Here we find some different Summer activities to try out in Tuscany. Stuff that’s perfect for the curious traveller in you. If you’re looking to break free from the well-trodden sightseeing paths, try some of these experiences.
These are Tuscany’s most popular attractions and Top things to do, but if you’re looking for something different, check this out.
12 Fun & Fabulous Summer activities in Tuscany
1. Attend a concert in a scenic location
Every Summer Tuscany dedicates its evenings to music. There’s plenty to choose from too. From Opera on the lake – the Puccini Opera Festival in Torre del Lago Puccini – to pop and rock for the Lucca Summer Festival in one of Lucca’s beautiful squares. From the magical evenings of ‘Lirica in piazza’ in Massa Marittima to the open-air Roman theatre in Fiesole “Estate Fiesolana”. Something a bit more intimate? Check out San Galgano Summer concerts. Location? The roofless Abbey of San Galgano, south of Siena.
2. SUP board adventure in the Garfagnana
Get off the beaten track and get aboard a stand up paddle board, or SUP, in the cool water of beautiful rivers of the Garfagnana, just a few kilometres from Lucca. On this Sup Guided Tour you’ll explore the river Serchio to discover the famous Medieval Devil’s Bridge – 10 km paddling downstream are easy for anyone, beginners or expert.
=> Alternatively, you can explore the natural beauty of the mountainous Garfagnana region, which makes an excellent Half-day Trip from Lucca. Travel by minivan with a guide, visit the Medieval village of Barga with its impressive cathedral, and hear the legends that have made the Devil’s Bridge famous!
3. Travel back to the Middle Ages
In Tuscany it’s easy to time travel! Join one of the Medieval Festivals that colour the Tuscan Summer. The historic horse race Il Palio in Siena (2nd July and 16th August) is the most popular (and crowded).
But you can choose something more intimate between the many Medieval-inspired events and festivals in different locations: Volterra AD1389 (mid-August), Bravio delle Botti (the contestants from the town’s district have to push heavy wooden barrels up the picturesque streets of Montepulciano) , Medieval Festival in Monteriggioni (usually mid-July), the Joust of the Saracen jousting competition in Arezzo (3rd Sunday in June and 1st Sunday in September).
+ Check out the Best traditional Festivals in Tuscany !
4. Cooking class in a farm house near Florence
Be an Italian chef for a day. With this Cooking Class & Lunch you learn to find the freshest ingredients in historic markets in Florence, then head to a beautiful farm house in the hills and get ready to roll up your sleeves. It’s time to prepare your feast of pasta, bruschetta and Tuscan roast pork, plus beloved desserts such as tiramisù, before savouring the creations with Tuscan wine.
5. Eat cacciucco in Livorno
Here’s another tip for foodies. You can’t leave Tuscany without trying the region’s traditional fish soup cacciucco. It’s a messy affair, with plenty of tomato sauce, toasted bread and garlic. You’ll need a big napkin around your neck! The best places to try it are in Livorno, Trattoria Da Galileo or Sottomarino. Definitely one of the top Summer activities in Tuscany for any food lover!
6. Explore Florence by night with a gelato Walking Tour
What’s better than an evening walk around Florence’s scenic squares and along the river Arno? The heat dies down, the light is mellow and everyone is a . Enjoying a Florence guided evening tour about the most scenic spots and round off the evening with a gelato at one of the artisanal gelaterie. A must.
=> Discover Florence’s main sights and attractions, and check out some great Things to do in Florence in Summer.
7. Live the Aperitivo culture in Lucca
Lucca is not only famous for its massive set of Renaissance walls and its beautiful churches, but also for its cafè culture and lively bars. In Summer people stay out until late and enjoy aperitivi in the favourite bars like cocktail Bar Frankin ’33 (via san Giorgio 43) or Tapas Bar Puntino (via anfiteatro 37) , Il Bernino in the lovely Via Fillungo.
=> While you’re in Lucca, you can also join an Aperitivo Tour with Wine & Food Tasting, a walking tour of the picturesque town’s centre led by a local guide, plus drinks and the best bites of local food.
8. Unleash you inner child at Capalbio Tarot Garden
Right at the southernmost tip of Tuscany you find a special place, a place where dreams and fairy tales are born. It’s the Tarot Garden by artist Niki de Saint Phalle who, inspired by the work of Gaudì, created a magical place where nature and art mix, in a feast of colours and esoteric figures. A unique sight near the fortified village of Capalbio. For children, and grown up kids too.
9. Drive a FIAT 500 in Tuscany
Travel back to sixties Italy with a drive in a vintage Fiat 500 car through Tuscany! Following a guide from Florence you’ll wind your way into the Tuscan hills, past picturesque towns and ancient vineyards. Your 4-hour tour ends with a relaxing meal on a private terrace.
This unique Florence FIAT 500 Tour is limited to five cars (with 15 people total), ensuring you’ll enjoy a small-group experience.
10. Grape & wine Summer activities in the Chianti region
Wine tasting is always a good idea in Tuscany, a glass of the best Chianti or chilled white Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a plate of antipasto toscano. In Summer you can dine outside, with the breeze cooling the air after the hot day.
If you’re in Tuscany during September you can experience the grape harvest, you can take part in one of the lively wine festivals around Tuscany.
11. Taste panzanella!
Summer is the perfect time to taste one of Tuscany’s signature dishes, the panzanella. Made with bread, tomato onion basil and cucumber, and plenty of vinegar and olive oil, this unapologetically humble dish is a great combination of taste and freshness. It’s basically summer… on a plate! A cold dish that refreshes your palate and allows you to savour all the flavours of simple fresh ingredients straight from a Tuscan farm kitchen.
12. Magic at Mercantia, Certaldo
Ready for a magical night in one of Tuscany’s prettiest Medieval hilltop towns? Oh yes! Mercantia is the street theatre Festival that brings some strange and wonderful sights to Certaldo Alto, and a magical atmosphere. It’s usually held over four days in mid-July. You’ll find a market (stones, jewels, fantasy related stuff) street food, and on the old part of town up on the hill there’s live music, fantastical and fancy costumes, jugglers, creatures walking on stilts, magicians and more. Everything around the picturesque stone streets of Certaldo Alto. Unforgettable.
=> Best Ways to enjoy Summer in Tuscany!
=> Picturesque villages in Tuscany to visit
= August in Tuscany: top events and trip ideas
