Villas in Tuscany

Tuscany

Tuscany highlights

Discover north-west Tuscany, where the mountainous scenery of the Garfagnana meets the glamorous seaside resorts of Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi. Renaissance Lucca, with its encircling walls, acts as the gateway to this region.

South of Florence, stray from the Chianti trail and visit Volterra, an imposing fortified Etruscan town, and Arezzo, whose splendid piazza is host to a renowned antiques market. The towns of Castiglion Fiorentino and Cortona are smaller, but no less enchanting.

Further south, the tree-clad hills of Chianti become the slopes of the Crete Senesi: rolling hills stretching towards bare ridges, topped with a single line of cypress trees or a Romanesque chapel – a view often depicted on postcards. Stumble across living masterpieces of the Renaissance in the form of picturesque towns such as Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino and San Quirico d'Orcia.

Local cuisine

Tuscany is known for its hearty, simple food. Try crostini (small pieces of toast with liver, olive or tomato paste) to start, followed by 'pici' (thick pasta from Siena), and then a 'bistecca alla Fiorentina' (a huge T-bone steak grilled with a little olive oil and herbs). End the meal with some pecorino cheese from Pienza, drizzled with a little honey, or cantucci (small almond biscuits) served with vin santo, a dessert wine.

Tuscan wines are notably famous and it is worth stopping off at one of the many vineyards to sample the product! From Chianti Classico to Montepulciano di Abruzzo to Brunello, the choice of red wines is staggering in this region and with plenty of vineyards offering the chance to sample the product, you will no doubt come across some little-known gems.

Festivities

From village events to celebrate the ‘vendemmia’ (grape harvest) to renowned music festivals, there is something to entertain everyone. Large events include the Palio horse race in Siena, the Feast of San Giovanni in Florence, and the Cortona Tuscan Sun Festival.

The historic hilltop towns are perfect settings for medieval pageants that evoke times gone by. These can involve races and horseback tournaments, costumed parades, and displays of flag waving, falconry, archery. Some of these medieval themed festivals include Arezzo’s ‘Giostra del Saracino’, the ‘Bravio delle Botti’ in Montepulciano, and the ‘Gioco del Ponte’ of Pisa.

Whatever the event, you will be sure that music, fireworks, food and wine all play an important part.

Climate

Spring is a wonderful time to explore: wildflowers carpet the meadows, the air is fresh and the temperatures are perfect for days out sightseeing. Summer is hot and dry, with temperatures often exceeding 30°C. This warm weather often extends into September, prolonging the summer. Towards the end of the month and into October, the air becomes crisper, heralding the onset of autumn in all its glory.

getting to tuscany

Travel Options

The principal airport in Tuscany is Pisa, served by scheduled and 'no frills' airlines from many UK airports. The smaller airport in Florence is served from Gatwick. Bologna airport is also an option for the northern part of Tuscany.

Nowadays, the variety and choice of flights from UK airports to European destinations is considerable. We do not tie you in to a package holiday with prearranged travel; you are free to choose flights from your closest airport using any charter, scheduled or low cost airline. We can book flights on your behalf if you would like us to, for this service we charge a fee of £30 for each return flight booked.

You may prefer to take your own vehicle and drive to Italy. If you wish to travel by ferry to France, we can offer guidance and exclusive discounted rates for Brittany Ferries services. Further information on sea crossings.

Another option is to take the Eurotunnel service through the Channel Tunnel to Calais, and driving from there. It is also feasible to take the train to Italy, via Paris to Turin or Milan, and onward to Florence or Rome. More information on train travel.

We always recommend booking your travel arrangements as soon as you have decided on your holiday accommodation. You will usually find that fares are lower and the choice is wider. If you need to place a 'hold' on your chosen property whilst you are booking your travel arrangements we are more than happy to do this for you.

Fly from:

  1. East Midlands
  2. Gatwick
  3. Glasgow
  4. Heathrow
  5. Luton
  6. Manchester
  7. Newcastle
  8. Stansted

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Villages and towns in Tuscany

The medieval old town of Castiglion Fiorentino is a well kept secret, closely guarded by the substantial city walls that surround it. Once used to keep enemies out, the impressive Porta Fiorentina stone archway at the entrance to the town now invites visitors in its heart. The narrow shaded streets are lined with pretty pastel-coloured buildings, their intricate wooden doorways opening into shops and...

A medieval hilltop town in the beautiful Val di Chiana area, Cetona is a proud member of the prestigious club of the most beautiful towns in Italy, ‘I Borghi più belli d’Italia’. The old town follows the typical Tuscan pattern of a central piazza, where an outdoor market is held every Saturday. The elegant Rivellino Tower sits at one end of the piazza, and there are shops and restaurants in and around...

Bagni di Lucca is a very pretty town sitting beside the River Lima, the main tributary of the Serchio. Known for its hot springs since Etruscan and Roman times, it became a fashionable spa resort  in the 19th century when the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte made it her summer residence, and many famous writers and composers then came to ‘take the waters’. Many of the spas have now closed but visitors...

Lucca is a delightful small city to wander round, with extremely well preserved walls encircling it. Alternatively, it can be explored by rickshaw, or by hiring bicycles. At the heart of the city, the beautiful oval-shaped Piazza del Anfiteatro is wonderfully atmospheric, and there are numerous boutiques and restaurants to discover. Lovers of art and architecture will be in their element, as Lucca...

Set high on a hilltop and affording a breathtaking panorama of the Tuscan countryside below, the medieval town of Cortona is a little Italian gem well worth discovering. Full of architectural treasures highlighting the Renaissance period the keen photographer is rewarded with a photo opportunity at every turn. The narrow, shaded streets are dotted here and there with colourful window boxes and an eclectic...

One of the larger towns in the area, Montepulciano can definitely be classed as a Renaissance beauty. Atop a steep hill, its impressive high walls remain intact and the narrow cobbled streets within are still lined with historic stone buildings. After a hard climb to the top you will find Renaissance palazzo and incredible views. Montepulciano is, of course, famous for its wine which can be tasted...

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