109 experiences
The graceful cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, charming and utterly irresistible! That's Florence, a city to indulge in world-class art and savor authentic gourmet Tuscan cuisine. The urban fabric of this town sitting on the banks of Arno river didn’t change much since the Renaissance. Its network of narrow cobbled streets boasts with history. In fact, medieval palaces, chapels, frescoed churches, marbled cathedrals and world-renowned galleries and museums greet you at every corner. If that is not enough to sweep you off your feet, set out on a boutique shopping adventure. Florentine streets will treat you to A-lister fashion houses, high-class boutiques, and artisan workshops. After your sightseeing or shopping spree, you can regain your power sampling the best of Florentine culinary tradition. There, it's all about fresh, seasonal and, above all, local ingredients. It’s virtually impossible to run out of exciting and fun things to do in Florence.
5 experiences
Pisa was once an influential maritime power matching the likes of Genoa and Venice. Today, it's mainly famous for a grand architectural project which went wrong. Its Leaning Tower that spread the word of this small Tuscan town all over the world. Moreover, climbing to the top of it makes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the world-famous bell tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli is solely one of many unusual places to see and things to do in Pisa. For instance, it’s interesting to know that it’s education that has fuelled the local economy for the past 600 years. To this day, students from all over Italy compete for places at its elite university. This gives the city center a youthful bar scene. The vibrant street life is dominated by locals rather than tourists. It's a perfect balance to the Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance buildings and piazzas.
29 experiences
Siena is a town boasting with exquisite medieval architecture that leaves the souls of its visitors soaring with wonder. In essence, a vast, open-air museum devoted to the celebration of Gothic style, Siena comprises both religious and secular landmarks that retained their extraordinary medieval forms. The art collections hiding inside these monuments also offer plenty to marvel at. However, the city's historic districts (contrade) do not lag behind. They are colorful and rigged with crooked streets as they were when their world-renown horse race, the Palio, was inaugurated in the 17th century. Today, the contrade streets are lined with artisanal boutiques, alluring pasticcerie (pastry shops) and authentic restaurants. The things to do and places to see in Siena are a treat to all your senses. Neither your eyes nor your taste buds will be disappointed. Make sure this lovely Tuscan town doesn’t miss on your Tuscan Itinerary.
0 experiences
Deep-rooted in antiquity, Cinque Terre villages date to the early Middle Ages. While most of their fetching winsome architecture remains, Cinque Terre's unique appeal is the steep cliffs cleaved by an intricate system of fields and gardens which have been shaped, chiseled, and layered over for nearly two millennia. The sleepy fishing villages are set amid some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery not only Italy, but the whole planet has to offer. In fact, the entire area has been declared Unesco Mankind's World Heritage. Each village, be it Monterosso al Mare, Corniglia, Vernazza, Manarola, or Riomaggiore, fills the air with a charmingly lazy buzz of human activity. Calloused locals and suntanned tourists alike enjoy the mix of nature and Italian culture. Unadulterated sun, sand, and sea offer days of swimming, hiking, boat rides, wining and dining, and even evening romance.
0 experiences
Picturesque Lucca charms its every visitor. A small town beloved by Tuscans as well as travelers, Lucca resides at the foot of the wild and towering Apuan Alps. The town cheekily hides behind remarkably preserved Renaissance walls. Its numerous cobbled streets, shady promenades, and lovely quaint piazzas make it an ideal destination to explore by foot. In, visiting Lucca is the perfect day trip from Florence you have been looking for. Wandering across town will let you examine the traces of the Roman amphitheater in the shape of Piazza dell’Anfiteatro or discover the excavation site under the church devoted to Saints Giovanni and Reparata. When the town sets over the Tuscan hills, rustic bars, and restaurants lure the town’s visitors to relax with a glass of Lucchesi wine and rustic dishes prepared with love and fresh local produce. Find out more about things to see and do in Lucca!
0 experiences
Tuscany is best known for its lavishly green landscapes of softly rolling hills decorated with fields, low-lying forests, clandestine hamlets, and vineyards. The most iconic scenic images of such Tuscan hills come from an area known as Chianti. Chianti is not a town, region, not a district. It’s an area which borders are not defined by secular institutions but rather by the quality of the wine. Chianti area stretches over both the districts Florence and Siena. The legendary vineyards in this postcard-perfect piece of the world produce the high-quality grapes used in the namesake wines Chianti and Chianti Classico: both world-famous ruby-red wines sold under the Gallo Nero label. Browsing through its landscapes, one encounters ancient olive groves, honey-colored farmhouses, Romanesque rural churches, charming Renaissance villas, and mighty stone castles from the Middle Ages. Don’t hesitate and explore the best things to do in Chianti.
109 experiences
The graceful cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, charming and utterly irresistible! That's Florence, a city to indulge in world-class art and savor authentic gourmet Tuscan cuisine. The urban fabric of this town sitting on the banks of Arno river didn’t change much since the Renaissance. Its network of narrow cobbled streets boasts with history. In fact, medieval palaces, chapels, frescoed churches, marbled cathedrals and world-renowned galleries and museums greet you at every corner. If that is not enough to sweep you off your feet, set out on a boutique shopping adventure. Florentine streets will treat you to A-lister fashion houses, high-class boutiques, and artisan workshops. After your sightseeing or shopping spree, you can regain your power sampling the best of Florentine culinary tradition. There, it's all about fresh, seasonal and, above all, local ingredients. It’s virtually impossible to run out of exciting and fun things to do in Florence.
5 experiences
Pisa was once an influential maritime power matching the likes of Genoa and Venice. Today, it's mainly famous for a grand architectural project which went wrong. Its Leaning Tower that spread the word of this small Tuscan town all over the world. Moreover, climbing to the top of it makes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the world-famous bell tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli is solely one of many unusual places to see and things to do in Pisa. For instance, it’s interesting to know that it’s education that has fuelled the local economy for the past 600 years. To this day, students from all over Italy compete for places at its elite university. This gives the city center a youthful bar scene. The vibrant street life is dominated by locals rather than tourists. It's a perfect balance to the Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance buildings and piazzas.
29 experiences
Siena is a town boasting with exquisite medieval architecture that leaves the souls of its visitors soaring with wonder. In essence, a vast, open-air museum devoted to the celebration of Gothic style, Siena comprises both religious and secular landmarks that retained their extraordinary medieval forms. The art collections hiding inside these monuments also offer plenty to marvel at. However, the city's historic districts (contrade) do not lag behind. They are colorful and rigged with crooked streets as they were when their world-renown horse race, the Palio, was inaugurated in the 17th century. Today, the contrade streets are lined with artisanal boutiques, alluring pasticcerie (pastry shops) and authentic restaurants. The things to do and places to see in Siena are a treat to all your senses. Neither your eyes nor your taste buds will be disappointed. Make sure this lovely Tuscan town doesn’t miss on your Tuscan Itinerary.
0 experiences
Deep-rooted in antiquity, Cinque Terre villages date to the early Middle Ages. While most of their fetching winsome architecture remains, Cinque Terre's unique appeal is the steep cliffs cleaved by an intricate system of fields and gardens which have been shaped, chiseled, and layered over for nearly two millennia. The sleepy fishing villages are set amid some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery not only Italy, but the whole planet has to offer. In fact, the entire area has been declared Unesco Mankind's World Heritage. Each village, be it Monterosso al Mare, Corniglia, Vernazza, Manarola, or Riomaggiore, fills the air with a charmingly lazy buzz of human activity. Calloused locals and suntanned tourists alike enjoy the mix of nature and Italian culture. Unadulterated sun, sand, and sea offer days of swimming, hiking, boat rides, wining and dining, and even evening romance.
0 experiences
Picturesque Lucca charms its every visitor. A small town beloved by Tuscans as well as travelers, Lucca resides at the foot of the wild and towering Apuan Alps. The town cheekily hides behind remarkably preserved Renaissance walls. Its numerous cobbled streets, shady promenades, and lovely quaint piazzas make it an ideal destination to explore by foot. In, visiting Lucca is the perfect day trip from Florence you have been looking for. Wandering across town will let you examine the traces of the Roman amphitheater in the shape of Piazza dell’Anfiteatro or discover the excavation site under the church devoted to Saints Giovanni and Reparata. When the town sets over the Tuscan hills, rustic bars, and restaurants lure the town’s visitors to relax with a glass of Lucchesi wine and rustic dishes prepared with love and fresh local produce. Find out more about things to see and do in Lucca!
0 experiences
Tuscany is best known for its lavishly green landscapes of softly rolling hills decorated with fields, low-lying forests, clandestine hamlets, and vineyards. The most iconic scenic images of such Tuscan hills come from an area known as Chianti. Chianti is not a town, region, not a district. It’s an area which borders are not defined by secular institutions but rather by the quality of the wine. Chianti area stretches over both the districts Florence and Siena. The legendary vineyards in this postcard-perfect piece of the world produce the high-quality grapes used in the namesake wines Chianti and Chianti Classico: both world-famous ruby-red wines sold under the Gallo Nero label. Browsing through its landscapes, one encounters ancient olive groves, honey-colored farmhouses, Romanesque rural churches, charming Renaissance villas, and mighty stone castles from the Middle Ages. Don’t hesitate and explore the best things to do in Chianti.
Beyond the frenetic streets of Florence are the rolling hills that characterize this regions natural beauty. Recognized the world over, Tuscany landscape marries nature and culture to beautiful effect and can be enjoyed by foot, car or bike. Val d’Orcia, south of Siena, is an untouched haven of lush green hills and soft valleys that served as an inspiration for many Renaissance painters and is now one of Tuscany’s six World Heritage Sites. Step into another world in Crete Senesi and the Accona Desert, with their clay hills and the grey lunar landscapes, the result of sediment from the Pliocene Sea. Or, enjoy a wander through the Vallombrosa woods, one of Italy’s most famous parks. Here you can hike trails or take refuge from the sun and enjoy a picnic underneath the beech and fir trees. Diving into an exploration of the local countryside is a fail-proof recipe the best of Tuscany.
With its roots firmly in peasant tradition, Tuscans have unjustly been labeled by other Italians as mangiafagioli – or bean-eaters. However, food and wine are the best of Tuscany. The sun-dappled region, with its hillside villages, is happy to let its food speak for itself. It is, without a doubt, a gourmand’s paradise. Here, culinary diversity is guaranteed, with villages, towns, and cities each championing their delicious take on olive oils, wines, and foods. In the provinces between Pisa and Florence, you can enjoy fantastic goats cheeses, Chianina beef platters, white truffles and, of course, in the famed city itself, the iconic Bistecca Alla Fiorentina (chargrilled T-bone steak). Agritourism and farmhouse cooking means you can sample wild boar and a vast array of sharp pecorino cheeses which you can wash down in any of the Chianti many wineries. But enough words, Tuscan cuisine can speak for itself!
Tuscany, the cradle of Renaissance and home to few of the wealthiest ancient city-states overflow with unmatched artistic and architectural heritage. Florence, the region’s biggest city, is home to one of Italy’s most famous art museums, the Uffizi gallery. Here you can bask in the works of some of Italy’s best-known artists, like Uccello and Botticelli. Of course, there is also Siena. When not bustling with the excitement of the Palio, Siena is an easy-going medieval city and a prime example of golden age Gothic architecture. Then in Pisa, you can marvel at the city’s leaning tower and the duomo’s elliptical dome. And, let’s not forget about the Etruscans and their contributions to Tuscany art scene. Head to Volterra to admire the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum or Sarteano to discover the intricate Tomb of the Infernal Chariot. Undoubtedly, admiring art and architecture are among the best things to do in Tuscany.
The lowest and flattest areas of the region center around the banks of Arno River.
Tuscan provinces include Massa-Carrara, Prato, Lucca, Pistoia, Firenze, Arezzo, Livorno, Pisa, Siena, and Grosseto. All those places, be it big cities or tiny forgotten villages, hide ancient reminders of the Etruscan, Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance heritage in form of excavations, landmarks, as well as art. Hence, people from around the world visit Tuscany to admire some of the most imposing works of art ever created.
Besides the many places to see in Tuscany and flourishing tourism, the area is one of the most thriving agricultural regions of Italy. It specializes in the production of cereals (wheat especially), olives and olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cheese, and, above all, wines. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Morellino di Scansano are the best wines Tuscany can offer. Furthermore, its mineral natural resources include iron, zinc, copper as well as Carrara marble - one of the most famous and expensive marbles in the world.
Whichever corner of the region you visit, you will encounter an array of landmarks, natural allures, and activities to explore. For instance, you can admire the untouched nature of the Apuan Alps, marvel at the picturesque cliffs of Cinque Terre, explore Renaissance influences in Florence, Siena, and Pisa, or savor a Chianti wine tasting. Tuscany destinations don’t disappoint! Scroll below to discover more exciting things to do in Tuscany points of interest!