Tuscany.

EUROPE/ITALY/43.4167° N, 11.0000° E

Morning burns the low fog off the clay mounds of the Val d'Orcia, exposing ridges that look painted because fourteenth-century masters copied what was right outside their windows. The territory rolls from the marble crags of the Apuan Alps down to the salt pans of the Maremma, anchored by towns built around civic pride, pecorino rinds, and thick ribollita. It is large, deliberate country where dinner dictates the day.

Last updated 1 Sept 2026

Field notes

Photographs · Wikimedia Commons
Europe / Italy43.42°N 11.00°E
Tuscany — Cypress tree alley at sunset in Asciano, Tuscany
Cypress tree alley at sunset in Asciano, Tuscany
Tuscany — coast
coast
Tuscany — 01665 ITA Tuscany Pitigliano S from viewpoint V-P
01665 ITA Tuscany Pitigliano S from viewpoint V-P

What Tuscany is about

Twelve ways to read the region. Pick a town below and you can turn any of these into a timed 1, 2 or 3 day plan.

RED WINE

Drink Sangiovese in its purest forms, from young Chianti Classico to oak-aged Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

HILLTOP TOWNS

Wander medieval stone lanes and fortified walls in San Gimignano, Volterra, and Montepulciano before the day-tripper buses arrive at ten.

RENAISSANCE ART

Study Giotto, Botticelli, and Donatello across Florence's Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello, and frescoed chapels inside Santa Maria Novella.

RURAL COOKING

Eat ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, and wild boar ragu over wide pappardelle, mopped up with traditional unsalted Tuscan pane sciocco.

COASTAL SEAFOOD

Order cacciucco, the spicy tomato and red mullet fish stew in Livorno, followed by grilled cuttlefish along the rocky Argentario coast.

SACRED ARCHITECTURE

Step inside Romanesque abbeys like Sant'Antimo and the striped marble Duomo in Siena, where cool flagstones offer relief in high summer.

THERMAL BATHS

Soak in sulfuric hot springs bubbling into limestone cascade pools at Saturnia or the Renaissance stone basin at Bagno Vignoni.

CURED MEATS

Sample cured Cinta Senese ham, fennel-scented finocchiona, and lardo di Colonnata sliced wafer-thin over toasted country bread.

MOUNTAIN TRAILS

Hike beech forests and limestone crests along the Apuan Alps and Casentinesi ridges for views stretching from marble quarries to the sea.

WEEKLY MARKETS

Pick through seasonal artichokes, porcini mushrooms, and wheels of aged Pienza pecorino alongside town regulars on morning market days.

ISLAND COASTLINES

Catch the ferry to Elba or Giglio for granite coves, rosemary-covered coastal footpaths, and clear Tyrrhenian waters.

HISTORIC SQUARES

Pull up a chair on Siena's sloped Piazza del Campo or Lucca's oval Piazza dell'Anfiteatro for an afternoon espresso and people-watching.

Where to go in Tuscany

The bases worth booking. Each one has its own field guide with 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries.

  1. 01
    Firenze

    FIRENZE / ITALY

    Home to Renaissance heavyweights, master butchers, and the best tripe sandwich in northern Italy.

  2. 02
    Siena

    SIENA / ITALY

    A brick-paved Gothic showstopper centered around the tilted shell of Piazza del Campo.

  3. 03
    Lucca

    LUCCA / ITALY

    Rent a bicycle to circle the intact Renaissance ramparts before heading inside for buccellato cake.

  4. 04
    Pisa

    PISA / ITALY

    Look past the famous leaning campanile to explore a lively university riverbank and quiet Romanesque alleys.

  5. 05
    San Gimignano

    SIENA / ITALY

    Arrive at dusk after tour coaches leave to drink crisp Vernaccia under fourteen medieval stone towers.

  6. 06
    Pienza

    SIENA / ITALY

    Built as an ideal Renaissance town and dedicated entirely to the serious business of aging pecorino.

  7. 07
    Montepulciano

    SIENA / ITALY

    Climb steep limestone alleys to sample structured red wine stored in deep underground barrel vaults.

  8. 08
    Montalcino

    SIENA / ITALY

    A hilltop fortress town ringed by vineyards producing complex, long-lived Brunello from Sangiovese grapes.

  9. 09
    Cortona

    AREZZO / ITALY

    Perched high above the Chiana Valley, offering Etruscan city walls and quiet trattorias serving Chianina beef.

  10. 10
    Livorno

    LIVORNO / ITALY

    A salty port town where locals gather for strong Ponce coffee, canal-side walks, and rich fish stew.

  11. 11
    Volterra

    PISA / ITALY

    Quiet alabaster workshops and brooding Etruscan gates give this windy hilltop fortress real grit.

  12. 12
    Porto Santo Stefano

    GROSSETO / ITALY

    A rugged Maremma harbor town serving sweet red prawns against the backdrop of Mount Argentario.

What to do in Tuscany

Tuscany covers a broad swathe of central Italy, from the jagged marble peaks of the Apuan Alps down to the rolling wheat hills of the Val d'Orcia and the Maremma coast. Daily life runs strictly on local time: morning market runs, long lunches over plates of pici pasta, and evening strolls along medieval ramparts. It rewards travellers who prefer settling in a single valley over rushing between museum queues.

When to go to Tuscany

May and October offer warm walking weather, harvest energy, and thinner crowds. July and August turn inland cities like Florence into scorching cauldrons, sending locals to the Tyrrhenian coast. Winter brings crisp morning frosts, cheaper rooms, and hearty bowls of ribollita by stone fireplaces.

Getting around Tuscany

Trains connect major hubs like Florence, Pisa, and Lucca quickly and cheaply. Exploring rural wine country, the Val d'Orcia, or coastal Maremma requires a rental car. Expect winding secondary roads, limited-traffic zones in historical town centres, and easy one-hour hops between major hill towns.