Tuscany Luxury Holiday Guide

What to Do in Tuscany

Visit the big names of Italy in one trip. Sun it up in Florence, Pisa and Siena and enjoy a grand dollop of culture. Whether you tick off lots of museums, churches and more, or just wander through medieval streets soaking up the atmosphere, you’ll come away mind spinning from it all when on a luxury villa holiday in Tuscany.

Children are bound to enjoy the Leaning Tower of Pisa and you might even fool older kids into a dose of culture with a trip to Volterra, a famous setting of multiple movies including Twilight.

Siena is also a wonderful day out away from your luxury villa, even if you do nothing but stand open-mouthed inside its famous duomo. For art lovers you couldn’t mine a richer seam – from Roman and Etruscan pieces to works by Da Vinci and Michaelangelo, Tuscany has it all.

For a slower pace of life, head out into the countryside where many of our beautiful luxury villas are located amongst the hills, vineyards and olive groves, all interspersed with rows of those impressive cypress trees that have made Tuscany famous.

A car is a must but, once here, you can hire bikes to get up close and personal with more of that stunning scenery.

When to Visit Tuscany

There’s lots to enjoy on a luxury villa holiday in Tuscany at almost any time of year, however, spring and autumn are best – you’ll avoid the highest temperatures but still be able to make the most of alfresco dining.

June or September is ideal, with the latter being perfect to experience the wine harvest. For the best truffle hunts, November is the perfect time to find the elusive white truffles.

What We Love About Tuscany

We love the abundance of activities perfect for all ages in Tuscany. Horse riding through the olive groves, sunrise hot air balloon rides over the rolling hills, traditional cooking classes in the countryside and even kayaking on the waters of Garfagnana. So much to do and a hit with children and adults alike.

Getting to Tuscany

The two main airports in Tuscany are Florence and Pisa airport. 

The Best Places To Eat and Drink in Tuscany

Let’s be honest, you can’t visit Tuscany without sampling some of the famous food. And probably fabulous wine, too.

A tour of the Chianti vineyards is a must when on a luxury villa holiday in Tuscany. Just make sure you leave plenty of room in the boot for bottles before you leave home. Food in Tuscany is rustic, unpretentious and wonderful. Cucina casaligna (home cooking) is an art form here, as much as cordon bleu is in Paris.

Eat your fill of robust vegetable dishes cooked in fabulously fruity olive oil, wonderful risottos (cuttlefish ink is a favourite), imaginative pasta dishes served with game ragout – rabbit is a regular on the menus – and, of course, those famous Tuscan beans.

For traditional and well-priced meals out of town try Locanda Apuana in Colonnata. Or for a lunch with a view, or perhaps a cooking class or cheese-making tour, the countryside bolthole that is Podere il Casale near Pienza is a firm favourite. The views are unbeatable, and you can behold the location where the iconic scenes from Gladiator were filmed whilst sipping on local wine.

For something a little more splendid, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence has three Michelin stars and modestly calls itself ‘the temple of taste’. But they’re not wrong.