Tuscany (Toscana)

Tuscany is worldwide one of the most popular holiday regions in Italy. The landscape of Tuscany is world-famous as a photograph. With their yellow rapeseed fields, lonely mansions on hills whose driveway is lined with cypresses. There is the charming image of the lonely stone house in a large flowering meadow surrounded by cypresses and chirping crickets. The image is not missing from any illustrated book or wall calendar of Italy. And in spring, the yellow rapeseed blooms. In addition, there are the shady pine forests that are preserved along the beaches. The fully fruity wine and the island of Elba are also known. For some time, the island of Giglio has also gained sad notoriety after a bemused captain had a cruise ship grounded off the island.

And in fact, Tuscany has everything to offer in terms of scenic, cultural and culinary experiences. Everything that makes a holiday in Italy relaxing and exciting at the same time. In the rolling hills of the Chianti wine-growing region, the noble wine thrives particularly well, which optimally complements the Fiorentina, a fine T-bone steak. And on the wide sandy beaches of the Versilia coast, the whole family gets on their enjoyment. Find out what to do in Tuscany during your holidays.
Tuscany is internationally known for its pretty medieval towns and its wealth of art. Discover with us the best places to visit in Tuscany.

Best Places to Visit in Tuscany

Tuscan Riviera

The coastal landscape is divided into Versilia Coast, Etruscan Riviera and to the south the Maremma coast.
Long tempered summers, short winters in the protection of the Apuan Alps, a clean Mediterranean sea, and beautiful wide sandy beaches.
All this, along with the Italian flair and Mediterranean cuisine, attract sun lovers every year. The coasts of Tuscany are well maintained, colourful parasols shine everywhere and invite the sun hungry. Showers, changing rooms, beach bars, and bocce fields are standard.
The Versilia Coast is not for small purses, the tenants collect for the parasol and lounge chairs very well. In some cases, the parasols are equipped with cooling boxes right on the beach.
For this, it is a pure holiday. You can practice the “dolce far niente”, the sweetness of doing nothing and enjoying the sun and sea. Seeing and being seen, this is what to do in Tuscany.
The numerous restaurants offer mainly the treasures of the sea, miles of beach promenades with small boutiques, ice cream parlors, bars, and all kinds of entertainment offer fun and pastime for all tastes.

Wine-growing regions

Driving through the hills of Tuscany, you may be moving along one of the region’s 14 wine roads, where you can pass numerous wine producers and wine cellars.

Tuscan Islands

Elba Island

The island of Elba has retained a gentle tourism, slow tourism is the motto. Steep rocks over crystal clear sea, natural landscapes and romantic mountain villages are a paradise for trekking. Divers will find a fascinating underwater world in magnificent bays, and horse lovers wooded trails for a horseback ride.

Giglio Island

The island of Giglio is the second largest in Tuscany after Elba. The highest point protrudes 496m out of the sea. Especially among divers, the island of Giglio is sought after with its colorful sea creatures and large fish.

In order to protect both islands from too much a rush to visit visitors and tour groups, an island fee has been introduced, which must be paid on arrival.

Marble mining at Carrara

Only a few kilometres from the tourist hustle and bustle of the beaches there is still a very simple life in the small villages of the marble workers.

If you are planning a holiday in Tuscany or Liguria, you should take two days to get to know the history and mining sites of the famous white marble from which artists such as Michelangelo created their artworks carved for eternity, such as The David in Florence, the Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica and the unfinished Dom Sant ‘Andrea Apostolo in Carrara.

What to do in Tuscany

Arrival

By car

Most holidaymakers from the German-speaking world come to Tuscany with their own car. In the countryside, this is not a problem either. Urban travel bans for older diesel are increasingly being introduced, as well as environmental zones (ZTL Zona traffico limitato). Explore before entering the cities where these zones are located, otherwise, it can get really expensive. Italian authorities are also issuing penalty notices to foreign visitors.

Please do not leave anything lying in the vehicle. This invites thieves who specialize in foreign registration plates in particular.

By train

The train connections are very good and Italy also has a high-speed train-once you are there. Within Italy, you can travel very well from north to south and east to west on the high-speed train from Trenitalia or Italo.

However, the connections to neighboring countries are not yet with fast trains. The Alps are bothering and the Italian Government is on the brakes, even though the European Union wants to pay half.

Be that as it may, a train ride in the big cities is often more relaxing than the car usually takes them in the middle of the city, where life plays.

By air

Tuscany’s main airport is Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa. From there you come by shuttle bus to the city.

Pisa town 5 km, about 10 min
Viareggio-Pietrasanta: 25 km, about 30 min
Florence: 80 km, about 75 min
Lucca about 50 min
Siena: 120 km, about 105 min

The shuttle train “PisaMover” connects the airport with the train station “Pisa Centrale.” The distance is only one kilometer. The shuttle runs every 5-8 minutes.

Florence has a smaller Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci airport.

Peace of Mind

If you book a trip with us, then we take care of all that-including. Hotel and accompanying program. For city breaks, leave your car better at home.

History

Archaeological excavations in Tuscany from the 2nd millennium BC, the Bronze Age and Iron Age, already point to an organized coexistence and metalworking.

Since the 8th century b.c. Central Italy was settled by Etruscans, who built large cities where Etruscan traces are still present today, such as in Arezzo and Volterra. Etruria, as Tuscany was known, was a high culture, which can be inferred from the cult of the dead and the organized coexistence according to laws.

With the spread of power of the Roman Empire towards Liguria in the 3rd century. b.c. The Etruscan land was taken by Roman militarily. The region was called Tuscia by the Romans.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the rulers changed in the Middle Ages of Ostrogoths, Byzantines and Lombards, who were defeated by Charlemagne and took his seat of dominion in Lucca.

Would you like more detailed information on your next trip to Tuscany? We would be happy to provide you with a competent guide that speaks your language.

Typical products

The wines of Tuscany

The most famous is Chianti. Only wines from the Chianti region of origin may be sold under the Chianti Classico brand term. The best of these wines bear the “Gallo Nero” brand, which is monitored by the Chianti Classico consortium in Greve in Chianti.
Tuscany’s fine red wines include Montepulciano, Montalcino and Brunello.
In the south of Tuscany, the Morellino di Scansano is predominantly growing.

Carrara marble

The marble from the mining area of the Carrara is known all over the world by the artists who created works for eternity: Michelangelo Buonarroti conjured up the David in Florence and the Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica of Rome, among others.

Lardo di Collonata

Closely linked to the marble mining is the delicate variety of the mountains, which is stored in marble boxes with spices and thus gets a very special aroma. Of course, the Lardo tastes best on site when it is cut off completely fresh and wafer-thin. You should definitely try that.

Alabaster from Volterra

Albaster has been mined in Volterra for millennia. As a result, the craft settled around it to work on this noble translucent stone.

Olive oil

The olive oil from Tuscany is cold-pressed and particularly spicy. Many wineries offer not only wine, but also their own olive oil in the farm shop.

Tip

Tipping is expected in the restaurants frequented by foreign tourists. The waiters in these restaurants know very well what is common in your culture. You should know, though, that an Italian usually only pays what is printed on the bill. It is important that you consider whether the amount is justified. You can also ask for a proper invoice, which you can also get if you suggest that you need it for business. Speak calmly in your language and use your hands to make it clear what it is all about. If you stay friendly, then it all works out too. By the way, you are legally obliged to take the receipt with you. You may be checked by finance police outside the door.

Italians pay in the restaurant at the checkout when they go out. Money is dirty and shouldn’t actually change hands at the table. Of course, the waiters also adapt to the visitors and you can also have it the way you are used to from home. But it is better you go to the cashier near the entrance. In particular, if you pay by card, want a special receipt and maybe another digestive.

Best Places to Visit in Tuscany

We have put together a travel program for a week that includes the most beautiful medieval towns of Tuscany.
We are also happy to put together an individual travel program to visit the best places in Tuscany and book all hotels for you and, if desired, a convertible for the entire round trip as well as exclusive guided tours in the places as well as tastings.
The program can be expanded at will and can be tailored to your individual needs. Just to get to know Tuscany, its peculiarities and way of life, we recommend you bring even more time. We wish you lots of fun on the itinerary in Tuscany.

Getting Married in Tuscany

How about a wedding in Tuscany during your holiday trip. Romantic for two with on a farm guest house in the vineyards with friends, we can turn your dream into reality.

In summer, beach weddings are also becoming increasingly popular. Italy offers the perfect backdrop for all wishes.

We also organize ceremonies for engagement, marriage promises and symbolic wedding ceremony, as well as a federal renewal on a round wedding anniversary. And how about a trip to Italy after the wedding? We organize your honeymoon if desired with a nice sports car or a Fiat 500. Whatever is your dream.

Around Tuscany

Tuscany has the sea in the west and borders Liguria in the north, Emilia Romagna in the east, and Umbria and Lazio in the south. From the places on the northern coast of Tuscany (Carrara, Forte dei Marmi, Pisa, Viareggio) it is not far to Liguria, where the Cinque Terre beckons with its imposing coast. From the Chianti area, it is not far to the beautiful Lake Trasimeno on the border with Umbria. If you are on holiday in the south of Tuscany in the Maremma, we recommend a trip to Lake Bolsena. Find out the best places to visit in Tuscany.

Accommodation

Would you like to move into your quarters in an exclusive villa or out of town in a noble country house? We are happy to take care of your wishes. A hotel with charm or something economical for smaller budgets. We know the area well and will certainly find something that will inspire you.

Overnight prices in Italy are hardly predictable. Depending on the exact date of travel and the booking situation locally, hotel prices and prices for the holiday apartments fluctuate.

If you would like to book a cultural trip with visits and guided tours with us, we are also happy to take care of nice accommodation. As soon as we get your request and know what matters to you, we will make you a good offer, on what to do in Tuscany. To do this, we need to know what is important to you. If you select a product from our offer for your private trip, you can include your hotel request and budget at the time of the inquiry.

Here you find our proposals for holiday houses in Tuscany

Map of Tuscany

You can hover over the dots on the map to see the name of the city. A click will bring you to the page of that city.

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Map of Tuscany
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