Where is Tuscany and what is it like?
Tuscany is a triangular shaped region in the heart of Italy. Tuscany borders Liguria and Emilia in the north, Marche and Umbria in the east, and Lazio to the south.
The long stretch of coastline to the west borders the Thyrrenian sea and contains the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, the largest island being Elba. The Apuan Alps and Apennines can be found in the northern and eastern parts of Tuscany.
A few numbers about Tuscany
Tuscany is one of the biggest regions in Italy, with a surface area half the size of Holland (23.000 sq.m) and a population of 3.700.000.
67% of its territory is hilly, while 25% is mountainous (Apuan Alps and Appennines) and the remaining 8% are coastal plains. The landscape varies a lot in the different areas of Tuscany: from the northern mountainous part to the wide beaches and pine groves in the south.
⇒ What to pack for your trip to Tuscany.
Highest peaks: Mount Pisanino (Apuan Alps) 1945 metres. Mount Prado (Appennines) 2054 metres. Both are in the Lucca province.
Tuscany is divided into 10 provinces: Massa Carrara, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato, Firenze, Pisa, Grosseto, Arezzo, Siena, Livorno are the main cities in Tuscany.
Florence is the main city and capital of the region.
⇒ Find out what is Tuscany famous for.
Distance from Florence to Rome: 280 km.
Distance from Florence to Milan: 300 km.
Airports
Pisa International Airport (PSA) – (Aeroporto Galileo Galilei) – PISA
official site: www.pisa-airport.com
More popular and well-organised airport as low-cost companies like Ryanair and Easyjet operate here. The airport is 2 km. from Pisa city centre, and it is well connected to Pisa city centre and Florence city centre.
Florence Airport (FLR) – Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci (Florence Peretola)
5 km. from the city centre and an easy bus ride.
You can use Perugia (Umbria International Airport) or Bologna airport if you are travelling to the Eastern part of Tuscany. Perugia and Bologna can be reached by train from Florence.
Motorways
Motorways in Italy are indicated with green signs and are called “Autostrade“. They are all toll roads, and you’ll need to get a ticket (“biglietto“) when you enter and pay at the exit. You can use cards but it’s better to have change on hand.
The speed limit on Italian motorways is 130km/h, unless otherwise indicated.
One of the main motorways in Italy is the A1, which links Milan and Rome and passes through Florence. The A11 links Florence with Livorno, while along the coast the A32 links Viareggio on the Versilia coast with Pisa and Livorno.
For more information on roads, read the article about getting around in Tuscany.
⇒ How to plan a Road Trip to Tuscany.
Trains
Firenze S.M. Novella station is directly linked with Milan, Bologna and Rome. If you are based in Florence, you can get around easily in Tuscany by train as the station has links to all the main cities including Pisa, Livorno and Grosseto.
Ports
The principal port of the region is Livorno, and is one of the stops on many Mediterranean cruises. Piombino is another busy tourist port which can get you to the islands of Sardegna, Elba e Corsica.
To help you plan your trip, here’s an overview of all Tuscany’s points of interest and some itineraries that you might find useful.
Curious about this wonderful region? Find out some interesting facts about Tuscany.
