The Best of Tuscany – Visiting the Top 7 Attractions and Towns in Tuscany

Most visitors to Tuscany ask the same questions – what are the top attractions in the region? What are the best activities and sites for families visiting Tuscany? And which towns and villages shouldn’t be missed?

Below you will find our list of the Top 7 spots that no trip to Tuscany is complete without. Naturally, all 7 are covered in detail in the itineraries in our travel guide, Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015, together with several other towns, villages and attractions.

Florence

Florence’s beauty, fame, and vitality have been described in numerous books, films and poems. The heart of Renaissance culture and a virtual living museum, Florence manages to enchant visitors even if they don’t step inside a single monument. Travelling to Florence with kids can be a challenge—the city is so crammed with sights that it can be tiring and overwhelming, but it is nonetheless a wonderful destination no family should skip. From the stunning Duomo dome to the world famous David by Michelangelo, from the Boboli Gardens to Palazzo Vecchio, From Piazza della Signoria to the beautiful Ponte Vecchio, Florence offers visitors so much more than you’d imagine.

The key to visiting Florence with kids is planning your trip in advance. If planned correctly, Florence can actually be a fun and unique experience for the whole family.

Use the detailed itinerary and recommendations in Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015 to build a fun, memorable Florentine adventure. And don’t forget to consult our list of top 10 family attractions in Florence!

Siena

Simply put, Siena is beautiful. Its medieval red brick alleys, beautiful Piazza del Campo, dramatic but glorious Duomo (one of the most famous in Italy), Torre del Mangia (a tower every child would love to climb up), and little shops and cafes all make Siena a must-see destination. Unlike Florence, which is so rich in monuments that it requires a tightly packed schedule of at least two days, Siena can be enjoyed at a much more leisurely pace, even if you have just one day (or less!) to tour it.

Siena and Florence offer visitors a rather different sort of experience. Florence is a filled to the brim with art and Renaissance monuments, boasting several museums and numerous events. Siena, on the other hand, is much more low-key in style, and can be toured slowly, allowing visitors to discover the magic of medieval Italy at their own pace. Much as they do with Florence, potential visitors often wonder how it’s possible to tour Siena with children. Our answer is simple – whether your family loves art or you are struggling to find the right attraction for kids who hate “boring museum stuff”, we recommend you consult the chapter dedicated to Siena in our travel guide, Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015. You will find several suggestions on how to tour Siena’s most popular sites in a way that will appeal to children, a list of top activities for families, and even a list of three family-friendly attractions within an hour’s drive of Siena – a perfect way to complement your tour of the town and create a fun and memorable day.

Lucca

Lucca offers elegant little streets, opportunities for fantastic bike rides along medieval ramparts, and a generally tranquil atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine while the kids lick ice cream and play in one of the town’s many traffic-free piazzas. Lucca’s quaint alleys will tempt younger children to explore, the many shops and boutiques will surely grab a teenager’s attention, and the town’s museums will appeal to the entire family. Lucca is tranquil, charming and surprisingly fun. Combine a visit here with a visit to Pisa (just 20 minutes away), for a perfect and fun-filled day. Find out all about the best way to tour Lucca, as well as which family-friendly attractions and activities in town are worth your time and money, in Florence & Tuscany with Kids.

Pisa

Pisa is a charming little town located about 1 hour (by train) from Florence. World famous for its Leaning Tower, no vacation in Tuscany can be considered complete without having stopped here to take a few photos of each family member “holding” the Tower!

Pisa also offers a number of fun festivals in June and July, some delicious and reasonably priced restaurants, and very pleasant parks, perfect for spending a calm afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the main touristic attractions. About 30 minutes from Pisa you will also find a number of parks and attractions for families, everything from an adventure park to a popular aquarium. Consult the chapter dedicated to Pisa and Lucca in Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015 to find out more, to learn how to tour Pisa with Kids, and to discover which family activities in the area are suitable for your family!

Pienza

Sitting on a hill with views into the Orcia Valley, Pienza holds undeniable charm. A jewel in the valley, this little town was designed entirely according to the principals of Renaissance architecture. Today it draws thousands and thousands of visitors yearly. Though not a classic family destination, a visit to the Orcia valley, with a stop in Pienza, is highly recommended, as this is one of the most beautiful and scenic areas in Tuscany. Additionally, Pienza is virtually traffic free, and quite flat, making it easy to tour with children. Near-by Montalcino, a tiny town made famous by its production of the Brunello wine, offers a small fort and more spectacular views. Find out how to tour Pienza as a family and which surprising kid-friendly attractions and sites can be found in the area, in Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015.

Chianti

The beautiful Chianti area, with its rolling hills and endless tempting vineyards, is a favourite destination for many couples who visit Tuscany. In fact, the Chianti area is, in many ways, the symbol and essence of Tuscany. “But I have kids!” you may be thinking. “It’s impossible to enjoy the charms of Chianti with kids.” Well, that’s not necessarily true. While it’s not the most kid-friendly area, there are still a few possibilities for a fun day. Even wine tastings, one of the biggest perks of a visit to this part of Tuscany, are possible. You simply have to find the right place. And by combining a more active wine tasting with a tour of two towns and a fun afternoon activity for the whole family, a visit to Chianti can be enjoyable for all.

Consult Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015 to find out how to tour the Chianti area with children, which wine tastings will enable adults to sip a glass of excellent wine while the kids have fun in a 900 year old castle, and which attractions in the area are most suitable for families.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is arguably the prettiest hill town in Tuscany, or at least one of the top five. This perfectly preserved medieval jewel offers families a combination of attractions that both children and adults are sure to love. Parents will appreciate the impressive Duomo and the lovely artisan shops that fill the streets, and kids will be impressed with the Big Tower (which they can climb on), the mysterious looking alleys, and a local child-friendly museum.

San Gimignano is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. It has been called the Manhattan of Tuscany, thanks to its “skyscrapers” (medieval towers built by local rich families competing to see whose tower was the biggest). The area around San Gimignano is beautiful and offers families a number of interesting activities and attractions. As always, consult Florence & Tuscany with Kids 2015 to find out how to tour San Gimignano, which museums shouldn’t be missed, and how to combine a visit to this pretty hill town with other, kid-friendly attractions in the area.

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Tuscany Travel Guide for Passionate Travelers

The beautiful stretch from Apennines to Tyrhennian Sea in the central Italy is the place most passionate travelers would love to make their destination. Tuscany, Italy with its medieval look and beautiful valleys calls the travelling heart to bid goodbye to the rest.

•   When to visit Tuscany?

The weather in Tuscany is most travel favorable in the days of May and September, the falling temperatures of autumn during the night time of September days gives the perfect backdrop for a romantic night with the nature.

In the months of April and May the spring with light rains, in Tuscany Travel unfolds the ecstatic beauty of the landscape. During this time travelers can experience the pure and natural beauty untouched by the human intervention.

It is suggested to avoid Tuscany during the hot days of August and July. As in these days the fires from humidity and heat turn Tuscany to a hothouse.

•   Some regulations to visit Tuscany:

One essentially needs to have a valid passport to enter the country of Italy. So before going to visit Tuscany it is better to consult the local Italian consulate for the other major rules to find a smooth way to travel in the timeless path of Tuscany.

•   Tuscany Travel Guide:

o    Places to visit in Tuscany:

    Florence: Santa Maria del Fiore, the ultimate example of architectural beauty is the treasure chest of the capital of Tuscany, Florence. The city of Florence with the names like Ufizzi and Pitti Palace stands out to be the best relief to the eyes that find peace in art. The head turning churches and monuments in the city of Florence can come down as the boon to the traveler who wants to have a solitude memory of these beautiful masterpieces painted as a  thousand dollar frame in their mind.

   Sienna: the medieval nature on the top of three hills is the pumping organ of Tuscany. Be it the traditional horse race named as Palio or the galleries that stands as the guardian of middle ages flourishes the city of Sienna with all the essence of medieval look.

   Pisa: The city that bears the name of famous Leaning Tower of Pisa on its shoulder proudly showcases itself as the pride of Arno River. This city once commercially the empire of Italy has a lot to give to its visitors.

    Chianti Wine region: Chianti covers everything in between Sienna and Florence. As the name suggests while visiting in Chianti the traveler indeed is needed to be mesmerized by the beauty of olive forests, vineyards and the rolling adventure of the green hills. Besides the scenic beauty the city of Chianti serves the taste that can fetch the taste buds of travelers again and again to itself.

   Lucca: Lucca with the treasures of Duomo San Martino, Pallazo Pfanner and San Michele museum can be a pleasure filled vision to the travelling eyes.

Apart from all of these Tuscany offers the Gulf of Baratti , and Velutonia as the guards of the ancient civilization of Estrucans with the added advantage of Roselle and Cosca as the medieval memories.

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