Tuscany is perhaps the most beautiful region in Italy. On beautiful winding roads, lined with cypress trees, you drive to the most extraordinary medieval towns. Along the way, you see many vineyards and olive groves. And the country’s most important art treasures are located in the nicest museums and cathedrals. We take you to the 10 most beautiful cities in Tuscany.
The most beautiful cities in Tuscany
Every place has its charm in Tuscany. From a small medieval hilltop village to the world-famous Florence. But these are the 10 most beautiful cities in Tuscany that you definitely must see.
Siena
We think Siena is the city with the best vibes in Tuscany and we love going there. With the Piazza del Campo, Siena has one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. Every year, this square is the scene of the “Palio”. A horse race in which the 17 districts of the city compete for honour. From the square, numerous beautiful streets meander through the city.
The Duomo, the cathedral, is one of the largest and nicest in Italy. Although it is a long wait with the coronavirus measures to climb the tower, it is so worth it. The view of the city and the surrounding area is phenomenal. We will write a separate blog about Siena later because there is so much to see here!
Florence
Florence one of the most important cities of art in the world, but not only for art lovers is Florence a fantastic city to visit. In this compact city with its many attractive squares everyone feels at home.
The historic centre of the city is the area around the beautiful Duomo. Nearby is the Piazza del Signoria. For a long time, this was the political centre of the city. The Palazzo Vecchio is also here, the city hall with the world-famous Uffizi museum next to it.
Moreover, the Ponte Vecchio over the river Arno is something to see. We will describe all the highlights of Florence in a separate blog.
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is the town with the towers and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The noble inhabitants built a tower in the 12th and 13th centuries. With this they showed their might and wealth. The city used to have as many as 72 towers, whereas there are only 14 left now.
Within the city walls lies a romantic city full of highlights waiting for you. You climb one of the towers of course and from here you get a great view over the medieval town and its vast surroundings. As San Gimignano is so beautiful, we will dedicate a separate blog to it.
Lucca
In the north of Tuscany lies the beautiful Lucca. Within the walled inner city, you will immediately notice the rectangular street pattern. This was already so in 180 BC, when the Romans built a settlement here. The city has a cosy atmosphere, with nice streets and squares. Lucca is also the birthplace of composer Puccini. In his birthplace there is now a museum dedicated to the composer.
The nicest square in Lucca is Piazza Anfiteatro. Centuries ago, the Romans built their amphitheatre here. The stones were later used for various buildings in the city. This is now the place for residents to gather. The highlights of Lucca will be covered in detail in a separate blog.
Pisa
Those who go to Pisa naturally want to admire the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa with their own eyes. But visiting Pisa only for this reason means skipping many other attractions.
In the birthplace of physicist Galileo Galilei, Piazza dei Cavalieri is definitely worth a visit. Here you will also find the Palazzo della Carovana. This beautiful building is richly decorated on the outside with beautiful paintings and sculptures. Pisa also has one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world.
Arezzo
Arezzo is much less known than, say, Florence or Siena. Yet the city definitely deserves a visit when you are in Tuscany. And a big advantage here is that you are not walking with hordes of tourists through the cosy centre. Do not forget to enjoy the Piazza Grande, the central square.
In the Middle Ages the city already had many metal workers and jewellery traders. Now Arezzo still has a wide selection of stores selling the finest jewellery. The famous church of San Francesco displays the most beautiful frescoes in Italy. They depict the history of the cross on which Jesus was nailed.
Volterra
The special thing about Volterra is that the city lies on top of a plateau. The Etruscans founded the city already 8 centuries BC. In Volterra you can still see some remnants of that time. For example, large parts of the Etruscan city walls are still standing.
The landmark of Volterra is Palazzo dei Priori, once the residence of the government. As early as the early 1200s, people built this beautiful building. In the council chamber you can admire beautiful frescoes from the 14th century.
In addition, Volterra has been famous for centuries for the works of art made from alabaster. In the museum Palazzo Minucci Solaini, you can learn all about the history of the alabaster works of art.
Monteriggioni
The special thing about Volterra is that the city lies on top of a plateau. The Etruscans founded the city already 8 centuries BC. In Volterra you can still see some remnants of that time. For example, large parts of the Etruscan city walls are still standing.
The landmark of Volterra is Palazzo dei Priori, once the residence of the government. As early as the early 1200s, people built this beautiful building. In the council chamber you can admire beautiful frescoes from the 14th century.
In addition, Volterra has been famous for centuries for the works of art made from alabaster. In the museum Palazzo Minucci Solaini you can learn all about the history of the alabaster works of art.
Pienza
In the heart of the Valley of Orcia lies the beautiful town of Pienza. The road to it is already a delight. You can enjoy the most beautiful landscapes of Tuscany here. Pienza is also beautifully situated on a hill and you get a particularly beautiful view of the surroundings from here.
Pienza has an intimate centre that was founded in the 15th century by order of Pope Pius II. He was born here when it was still called Corsignano. After his election as Pope, he decided to name his birthplace after himself, Pienza. In the Palazzo Piccolomini you can still admire his rooms but above all, enjoy the view of the valley.
Pienza is also the city of the delicious pecorino cheese. You can taste and buy this sheep cheese everywhere in the city. If you are going to eat in Pienza, definitely try pici (pasta) with pecorino cheese. Buon appetito!
Pitigliano
In the extreme south of Tuscany lies Pitigliano. Its location is spectacular: high above rocks in which there are numerous caves. It is among the most beautiful villages in the region. In a maze of alleys and streets you imagine yourself in the Middle Ages. In the centre is a small Jewish ghetto. They once had to flee because of the Catholics. That is why the centre of Pitigliano is also known as “little Jerusalem”.
Besides strolling through all the alleys, Palazzo Orsini and the Aqueduct are big attractions. But you will of course also find nice squares, like the Piazza Repubblica, and a beautiful church.
Visiting the most beautiful cities of Tuscany: practicalities
If you want to enjoy the most the enchanting landscape of Tuscany, travel by car. You can choose the nicest routes with the best views. You can make photo stops at any time. If you drive on afterwards, you will discover an even more beautiful spot for the perfect picture!
The train can also be a great option, however. You avoid the stress on the road and finding a parking space. You often have to park outside the city, which means you have to walk quite a bit. The most famous cities are all easily reached by train. We stayed for almost a week in Castelfiorentino. We could take the train here and it was fast and cheap!
- In Tuscany there is a wide range of excellent hotels or B&Bs. These B&Bs are often located in beautiful surroundings, on a hill from which you have a great view of the region.
- We have chosen a central location for our road trip along the most beautiful cities of Tuscany. Our excellent and inexpensive apartment in Castelfiorentino was right in the centre of this small town. From here, we could quickly reach all points of the compass, also by train.
- Overview of all accommodation in Castelfiorentino.
- Would you like to stay in one of the larger cities? Here are the links to the accommodation in the most beautiful spots in Tuscany:
- The months of April and May are ideal for visiting Tuscany. The temperatures are pleasant then and nature is in full bloom.
- Preferably avoid the summer months of July and August. It is very busy in the cities in that period. In addition, the heat makes you enjoy the highlights less.
- September is then a much better choice.
- Autumn is the time when the wine and olives are harvested. In many places there are lovely little wine festivals and other culinary events.
