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The Most Beautiful Spots in Tuscany: Slow travel and Unforgettable Experiences
Tuscany is one of Italy’s most enchanting regions. I’ve been coming here for years, and I discover new gems every time. Of course, cities like Florence, Pisa, and Siena are the well-known attractions, but Tuscany has much more to offer. Especially for lovers of Slow travel can truly experience the region here.
In this article, I’ll share my favorite spots, tips for Slow travel, and how to enjoy Tuscany in a sustainable way.
Where is Tuscany?
Tuscany is located in central Italy and offers a varied landscape of rolling hills, picturesque villages, vast vineyards, and a beautiful coastline. By car, it takes about 13–14 hours to get there from the Netherlands, but you can also opt for a more eco-friendly train trip. Tuscany is an ideal destination for slow travel: exploring the region at your own pace and enjoying the local culture, nature, and cuisine.
In addition to Tuscany’s rich cultural history, there is also a wealth of natural beauty to discover. It is precisely in the smaller villages and in the countryside that you’ll find an authentic way of life that is more than worth exploring.
When is the best time to visit Tuscany?
Spring (April–May): fields full of flowers, a lush green landscape, and pleasant temperatures. Perfect for hiking and biking.
Fall (September–October): warm fall colors, grape harvest, and mild weather. Ideal for outdoor activities.
Winter (November–February): quiet cities and the chance for sunny days. Perfect for cultural and culinary trips.
Summer (June–August): hot inland and crowded in the cities, but wonderful on the coast or with a pool nearby.
The Most Beautiful Spots in Tuscany
Here are my absolute favorites—places you have to see if you want to explore Tuscany at a leisurely pace:
1. Volpaia: a sleepy little village in the Chianti region with two fantastic restaurants: La Bottega di Volpaia and Osteria Volpaia. Be sure to ask about the daily specials!
2. Sant’Anna in Camprena (near Pienza): a 16th-century monastery, known for its appearance in *The English Patient*. Art workshops and classical concerts are held here. It is located near other gems such as Pienza and Montepulciano.
3. Abbazia di San Galgano: a mystical monastery ruin with an open roof, famous for the Rotonda di Montesiepi, a chapel with a unique atmosphere. A great spot for photography and summer concerts.
4. Terme di Saturnia: free thermal springs in a beautiful natural setting. Perfect for relaxing in warm, healing waters. Go early to avoid the crowds.
5. Lucignano: I’ve lost my heart to this sleepy little village. Not far from Arezzo, it’s an architectural gem where you can enjoy watching the old men chatting outside the bar and have a delicious meal at restaurants like La Tavernetta.
6. Cortona: Unfortunately, it’s gotten a bit more crowded with Americans since the publication of Frances Mayes’ book *Under the Sun*, but it’s still well worth a visit. I once happened to end up here by chance at an André Rieu concert right in the middle of the square—a fantastic experience! Despite the tourists, it’s still highly recommended for its atmosphere, the views, and its rich cultural offerings.
7. Monte Amiata: perfect for nature lovers and hikers. A mix of mountain forests and picturesque villages. Perfect for a day of hiking or relaxation. Read more here about the beautiful Monte Amiata nature reserve.
8. Marciano della Chiana: a small town with a medieval castle and a wonderful Osteria La Vecchia Rota.
9. Abbazia di Sant’Antimo: near Montalcino in the province of Siena. A beautiful monastery set in a picturesque landscape—a photographer’s dream.
The Diverse Natural Beauty of Tuscany
Val d’Orcia: a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of rolling hills and medieval villages such as Pienza and Montalcino.
Garfagnana: a rugged, mountainous region north of Lucca, ideal for leisurely hikes.
Maremma: a coastal region home to the Parco dell’Uccellina, perfect for wildlife spotting.
Monte Amiata: a place full of forests, rivers, and more than 120 species of birds.
Tuscany’s natural landscape offers such a variety: mountains, rolling hills, countryside, and wooded areas. From the picturesque hills covered with vineyards and olive groves nearSiena, Florence, and Arezzo to the lush forests in the regions around Lucca, Pisa, and Grosseto. The coastline alternates between volcanic sandy beaches and rocky shores at Punta Ala.
Slow travel Tips for Tuscany
Traveling by train:sustainable and comfortable. From the Netherlands, you’ll travel via Basel and Innsbruck to Florence.
Tuscany by Bike: Explore the hills of Tuscany without harming the environment.
Staying at an agriturismo: choose an authentic place to stay and enjoy wine tastings and cooking workshops.
Eat local: sample seasonal specialties such as pici (fresh pasta), pecorino cheese, and Chianti wines.
Tips for Where to Stay in Tuscany
Choose to stay at an agriturismo. Here, you can not only spend the night, but also take part in activities such as wine tastings, cooking workshops, and olive oil production. Accommodation tips:
Tenuta il Cicalino: a sustainable agriturismo with wonderful hiking and biking opportunities
Novanta 90 Hotel: an old village, converted into a unique hotel surrounded by nature
Fattoria di Maiano: just outside Florence, a centuries-old renovated farmhouse
The Most Beautiful Nature Parks in Tuscany
Apuan Alps Park (near Lucca) – A rugged park with spectacular hiking trails.
Parco dell’Uccellina (Maremma) – One of Tuscany’s oldest nature parks, featuring beaches and wildlife such as flamingos.
Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park – A lesser-known but spectacular park on the border with Emilia-Romagna.
Argentario Marine Park – Nature and the sea near Porto Ercole and Santo Stefano, a favorite among Italians.
Parco dei Mulini (Val d’Orcia) – A park with thermal baths and medieval water mills.
The Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Tuscany
I Bozzi of the Fairies
La Cascata del Mulino in Saturnia
Candalla Waterfalls
Elsa Trail
The Pools of Malbacco
Acquacheta Waterfall
By Train to Tuscany
It’s easy to travel by train to Tuscany with just two transfers. There’s a direct overnight train to Basel, where you’ll transfer in Innsbruck and enjoy a beautiful ride through the Alps, then transfer one more time in Bologna to continue on to Florence. Alternatives include routes via Innsbruck, Munich, or Venice. The best option is to take the overnight train from Amsterdam and then change trains in one of these four cities. You can buy tickets through the Austrian Railways or Deutsche Bahn.
Take Your Bike on the Train to Tuscany
You can’t take your bike on all high-speed trains, but you can on regional trains. Click here for lots of useful information about train travel to Tuscany and here for ticket information. The earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket will be! Sometimes you’ll need to purchase a day pass for your bike on the spot; signs on the train indicate where you can board with your bike.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
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A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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