26/01/2025
𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐲 is vast and incredibly varied. When someone asks me for a tour in "Tuscany," I never know quite where to begin.
👉 Are they thinking about 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒚𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔, or perhaps 𝑹𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔? And yes, Florence is actually "𝑖𝑛 𝑇𝑢𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑦" and happens to be its regional capital, but this region is so much more than the sum of its postcards.
Take the 𝑽𝒂𝒍 𝒅’𝑶𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂, for example, the epitome of Tuscan beauty with its sweeping landscapes, cypress-lined roads, and hilltop towns like 𝑷𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒛𝒂, 𝑆𝑎𝑛 𝑄𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑜 𝑑'𝑂𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑜. It’s here you’ll find Brunello wine, Renaissance squares, and even ancient thermal baths in 𝑩𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒐 𝑽𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒊. Just next door, the 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊 offers a wilder, almost otherworldly terrain of clay hills that looks like Tuscany’s moody cousin.
🏞️ These areas, the most iconic and photographed 📸 in Tuscany, are located in the province of 𝑺𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒂, a stunning medieval gem, with its cathedral that houses what Vasari called “the most beautiful floor in the world and ”Piazza del Campo”, the city’s heart, unique in its kind, famous for hosting the famous Palio horse race 🏇🏼
🌳 Heading south, the 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒎𝒂 unfolds in all its rugged glory, beginning with its Etruscan heritage. Towns like 𝑷𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒐, 𝑺𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒐, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂, carved into tuff stone, transport you back thousands of years. Further south, the Monti dell’Uccellina, part of a vast nature reserve, features iconic cattle, the elegant Maremman horses, and the traditional "𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊"—cowboys who still practice their craft 🐴
🌊 Meanwhile, the 𝑨𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐 coastline impresses with dramatic cliffs and chic harbors like Porto Ercole. The Colline Metallifere, with towns like Massa Marittima, reveals a mining heritage wrapped in medieval allure. And let’s not forget the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, from Elba’s shimmering beaches to Giglio’s tranquil retreats 🐬
🖼️ In the 𝑽𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒊 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒆, 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒐 reigns supreme, offering Renaissance elegance and its famed Vino Nobile. The rest of the Val di Chiana stretches north, with towns like 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒂 and 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑜 adding their own dose of history and charm. To the east, the 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒐 takes you into the forested heart of Tuscany, where spiritual retreats like 𝐿𝑎 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎 and castles like the one in 𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖 bring history to life 🏰
Further north, 🖼️ 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 naturally takes the spotlight, with its art, architecture, and sheer cultural weight. But Tuscany doesn’t stop there. 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒂, with its medieval walls and quiet renaissance elegance, offers a slower pace, while the 𝑳𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒂 in the far north enchants with its castles and rugged beauty. Nearby, the 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂 is a green oasis of mountains and tranquil villages like 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑎. Towards the sea, we find 𝑷𝒊𝒔𝒂 with its leaning tower, 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒐, and the northern coast…
𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐲 isn’t just a region; it’s a collection of worlds, each with its own flavor and story. It’s impossible to capture it all in one trip—or even one lifetime. So, when someone says, "Show me Tuscany," I just smile and ask, "Where would you like to start?" ❤️
