The Eternal Appeal of Tuscany's Landscapes: from Etruscans to AI

The iconic landscapes of Tuscany have become a part of our collective imagination. They are synonymous with romance, beauty and dreams of the good life, and because of this they have found their way into hundreds of films and paintings, postcards and screensavers – all trying to capture the essence of Tuscany’s charm. But why does it keep fascinating us? From the cypress lined hills of the Val d’Orcia to the striking beauty of the Apuan Alps, here we look at just what it is that gives these landscapes their eternal appeal.

The Irresistible Charm of the Tuscan Landscape

The Cypress, Symbol of Tuscany

What comes to mind when you think of cypress trees? For many of us, it’s an image that goes hand in hand with Tuscany. Winding country roads made perfect by lines of slender, dark green cypress trees. It is like an artist has put them there, a finishing touch to an idyllic countryside view.

They are a photographer’s dream of course. On a recent trip to the Crete Senesi and Val d’Orcia, home to more scenic views that you can imagine, we found queues of cars parked on the side of the roads, and people lining up to take selfies in front of the famous ‘cipressini di San Quirico d’Orcia’ (little cypress trees), standing together like a natural monument. There’s an agriturismo called Baccoleno, now famous on Instagram, that tries to prevent tourists from taking photos or flying drones above their grounds. But despite the “Keep Off” signs, nothing can stop people wanting to capture the perfect sunset. This just gives us an idea of the power the Tuscan countryside has over our imagination.

The Etruscans were already planting cypress trees in this part of the world. And there’s something magical about the fact that the landscape has changed very little since then. Small wonder it is now a UNESCO heritage site, protecting the Val d’Orcia as an historical landscape, unique in Europe.

It’s not all about cypresses of course. The silvery olive groves are a joy to behold, as are the precisely combed vineyards, whose colours change with the seasons. Then there are the poppies, irises and vivid yellow blooms (ginestre) in Spring – with the traditional stone farm buildings only adding to the picturesque quality of the scenes. Even the light here is magical, golden, gentle, full of depth. No wonder artists have been attracted to it for centuries. And even the tourists nowadays use an AI image generator to recreate the surreal landscape of Tuscany and turn their holidays into art.

Towers, Castles and Hilltop Towns

The Tuscan aesthetic has even entered into the world of video games, with San Gimignano a key location in Assassin’s Creed. Fans of the Middle Ages know very well that this hilltop town, located in central Tuscany, is one of the best preserved in Italy, with a feast of tower houses, cobbled streets, Medieval frescoes and even a torture museum.

It’s not far from Siena, a splendid Medieval town that attracts visitors for its magnificent Gothic architecture. In its Pinacoteca you can find 13th century paintings that show how little has changed over the centuries. For filmmakers, Siena is irresistibly photogenic. In ‘Quantum of Solace’, shots from a wild chase across the red rooftops of Siena are juxtaposed with scenes of the historic horse race Il Palio, mixing contemporary action with the Medieval charm of Siena’s traditions.

Tuscan hilltop towns – like Volterra, Monteriggioni, Cortona – have never stopped fascinating visitors and artists, and drones fly tirelessly over centuries-old palaces and walls to capture their beauty from up above. Even if the original purpose of these defensive structures was far from romantic, today their presence in the surrounding landscapes adds an air of beauty and inspiration.

Florence fascinates every traveller with its famous Renaissance masterpieces and incredible architecture. The city even has its own syndrome: Stendhal syndrome, also known as ‘Florence syndrome’, that causes the traveller to feel faint in the presence of great beauty.

The Apuan Alps, Home of Iconic Carrara Marble

The harshly white Apuan Alps are another icon in Tuscany’s landscapes. If you’ve watched the recent film ‘The Brutalist’ you’ll have noticed that the protagonists travel to Tuscany to choose marble for the visionary architect’s project. His desire for the very best ‘Carrara marble’ takes them to Carrara and inside the marble quarries, with their harsh ragged beauty. This is just one of the many films and music videos that have been filmed here.

An ancient Roman poet, Claudio Rutilio Namaziano, praised the Apuan Alps and compared their whiteness to ‘snow and lilies’. And the fascination for the area is still very much alive. In 2017 contemporary artist Kobra climbed up here, above the small town of Colonnata, to paint his huge murals of David on the white marble.

The Cloud Pines of the Coast

There’s another side of Tuscany landscapes, less famous but still lovely: the coastline. It’s a different tree reigns here, the cloud pine, with its umbrella-like crown and the unmistakable scent. Pine groves make the delight of Summer along the Tuscan coast, from Parco di Migliarino San Rossore in the north to the ones in the Maremma, southern Tuscany. A visit to the Uccellina Nature Park offers unspoilt beaches and the native macchia mediterranea.

These landscapes inspired a group of local artists, called ‘the Macchiaioli‘ that were active in 19th century. They captured the essence of the area of Tuscany around Livorno, with its rocky coastline and wheat fields. Travellers can visit the Museo Fattori in Livorno to see their works, before exploring this part of the region following in their footsteps.

In brief

From ancient time until today, when people use AI or enhance digital images to create the ‘ultimate Tuscany view’, this region has always been a source of inspirations for travellers and creatives, poets and artists, dreamers of all kinds.

The Eternal Appeal of Tuscany’s Landscapes: from the Etruscan to AI