Tuscany Travel Guide
Tuscany Travel Guide
The Tuscany region of Italy is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas of the country & somewhere I never get tired of heading back to. The region is infamous for its wine, its epic landscapes of rolling vineyards, olive trees, & mountains, its series of picturesque towns, its sunsets & more.
I highly recommend adding Tuscany to any Italy itinerary, its capitol, Florence, is a can’t miss Italian city, but its also a great jumping off point for exploring the Tuscan countryside & the many small towns, villages & wineries in Tuscany worth visiting.
Jump To:
- Towns to Visit in Tuscany:
- Best Wineries in Tuscany
- Getting Around Tuscany
- Safety for Solo Female Travel in Tuscany
- Tuscany – Top Blog Posts
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is one of my favorite towns in Tuscany! It’s a walled, medieval town located in the Siena region of Tuscany and offers some of the most stunning views of any region of Tuscany I’ve visited.
San Gimignano is a great spot to take a day trip from Florence.
Getting to San Gimignano
Parking can be a bit of a hassle as there are no cars in the walled city, so you’ll have to find a spot in one of the parking areas around San Gimignano.
From Florence you can take a bus to San Gimignano (this is faster than taking a train as there is no direct route)
From Siena bus is also the fastest route vs. taking a train
What to do in San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a small town that can be explored in a few hours. A few highlights
- Piazza del Duomo
- Walk around the edge of the town to get the best views of the Tuscan countryside
- Try Gelateria Dondoli – voted the best gelato in the world several years in a row
- Grab a drink/lunch with a view at Ristorante Sosta sulla Francigena San Gimignano
- Explore the wineries nearby in the Chianti region
Saturnia
I had the opportunity to visit Saturnia on my most recent trip to Tuscany and loved this area! Saturnia is infamous for its natural hot springs, but it also boasts some of the best views of the Tuscan countryside.
Getting to Saturnia
Saturnia is about halfway between Florence & Rome (around 2 hours from each) You’ll definitely want to rent a car to visit this area, as there aren’t really public transportation options.
Where to Stay in Saturnia
I recommend spending at least a night in Saturnia vs. visiting as a day trip since it’s a pretty far trip from Rome or Florence.
I stayed at the Saturnia Tuscany Hotel and cannot recommend it enough. This stunning resort is about 5 minutes from the main town of Saturnia and offers stunning views over the town and the Tuscan countryside (plus amazing sunset views!)
The hotel has a pool, a bar/terrace, an on-site restaurant that is delicious! It also has an amazing breakfast that is included with your stay.
From the hotel it’s about a 5 minute drivr to the Saturnia Hot Springs.
What to do in Saturnia
- Cascate del Mulino-Hot Spring -the free, natural hot springs. These stunning, cascading hot springs are a can’t miss. I recommend getting there early to beat the crowds. Parking is located about a 2-3 minute walk down the road
- Explore the town of Saturnia – this is a classic Tuscan hillside town with medieval stone buildings and epic countryside views
Montepulciano
If you’re visiting Tuscany for the vineyards and wine, Montepulciano is one of the greatest areas to visit. Montepulciano refers to both a town & a wine. Montepulciano is the house wine served in the regions around Rome.
Getting to Montepulciano
Like most areas of Tuscany, I recommend renting a car for Montepulciano, it’s very hard to get around this area via public transport.
What to do in Montepulciano
While in Montepulciano explore the small town & then head out to some local wineries. You’ll definitely need to do your research and make reservations ahead of time, as these wineries don’t accept walk-ins.
Siena
Siena is a popular Tuscan town located not far from Florence. It’s known for it’s uniform brick buildings & red roofs, as well as it’s central square, Piazza del Campo that is fan shaped and sloped.
Siena is a great day trip from Florence (and can be combined with a trip to San Gimignano as part of an organized tour)
Getting to Siena
Siena is easiest to get through from Florence via bus. I don’t recommend having a car in Siena (although it’s useful if you want to leave Siena and explore surrounding Tuscany)
Busses run regularly from Florence to Siena (usually hourly) and take about an hour!
What to do in Siena
- Explore the infamous Piazza del Campo
- Climb Torre del Mangia to see Siena’s infamous red roofs from above
- Visit the Duomo di Siena
Arezzo
Arezzo is another small, charming Tuscan town worth a stop if you have a car to explore!
Lucca
Lucca is an easy day trip from Florence and can be reached via train. I highly recommend renting bikes and explore the city by riding arund the infamous raised walls!
Pisa
If you’re short on time, I’d recommend skipping Pisa, truthfully, but if you have time or are in the area, stop by to see the infamous leaning tower! You definitely don’t need too long to explore Pisa, outide of the tower and cathedral, there isn’t a ton to see!
Best Wineries in Tuscany
Tuscany has hundreds, if not thousands of great wineries. Many are small and run by families, while there are larger, more commercial ones. It’s nearly impossible to put together a comprehensive list of best wineries, but I’ve noted the ones I’ve visited and loved below!
Fattoria Poggio Alloro
Located right outside of San Gimignano this winery offers stunning views of the town & the surrounding Tuscan vineyards. This is one of the most stunning areas of the Tuscan countryside.
We did a lunch and wine tasting here. The food was fantastic and the wine was plentiful! They let you sample a variety of wines while serving a traditional Tuscan lunch!
Fattoria Poggio Capponi
This small, quaint winery is not too far southwest from Florence and is a great spot for a wine tasting. You’ll get a tour of their small cellar followed by a generous tasting of a few of their finest wines with some local Tuscan bread.
We loved this stop!
Tenuta Poggio Torselli
This winery is located in a stunning Tuscan Villa that feels straight out of a movie. This stop will include a tour of the stunning grounds outside the villa, followed by a tasting inside. One thing to note is this was the lightest of the tastings I’ve ever had on a Tuscan wine tour (super small pours!)
But the views were unreal!
Getting Around Tuscany
To really see Tuscany and get around easilly you’ll definitely need to rent a car. Some towns are connected by bus, but many hotels, wineries, etc. are outside of the main towns and too far to walk from the main town bus stations.
Driving in Tuscnay isn’t too bad. The roads are narrow & windy, but there is very little traffic on them, so you can go slow if you’re not comfortable!
Safety for Solo Female Travel in Tuscany
4.5 out of 5
Tuscany is super safe for solo travel! The only reason I don’t give it a 5 out of 5 is that to really see Tuscany you need to rent a car and the roads can be super windy & remote and often don’t have cell service.
Still totally safe, but you’ll just want to make sure you prepared with directions, etc. ahead of time in case you lose service.
