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Hotel Lungarno, Florence

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Tuscany

Updated 1 October 2026 · 18 things to do

Pictured: Hotel Lungarno

Tuscany is Italy distilled: rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, hilltop villages and a food and wine culture that treats lunch as a serious event. It's also home to Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, and to Siena, Pisa and Lucca, each a gem in its own right.

The trick isn't to rush. Pick a base, split your time between a city and the countryside, and leave room for long lunches. Distances are short, the roads are scenic, and every village has a church, a piazza and a bar that serves a decent glass of local red.

Don't miss

  1. 1Florence Cathedral (the Duomo)
  2. 2Piazza del Campo
  3. 3The Leaning Tower of Pisa
  4. 4San Gimignano
  5. 5Val d’Orcia and Pienza

Florence

Art, architecture and the best steak in Italy, all in one walkable city.

  1. Florence Cathedral (the Duomo)

    Landmark

    The Duomo of Florence seen from Piazzale Michelangelo
    Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Brunelleschi's vast red-tiled dome dominates the skyline, and the cathedral beneath it's clad in pink, white and green marble. Next to it stand Giotto's bell tower and the Baptistery with its famous bronze doors.

    Climb the dome for the best view of Florence's rooftops, or the bell tower for a view that includes the dome itself.

    Tip: Climbs are popular: book a time slot ahead.

  2. Ponte Vecchio

    Landmark

    The Ponte Vecchio over the Arno in Florence
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Florence's medieval bridge across the Arno is lined with tiny jewellery shops, as it has been for centuries, and the view from it, or from the next bridge along at dusk, is the one on all the postcards.

  3. Accademia and Michelangelo's David

    Museum

    Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia
    Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Michelangelo carved David from a single block of marble in the early 1500s, and seeing it in the flesh, so to speak, still stops people in their tracks. The Accademia is small, so a visit takes an hour or so.

Siena, Pisa and Lucca

  1. Piazza del Campo

    Landmark

    Piazza del Campo in Siena with the Torre del Mangia
    Photo: Massimo Catarinella, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Siena's great shell-shaped square slopes gently towards the Palazzo Pubblico, overlooked by the slender Torre del Mangia. It's a place to sit on the brick paving with a gelato and watch the city go by.

    Climb the tower for views over the terracotta rooftops and the hills beyond.

  2. Siena Cathedral

    Landmark

    The striped marble facade of Siena Cathedral
    Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 4.0

    Striped in black and white marble, with a facade of carved figures and a floor inlaid with elaborate scenes, Siena's cathedral is one of the most decorated in Italy. The Piccolomini Library, with its vivid frescoes, is a highlight.

  3. The Leaning Tower of Pisa

    Landmark

    The Leaning Tower and cathedral in Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli
    Photo: Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The tower really does lean, and the surprise is how beautiful it is, along with the cathedral and baptistery that share the grassy Piazza dei Miracoli. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a quick and easy day trip from Florence by train.

    Tip: If you want to climb the tower, book ahead.

  4. Lucca's city walls

    Neighbourhood

    The Renaissance city walls of Lucca
    Photo: Notafly, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Lucca is ringed by Renaissance walls topped with a tree-lined path, and the best way to see the town is to walk or cycle right round them. Inside, you find an oval piazza built on a Roman amphitheatre and the Guinigi Tower with oak trees on its roof.

Hill towns and wine country

  1. San Gimignano

    Landmark

    The medieval towers of San Gimignano at sunset
    Photo: Julian Lupyan, CC0

    A hilltop town whose skyline bristles with medieval towers, built by rival families to show off their wealth. It's touristy by day, but the lanes empty out in the evening and the views over the vineyards are glorious.

    Try the local white wine, Vernaccia, with a plate of cured meats.

  2. Val d’Orcia and Pienza

    Nature

    A road leading to cypress trees and a farmhouse in the Val d'Orcia
    Photo: kuhnmi, CC BY 2.0

    The postcard Tuscany: rolling fields, farmhouses and winding roads lined with cypress trees, all protected by UNESCO. The little town of Pienza, rebuilt as an ideal Renaissance city by a hometown pope, is famous for its pecorino cheese.

    Tip: Drive the back roads at sunrise or sunset, when the light is best.

  3. Montepulciano

    Neighbourhood

    The hill town of Montepulciano
    Photo: TeKappa, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A steep hill town with a long main street of palazzi, wine cellars and Renaissance churches, and a view from the top over the Val di Chiana. It's known for Vino Nobile, a rich red, which you can taste in the cellars under the old houses.

  4. Chianti

    Nature

    Vineyards in the Chianti Classico valleys
    Photo: Tom Chance, CC BY-SA 2.0

    The hills between Florence and Siena are wine country at its most beautiful, a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves and castles. Base yourself in a villa or farmhouse, tour a few estates, and eat very well.

Coast and spa

  1. Viareggio

    Beach

    A seaside resort with a long sandy beach, a Liberty-style promenade and seafood restaurants. Every February or March, giant papier-mâché floats parade along the seafront for its famous carnival.

  2. Forte dei Marmi

    Beach

    The smart end of the Tuscan coast, with chic beach clubs, a long pier and the Apuan Alps rising behind. It's polished and elegant, and the beach is well kept.

  3. Terme di Saturnia

    Activity

    In southern Tuscany, naturally warm sulphur water tumbles over limestone ledges into a series of pools, one of the region's most famous natural spas. Soak under the open sky, surrounded by countryside.

Eat and drink

  1. Bistecca alla fiorentina

    Food

    A grilled Florentine T-bone steak
    Photo: Microsoikos at Italian Wikipedia, Public domain

    A thick T-bone steak grilled over charcoal, charred outside, rare within, and sold by weight. It's Florence's great dish. Order it with white beans and a bottle of Chianti, and don't ask for it well done.

  2. Ribollita

    Food

    Tuscan comfort in a bowl: a thick soup of stale bread, cavolo nero, beans and vegetables, reheated until it's almost a stew. A glug of olive oil on top is non-negotiable.

  3. Brunello di Montalcino

    Food

    One of Italy's great red wines, made from Sangiovese grapes grown around the hill town of Montalcino. Book a tasting at a family-run estate, and enjoy the views of the vines.

Where to stay in Florence

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Tuscany →

Getting around

Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca are linked by train and bus, but the hill towns and wine country are much easier with a hire car. Park outside the historic centres: many are closed to non-resident traffic.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best: mild weather, green or golden hills, and the autumn harvest. Summer is hot and busy, especially in Florence, and some places are quieter in winter.

Questions about visiting Florence

What is Tuscany best known for?
Florence and its Renaissance art, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, medieval Siena, rolling hills of vineyards and cypress trees, and food and wine from bistecca to Chianti.
How many days do you need in Tuscany?
A week lets you combine two or three days in Florence with Siena, a hill town or two, and some time in the countryside.
Do you need a car in Tuscany?
For the cities, no. For the hill towns and wine country, yes, a car makes it far easier.
Is Tuscany worth visiting?
Yes. It combines world-class art, beautiful landscapes and some of Italy's best food and wine.

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