“Well all I can say is WOW!! What an awesome day I’ve had with Nicola, this hike through the villages and mountains was so beautiful! Nicola made this a very cool interactive, and personal trip. He was so knowledgeable with all the very interesting history in the area that it really felt as though I was living through time on this tour. He had a lot of nice personal touches, with the picnic in Metato with some really tasty breads from his home town of Camaiore, to the swim we had at the end of hike at the waterfall. I really recommend this experience to anyone that has an appreciation for culture, nature, beautiful scenery, and interacting with a professional guide for a very unique experience. Thank you very much!”
— Sam, Vancouver
“This was a wonderful walk, and so so beautiful. Around every corner awaited a new vista equal to or better than the last. Nicola grew up in the town of Camaiore and his knowledge and passion for the area shined through. We would not have experienced the culture and history of this very special area of Tuscany, and some of the villages within it, without Nicola’s assistance. If we are in the area again, we will not hesitate to adventure again with Nicola. Grazie! Grazie! Mille Grazie!”
— Jamie, Colorado
“When one visits Tuscany, the landscape always takes center stage - after wine and pasta of course - but seldom have I read or heard of the absolute beauty of walking in the wilderness of Tuscany. Just yesterday I had that pleasure.
A group of us ranging in age from 10 to 70 managed a challenging 2 mile hike from the beautiful town of Camiore to the quirky, sweet town of Casoli led by the knowledgeable and kind Nicola Merciadri. He ensured that everyone was safe and stopped frequently for photo ops and water. Along the way he shared bits of history and botany that enriched our experience. He carried extra supplies and was able to provide a few hikers with poles to make the trek a bit easier.
Our hike ended in the village of Casoli in a tiny restaurant overlooking the terrain we had just covered. The cafe owner created a special plate of cheeses and meats (OMG the cheeses!) and later panini’s the size of your head.
Overall it was probably my favorite experience of this trip and it had everything to do with feeling safe and taken care of by Nicola and Athanae of Explore Tuscany.”
— Allison, California
“What an amazing guide, with such knowledge of the area. Very kind and thought full, looking out for all of us and to end up at the most amazing restaurant for lunch was a added bonus.”
— Debbie, United Kingdom
“A wonderful experience that is literally off the beaten path! Italy is a special country with a long history, and it’s no surprise there are tourists EVERYWHERE (myself included). This was a great escape to the nature and history of the region (and country). It was the right balance of physical challenge and rejuvenation. The scenery is breathtaking, and there is a real sense of pride looking down on where you started from a mountain top. Seeing the small villages and seeing their art and drinking their espresso is a unique temoignage to a way of life that is all but forgotten in many places. Nicola is knowledgeable, patient and kind and has a deep love and respect for his geographical roots. He has travelled a lot and lived abroad which made his insights all the more valuable. I’m so happy I took the chance on this tour, it exceeded my expectations. He offers other tours, and it’s a special way to experience or re-experience this beautiful region of Italy while getting active.”
— Jessica, Toronto
“From beginning to end, this was an amazing, enjoyable day hiking with Nicola! The Waterfalls, and surrounding scenery were beautiful. The hilltop villages surrounding Camaiore were so interesting to explore! Very interesting stories and history associated with the ruins we encountered. The views out toward the sea were breathtaking. Nicola was a great leader — he set a pace that worked for the groups’ abilities, and offered resting spots when needed. His love for the area and passion for what he does was palpable! We enjoyed meeting Athanae too, and hearing her perspectives on the area and sharing a delightful snack. A day our group of 4 adults will not forgot — this trip is highly recommended!!”
— David, Boston
“Our family of non-hikers, including two teenagers and two middle age adults, were guided on a hike that took us up a mountain trail, through the village of Casoli, across the path villagers would have used to get from Casoli to Metato, and then back down the mountain. We stopped to have a drink in Casoli and had a picnic lunch brought by Nicola in between. At the end of the hike our son jumped from a little cliff into the pool at the bottom of a waterfall. The hike wasn’t too difficult. However, it was a hot and humid August day and that did make it a bit of a challenge, especially for the adults. We didn’t go too fast and Nicola stopped for water breaks and to take pictures of the amazing view. Nicola was very kind and his English is perfect, so we had no trouble conversing at all. It was a perfect excursion and one we couldn’t have done ourselves. It really was necessary to have a guide. Plus, along the way Nicola shared info. about the hike, the villages and the region. We would definitely recommended taking this or another of Nicola’s hiking excursions.”
— Matthew, Maine
“If you are the kind of traveler who likes to be active on your holiday, but would rather not be surrounded by other tourists, this is the walk for you! The distance is not long, but there are some ups and downs. Nicola took excellent care of us, making sure to show us where to walk cautiously and even demonstrating walking techniques that would be safer on our knees. We took more pictures on this day than on any other day of our trip-of the local villages, the scenic views, the ruins. I do not want to give anything away, so I will just say that Nicola had a couple special treats for us, too. A lovely man at the beginning of what will certainly be a very successful business. Get some one-on-one time with Nicola before everyone else finds out about him!”
— Heidi, Oregon
“This waterfalls hiking experience near where I stayed in Camaiore is one that I will never forget! First, Nicola, the guide is very approachable and easy to be around. In addition, the wealth of information and in-depth knowledge about the terrain comes from his certifications and training but his intimate knowledge of this area is also from growing up as a youth in this beautiful mountain area. There are sheer cliffs with ancient caves, lush green, beautiful flowers, and gorgeous waterfalls. Nicola also presented a lovely lunch with delicious breads and meats but, the biggest welcomed surprise- brewed fresh espresso! If you are a nature lover, have intermediate to advanced hiking skills (I’m not quite sure if this is a hike for beginners but Nicola would know more so than I), enjoy rural mountain towns with rich artistic history, seeing incredible waterfalls (I found the courage to swim in the early Spring and I would encourage the brave to try it!), and would like the benefit of being led by a supremely capable, warm, informative guide like Nicola, then, in my humble opinion, this is an unforgettable, most enjoyable hiking experience.”
— Tracy, New York
“Incredible, exhilarating, beautiful, original, interesting, unique and a brilliant experience. Nicola was the perfect guide and made sure our party of 3 had a truly wonderful 3 hour hike. Nicola is a local to the area and his knowledge and demeanour meant that we felt like a group of friends going off to explore the mountains and ancient towns of the area. Highly recommend this experience and we topped it all off with a fabulous lunch on a high terrace - all organised by Nicola. 5 Star all the way.”
— Sandra, United Kingdom
“The waterfalls were wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed hiking to the hill towns and seeing the murals. The area was beautiful, invigorating and showed a different perspective rather than seeing more city-scape.”
— Carol, Colorado
“Signed up for the waterfall hike and had an absolutely amazing time. Nicola is from Camaiore and he knows the areas hiking trails as well as the history. The hike went up into the hills/ mountains and we stopped at a very small village higher up the hill and had coffee, the vista’s were beautiful. The same town had amazing recent artwork on the town walls typically about the history and people of the area. I saw many stunning vista’s and I learned about old ancient towns that used to exist on parts of the mountain. My favorite of all was the waterfalls and being able to either swim or soak my feet in the refreshing water. If I walked this trail without Nicola I would not have had such a rich and enjoyable experience. I highly recommend Nicola/ Explore Tuscany if you want to learn more about Tuscany, see beautiful views and unique trails with a very thoughtful and knowledgeable guide.”
— Debbie, California
“Do yourself a favour and book into one of the hikes that Explore Tuscany run in the region. Nicola is a born and bred Tuscan who is visibly passionate about the region. His knowledge, experience and the connections he has made to small business owners in the area makes these hikes and tours better than any I have ever done. Walk up into the hills behind Camaiore from Candalla, through a magical forest landscape which has overgrown the pre-industrial flour and pasta mills. Take a dip in the icy natural pools formed by waterfalls and drink the crystal clear water. Once you reach the top, Nicola will guide you to a local bar for a Spritz or onwards to Il Fondaccio, a local restaurant where you can experience truly authentic Tuscan food and the best basil gelato you will ever taste.
I took the opportunity to also hike a bit of the Ligurian coast, through the Cinque Terre towns of Coniglia and Manarola, and my experience was the same. Personal, knowledgeable and enjoyable hikes with a bit of something extra which only comes when you tour with locals.”
— Tanya, Western Australia
“I had originally booked the San Gimignano walk but when Nicola realised I was developing a fondness for Chianti he suggested we swap to the Chianti Classico walk that started a little further afield, south of Florence at Greve-in-Chianti.
This provided another contrast of landscape as we worked our way....yes, up... along paths and through vineyards with the height giving glorious vistas of rolling hills covered with rows of vines and olive trees. We had pre-booked the added extra of lunch at a family-run vineyard and it is worth including it as part of your walk. We were given a tour of the small business followed by lunch in the garden with a panoramic Chianti backdrop. I also bought a bottle that included an original hand-painted label.
If you cross the bridge back in Greve keep an eye out for the coypu basking on the rocks.”
— Richard, United Kingdom
“Wir hatten eine wunderschöne Zeit mit Bea. Sie hat uns nicht nur die Landschaft gezeigt sonder auch viel über Land und Leute erzählt. Wir haben es sehr genossen und können es jedem nur empfehlen. Mit Führer erfährt/sieht man einfach mehr als ohne.”
