San Quirico d’Orcia is a small, hilltop town in Val d’Orcia, Tuscany. This is one of the smallest towns in the area and often overlooked by many travelers. If you have a few hours to spare, this lovely village a joy to visit. San Quirico d’Orcia is named in honor of Saint Quiricus. This town […]
If you are planning your Tuscany itinerary, there are a lot of things to consider. How long should you spend here? Where should you stay? Should you rent a car? What towns are worth visiting? We have visited Tuscany twice. The first time was in July 2014. We spent a week in Tuscany, spending a […]
Monteriggioni is a small, walled town in Tuscany, Italy. A visit here is quick, with a stroll through town and a walk on the walls topping the list of things to do in Monteriggioni. It’s well worth adding onto your visit to Tuscany, especially if you have plans to drive through nearby towns such as […]
Tuscany, with its hilltop towns, breathtaking landscapes, long list of vineyards, and famous cities such as Florence, Pisa, and Siena, is one of Italy’s most visited regions. But did you also know that you can go canyoneering, relax in a hot spring, or visit an island in Tuscany? In this guide, we list 22 of […]
With its incredible Duomo, picturesque main square (Piazza del Campo), medieval streets to explore, and views from the top of Torre del Mangia, there is plenty here to keep you busy all day. In this guide, we list 10 essential things to do in Siena, a good starting point for your first visit to Siena. […]
Pisa and Lucca are two popular day trip destinations from Florence. Their close proximity to one another, small sizes, and handy train stations make them very easy to combine into one amazing day trip from Florence. We’ve visited both cities on separate trips to Italy. We stopped in Pisa while traveling by train from Florence […]
Lucca is one of Tuscany’s most rewarding cities to visit. While Florence gets the crowds and Pisa gets the selfies, Lucca has a charm that’s entirely its own: Renaissance city walls you can walk or bike, medieval towers rising above the rooftops, and a piazza built inside a Roman amphitheater. What we loved most was […]
After two trips through Tuscany, we’ve visited a lot of hill towns, including Siena, Cortona, Montepulciano, Pienza, and a handful of smaller villages tucked into the countryside. Arezzo was one of the last ones we visited, and arriving on a Sunday in early October, we weren’t sure what to expect. What we found was one […]
Italy is filled with gorgeous cathedrals and the Siena Cathedral is one of the best. On a visit to the Siena Cathedral, not only can you admire its unique appearance both inside and out, but you can also tour the Crypt and the Baptistery, visit the museum, and view the cathedral from unique vantage points, […]
Volterra is a hilltop town that is located in Tuscany, Italy. It’s one of the larger hill towns to visit in Tuscany and can keep you busy all day, with its list of museums, archeological sites, restaurants, shops, and stunning views over Tuscany. In this guide, we cover the best things to do in Volterra […]
Made famous by the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona is a small, Tuscan hill town with a short to do list. Stroll the medieval streets, enjoy the views over Tuscany, go wine tasting, and shop in the boutique shops. If you like museums and want to visit a few churches, you can do that […]
Montalcino is one of our favorite hill towns in Tuscany. Perched on a hilltop, overlooking the Sangiovese vineyards and stunning landscape of Val d’Orcia, a visit to this small town is a must for wine lovers. Climb the fortress walls for views of the town, stroll the city streets, and go wine tasting for Brunello […]
Perched on a hilltop, overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany, sits Montepulciano. This medieval town, with its underground wine cellars, medieval churches, and scenic streets, is a delight to explore. In this guide, we list the best things to do in Montepulciano, where to go wine tasting with a view of Val d’Orcia, and how […]
Stroll the picturesque streets, dine on pecorino cheese, walk the city walls, and tour a Renaissance palace…these are all things to do in Pienza. Located in Val d’Orcia, Pienza is one of the loveliest towns in Tuscany. And its small size makes it easy to visit, even on the fastest of itineraries in Italy. In […]
Siena is easy to visit if you only have one day since it is a compact city with just a few big sites. With one day in Siena, visit the Duomo, get one of the best views in Italy from the Torre del Mangia, wander the historic old town, and dine at one of many […]
Traveling from Florence to the Cinque Terre? Here’s how to stop in Pisa to see and climb the Leaning Tower in just a couple of hours, without derailing your travel day. If you’re traveling between Florence and the Cinque Terre, Pisa is one of the easiest and most worthwhile stops you can add to your […]
San Gimignano is famous for its hilltop setting and medieval towers. In fact, one of the best things to do on a visit to San Gimignano is to climb one or more of these towers for a breathtaking view of Tuscany. It’s also a wonderful place to go shopping and dine on local foods. San […]