Tuscany – What To Do
Tuscany offers endless entertainment options, to meet all tastes and needs: it caters for those seeking a relaxing holiday, but also for those who want to enjoy a stay devoted to sports and outdoor activities, or those looking for food & wine tours.
Palio di Siena
The area offers many activities set in natural surroundings: from the Apuan Alps to the Maremma Park, from Garfagnana to Casentino, it is possible to go trekking along many different trails for both experts and beginners. Those who love hiking can retrace the journey of the pilgrims on their way to Rome along the Via Francigena, with its fair share of monasteries, panoramic views and picturesque hamlets. If you want to experience something different, you can go along the geological trails of the Parco Archeo-Minerario di San Silvestro or follow the footprints of quarry workers on the Sentiero del Marmo (Marble Trail), in the Apuan Alps.
Those who love cycling will be spoilt for choice: here there are many itineraries suitable for racing bikes and mountain-bikes on roads with little traffic, twisting and turning in magnificent landscapes. Those seeking an out of the ordinary experience can opt for a hot air balloon flight above Val D’Orcia, discover Tuscany slowly, aboard old steam trains with tours in Mugello, Val D’Orcia and Garfagnana or take a tour on a Vespa motorbike or an exclusive Ferrari.
By the sea, there are plenty of opportunities for water sports: along the Tuscan coast it’s possible to go sailing, diving or surfing; you can also enjoy rafting along the Arno and along the Serchia river, in the province of Lucca; those with a more adventurous spirit can launch themselves into exciting hydro-speed tours along the Lima river, on the Pistoia Apennines and in Bagni di Lucca, in Garfagnana. Tuscany is also a favorite destination for golfers: here, golfing enthusiasts can play on exciting golf courses in the countryside, close to Florence, Prato, Pisa and Montecatini, as well as along the coast, in Punta Ala, Maremma, Argentario and Versilia.
Those who favor relaxation and well-being can choose one of the many thermal resorts in Tuscany: like Saturnia, in the Maremma area, which hosts a well-known thermal park and the Cascate del Mulino, outdoor, naturally warm thermal waters flowing in a wonderful setting; Montecatini, a memorable holiday resort for thermal tourism, but also Rapolano, Sorano, Chianciano, San Casciano dei Bagni and the natural hot springs of Bagni San Filippo.
Tuscany is the perfect destination for all foodies and wine lovers: you can follow the food and wine itineraries of the many “Wine Routes”, which meander throughout in the region, from the hills surrounding Florence to the Chianti area, passing through the Etruscan Coast. Along the Wine Routes, you can stop in a local winery or agriturismo to taste the local food and wine. And in Tuscany, you can discover the local tasty cuisine and its traditional recipes by taking part in one of the cooking classes held throughout the region.
Want to enjoy some nightlife? Opt for the famous clubs and discos of Versilia, from Forte dei Marmi to Viareggio, but also those in resorts like Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano, in the municipality of Monte Argentario. An essential stop for shopping fans are the high-fashion boutiques of Florence and Siena, and Tuscany’s many fashion shopping outlets – like The Mall Luxury Outlet, Barberino Designer Outlet and Valdichiana Outlet Village – and the region’s countless craft shops, where you can buy a range of handicrafts: leather from Florence, alabaster objects from Volterra, wool from Casentino, pottery from Montelupo Fiorentino and glass items from Colle Val d’Elsa.
As for the calendar of events that take place throughout the year, don’t miss the famous historical reenactment of the Palio di Siena (every year on 2 July and 16 August), the Carnival of Viareggio with its well-known papier-mâché floats, the Eroica, a non-competitive cycling event with vintage racing bicycles staged in Chianti on the first Sunday of October, the Explosion of the Cart, a folk tradition reenacted every year on Easter Sunday in Florence. Between October and November, the town of Lucca hosts Lucca Comics & Games, an international comic book and gaming convention; twice a year (in June and September) the Saracen Joust, an equestrian tournament of medieval origin, takes place in in Arezzo, while on every first weekend of the month Piazza Grande and the streets of the historic town host the Antique Fair of Arezzo, the oldest and biggest in Italy.
