What to Visit and Experience in Tuscany: Top 8 Attractions !
The most visited region in Italy is Tuscany with its capital Florence. Tuscany is known for its vineyards and the coast swept by the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here's what to experience in Tuscany, what places to visit, what sights, towns, and villages to see. What are the prices of accommodation, food, and wine? Where are the most beautiful beaches?
The most beautiful photographs and pictures of the nature of Italy, almost dreamy, come from Tuscany. Tuscany is also known for the fact that it created the most significant Renaissance artists who influenced and changed the whole world.
Travel in Tuscany
Tuscany is located in central Italy. As Italy takes the form of a boot, Tuscany is almost at the top left of that boot.
The two largest airports in Tuscany are located in its most important cities - Florence and Pisa. The best and fastest flight from Belgrade to Florence is via Rome with Alitalia.
Always check the price of tickets for flights from Budapest as they can be much cheaper for your travel period.
Florence is 1,010 kilometers away from Belgrade and 1,080 kilometers away. Those who want to visit Tuscany as a whole, or at least give it a try, opt for their own vehicle.
In this case, it is advisable to stay in Tuscan households - beautiful and old Italian villas immersed in fairy-tale nature.
Good old Booking will help you find the best and best accommodation anywhere in Tuscany.
Check out a website that helps people from around the world organize their car trips and find out how much their tolls cost - viamichelin.com
Tuscany is the cheapest to visit between November and March, but then most hotels and restaurants do not work, especially at sea. The peak of the season is during May, June, September, and October. Then prices are only 50% higher than in other months.
April is the most ideal month to visit Tuscany when it comes to weather and prices. It is most expensive to visit Tuscany around Christmas and Easter.
1. Tuscany wines are known far and wide
Tuscany is not only beautiful, but it is also delicious and stunning. Tuscany wines are in the first place for taste and fascination.
The famous red wines from Tuscany are made from a special grape variety called Sangiovese, also known as "Jupiter's blood".
The red wines that are made are Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano.
As for white wines, the most famous is the Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Among the dessert wines is the famous Vin Santo (prim. Holy wine).
Due to their diverse micro-image, various types of grapes thrive in Tuscany, so the winemaking history here is impressive and goes back to the distant past.
Even today, there are families who have been involved in grape growing and winemaking for more than 500 years.
When asked what to visit in Tuscany first, the answer is simple - wineries. One of the more luxurious wineries is located in the city of San Gimignano - Tenuta Torciano. Here you can dine, dine, tour the vineyards, go looking for truffles.
For a stay of 60 minutes in a winery with a wine tasting, 12 euros per person should be set aside. This winery normally organizes about 29 activities for children and adults.
In wineries, they teach you how to experience and taste wine, not only how to drink it, you will also learn something about the history of winemaking, as well as the passion, felt about the business. You will learn about the ups and downs of that business.
Antinori Chianti Classico Winery has located 20 km from Florence. The family that owns the winery has been in the business of wine since 1385. Visiting and tasting costs € 20 per person.
In Florence, the famous Castello di Nipozzano winery is housed in a 1,000-year-old castle. The winery is open on weekends.
Not far from Florence is the Capezzana Winery, which has been operating since 1920. To visit a winery and try three types of wine costs 10 euros per person.
2. The food of Tuscany is particularly interesting
Tuscany is one of the world's gastronomic destinations. In the list of the top 10 gastro destinations in Europe by Tripadvisor, five cities are from Italy, with Florence first.
Tuscan specialties go side by side with fine wines. The four most important ingredients of Tuscan cuisine are bread with a crunchy crust, meat, wine, and olive oil.
Tuscans use beans in the most creative ways possible when preparing their dishes. Pasta is also approached with a lot of love and attention, as well as fresh vegetables.
Tuscany is famous for its cheeses - caciotta (made from cow's milk), pecorino (made from sheep's milk), raviggiolo (made from cow's or sheep's milk), ricotta (made from sheep's, cow's or goat's milk), caprino (made from goat's milk).
There are hundreds of variations of cheeses based on these mentioned.
As for seasoning, the most commonly used are thyme, sage, rosemary.
Tuscany is known for its truffles so many of its dishes just contain this expensive mushroom. The most used porcini is porcini.
As for meat, Tuscans prefer venison - roe deer, rabbit, boar. Made of wild and thick broth. The game they like to cook on wine.
One of the meat specialties is the Fiorentina steak (bistecca all Fiorentina) which is actually a thicker piece of grilled meat (served with olive oil) and served half-blooded, just pickled and salted.
Some of the dishes to try are - Tonno e fagioli (salad with beans and tuna), Panzanella (salad of bay bread), Livorno stew, Pollo Alla Fiorentina (chicken with parmesan and spinach).
As for dessert, the most famous is panforte, which is made from candied fruits, cinnamon, honey, almonds and finally spiced with ginger and cloves. There are also castagnaccio (chestnut cake) and buccellato (pineapple cake).
Via Sante wine is mainly served with cantucci cake (almond cake).
3. Agritourism in Tuscany - the most beautiful villages and private accommodation
Tuscany is known for its excellent agritourism. Many choose to spend their honeymoon days in one of the romantic Tuscan villages.
If you're thinking of visiting Tuscany, don't miss the countryside and family households.
According to the experience of others, we recommend the following - Podere la Casellina Figline (Valdarno), Villa di Campolungo (Fiesole), Palazzo Conti (Cingoli), La Corte D'Elsa (Castelfiorentino)
The accommodation is provided by families in their homes, and the choice of homes is amazing - over small and old houses to luxury villas with a swimming pool.
Many of these houses and villas once belonged to noble families. And this type of accommodation is cheaper and cheaper than expensive city hotels.
The price includes breakfast, often dinner, which means fresh and delicious fruits. Very often within these households, there are vineyards, and therefore wineries, olive groves, miniature hippodromes.
There is almost no traffic, so silence is guaranteed. There are wonderful restaurants, boutiques, art galleries in the villages.
Find your accommodation in one of the Tuscan households - www.agriturismo.it
The Italian soap opera Tuscany is set in a Tuscan paradise named Villalba.
4. The wrong tower in Pisa
In addition to the capital and the cradle of Florence Renaissance art, Tuscany has the following cities - Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Prato, Port, Pistoia, etc.
Among the resorts is the most famous town of Viareggio, and the most visited town is San Gimignano. Elba Island belongs to Tuscany. Tuscany seems to be best known around the world for the Wrong Tower in Pisa.
Pisa is 80 km from Florence and 10 km from the sea. The city of Pisa is a small and peaceful university town that is well worth a visit for its artistic and architectural treasures.
When thinking about what to visit in Tuscany, the Pisa Curve Tower should be at the top. The crooked tower is by far the most bent building in the world. It is actually a cathedral bell tower.
The construction of the bell tower began in the 12th century and at the very beginning of the construction the bell tower bent because the foundation of the cathedral was struck at the place where the earth was sinking.
The tower was completed in 1350 and has since tilted one millimeter each year. In 1990, he was closed for visits for not being safe for tourists.
However, the architects managed to solve the problem and today the tower has reopened. The tower is thought to be stable for visits for another 200 years.
The tower has 294 steps.
5. The most beautiful place in Tuscany - Siena
Which cities to see in Tuscany?
Tuscany is known for its agritourism, wine tourism, and Florence. However, there are other places and parts of Tuscany that are worth visiting.
The city of Siena is located 48 kilometers from Florence. Siena has been in the shadow of Florence for centuries, but that does not mean that it is a less beautiful city, on the contrary, many find Siena more attractive than Florence.
During the Middle Ages, Siena was the leading city in Italy.
Siena was a true banking city in the 13th century. It also houses the oldest bank in the world.
The color that visibly dominates this small and architecturally unique town is red. The old part of the city is located in the center and it is forbidden traffic so that the magic of the medieval period and later Gothic would not be disturbed.
While in Siena, visit the Duomo Romanesque Cathedral, Palazzo Publico City Hall, and Piazza del Campo, the main town square, where horse racing takes place in early July and during the second half of August.
The University of Siena dates back to 1240. Here is a paradise for all those who want to study in Italy.
The area around Siena is famous for its olive groves and vineyards.
6. Travel to Tuscany, visit Livorno obligatory
After Florence and Siena comes the coastal town and port of Livorno. Livorno is 120 kilometers from Florence and has access to the Ligurian Sea.
The old part of Livorno is intersected by canals, reminiscent of Venice. Hence the name for that part of the city "Venetian Quarter".
The city has a botanical garden, an aquarium where you can get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Ligurian Sea and a natural history museum where whales' skeletons are kept.
Livorno is not a popular tourist destination, but everyone loves to spend the night before boarding the ferry that goes to Elba and Corsica.
7. Elba Island - Napoleon Island
This island is a must-see in Tuscany.
Elba Island belongs to Livorno County and is 20 kilometers from the coast. Ferries reach the island in an hour.
Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan archipelago. The Tuscan archipelago is made up of seven islands located between the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas.
On the Elbe, Napoleon spent some time (one year) after being exiled from France. There are two museums on the island dedicated to his stay at Elba - Villa San Martino and Villa Mulini.
The island has Monte Capanne Mountain, at the top of which is quite cold in winter. The rest of the island is in a sign of the Mediterranean climate.
The island also has a smaller airport that is connected to larger airports in Italy and Switzerland.
The largest city on the island is Portoferraio (prim. Steel Harbor) and he is the first to notice the Elbe approaching the ferry. Once upon a time, natives erected a fort around the city to protect it from pirate attacks.
The festival of jazz and classical music takes place on the island in September.
Cultural events are mostly organized in an old church converted into a theater (Vigilanti Theater).
The island is famous for tourists because of its beaches, sandy and rocky cliffs, from which jumps into the crystal clear sea speaks for itself.
Near the town, there are two beautiful sandy beaches - Biodola and Punta Pina. There are hotels and restaurants near these beaches.
Cavoli is a sandy beach popular with teenagers.
The largest sandy beach on the Elbe is Procchio, which is also the most equipped (sunshades and deck chairs).
8. The most beautiful beaches of Tuscany
What to see in Tuscany at sea?
The Tuscany coast has 19 beaches lined with the prestigious Blue Flag.
The beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea are known for their shallow entry into the water and the long walk that ends at one point by sinking into the depths of the sea, so care must be taken.
The famous resorts of the Tuscan Riviera belong to the area of Versilia - Marina di Carrara, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore, Viareggio.
The Tuscan archipelago belongs to the island with the beautiful sandy beaches of Isola del Giglio.
For those who love the nightlife, it is the small town of Forte Dei Marmi. This resort is known among the world jet-set.
Closest to Siena is the beautiful Follonica Beach.
For camping lovers, Le Rocchette Beach.
The most beautiful photographs and pictures of the nature of Italy, almost dreamy, come from Tuscany. Tuscany is also known for the fact that it created the most significant Renaissance artists who influenced and changed the whole world.
Travel in Tuscany
Tuscany is located in central Italy. As Italy takes the form of a boot, Tuscany is almost at the top left of that boot.
The two largest airports in Tuscany are located in its most important cities - Florence and Pisa. The best and fastest flight from Belgrade to Florence is via Rome with Alitalia.
Always check the price of tickets for flights from Budapest as they can be much cheaper for your travel period.
Florence is 1,010 kilometers away from Belgrade and 1,080 kilometers away. Those who want to visit Tuscany as a whole, or at least give it a try, opt for their own vehicle.
In this case, it is advisable to stay in Tuscan households - beautiful and old Italian villas immersed in fairy-tale nature.
Good old Booking will help you find the best and best accommodation anywhere in Tuscany.
Check out a website that helps people from around the world organize their car trips and find out how much their tolls cost - viamichelin.com
Tuscany is the cheapest to visit between November and March, but then most hotels and restaurants do not work, especially at sea. The peak of the season is during May, June, September, and October. Then prices are only 50% higher than in other months.
April is the most ideal month to visit Tuscany when it comes to weather and prices. It is most expensive to visit Tuscany around Christmas and Easter.
1. Tuscany wines are known far and wide
Tuscany is not only beautiful, but it is also delicious and stunning. Tuscany wines are in the first place for taste and fascination.
The famous red wines from Tuscany are made from a special grape variety called Sangiovese, also known as "Jupiter's blood".
The red wines that are made are Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano.
As for white wines, the most famous is the Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Among the dessert wines is the famous Vin Santo (prim. Holy wine).
Due to their diverse micro-image, various types of grapes thrive in Tuscany, so the winemaking history here is impressive and goes back to the distant past.
Even today, there are families who have been involved in grape growing and winemaking for more than 500 years.
When asked what to visit in Tuscany first, the answer is simple - wineries. One of the more luxurious wineries is located in the city of San Gimignano - Tenuta Torciano. Here you can dine, dine, tour the vineyards, go looking for truffles.
For a stay of 60 minutes in a winery with a wine tasting, 12 euros per person should be set aside. This winery normally organizes about 29 activities for children and adults.
In wineries, they teach you how to experience and taste wine, not only how to drink it, you will also learn something about the history of winemaking, as well as the passion, felt about the business. You will learn about the ups and downs of that business.
Antinori Chianti Classico Winery has located 20 km from Florence. The family that owns the winery has been in the business of wine since 1385. Visiting and tasting costs € 20 per person.
In Florence, the famous Castello di Nipozzano winery is housed in a 1,000-year-old castle. The winery is open on weekends.
Not far from Florence is the Capezzana Winery, which has been operating since 1920. To visit a winery and try three types of wine costs 10 euros per person.
2. The food of Tuscany is particularly interesting
Tuscany is one of the world's gastronomic destinations. In the list of the top 10 gastro destinations in Europe by Tripadvisor, five cities are from Italy, with Florence first.
Tuscan specialties go side by side with fine wines. The four most important ingredients of Tuscan cuisine are bread with a crunchy crust, meat, wine, and olive oil.
Tuscans use beans in the most creative ways possible when preparing their dishes. Pasta is also approached with a lot of love and attention, as well as fresh vegetables.
Tuscany is famous for its cheeses - caciotta (made from cow's milk), pecorino (made from sheep's milk), raviggiolo (made from cow's or sheep's milk), ricotta (made from sheep's, cow's or goat's milk), caprino (made from goat's milk).
There are hundreds of variations of cheeses based on these mentioned.
As for seasoning, the most commonly used are thyme, sage, rosemary.
Tuscany is known for its truffles so many of its dishes just contain this expensive mushroom. The most used porcini is porcini.
As for meat, Tuscans prefer venison - roe deer, rabbit, boar. Made of wild and thick broth. The game they like to cook on wine.
One of the meat specialties is the Fiorentina steak (bistecca all Fiorentina) which is actually a thicker piece of grilled meat (served with olive oil) and served half-blooded, just pickled and salted.
Some of the dishes to try are - Tonno e fagioli (salad with beans and tuna), Panzanella (salad of bay bread), Livorno stew, Pollo Alla Fiorentina (chicken with parmesan and spinach).
As for dessert, the most famous is panforte, which is made from candied fruits, cinnamon, honey, almonds and finally spiced with ginger and cloves. There are also castagnaccio (chestnut cake) and buccellato (pineapple cake).
Via Sante wine is mainly served with cantucci cake (almond cake).
3. Agritourism in Tuscany - the most beautiful villages and private accommodation
Tuscany is known for its excellent agritourism. Many choose to spend their honeymoon days in one of the romantic Tuscan villages.
If you're thinking of visiting Tuscany, don't miss the countryside and family households.
According to the experience of others, we recommend the following - Podere la Casellina Figline (Valdarno), Villa di Campolungo (Fiesole), Palazzo Conti (Cingoli), La Corte D'Elsa (Castelfiorentino)
The accommodation is provided by families in their homes, and the choice of homes is amazing - over small and old houses to luxury villas with a swimming pool.
Many of these houses and villas once belonged to noble families. And this type of accommodation is cheaper and cheaper than expensive city hotels.
The price includes breakfast, often dinner, which means fresh and delicious fruits. Very often within these households, there are vineyards, and therefore wineries, olive groves, miniature hippodromes.
There is almost no traffic, so silence is guaranteed. There are wonderful restaurants, boutiques, art galleries in the villages.
Find your accommodation in one of the Tuscan households - www.agriturismo.it
The Italian soap opera Tuscany is set in a Tuscan paradise named Villalba.
4. The wrong tower in Pisa
In addition to the capital and the cradle of Florence Renaissance art, Tuscany has the following cities - Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Prato, Port, Pistoia, etc.
Among the resorts is the most famous town of Viareggio, and the most visited town is San Gimignano. Elba Island belongs to Tuscany. Tuscany seems to be best known around the world for the Wrong Tower in Pisa.
Pisa is 80 km from Florence and 10 km from the sea. The city of Pisa is a small and peaceful university town that is well worth a visit for its artistic and architectural treasures.
When thinking about what to visit in Tuscany, the Pisa Curve Tower should be at the top. The crooked tower is by far the most bent building in the world. It is actually a cathedral bell tower.
The construction of the bell tower began in the 12th century and at the very beginning of the construction the bell tower bent because the foundation of the cathedral was struck at the place where the earth was sinking.
The tower was completed in 1350 and has since tilted one millimeter each year. In 1990, he was closed for visits for not being safe for tourists.
However, the architects managed to solve the problem and today the tower has reopened. The tower is thought to be stable for visits for another 200 years.
The tower has 294 steps.
5. The most beautiful place in Tuscany - Siena
Which cities to see in Tuscany?
Tuscany is known for its agritourism, wine tourism, and Florence. However, there are other places and parts of Tuscany that are worth visiting.
The city of Siena is located 48 kilometers from Florence. Siena has been in the shadow of Florence for centuries, but that does not mean that it is a less beautiful city, on the contrary, many find Siena more attractive than Florence.
During the Middle Ages, Siena was the leading city in Italy.
Siena was a true banking city in the 13th century. It also houses the oldest bank in the world.
The color that visibly dominates this small and architecturally unique town is red. The old part of the city is located in the center and it is forbidden traffic so that the magic of the medieval period and later Gothic would not be disturbed.
While in Siena, visit the Duomo Romanesque Cathedral, Palazzo Publico City Hall, and Piazza del Campo, the main town square, where horse racing takes place in early July and during the second half of August.
The University of Siena dates back to 1240. Here is a paradise for all those who want to study in Italy.
The area around Siena is famous for its olive groves and vineyards.
6. Travel to Tuscany, visit Livorno obligatory
After Florence and Siena comes the coastal town and port of Livorno. Livorno is 120 kilometers from Florence and has access to the Ligurian Sea.
The old part of Livorno is intersected by canals, reminiscent of Venice. Hence the name for that part of the city "Venetian Quarter".
The city has a botanical garden, an aquarium where you can get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Ligurian Sea and a natural history museum where whales' skeletons are kept.
Livorno is not a popular tourist destination, but everyone loves to spend the night before boarding the ferry that goes to Elba and Corsica.
7. Elba Island - Napoleon Island
This island is a must-see in Tuscany.
Elba Island belongs to Livorno County and is 20 kilometers from the coast. Ferries reach the island in an hour.
Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan archipelago. The Tuscan archipelago is made up of seven islands located between the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas.
On the Elbe, Napoleon spent some time (one year) after being exiled from France. There are two museums on the island dedicated to his stay at Elba - Villa San Martino and Villa Mulini.
The island has Monte Capanne Mountain, at the top of which is quite cold in winter. The rest of the island is in a sign of the Mediterranean climate.
The island also has a smaller airport that is connected to larger airports in Italy and Switzerland.
The largest city on the island is Portoferraio (prim. Steel Harbor) and he is the first to notice the Elbe approaching the ferry. Once upon a time, natives erected a fort around the city to protect it from pirate attacks.
The festival of jazz and classical music takes place on the island in September.
Cultural events are mostly organized in an old church converted into a theater (Vigilanti Theater).
The island is famous for tourists because of its beaches, sandy and rocky cliffs, from which jumps into the crystal clear sea speaks for itself.
Near the town, there are two beautiful sandy beaches - Biodola and Punta Pina. There are hotels and restaurants near these beaches.
Cavoli is a sandy beach popular with teenagers.
The largest sandy beach on the Elbe is Procchio, which is also the most equipped (sunshades and deck chairs).
8. The most beautiful beaches of Tuscany
What to see in Tuscany at sea?
The Tuscany coast has 19 beaches lined with the prestigious Blue Flag.
The beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea are known for their shallow entry into the water and the long walk that ends at one point by sinking into the depths of the sea, so care must be taken.
The famous resorts of the Tuscan Riviera belong to the area of Versilia - Marina di Carrara, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore, Viareggio.
The Tuscan archipelago belongs to the island with the beautiful sandy beaches of Isola del Giglio.
For those who love the nightlife, it is the small town of Forte Dei Marmi. This resort is known among the world jet-set.
Closest to Siena is the beautiful Follonica Beach.
For camping lovers, Le Rocchette Beach.
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