to Florence?” It was from my college roommate who I had studied in Florence with 26 years earlier. Of course! It would be fun to get back to my… Read More
A Villa in Tuscany for a Month
A Villa in Tuscany with Kids A few years ago we agreed to take the kids (1, 3 and 5) on a Disney Cruise through the Mediterranean. Expecting to basically be trapped on a Disney ride for 12 nights, we scheduled the next part of the summer to be far more relaxing…a… Read More