It’s hard not to feel like in a romantic movie when exploring Tuscany. The days we spent in this part of Italy were one of our highlights this summer. Whether we were relaxing in a natural hot spring or strolling through a dreamy city, tasting wine, or watching magical sunsets, every minute we spent in Tuscany was beautiful. This guide shares our 8 best things to do in Tuscany, including the best restaurants and accommodations.
Best time to visit Tuscany
The best time to visit Tuscany is from May to September. During the summer months, it can get quite hot in Italy, and that is why we recommend exploring Tuscany in May/June. Also, during these months, the landscapes are much greener, and the countryside fields are not yet harvested.
8 Best things to do in Tuscany
1. Visit Florence
You might have seen the highlight of Florence city in several photos before. It’s the Duomo di Firenze and probably the most beautiful cathedral we have ever seen. The details are incredibly beautiful, and we highly recommend going here in the morning before the city’s bustling started. It’s even more magical at that time.Â
Best hotel to stay in Florence.
Best place to eat in Florence
Our favorite restaurant in Florence is Brac for dinner; all their food is vegetarian, and the restaurant is inside a lovely bookstore. Shake Cafe for Breakfast/Lunch and Gelateria Amorino for the best choice of vegan Gelato.
2. Wander around Siena
Siena is a lovely town where you can easily wander around for a few hours and can’t be missed when listing the best things to do in Tuscany. We bought some delicious fresh food at a lovely little grocery shop and had coffee in a cute little traditional cafe. There is a beautiful cathedral called Santa Maria Assunta. The main square is called Piazza del Campo, where you can see the Town Hall in Italian Palazzo Publico.
3. Make a wine tasting
One of the most popular and best things to do in Tuscany is to do a wine tasting. If you like to drink wine, we highly recommend doing that. Tuscany offers a lot of delicious, fruity wine grown and produced in the region.
4. Romantic Sunset Picnic
One of the most romantic things to do in Tuscany is a sunset picnic with delicious wine from the region and snacks like fresh olives and dried tomatoes. We took our favorite rug from Salty Aura and made ourselves comfortable with the most beautiful views over the vines and Tuscany’s dreamy landscapes.
5. Bagni di San Filippo
One of the special things that Tuscany offers is several thermal baths that come from natural hot springs. The first one we visited was Bagni San Filippo. We decided to go early in the morning because it was a hot summer day, and we found it nicer to go into a warm bath in the cooler morning hours. We were completely alone when we arrived at the bath.
Since the water comes from a natural hot spring, it is a bit smelly at first. But once you stay for a bit, you won’t really notice the smell anymore. We looked for a good spot, like a little pool, and relaxed in the warm water for about an hour.
People say that these natural thermal baths have healing power. The minerals that are found in the water are boosting blood circulation and can even relieve pain. At least we must stay; we were very relaxed from that morning, mainly because we spent it outside in nature and explored something new —this experience is definitely one of the best things to do in Tuscany.
6. Visit beautiful Pienza
Pienza is our favorite town in Tuscany. Before we came to Pienza, we visited Montepulciano and must say we weren’t excited about it. But Pienza really stole our hearts. So many cute streets and such a dreamy vibe. Also, we found the cutest little grocery shop where we bought our dinner to cook in the van.
7. Sunset at Winding Road
Not just for Instagram but for a magical memory, you can’t miss watching a sunset at this spot when in Tuscany. The winding road is so dreamy, and the sunset view is perfect. Bring a rug, a good bottle of wine, and your loved one, and make yourself comfortable. Without a doubt, it is one of the best things to do in Tuscany.
To find this spot, enter “Agriturismo Baccoleno” in Google Maps. It’s about 6 km from Asciano.
8. Terme di Saturnia – Cascate del Mulino
One of the best things to do in Tuscany is take a morning bath at one of the beautiful, natural hot springs. Terme di Saturnia is the most famous one.
There is a free thermal bath and another one where you have to pay an entrance fee, which is more like a spa. We decided to go to the free one. We recommend wearing your bathing suit under your clothes when you come here because there are no changing rooms.
There is free parking right next to the thermal bath, but you cannot enter it if you travel in a campervan like us. If you want to stay close by, you can stay at the campsite called Alveare del Pinzi, which is about a 10-minute walk from here.
Note: This is a natural place, so please leave no trash behind
How to get around in Tuscany
The best way to explore Tuscany is by car. Since we traveled in a campervan, we went everywhere in it. Italy is built for smaller cars, so finding a parking place for a big car like a van can get quite challenging, especially when visiting the lovely towns of Tuscany. But besides that, we can recommend traveling in Tuscany with a van because there are many nice places to camp with your van, from lovely campsites to Agriturismo, which offers to stay with a camper for a very fair price. We recommend using the app park4night to find the best spot to stay with your van nearby.Â
Conclusion
Tuscany is our favorite part of Italy so far. It offers so much beauty and various things to do and see. Also, it instantly makes you feel very relaxed. It’s a place to enjoy with all senses, from seeing the most beautiful sunsets over the dreamiest landscapes to tasting the most delicious wine and food. The best places mentioned above in Tuscany are only some of many more. Therefore, one thing is clear to us: our time in Tuscany went by too quickly, and we want to return for a longer time someday.
Hi! I was just wondering how you got to that spot for your sunset picnic? Many thanks
Hi Tammy. Thank you for reaching out to us. The spot was right behind our camper on the little campground of the agroturismo Podere dell’Albergo (https://goo.gl/maps/PfYefRP73nxJcWY79). Unfortunately, it seems that they are permanently closed :(. At least that’s what Google says. Best wishes, Stefan and Lea