Tuscany is perhaps the most authentic region of Italy. Every geographical landscape can be found here, from the seaside to the larger mountains, while the gentle hilly wine regions produce the famous Chianti wine.
Table of Contents
Best places in Tuscany
Pisa
The city, divided by the Arno River, is famous for its medieval buildings, but its greatest attraction is the Leaning Tower.
The Square of Miracles, or Piazza dei Miracoli, comprises the city’s main masterpieces. Here you can find the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the cemetery, and the Baptistery.
The leaning of the tower on the Square of Miracles was caused by construction on sandy-clay soil. The building has been stabilized over the centuries, most recently at the turn of the millennium. The tower is actually the bell tower of the Cathedral, and you can climb all the way up to the bell.
The Cathedral, or Santa Maria Assunta, is a five-nave church built in Roman style. Due to an old fire, the original frescoes and doors were destroyed, but the newer paintings and statues are still extremely beautiful.
The Baptistery, or Battistero, has a circular hall with fantastic acoustics. It is Italy’s largest baptismal church.
The Santa Maria della Spina is a small church on the banks of the Arno, yet it is very popular. Statues of saints and apostles can be seen on its upper part.
Florence
The center of Tuscany, the city on both banks of the Arno River, is also referred to as the cradle of the Renaissance. The Medici family had a great influence on its development.
Its most famous structure is the Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, over the Arno. Built in 1345, the bridge housed workshops of craftsmen, which can still be seen today. Another interesting feature is that the Vasari Corridor runs along the top of the bridge.
The Cathedral, or Santa Maria del Fiore, is Europe’s 4th largest cathedral. The orange dome stands out from the city’s skyline; during construction, the goal was for Florence to „grow above” other cities with its monumentality.
The Piazzale Michelangelo is the city’s best viewpoint. In the center of the square stands a copy of Michelangelo’s David statue.
The Palazzo Pitti was formerly the palace of the Florentine rulers. Nowadays, it’s a museum complex that includes the Pitti Gallery showcasing Renaissance works and the Museum of Modern Art.
Lucca
The inner part of this city, just 15 km from Pisa, is definitely worth highlighting. The old town is surrounded by a city wall where cars are not allowed to enter.
Its main attraction is the Guinigi Tower, which has a hanging garden with holm oaks on its top.
There are many churches in the city; if you want to see one, San Michele in Foro is the best choice, as there’s also a market next to it.
Chianti
South of Florence lies the area named after the famous Italian red wine.
Heading towards Siena, we reach Greve in Chianti, known as the gateway to Chianti. Every September, the wine festival is held here.
Moving on, we reach Gaiole in Chianti, the center of the Chianti region. Despite this, there aren’t many sights here; it’s mostly the atmosphere that captivates visitors.
Monteriggioni
This medieval castle is located along the Florence-Siena main road, offering a great view.
The castle is surrounded by a wall with 14 towers, and inside there’s a square and a few streets. The buildings are made of rustic stone with reddish-brown terracotta tiles on top, which is typical Tuscan style.
Siena
For those who want to feel the atmosphere of a real medieval city, Siena is a must-see. This is also reflected in the fact that the buildings in the old town are required to maintain the skyline. All this is further aided by the fact that the old town is car-free, allowing for peaceful walks in the narrow streets.
Perhaps Tuscany’s most famous event, the Palio, a medieval equestrian game, is also held here.
There’s also a cathedral here, which is one of the most beautiful Italian cathedrals and the only one in Gothic style. Interestingly, they wanted to build the largest Christian church, but this didn’t succeed due to the plague epidemic. This unfinished building is now the headquarters of the city museum.
The main square of the city is Piazza del Campo. This is where the aforementioned Palio is held. On the square, there’s an 88-meter high bell tower, the Torre del Mangia, and a beautiful fountain, the Fonte Gaia.
Montepulciano
This small town is considered one of the main attractions of the real Tuscan countryside. Due to its location on the side of an extinct volcano, the wine produced here, Vino Nobile, is famous for its soil.
The small town with Etruscan roots flourished in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, which is still reflected in its architecture and atmosphere today. Montepulciano’s picturesque location on a long, steep ridge offers breathtaking views of the surrounding Tuscan landscape.
It’s also enjoyable to walk among the medieval buildings, whose main creator was Antonio da Sangallo. In the center is Piazza Grande, surrounded by wonderful Renaissance buildings such as the town hall and the cathedral.
Pienza
The city south of Siena is said to be the cradle of Renaissance urban planning. Its historical center is part of the World Cultural Heritage. The city owes its rise to Pope Pius II.
Its main building is the cathedral on Piazza Pio II, which also houses an archbishop’s museum. Here you can find religious memorabilia and local weavings.
Next to it stands the palace of the Piccolomini family (Pope Pius II’s family), which served as a summer residence. There’s a splendid view of the Tuscan countryside through the garden.
Arezzo
The Etruscan-origin city also played an important role in Roman times, so its buildings and streets are as beautiful as those of the cities described above.
Its central square is Piazza Grande, surrounded by numerous palaces. The church of Santa Maria della Pieve is also located here. Not surprisingly, a cathedral was also built here, the Cathedral of San Donato. Its notable features include a fresco by Piero della Francesca and the tomb of Gregory X.
Next to the cathedral is the birthplace of the famous Italian poet, Petrarch.
In the southern part of the city are the ruins of the Amphitheater, and next to it is the Archaeological Museum. It displays artifacts from the Etruscan era onwards.
San Gimignano
A hilltop town where medieval buildings have been preserved in very good condition.
The residential towers are notable, of which 14 towers remain today. This is why San Gimignano is also called the „city of towers”. One tower can be visited, the Torre Grossa. The 54-meter high building is located in Piazza Duomo.
Being in Italy, a visit to a wonderful church in the city is a must. The Collegiate is the Roman-era church with the most frescoes in the country.
And those with a sweet tooth will also find something to their liking here! The Sergio Dondoli ice cream shop (Gelateria Dondoli) has proudly been the world’s best ice cream several times.
The surrounding area also has an excellent wine region. The town is famous for its white wine called Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Certaldo
The town southwest of Florence is known for a famous poet.
This was the home of Giovanni Boccaccio’s family. Boccaccio died here in 1375 and his grave is also here. The preservation of the poet’s tradition is indicated by the Boccaccesca gastronomic festival.
In Certaldo, the old and new times are wonderfully divided. The Certaldo Alta quarter on the hill is the old town, characterized by typical Tuscan architecture with red brick buildings.
At the foot of the hill, we find the newer-style Certaldo Bassa quarter. We can also go up to the old town from here by funicular. We’ll have a great view!
Volterra
The city was a stronghold of Etruscan civilization.
From the Etruscan times, two gates of the city wall remain, the side stone blocks of Porta all’Arco and Porta Diana.
If you visit here, don’t miss the Mario Guarnacci Etruscan Museum! It houses one of the country’s largest Etruscan collections. The reliefs on more than 600 urns reveal the beliefs and customs of this mysterious people.
It’s also worth visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. Among others, we can see masterpieces by Santi di Tito, Giovanni Balducci and Agostino Veracini, frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, and works by many other Italian artists in the cathedral.
Viareggio
To mention a seaside town as well, Viareggio is the best choice!
It has a long, wide, sandy beach. One of the most famous beaches, the Neptune Bath, is also here.
Viareggio is also famous for its carnival. Its history dates back to the 19th century. If you go in summer, I recommend the Puccini Festival for classical music lovers! The famous composer had his summer house in Torre del Lago in the southern part of Viareggio.
Elba Island
We also learned about Italy’s 3rd largest island in school. Napoleon was exiled here in 1814.
Portoferraio is the center of the island, where the ships also arrive. Here you can find Napoleon’s official residence, the Palazzina dei Mulini. The French emperor also had a country villa, the Villa di San Martino. It has several wonderful rooms: love room, Egyptian room, library.
Its highest point is the 1019-meter-high Capanne. We can get up by cable car (cabinovia) from Marciana village. The panorama is beautiful, and there’s also a small hiking opportunity at the top.
What’s interesting about the cable car is that it’s an open, yellow structure similar to a bird cage. 2-3 people can fit in it, and we travel up standing all the way.
Of course, beach time on Elba Island can’t be missed! One of the most popular is the beach of Biodola settlement (Spiaggia della Biodola). The white sandy beach is well-developed, and the shallow water is ideal for families with small children!
One of the favorite places on the southern coast is Marina di Campo. Its sandy, wide beach is in a bay. Its slowly deepening water makes it popular among families!
Montalcino
We find this hilltop settlement south of Siena.
On top of it is a 14th-century fortress. Its bastions offer a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside.
However, it’s primarily famous not for its fortress, but for its red wine called Brunello di Montalcino! Its characteristic is that the sangiovese grape that forms its base only grows here. Its uniqueness is also given by the fact that there’s only one type of this wine!
Grosseto
Traveling along the coast towards Rome, it’s worth stopping here.
The main feature of the city is the well-preserved, 16th-century, star-shaped fortification, which was built under the rule of the Medici family and still surrounds the old town of Grosseto.
In the center is Piazza Dante. On this square rises the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, a beautiful Romanesque-Gothic cathedral dating from the 13th century. Other notable sights include the Palazzo Aldobrandeschi, which is the local government building.
Massa Marittima
Although smaller and less known than the more famous Tuscan cities, its special charm comes from the fact that it has preserved its original, medieval atmosphere.
The main attraction of the city is the central square, Piazza Garibaldi, dominated by the 13th-century Cattedrale di San Cerbone. The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral is one of the most important churches in the region. The cathedral stands out with its beautifully crafted facade and artistic treasures, including frescoes and sculptures.
Another attraction is the Palazzo del Podestà, which was once the residence of local leaders and now houses the archaeological museum. The nearby Torre del Candeliere tower offers a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding landscape.
Saturnia Hot Springs (Terme di Saturnia)
This thermal bath is located southeast of Grosseto, at the border of the region.
It’s an outdoor bath, with the Cascate di Gorello waterfall providing 37-degree thermal water. The bath is terraced and shallow, with its deepest point being only 1 meter.
The minerals and gases in it are beneficial for circulatory and respiratory problems and diseases, as well as muscle soreness and inflammations.
Bathing is free!
