Tuscany holidays

Such is its charm and appeal, Florence is reason enough to visit Tuscany – especially for a short break. A handsome and historic city, you’ll find an abundance of architectural and artistic treats everywhere you look. Priceless artworks can be enjoyed in its galleries and tiny chapels, while the city’s buildings are a hymn to Renaissance creativity.

It’s also prime road trip country. With roads curving through idyllic countryside, driving here is a dream, made sweeter by the staggering scenery: the region is famed for its gravity-defying hilltop towns, rolling vineyards and swaying Italian Cypress trees.

Then there’s the food. Even by Italy’s lofty standards, Tuscan eating is up there with the best. The fertile land has given rise to world-class cuisine, without a shred of pretension. Wheat, olives, truffles, mushrooms all feature in Tuscan dishes, and you’ll find game including wild boar and rabbit alongside pork and bistecca alla fiorentina (Italian steak).

When it comes to wine, while the quality is high throughout, the names to know are Chianti, Brunello and Montepulciano – otherwise known as the holy trinity of Tuscan reds.

Finally, better known to domestic tourists than Brits, the Tuscan coast is perfect for a seaside break, with sparkling waters and beaches that range from the chichi to the untamed. Castiglione della Pescaia and Viareggio won’t disappoint. Off the coast, the island of Elba is a delightful escape.

Florence is best visited in spring and autumn, when temperatures are in the early and mid-20s, though you’ll find prices reflect this.

It can get uncomfortably hot in high summer, but there are compensations – in August, prices can drop as the locals head for the coast, and for shoppers, July and August are sales months.

Prices fall significantly from December to March and it rarely drops below 10C so if you don’t mind a little rain, there are cheap holidays on offer. Remember, rural regions shut down in winter, but rest of the year has seasonal benefits; spring brings flower festivals and summer, the heat. Autumn, meanwhile, is harvest time for everything from grapes to truffles.

Summer will see the highest prices, with the influx of both international and domestic tourists. The coast really comes alive from June, when it becomes warm enough to swim. It stays that way until late September.

Your Tuscan trip can be narrowed down to three essentials – eating, drinking and looking at beautiful things, which you can do everywhere. Florence has the highest concentration of serious culture, but if you prefer your sightseeing a little more relaxed, then Siena and Lucca are good bets. If landscapes float your boat, earmark Chianti and Val D’Orcia.

Florence

To visit Florence is to dive into the world of the Renaissance. Marvel at the Duomo cathedral – the 463 steps to the top are worth it for the view – get lost in the Uffizi Galleries looking for Botticelli’s Venus, visit Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia and cross the Ponte Vecchio to the monumental Pitti Palace.

Added bonuses include exquisite leather goods, beautiful gardens – swap the Boboli for the prettier, lesser-known Bardini – and gelato, said to have been invented here.

Siena

Tightly packed terracotta rooftops wind out from the famous, scallop-shaped Piazza del Campo, where each July the thunderous, bareback Palio di Siena horse race takes place.

Siena’s Gothic architectural fabric is little-changed since the middle ages, and the sense of time travel is only heightened by the local tendency to dress in historic costume and indulge in drum-beating and flag waving – a way for each contrada, as the tightly-knit and fiercely partisan neighbourhoods are known, to make their presence felt.

Hill towns

As famous as its cities are Tuscany’s hill towns. Perched atop rolling mounds, the sun burnishing their towers in hues of gold, they make the quintessential photo of the region.

San Gimignano is the poster child, but high season hordes can diminish its charm. Alternatives include Pitigliano, towering over a lofty bluff, and Monteriggioni, its concentric walls that once protected it from the battling might of Florence and Siena now merely for show. ‘Twilight’ fans flock to Volterra, the fictional home of the Volturi.

Val D’Orcia

Rolling hills, ranks of cypress trees, golden wheat fields, sprawling vineyards and higgledy-piggledy farm houses – if this is your image of Tuscany, then head to Val D’Orcia.

Climb the ramparts of Montalcino and buy a bottle of local Brunello, enjoy the silence within the lofty Abbey of Sant’ Antimo, and stop for a soak in the natural hot springs at Bagno Vignoni. Don’t miss the countryside around San Quirico – it’s where most of the postcard-worthy photos are taken.

Chianti

A trip to Tuscany without a wine tour could be considered a trip wasted. If you’re not an expert, there are worse places to start than the most famous region of all – Chianti.

Sandwiched conveniently between Florence and Siena, its many vineyards are interspersed with pine forests, olive groves and castles. Most host tastings in their atmospheric cantina wine cellars – look out for the symbol of the black rooster, the trademark of Chianti Classico wines.

For families

Florence is fun, but can require a bit of leg-stretching for little ones. Instead, try Siena, or one of the pint-sized hill towns the region is so well known for, like San Gimignano, Montepulciano, or Volterra. The countryside is packed full of family-friendly villas with pools.

If sea and sand are required, try the Tuscan coast. In resorts beloved by Italian families, such as Viareggio and Marina di Grosseto, clear waters are backed by pine forests. For something more leftfield, try Elba, the largest Tuscan island – it has beautiful beaches and dolphin and whale-watching trips.

For travellers on a budget

Steer clear of central Florence if you’re looking to keep to a budget. Instead, choose one of the small, quaint towns nearby; the likes of Pistoia, Borgo San Lorenzo and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa are tranquil and beautiful in their own right, and only around 20 miles from the city.

If you’re taking a short, cheap break and want an urban stay, try San Marco, a residential area near the city centre with a high concentration of hostels.

Wherever you stay, focus on apartments, villas and B&Bs to get the best value – full-service hotels are notoriously pricey.

For food and drink

With the focus on rural, farm-to-table dishes, there’s no need to splash out to enjoy good food and drink in Tuscany – small-town stays taste just as good as city breaks here. Even Michelin stars are scattered around; the only three-star is in Florence but there are two-star owners in tiny hamlets.

Wine-lovers can locate themselves in the heartlands of the favourite vintages. For Chianti Classico, stay in Greve in Chianti; for Brunello go to Montalcino; and for the Super Tuscans head for Bolgheri, close to the coast.

For nightlife

Tuscany isn’t exactly club central, but Florence is your best bet if you want to party. There’s also a good selection of rooftop bars for a more relaxed vibe. Elsewhere, Pisa, with its student population, has some lively music venues and drinking spots.

In summer, the most active nightlife can be found in Versilia, the coastal region that’s home to glitzy, glamorous seaside resorts including Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio.

For culture

With its embarrassment of cultural riches, Florence is your most obvious choice for culture. Renaissance palaces, medieval chapels, frescoed churches and seemingly endless paintings and sculptures are contained within this small city. Stay around the Duomo if you like to be in the thick of things, or head across the river to Oltrarno for a slower pace and boutique hotels.

Even small Tuscan packages contain cultural riches. Try Siena, a perfectly preserved Gothic masterpiece with the famous Piazza del Campo at its heart, and petite Lucca, with its myriad towers and its city walls designed by Leonardo da Vinci.