A Local’s Guide to Travel in Tuscany
Tuscany, the most famed region in Italy and a place visited by millions of people every year, really needs no introduction. Featured in countless films and often used as the postcard image of quintessential Italy, Tuscany is squarely on the tourist map for just about everyone.
And that’s for good reason; because this is a truly spectacular region!
Tuscany has just about everything that you could ask for from a vacation destination: majestic UNESCO world heritage cities and towns, a to-die-for countryside, lovely mountains and fabulous beaches, and globally-renowned culinary and enological traditions. Simply put, we’ve got it all here!
And when it comes to culture, Tuscany is a fabulous part of Italy to discover. Tuscan, the region’s dialect, is very similar to Latin, and today’s standard Italian language was born from it. This is largely thanks to the writings of local artists like Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, and Niccolò Machiavelli.
On top of that, this was also the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, with Florence having been the epicenter. If you’re interested in art and history, few places in Italy can beat Tuscany.
So, if you’re looking to sample great food and wine, enjoy beautiful scenery, walk through history in medieval towns, and maybe even hit the beach for a bit, Tuscany has got you covered. No matter your tastes, travel style, or interests, Tuscany has something to offer.
More Tuscany travel info:
If you could use some one-on-one help planning your trip to Tuscany, schedule a Tuscany travel consultation with one of our Local Experts!
Table of contents
Where is Tuscany
How to get here
Best time to visit
How long to spend
Where to stay - best bases
What to do here
Best places to visit in Tuscany
Tuscany itineraries - from 5 days to 2 weeks
Renting a car and driving
Public transportation
Is Tuscany expensive? Average travel costs
Using credit cards
Tipping
Guided tours in Tuscany
Plan your itinerary with local help
If you could use some help planning your Tuscany itinerary, schedule a Tuscany travel consultation with Serena, our Montepulciano-based Local Expert!
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you’ll get to chat with Serena about the trip you’re planning and she’ll share her tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Where is Tuscany
Tuscany is located in central Italy, about a 2-hour drive north of Rome at its southernmost point, and an hour south of Bologna in the region’s north. It is bordered to the northwest by Liguria, to the north by Emilia-Romagna, to the east by Marche and Umbria, and to the south by Lazio (where Rome is).
The western edge of Tuscany, runs all along the coast, from the Tyrrhenian Sea in the south to the Ligurian Sea in the north. Along much of the region’s northern border, you will find the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine Mountains, along with the Apuan Alps in the northeast.
Tuscany is a fairly big region for Italy (about 8,900 square miles), which means that there is a lot to see and do, and there is much more to it than just its (beautiful) countryside and the (magnificent) city of Florence.
Scattered all throughout Tuscany you will find fortified hilltop towns, mid-sized cities, beaches and coves, mountains, parks, and hot springs. Ready to start discovering it? Then keep reading!
How to get here
Flying in
Tuscany has two cities with international airports: Florence and Pisa.
Florence’s airport is called “Amerigo Vespucci Airport” (FLR), and it’s located about 10 kilometers northwest of the city. This airport is small but efficient and hosts flights from cities around Italy and Europe. If you are traveling from the US or elsewhere in the world, you will probably need to fly into Rome or Milan instead.
From Florence’'s airport, you can take a tram into the city, and then from the central Santa Maria Novella train station you can transfer to virtually anywhere in Italy, with high-speed connections to Milan, Rome, Bologna, Naples, La Spezia, and other destinations.
Pisa International Airport’s (PSA) official name is Galileo Galilei Airport, and its distance is only 6 kilometers from the town center. Flights here depart to/from other Italian cities and some European destinations.
From the Pisa airport, you can easily arrive into the city center with the Pisa Mover, a high-speed monorail train that gets you into the city in just 5 minutes. Then, from the Pisa train station, you can catch trains to many other destinations in Tuscany, including Florence.
Arriving by train
Tuscany’s major towns are incredibly well-connected by trains with other parts of the country. You can easily arrive into many different cities and towns in Tuscany from Rome, Bologna, Milan, Turin, La Spezia, etc. Many of these routes are served by high-speed trains. You can also travel to and throughout the region by Intercity and Regional trains, which are slower but cheaper.
Of course, the central hub for all of Tuscany is the city of Florence, which has high-speed train connections with almost every other major city in Italy. In many cases, if you’re traveling to Tuscany from elsewhere in Italy, you will probably first arrive to Florence’s central Santa Maria Novella train station, and then catch a connecting train on to your final destination in the region.
You’ll usually find multiple daily departures from Florence to many other Tuscan cities and towns. For information on trains and timetables, check the Trenitalia and ItaloTreno websites.
Most trains in Italy are operated by the national rail service, Trenitalia. However, depending on where you’re coming from, the private train company Italo, which exclusively operates high-speed trains on Italy’s most heavily used routes, may also be an option.
Taking a ferry
For those of you who are coming from Sardinia, Sicily, or Corsica, you can also arrive to Tuscany by ferry, into Livorno, the largest port in the region. From Livorno, it’s an easy train ride on to other destinations in Tuscany.
Where to buy train and bus tickets
In general, we recommend booking your public transport tickets directly with the service provider. That said, when you’re trying to see all your options and compare routes and prices, it can be a real hassle to have to look up each individual company.
Omio is an aggregator that shows options for public transport routes all over the world. When you do a search, you’ll be able to see all your options for trains, buses, flights, and even ferries along with a host of different companies that provide the services.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Tuscany is indisputably late spring or early fall, especially the months of May and September. These are the periods when traveling in Italy is most enjoyable, and Tuscany is no exception.
Visiting in late spring and early fall
In late spring, the temperatures are already warm but not excessively hot, so it’s perfect for visiting historic towns, the countryside, and also the coast.
Besides Florence, which is crowded all year round, late spring isn’t packed with tourists, so you will surely enjoy your time there. Italians are still at work/school, so prices for accommodation and other attractions haven’t yet skyrocketed. Plus, most restaurants on the coast and less touristy areas/towns will already be open since they usually open up right after Easter (which is in late March or until mid-April).
Similarly, September also has great weather, lower prices, and less crowds. On top of that, seasonal venues (beach clubs, for instance) are still open and going full swing, before things die down toward the end of the season and everyone closes up shop for the winter.
If you can swing it, there’s no question that late spring or early fall are the perfect times to travel in Tuscany.
Visiting in summer
In summer, the weather is roasting hot in the cities and towns, while the coast overflows with vacationing Italians and foreign tourists. This is especially true from mid-July to the end of August.
Prices are incredibly high and availability is limited pretty much everywhere, so you need to reserve way in advance for hotels, rental cars, restaurants, and even entrance tickets to popular museums and historical sites.
Now, if summer is the only time you can come to Tuscany, don’t despair! While it’s not the ideal time to visit, it’s not as if every town, beach, or vineyard is going to be permanently packed.
You can always find hidden places that the masses have yet to discover, and if you visit popular locations early in the day or later in the evening (before the day trippers have arrived or after they’ve left), you can still enjoy beautiful places in Tuscany without being constantly shoulder to shoulder with others.
If visiting in summer, you just need to plan ahead, make reservations in advance, and visit the right places at the right time.
Visiting in winter
Visiting Tuscany in winter isn’t an outright bad idea either. While entrance tickets for museums and monuments are the same all year long, hotels and car rentals are much more affordable than at other times of year. If you’re looking to save money, this is the ideal time to travel in Tuscany.
November, January, and February are the least busy times to visit the region, which all makes it the ideal time to travel through the beautiful hilltop and art towns, which are packed throughout much of the rest of the year.
However, just be aware that it’s pretty chilly at this time of year, the weather is unpredictable and can often be grey and rainy, and trips out to the countryside or coast aren’t especially pleasant.
How long to spend here
There is much more to see in Tuscany than just Florence and the Chianti hills. Tuscany is rather big, and it’s home to many historic sites and art towns (which are towns of great artistic/historic importance). The Tuscan coast is also stunning, with not one but two beautiful islands that you can travel to.
For the most part, it’s also quite easy to get from one place to another since the distances are pretty manageable by train or car, and there are good public transit connections for major destinations. Thankfully, you will never have to sacrifice entire days to travel, and will instead be on the road for at most a few hours before reaching your intended destination.
Even so, to appreciate Tuscany properly and to really get a feel for the region, you will need to slow down and take your time. This is especially true if your itinerary includes Florence, as that will take up a minimum of two days.
5 days - for a decent introduction
You need at least 5 days in Tuscany in order to appreciate the region and see a bit of what it has to offer. Remember, this is a region filled with beautiful hilltop towns, renaissance cities, coastline, mountains, and world-renowned wine country, so it has a lot to offer you.
While many people come in to Florence for 2 days, and then tack on a day trip out to the Val d’Orcia or Chianti area and call it a day, that’s not recommended - you’d simply be missing too much of what makes this region special.
To do things the right way, dedicate 5 days to Tuscany, and spend 2 of them discovering the renaissance jewel of Florence, then venture out to the Chianti countryside to visit wineries, thermal baths, or the coast, and give yourself a day or two to road trip between a few of the region’s beautiful hilltop towns.
Doing all of that in 5 days won’t be especially relaxing, but it will allow you to actually see Tuscany and begin to understand what the region is all about. 7 days would be better, as that would give you time to slow down and enjoy yourself a bit more, while having an extra day for Tuscany’s natural areas and another one to visit more of the historic towns dotting the entire region.
7 days - enough time for a solid itinerary
A 7-day trip to Tuscany gives you enough time to check off many of the highlights, while also spending some time enjoying the region’s gorgeous countryside. It’s not enough days to see the entire region, but it will let you beyond just the surface.
With 7 days, you could spend a pair in Florence, go wine tasting in Chianti, enjoy Siena, and then hop around the hilltop towns of the Val d’Orcia before finishing your trip in Pisa.
Depending on what your interests are, you could trade out a day in the Val d’Orcia for a day spent visiting places closer to Florence like San Gimignano and Monteriggioni. For your final day, if Pisa doesn’t appeal you could consider Lucca or Cortona instead. With 7 days, you have some good options.
For a detailed one week plan, check out our 7-day Tuscany itinerary.
10 days - the ideal visit
With 10 days in Tuscany, you can fully experience the region and see it in all its glory. This is the perfect amount of time to spend here. With a week and a half, you can do everything mentioned above, visiting art towns to your heart’s delight, making a trip to the gorgeous city of Siena, spending plenty of time in Florence, and then heading out into the countryside for a few days discovering the hills and wineries of the Chianti or Val d’Orcia regions.
You’ll likely even have time to spend a coupe of days beach hopping along the Tuscan coast, visiting seaside cities like Livorno, and quiet coves lined with pine trees.
To really mix things up, you could shorten your time visiting the hilltop towns or cities of the region, and add on visits to the islands of Elba or Giglio.
With 10 days, you can thoroughly discover this region. There are countless ways to spend a week and a half in Tuscany, and the beauty of this is that you will never run short of things to do and places to visit. Your only challenge will be deciding where you want to spend most of your time!
Where to stay in Tuscany - best bases
If you’re planning to stay in Tuscany for anything more than 3 days, you should split your time between a few different bases, so that you can see different areas of the region and minimize time spent driving or taking the train out to places of interest.
For stays of 3 days or less, however, and especially if this is your first time in Tuscany, you should almost certainly base yourself in Florence. More on that below.
Florence
Florence, the birthplace of the renaissance, is a gorgeous city and a must-visit for anyone traveling to Tuscany. Florence is iconic, and the city is filled with more world-class museums, galleries, churches, gardens, and gorgeous buildings than you could possibly visit in a single trip.
Is it touristy? Yes. Is it still worth visiting? Absolutely yes! As long as you know what to expect and have a good plan for your visit, you will have a great time in Florence. Millions of people come here for a reason!
Florence is also an ideal base because being Tuscany’s biggest city, it offers a huge selection in terms of accommodation, restaurants, tours/experiences, nightlife, and cultural offerings.
From a purely practical standpoint, Florence is centrally located within the region, it’s extremely accessible without a car, and it’s the central train hub for all of Tuscany, meaning that you can get almost anywhere else you want to go quickly and easily from there.
One quick transport note: if you plan to rent a car for your trip, wait to get it until you’re done visiting Florence, or drop it off before you arrive in the city (if you’ll visit Florence at the end of your trip) as parking in the city is an absolute nightmare.
Siena
Staying in Siena is a great idea if you want to be in a city, but close enough to the Chianti and Val d’Orcia regions to easily visit them as day trips. Siena is also a beautiful city in its own right, and is well worth a full day’s exploration. A bustling university town, it’s got plenty of great restaurants and bars where you can enjoy a fun night out.
Siena is also known for its many antique shops and a weekly market, the Mercato delle Merci, which is one of the largest in Tuscany.
The city isn’t especially big (only about 50,000 residents), so you won’t find quite as many hotel options as in Florence, but there should still be plenty of places to choose from at all price levels.
One important thing to know is that the towns and countryside outside of Siena (Val d’Orcia, Chianti, etc.) are not very well served by public transportation, so you will really need to have a car if you choose to stay here and want to visit the surrounding area.
Monteriggioni/the province of Siena
Now, if you’re interested in staying in the countryside amongst the smalls towns of rural Tuscany, the province of Siena is your best option. This area is gorgeous, it’s got tons of wineries, and is bursting with “agriturismi” (elegant farmhouses converted into hotels, many with pools and excellent on-site restaurants), which are wonderful accommodation options.
The town of Monteriggioni is one excellent countryside base. Here, you can visit the local castle, admire stunning views, do all sorts of outdoor activities (from horseback riding to e-biking), and quickly travel to Siena and other points of interest.
The Maremma Coast
On the Maremma coast, which begins a bit south of the city of Livorno and continues down into the region of Lazio, you can stay in charming towns like Grosseto, Orbetello, Follonica, or Porto Santo Stefano.
Porto Santo Stefano is a particularly beautiful town, beloved by the rich and famous, which boasts a bubbly atmosphere in a Mediterranean setting. The town doesn’t offer cultural attractions, but it has stunning beaches and coves. The surrounding area is especially verdant, so it’s also a great place to enjoy scenic walks in nature.
Since the main attractions in this area are the beautiful beaches, many of which are not served by public transporation, you will need to have your own car in order to really experience what makes the Maremma Coast so special.
What to do in Tuscany
Tuscany is best known for Florence, wineries, and its lovely Renaissance towns where famous artists and scientists lived, from Leonardo Da Vinci to Michelangelo. This is a big region though, and there’s much more to it than just that, so there’s a lot to see and do here!
Here, architectural wonders and artistic masterpieces mingle with beautiful landscapes made up of green hills, cypress trees, vineyards, and olive groves.
An agricultural powerhouse, Tuscany produces excellent-quality olive oil and wines, both which are key-ingredients of the many delicious local dishes made here. As such, food and wine tasting are very popular here.
For scenic drives, rolling hills, and bucolic countryside, the Chianti region and the Val D’Orcia (a UNESCO heritage site) are simply unbeatable.
Heading toward the coast, idyllic beaches with crystal-clear waters backed by coastal plains, such as in the Maremma region, are perfect for snorkeling, boat tours, and other water sports.
And last but not least, Tuscany has two incredible islands that should be on everyone’s bucket list: Elba and Giglio.
For some more ideas, here’s a quick list of some interesting things to see and do when visiting the region:
Visit charming hilltop towns like Cortona, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, and Lucca
Hit the beach - the Argentario area is the best one, also for snorkeling
Go for wine or olive oil tastings in the Chianti region
Hike in the Apennines or Monte Capanne
Explore the heart of the renaissance: Florence, Pisa, and Siena are the best places to do it
Go truffle hunting in San Miniato
Ride e-bikes through the hills in the Val d’Orcia
Tour Fortezza delle Verrucole (a scenic castle in Garfagnana)
Relax in nature in Parco Naturale della Maremma
Join a food tour in Florence
Soak in hot springs in Bagno Vignoni, Monte Amiata, Saturnia, Parco dei Mulini, or countless other great spots
Take a pasta cooking class. Everyone does it for a reason - it’s good fun!
Ride a Vespa through the countryside - Toursity? Yes. A blast? Also yes.
Learn about marble in Carrara
Go bird-watching at the Laguna di Orbetello
Walk a section (even if just for a morning) of the Via Francigena pilgramage route
Rent a bike (or e-bike) and enjoy quiet roads and stunning views in Chianti or the Val d’Orcia
Best places to visit
Tuscany is truly blessed with an abundance of wonderful places to visit and things to do. With an incredible number of beautiful towns, great beaches, lovely countryside, and pristine nature, you could spend weeks here and still not see everything.
So, we could easily list 100 “best places to visit”, without exaggerating. However, no one has unlimited vacation time (or money), so you probably won’t be able to see all those places. As such, below is a list of 20 destinations that we think are well-worth visiting whether this is your first time in the region or your tenth.
Enjoy!
1. Florence
One of the most visited cities in the world, Florence is packed with astonishing artworks and architecture dating back to the Renaissance. Lying on the Arno River, Florence was home to incredible artists of the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, who worked to make the city a renowned art capital.
Elegant palaces, incredible museums, and centuries-old churches are not all you will find in Florence. The city is also popular for its culinary traditions and cutting-edge shopping opportunities.
2. Siena
This picturesque town, founded by the Etruscans over two millennia ago, lies 70 km south of Florence. Siena might be small but is full of cultural landmarks and architectural marvels.
From the famous shell-shaped Piazza del Campo to the black-and-white-marbled Duomo, Siena is mainly known for the horse race called “Palio di Siena”, which is held twice a year (in June and August).
3. Pisa
Worldwide known for the iconic Leaning Tower, Pisa boasts many other artistic and architectural treasures. One of the richest cities during the Middle Ages, here you can marvel at Romanesque buildings, Gothic churches, and Renaissance squares - with Piazza dei Miracoli being particularly beautiful.
Pisa is also a university town, so it has a lively vibe and hosts great bars, cafes, and cultural events.
4. Lucca
Lying very close to Pisa, Lucca has among the best-preserved city walls in Italy. Surrounded by green hills, the walls have been turned into a pedestrian promenade that you can walk to circle this enchanting Tuscan town.
Besides the city walls, Lucca is home to elegant squares, centuries-old churches, and a couple of still-standing lofty towers.
The town is popular in Italy for hosting the Lucca Comics & Games, the country’s biggest comic event held annually between October and November.
5. San Gimignano
You will spot San Gimignano from a distance: the hilltop town is characterized by 14 tall medieval towers that create a unique skyline. Once in number 72, the towers were commissioned by powerful families to show off their wealth.
Climb the towers for breathtaking views of Tuscany hills. The “Town of Fine Towers”, as San Gimignano is called, also has a couple of excellent museums and Gothic and Romanesque buildings lining the streets and main square.
6. Val d’Orcia
Tuscany is beloved for its rolling hills, and the Val d’Orcia is quintessentially Tuscan in this sense. This fertile area extends from the hills south of Siena to Mount Amiata.
Visiting pretty medieval towns like Pienza, Montalcino, and Castiglione d’Orcia are just a few things you can do in the valley. And of course, visiting the wineries is an ever-popular activity.
Relaxing walks among olive groves, tall cypresses, and vines make the area perfect for discovering Tuscan nature.
The dreamy landscapes of the Val d’Orcia have been used for shooting scenes in many movies (like “Gladiator” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, just to name a few).
7. Arezzo
Sitting on a sloping hillside, Arezzo was once one of the 12 towns of the Etruscan League. With a long and rich history, the city delights visitors with many churches and archeological museums.
Among the city’s highlights is the central Piazza Grande with the Vasari Loggia, the Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, Arezzo Cathedral, and Corso Italia, lined with boutiques and shops selling antiques.
Many scenes of the award-winning movie “La Vita è Bella” were shot in Arezzo’s historic center.
8. Parco Naturale Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli
A little inlet on Lake Massaciuccoli. Photo: Albarubescens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Migliarino Nature Park is a protected area that stretches from Pisa to Lucca. It covers 230 square kilometers and encompasses many habitats, including pine forests, wetlands, and coastal dunes.
The Migliarino Nature Park is perfect for discovering Tuscany’s natural beauty and biodiversity. The area also boasts the lovely Lake Massaciuccoli, which can be explored by bike or walking.
9. Cortona
Located in the Province of Arezzo, Cortona is set atop a hill full of Medieval and Renaissance buildings. Cortona’s main draw is the surrounding countryside, where the popular movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” was shot.
Besides the stunning landscape, Cortona has a rich history and heritage that can be discovered by visiting the Museum of the Etruscan Academy, as the town was once part of the Etruscan League.
10. Hot Springs
The Terme di Saturnia
Tuscany has many natural hot springs, some of which are pretty popular (and busy), while others are still under-the-radars. You will find both hot springs enclosed in spa centers and beautiful outdoor hot springs, which are free to visit.
The most famous hot spring in the region is the Terme di Saturnia, which has become pretty busy. If you prefer a less-frequented but just as scenic, head to the Bagni San Filippo, in the namesake village. Here, the small thermal pool is hidden within the forest, and it is characterized by candid-white rocks that create a snow-like covered landscape.
11. Elba
A gorgeous beach on the island
The town of Portoferraio in Elba.
Elba is an island surrounded by the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea. Famed for being the place of Napoleon’s exile, the island is much more than sun-kissed shores, beautiful beaches, and coves for a beach getaway.
Elba’s coastline is dotted with lovely towns where you can delve into the island’s cultural heritage, such as Portoferraio and Porto Azzurro.
The inner part of the island is home to fertile vineyards, and Monte Capanne, with a height of 1,018 meters, makes for an ideal hiking spot.
12. San Miniato
Photo: I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original
A quaint village in the province of Pisa, San Miniato is the place to be to taste one of the food products you can find in Tuscany: the rare white truffle. To this incredible food is dedicated a whole cultural event, the “Mostra Mercato di Tartufi”, hosted every November. In San Miniato, you can do truffle tastings and also participate in truffle hunting.
The village is also lovely to explore by foot, and its most stand-out feature is the medieval Piazza del Seminario.
But there’s more: San Miniato is one of the stops of the historic Via Francigena.
Connect with Serena in Montepulciano for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
13. Chianti Region
Gorgeous scenery in Radda in Chianti
Another unmissable area of Tuscany for any food lover is the Chianti region. Kilometers of rolling hills with fertile vineyards create not just a wonderful landscape to discover by bike or motorbike, but it is also where the world-famous Chianti wine comes from.
Having a wine tasting in the Chianti hills while sampling local foods and meeting local winemakers is a must-do experience in the area.
14. Porto Santo Stefano
Located in the Argentario Peninsula, Porto Santo Stefano is a semi-island tied to the mainland. All around Porto Santo Stefano are striking coves that will be the joy of beach dwellers. Some coves are private, while others can only be reached by boat or with a short hike. One of the best coves is Cala Gesso, which is a perfect snorkeling spot.
The town is also one of the main seaports of the area, with a bubbly atmosphere and daily transfers to reach Giglio Island.
15. Giglio Island
Giglio Island lies within the Arcipelago Toscano National Park, just 16 km from Porto Santo Stefano.
This Mediterranean island offers visitors natural beauty and rich history. The narrow streets of the main town of Giglio Porto are lined with artisan stores and outdoor restaurants.
The island is home to stunning beaches for swimming and snorkeling - don't miss Campese Beach and Cannelle Beach.
Another highlight of Giglio Island is the town of Giglio Castello, on the island's highest point, where you can visit the medieval fortress Rocca Aldobrandesca to marvel at 360-degree landscape views.
16. Volterra
Volterra is one of the larger hill towns in Tuscany. Located between the Era and Cecina valleys, Volterra is enclosed by double walls of Etruscan and Medieval times. If you like narrow streets, ancient walls, and a towering fortress, you will surely love this town.
Volterra is particularly known for the craftsmanship of alabaster, and you can purchase decorative objects in the many artisan shops in town or visit the interesting Ecomuseum of Alabaster.
17. Monteriggioni
Photo: Maurizio Moro5153, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original
Another walled town in Tuscany, Monteriggioni's main feature is the 13th-century castle that overlooks the entire landscape. You can walk on the medieval walls that are part of the castle to have a bird's eye view of the Chianti countryside. The town also has 15 still-standing medieval towers, two impressive doorways, and charming little streets.
Monteriggioni is located along the pilgrimage route known as Via Francigena, and it was featured in two famous movies, "The English Patient" and "The Gladiator".
18. Orbetello
Orbetello is a seaside town in the Argentario, with a lovely center with shops, restaurants, and a lively weekly market selling local food products. But Orbetello is much more: the town boasts a lagoon, which makes the area geographically unique. The Laguna di Orbetello is rich in fauna of all kinds, which is protected by the WWF.
The lagoon is surrounded by a cycle-pedestrian path that you can go through to admire pink flamingos, white herons, and flocks of coots.
19. Livorno
Livorno is an important port town in Italy, where ferries depart for many other parts of Italy, including the Elba Island in Tuscany.
Embellished during the Renaissance by the Medici family, in Livorno, you can visit many attractions like a castle (the Fortezza Nuova), the beautiful Terrazza Mascagni (a sea view terrace), and the Nuova Venezia (the streets surrounding the castle, which are lined with canals).
20. The Tarot Garden
Tuscany has an unusual attraction, The Tarot Garden. This artistic garden is located right outside the village of Capalbio, and it was created by the mind of artist Niki de Saint Phalle.
The park houses installations representing the 22 major arcana of the divinatory tarot, which are made of iridescent mosaic tiles and metal. The artist took almost 20 years to complete this project, and this magical attraction is open from the beginning of April through mid-October.
Connect with Serena in Tuscany for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Tuscany itineraries - from 5 days to 2 weeks
5-day itinerary - Art towns
Days 1-2: Florence
Day 3: Pisa and Lucca (day trip from Florence)
Day 4: Siena
Day 5: San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Colle di Val d’Elsa (day trip from Siena)
7-day itinerary - Art towns and the Chianti area
Days 1-2: Florence
Day 3: Pisa and Lucca (day trip from Florence)
Day 4: Siena
Day 5: San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Colle di Val d’Elsa (day trip from Siena)
Day 6: Chianti region
Day 7: Arezzo and/or Cortona
10-day itinerary - Art towns, the countryside (Chianti and Val d’Orcia), and the coast (Argentario and Giglio Island)
Days 1-2: Florence
Day 3: Pisa and Lucca (day trip from Florence)
Day 4: Siena
Day 5: Chianti region
Day 6: Val d’Orcia with Montepulciano
Day 7: Arezzo and/or Cortona
Day 8: Terme di Saturnia
Day 9: Argentario (Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole)
Day 10: Giglio Island
2-week itinerary - The best of Tuscany (art towns, islands, Argentario, hot springs, and the countryside)
Days 1-2: Florence
Day 3: Pisa and Lucca (day trip from Florence)
Day 4: San Miniato
Day 5: Elba Island (ferry from Livorno)
Days 5-6: Porto Santo Stefano & Porto Ercole
Day 7: Giglio Island
Day 8: Bagni San Filippo
Days 9-10: Val d’Orcia with Montepulciano
Day 11: Cortona or Arezzo
Day 12: Siena
Days 13-14: Chianti region
Renting a car & driving in Tuscany
Renting a car in Tuscany is extremely straightforward. You’ll find rental car offices in major cities like Florence, Siena, and Pisa, as well as at the airports. All of the major international rental car companies can be found here, along with a few local options, and you can pre-book your car online and pick it up when you arrive.
The price per-day for renting a manual-transmission compact car is usually around €30.
Now, regarding driving in Tuscany, Italy is somewhat infamously known for having aggressive drivers, so you might be intimidated by the thought of driving here.
However, Tuscany's peaceful landscapes (which is where you’ll likely be doing most of your driving) are lightly trafficked and the locals in those rural areas usually drive quite reasonably. Driving in the Val d'Orcia or Chianti hills is largely a stress-free experience.
If you are visiting the Argentario Coast during the peak of summer, you will certainly find traffic, but drivers will be mostly laid-back and in no rush, as the area is heavily frequented by people on vacation.
Driving within the cities or in the narrow winding roads of the hill towns can be a bit more stressful, but there’s really no need to use your car within a city or town, so once you park it, you won’t have to worry about repeated trips into heavy, impatient traffic.
Renting a car
For the largest selection of cars and agencies, you should plan on renting in either Florence or Pisa. This is where Tuscany’s two main airports are, so you have the most cars and usually also the best prices.
In Florence, you can rent directly at the airport, at Santa Maria Novella train station, or in a few downtown locations. In Pisa, all the rental agencies are at the airport.
You also have a few rental agencies in Siena, a couple in Arezzo, and a few in Chiusi (near to Montepulciano). If you’re coming off of a cruise ship or ferry, the port city of Livorno also has lots of car rental agencies.
Where to book a rental
To check prices and book, I recommend using DiscoverCars. It’s a car rental website taht includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
I use it myself and have always had good experiences.
Road conditions
Most secondary roads in the region are two-lane country roads, and they might not always be perfectly paved.
Medieval towns and villages have tiny and tight roads inside the centers. Mostly uphill, these streets are challenging to navigate. They are usually one-way roads, but this isn’t always true, so you might have to stop, pull over, and let the a passing car go by before you can drive on.
Manual transmission cars
In Italy, it is still popular to drive manual transmissions cars, so if you are not used to it, make sure to select a car with an automatic transmission when booking your rental car (just note that the price might be higher).
ZTLs - traffic limited areas
Some town centers, especially historic ones, have ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) areas that only residents can drive through. If you drive into a ZTL area, you will almost certainly receive a fine, so always be on the lookout for the signs alerting you to them.
You will see a “no traffic” or ZTL sign at the entrance(s) to the town, so you will know when you can’t proceed with the car.
Parking
Finding parking in small towns is often quite difficult, so it’s can be more convenient to leave the car outside the center of Medieval towns and then walk in.
Usually, there will be municipal parking lots right outside of the medieval walls. Many of these are metered, so you’ll need to pay a small fee.
When parking on the street, you will see different strip colors on the curb. White strips mean that the park is free (unless differently specified on street signs), blue strips mean you have to pay, and yellow strips mean you can’t park there.
To pay for parking, you will need to look for parking meters along the curb.
International Driving Permit
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is legally mandated in Italy. Online sources will tell you that it’s not necessary and that you won’t be asked for it when renting a car.
While they are right that rental agencies rarely request to see it, some do, and the police can fine you if you don’t have it.
Public transportation
Tuscany is overall well-connected by public transit. Trains and buses operate all over the region, but trains mainly link art cities and the centers along the coast. Regional and local trains are operated by the national rail service, Trenitalia.
When it comes to traveling within Tuscany, you can easily bounce between the major cities of the region by train. If you intend to only visit big cities like Florence, Siena, and Pisa, there’s no need to have a car, and it would actually probably be inconvenient to get one.
However, if you plan to visit the countryside, the coast, or smaller towns, you will very likely find that having a car is the most convenient option. Public transportation does not cover rural areas and it’s very slow and indirect for many art/hilltop towns, so unless you want to spend a lot of time waiting around on buses, you’re really better off renting a car.
Train travel
Train travel in Tuscany is affordable and efficient, and the major cities and towns are quite well connected. The biggest downside is that many small towns that you may be interested in (like San Gimignano), don't have train stations. Instead, they will need to be reached by bus, or a combination of bus and train.
While most of the main cities/towns have a train station directly in the city center, the hill towns represent an exception to this: they usually don’t have train stations at all, but even when they do have a dedicated station, it will often be located a couple of kilometers outside of the town center.
This is because you can’t run train tracks up hills that steep! In these cases, you’ll have to catch a local bus or get a taxi to take you into the center of town from the train station.
Schedules and frequency of train departures
For routes between popular destinations and big cities, trains depart more or less every hour, with more frequent departures during the peak hours. The frequency of departures varies significantly from one destination to the next, but generally speaking, trains depart as early as 7 am and as late as 11 pm.
Types of trains
In Italy, there are three types of trains:
Trenitalia Frecce fleet - these are high-speed trains that make very few stops between their starting and ending destinations
Intercity, which travel between the country's major cities and towns, making more stops than the high-speed trains, but still not too many
Regionale - slower trains that make a high number of stops within a region
Intercity and Frecce trains assign a specific seat with your ticket, and for popular journeys and/or during busy periods, it’s not uncommon for them to sell out. So, you should always reserve tickets in advance if possible. This will also usually be cheaper than buying at the last minute.
Regionale trains, on the other hand, don’t assign you a specific seat with their ticket (which means you can sit where you prefer or find an empty seat), and as such, never sell out. The certainly can get packed though!
For traveling between the cities and towns within Tuscany, you will likely mostly be relying on Regionale trains, and since they don’t sell out, you can always buy those tickets directly at the train station shortly before your train’s departure. Tickets are also available on the official Trenitalia website/app though.
You also have a company named Italo Treno that runs a network of high-speed trains (similar to Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa fleet) on some of Italy’s most heavily traveled routes.
Validating tickets
If you purchase a physical ticket at the train station, you will need to validate it before boarding the train. There are dedicated machines where you can do this at the station and along the platforms, but if you can’t find them, ask the personnel at the ticket office. If you don’t validate your ticket, you may get ahttps://trainline.tp.st/HluOWC3ghefty fine.
There is no need to validate website-purchased tickets; just show the ticket on your phone to the “capotreno” (train conductor) when asked and you will be all set.
Cost of tickets and booking in advance
Trenitalia train tickets can cost as little as 3€ for local travel, and 50€+ for longer-distance, high-speed train rides. Keep in mind that if you book your long-distance train tickets well in advance, they will be cheaper.
For short routes, there really isn’t a need to buy in advance as the price doesn’t change much. On holidays or at exceptionally busy times of year, you should reserve in advance though just to make sure you get a seat.
Bus travel
In Tuscany, public buses fill the gap that the trains don’t cover, connecting the cities to smaller towns and rural villages. Buses are even cheaper than trains, with tickets costing as little as 1,20€. Bus tickets can be purchased in local kiosks/shops (called "tabacchi" in Italian), inside train stations, and directly onboard from the driver (although they don't always have tickets up for sale).
To validate your ticket, there is a dedicated machine inside the bus, usually in the front, where the driver is.
Companies and schedules
The main bus companies in Tuscany are Autolinee Toscane, Sitabus, and Tiemme. You also have Flixbus.
Bus schedules change throughout the year, and it might be challenging to find the updated one, so if you can’t find good information online, it’s best to go to Tourist Infopoints or ask at the "tabacchi" where you are purchasing the ticket. Google Maps is usually quite accurate with bus schedules as well.
In general, the first bus ride from any regularly-serviced destination usually departs around 6 am, and the last trip will be between 10 pm and midnight (depending on how frequented that bus line is, of course). Buses travel between towns on many different frequencies, and you can find them as often as every 10 minutes, or only every couple of hours.
Taking ferries on the coast
To reach the islands of Giglio and Elba, you’ll need to take a ferry. Elba's ferries depart daily from the towns of Piombino and Livorno. The companies that operate the route are Toremar and Moby. Tickets cost around 20€ one-way and without a vehicle on board.
The ferries to Giglio Island depart daily from the town of Porto Santo Stefano. This route is operated by the Toremar and Maregiglio companies, and a one-way ticket costs around 15€, again, without a car.
Speaking of cars, non-residents cannot bring theirs onto the island during high season, so be aware of this if you’re considering taking your car with you.
Taxis and ride-sharing apps
Ride-sharing apps are illegal in Italy, so these are never an option here. As such, taxis are your only choice. You will find taxis lined up in dedicated locations at airports and train stations, and will usually need to wait in line to take one.
Otherwise, you can google "taxi" followed by the city/town you are in to find the local taxi company that services that town/area. To book a ride, you will usually need to call the company directly.
Is Tuscany expensive? Average travel costs
Compared to other regions in Italy, Tuscany is rather pricey. This shouldn’t be a much of a surprise though, as this is a premier tourist destination that welcomes millions of visitors every year.
Here are some rough prices for typical expenses:
A night at a hotel: 80€ to 150€
An average meal: 15€ for daily lunch specials (typically a main dish, a drink, and coffee or dessert), and 20 to 50 euros for dinner, depending on how fancy the place is and whether you want wine and multiple courses.
A glass of wine: 3€ to 9€
A coffee: 1-2 euros for an espresso or cappuccino at a non-touristy bar/cafe
Renting a car: 30€ per day (potentially much more in the high-season, or if you need an automatic)
A taxi ride within a city/town: 10€ to 25€
Short-distance bus/train ticket: 3€ to 10€
Long distance bus/train ticket (but still within the region): 10€ to 25€
Entrance tickets: 0€ to 25€
There is a wide range of costs here. Local museums or lesser monuments and attractions will usually not cost more than 10 euros, while visiting places like the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi, Siena Duomo Complex, and other premier destinations can cost around 20 euros.
Wine tastings at a winery: 10-20 euros (this usually includes multiple tastings and some light snacks)
Bike/E-bike rental in the countryside: 50 to 100 euros for the day
Guided tours (private and group):
Half-day private guided tour: approximately 250 euros
Full-day private tour: 400-600 euros.
Small group tours: 40-80 euros per person.
Using credit cards
When in Italy, you can pay with both debit/credit card and cash. You can use your card to pay in most places in Tuscany. Just note that some smaller bars can ask you to pay cash if you are consuming a meal that costs less than 5€.
So it is advisable always to have some euros in your wallet. You will find ATMs in every town, but the withdrawal of money might apply some fee.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Italy. However, it is sort of expected by foreigners (and especially from North Americans), and it is appreciated by those working in hospitality.
You can only tip in cash, and how much to tip really depends on you. In general, you should tip a few euros for a short and/or undemanding service (like a drink at a bar). In this case, you usually leave the change if you pay cash. You should tip more for ongoing services (like a week-long cleaning service).
Guided Tours in Tuscany
If you’re looking to hire a guide for tours or experiences while in Tuscany, you have loads of great options: hilltop town tours, day trips into the countryside, wine tours, gastronomic experiences, truffle hunting, hikes, city walking tours, and on and on.
City tours of Florence
If you’re looking for city tours in Florence, our recommended guide is always Francesca Zambini. She’s a Tuscan native who’s been guiding for over a decade and splits her time between Tuscany and Rome (where she also runs tours).
Day trips, wine tours, and outdoors adventures in Florence and Chianti
For everything from hiking to cycling, Cinque Terre day trips, and wine tours in Chianti, Florence-based guide Stefano is an outdoors enthusiast and sommelier whose goal is to help travelers see an authentic slice of Tuscany.
Walkings tours, day trips, and food/wine-focused tours in the Val d’Orcia
For walking tours of places like Siena and Montepulciano as well as wine tours, hilltop town hopping, and unique gastronomic experiences in the Val d’Orcia, our go-to is always Serena Baglioni. She’s a local guide based in Montepulciano who organizes fun and unique experiences in her gorgeous region.
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