2 days
Florence in 2 days
- 1.Day 1: the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Uffizi.
- 2.Day 2: Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens, Oltrarno, Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset.
Tuscany
Tuscany
Rolling hills, rows of cypresses, wines that explain the land better than any book.
Overview
Renaissance and vineyards
Tuscany works like a region made up of many different Tuscanies: Chianti, the Val d’Orcia, the Maremma, the Apuan Alps, the art cities, the Casentino.
It is best explored by car, stopping in the smaller villages. The real luxury here is time: an isolated parish church, a family winery, a sunset behind a lone cypress.
Character of the place
What to expect
Landscape
Cultivated hills, vineyards, olive groves, forests, the Tyrrhenian coast.
Sea and coast
The Maremma (Castiglione, Argentario), Versilia, the island of Elba.
Towns and villages
Florence, Siena, Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Pienza, Montepulciano, Volterra.
Where it is
Location & getting there
Where
Central Italy, between the Tyrrhenian coast and the Apennines.
Area
Regional capital: Florence.
Getting there
Florence, Pisa and Bologna airports. High-speed trains to Firenze Santa Maria Novella.
Florence, Siena, vineyards: Tuscany is meant to be walked slowly.
Curiosities
Did you know…
- 01
Brunello di Montalcino was created in 1888 by Ferruccio Biondi Santi.
- 02
In Pienza, Pope Pius II planned the first “ideal city” of the Renaissance.
- 03
San Gimignano once had 72 medieval towers; 14 remain.
- 04
The Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape.
Itineraries
How to experience it
4 days
Chianti & Val d’Orcia
- 1.Base at an agriturismo in Chianti.
- 2.Castello di Brolio, Greve, Radda, Castellina.
- 3.Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano.
- 4.The cypresses of San Quirico and Bagno Vignoni.
7 days
Classic Tuscany
- 1.Florence (2).
- 2.Siena and San Gimignano (1).
- 3.Val d’Orcia (2).
- 4.Lucca and Pisa (1).
- 5.The coast: Argentario or the Maremma (1).
Not to be missed
Places and experiences
- 01
Uffizi
Botticelli, Leonardo, Caravaggio. Book ahead.
- 02
Piazza del Campo
Siena. One of the most beautiful squares in the world.
- 03
Val d’Orcia
Scenic roads between Pienza, Montalcino and San Quirico.
- 04
Bagno Vignoni
A thermal pool where the main square should be.
- 05
Lucca
16th-century walls turned into a pedestrian path, perfect by bike.
A feast for the eyes
Tuscany in pictures
Photo: Pexels. Lorenc Memaga · Kay de Vries · Pexels · Tony Nojmansk · Duc Tinh Ngo · Anh Nguyen · Antek Korczak · Wolfgang Weiser
Highlights
Icons of Tuscany
- Florence
- Siena
- Val d’Orcia
- Pisa
Practical tips
Before you go
Best time to go
May, June, September.
Ideal length of stay
5–7 nights for a good mix.
Good to know
A car is necessary outside Florence. Historic centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL): park outside and walk.
Keep exploring
Other destinations
Ischia
Thermal springs steaming on the beach, lush gardens, the Aragonese Castle rising from the water.
Discover
