When you’re planning a trip to Tuscany, your only concern will be how to do everything on your list. A region so full of art treasures, natural beauty and culinary experiences that its’ not easy to pick just one for your holiday. But here you’ve got a few tips to help you tailor make your perfect gateway.
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How to plan s trip to Tuscany – A few tips
Town or country?
If you like the idea of the popular Renaissance city filled with museums and amazing architecture, then base yourself in Florence. From here you can take easy day trips (via public transport) to nearby Siena, Pisa and Lucca. In Florence you’ve got the benefit of a lively nightlife, shopping possibilities and an infinite choice of all-sorts of mouthwatering ways to indulge your appetite.
If you prefer the idea of a more relaxing trip, you could prefer of an agriturismo in the country. Here you’ll be immersed in the slow rhythym of the Tuscan countryside, and you can spend your days driving around the spectacular scenery discovering ancient hamlets and hilltop towns. The top scenic areas are the Chianti and the Val d’Orcia, and anywhere in these areas you can’t go wrong.
Check out the Top 3 Scenic drives in Tuscany!
Discover the Picturesque villages of Tuscany
Your interests
If you’re an art lover, you might never leave Florence, home to the Uffizi Gallery and some of the world’s most renowned works of art. For fans of the Medieval, towns like Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni offer insuperable Medieval delights and thrill.
Wine buffs would fall in love with the Chianti wine area, where they do wine tours, cellar explorations, and sample a neverending list of fabulous reds. Other hot spots are Montalcino, where the Brunello is made, and Bolgheri for the hype Supertuscans wines.
Nature lovers can choose between the unspoilt beaches of the Maremma, the forests of Casentino or Garfagnana or the UNESCO Heritage site of the Val d’Orcia.
Beach holiday makers who prefer somewhere more lively, with plenty of entertainment for all ages need to head to the Versilia, with popular and busy resorts like Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi.
If you’re simply looking to distress and have a bit of quiet time, an agriturismo – where? practically everywhere in Tuscany – is the perfect place for you.
Where should you base yourself in Tuscany?
Slow travel or all-in-one-trip?
In Tuscany there’s so much to see and enjoy in the different areas, there’s so much variety in every area that you could easily spend a holiday exploring just one.
Tuscany is a place that still follow the season and the Slow mindful traveller would be rewarded with a more authentic experience. For example, if you choose the southern Maremma or the remote Casentino Valley, you can easily forget that you’re in one of the most popular tourist destinations on earth, and feel like one of the locals.
If however, you’ve got only a few days and you want to see as much as possible, have a look this itinerary that fits in all of the top sights and attractions in one breathless trip.
Car or not Car?
When planning a trip to Tuscany, a lot of people want to know if they should rent a car.
If you’re based in Florence and your main interests are in the bigger towns you can have a full experience and see a lot without ever getting in a car. There are also various day tours that you can join from Florence to the nearby areas.
If you really want to enjoy the countryside and small centres, you need to rent a car. It gives you the freedom to explore the region through the scenic roads and stop off at the little hamlets or country churches along the way. It’s perfectly safe to drive here, if a bit chaotic in the main centres, find out more about planning a road trip to tuscany.
Top experiences in Tuscany
Tuscany is not just about sightseeing, there are plenty of activities to enjoy too. Cycling tours are getting more and more popular, and the adventurous can get a bird’s eye view of the Chianti in a hot air ballon. Walking tours, wine tours, cooking classes and even hunting for truffles of picking olives in a small holding.
=> Check our selection of Tours in Tuscany
=> See the 20 Best experiences you can have in Tuscany!
When to go
Whatever you might think, Winter is a good time to visit Tuscany, especially Florence and the main towns. Prices of accommodation go down and queues for the main attractions thin out.
Spring and Autumn are the best times to go to Tuscany, for the weather is ideal, the landscapes is at its best with colours and scents. Depending where you go, it’s not too busy either. Outside the main centres, you can still enjoy relative peace and quiet if you travel in May or October.
Summer is the most popular time to visit Tuscany – and consider that Italians take their holidays in August – and therefore the busiest. As temperatures reach 35 degrees in July and August sightseeing in Florence can leave you very hot and bothered, so consider this if you don’t like the heat.
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