Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in central Italy known for Renaissance art in Florence and Siena, hill towns and Chianti wine country.
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Tuscany is a region in central Italy, and its capital and largest city is Florence. The region is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and the Uffizi holds Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Siena has well-preserved late-medieval buildings and a school of painting with a more decorative, mystical style than Florence's. Most of the land is hilly, and the Arno river runs through the central plain past Florence and Pisa.
The countryside adds the Val d'Orcia, Chianti and hill towns such as San Gimignano and Pienza, two of the region's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The coast runs about 397 km on the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, and Versilia is known for its beaches. Spring and autumn are the mildest seasons, while inland summers can be very hot, so plan beach days on the coast. Most visits last about three days, so choose one or two bases instead of covering every town.
Tuscany in five
- Decide on a car before you pick a baseTrains and buses link Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena, but wine villages and the Val d'Orcia need a car or a tour. Rent only for the countryside days if you can.Where to stay in Tuscany
- Pick two or three bases, not oneChianti, the Val d'Orcia and the coast are an hour or more apart by road, so a single base means long drives. Two or three nights per area keeps the days short.Tuscany itinerary: 7 days
- Check ZTL zones before driving into any townMost hill towns restrict traffic in the historic core, and cameras fine cars that enter without permission. Park outside the walls; in Siena a hotel can register your plate for a luggage drop only.Siena ZTL rule for hotel guests
- Skip August in the hill towns if you canMidsummer is hot and busy, and some local restaurants close for the August holidays. May to June and September to October give cooler days and the harvest.Best time to visit Italy
- Compare Tuscany with Umbria before you commitUmbria is quieter and cheaper, with fewer big-name cities. If you have a week and want fewer crowds, weigh the two regions before you book.Tuscany or Umbria
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Tuscany, the full guide
Siena
- Best for: No-car trips, history, Palio fans
- To airport: About 1.5 hours to Florence airport by bus
- Price band: $$
- Piazza del Campo and the cathedral on foot
- Buses to San Gimignano, Volterra and Chianti
- Hotels fill and prices rise around the Palio
Skip if you want vineyards at the door or a quiet night after day-trippers leave.
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Lucca
- Best for: Arrivals, cyclists, short stays
- To airport: About 15–30 min to Pisa airport
- Price band: $$
- Lucca's walls are a car-free loop for cyclists
- Pisa and Lucca are about 30 min apart by train
- Easy first or last night near Pisa airport
Skip if you want the Chianti or Val d'Orcia scenery.
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Florence
Florence is the Renaissance city of Tuscany, known for its Duomo dome, the Uffizi Gallery and Michelangelo's David, with Chianti vineyards just south of the city.
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Pisa
Pisa is a Tuscan city where the Leaning Tower stands in the Piazza dei Miracoli, beside the cathedral and Baptistery, with a historic old town along the Arno.
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Things to do in Tuscany
See all attractions in Tuscany
Need to know
- Airport
- Pisa (PSA) or Florence (FLR); Bologna and Rome are also used
- Getting there
- Fast trains to Florence from Rome, Bologna and Milan
- Getting around
- Car for the countryside; regional trains and buses between towns
- Best base
- Chianti or the Val d'Orcia for scenery; Florence or Siena without a car
- Time needed
- 5–10 days; 3 days per area
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low4°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh14°Low5°Cool, wetMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, wet
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Spring greenAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring green
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh21°Low11°Poppies, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 101 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Poppies, green
- JuneClear7 rainy daysHigh28°Low16°Warm, long daysJuneClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyClear5 rainy daysHigh32°Low18°Hot, PalioJulyClear
Good
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, Palio
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh32°Low19°Hot, PalioAugustClear
Good
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, Palio
- SeptemberClear9 rainy daysHigh26°Low15°Harvest beginsSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 96 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest begins
- OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh21°Low11°Harvest, colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 108 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest, color
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh14°Low7°Rain, trufflesNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 124 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, truffles
- DecemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, marketsDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 93 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, markets
Average daily high and low in Florence, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Tuscany
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
10
- Feels like
- 8°
- Humidity
- 78%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Tuscany
10:57 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today12°7°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue14°6°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed14°6°15%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Thu15°7°22%Thursday: Rain. High 15°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 22%.
- Fri12°9°53%Friday: Rain. High 12°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 53%.
- Sat12°7°43%Saturday: Rain. High 12°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 43%.
- Sun14°6°33%Sunday: Fog. High 14°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 33%.
Updated 10:30 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarCarnival of ViareggioLucca, a day trip
- Apr–JunMaggio Musicale FiorentinoFlorence, a day trip
- Jun–SepSaracen JoustArezzo, a day trip
- Jul–AugFestival PucciniPisa, a day trip
- JulUmbria Jazz FestivalPerugia, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Sienaabout 1.25 hours by express bus from FlorenceA medieval hill city with a shell-shaped main square and striped cathedral; buy the tower ticket on the day.Read the guide
- San Gimignanoabout 1 hour by bus from SienaTower-studded hill town; go early or late to avoid the day-trip crowds.Read the guide
- Volterraabout 1.5 hours by car from Florence or PisaAn Etruscan and medieval town known for alabaster and quiet lanes.Read the guide
- Lucca and Pisaabout 1–1.5 hours by train from FlorenceA walled city and the Leaning Tower, easy to combine in one day.Read the guide
Before you go to Tuscany
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Rules for Tuscany, checked
- Citizens of many countries need no visa for short stays in Italy. Check the entry rules for your passport on esteri.it before you book.Source
- Historic centres such as Florence, Siena and Lucca have ZTL zones, limited-traffic areas. Driving in without a permit brings a fine, so park outside and walk in.
- Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
- Tipping is not required. Many restaurants add a cover charge (coperto) and some add a service charge, so check the bill first.
All Tuscany guides
Head to headPisa or Lucca: which Tuscan city fits your trip, or both
Where to stayWhere to stay in Siena: four bases, from the Campo to a Tuscan farm
Head to headTuscany or Umbria: which region fits your week in ItalyItineraryPisa day trip from Florence: trains, Tower slot and a planHow toLeaning Tower of Pisa tickets: timed slots, bags and age rulesWhere to stayWhere to stay in Tuscany: five bases from Chianti to the coastItineraryTuscany itinerary for 7 days: Florence, Chianti, Siena and Val d'OrciaHead to headSiena or San Gimignano: which Tuscan hill town should you pick?ItinerarySiena day trip from Florence: bus or train, plan and when to stayPlan around Tuscany
Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs
Read the guideFlorenceThe art city that most trips start from
Read the guideFiesoleEtruscan hilltop town above Florence, an easy half-day by city bus
Read the guideBest time to visit ItalySeasons, crowds and the August closures
Read the guideTuscany FAQ
How many days do you need in Tuscany?
Five days cover Florence and one countryside area. A week adds Siena and the hill towns, and ten days allow the coast or a second base. Fewer bases and fewer driving days beat a long list.
Do you need a car in Tuscany?
For the Val d'Orcia, Chianti and small villages, yes, or a guided tour. Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena work without one, using fast trains and regional buses.
Where should you stay in Tuscany for the first time?
Chianti or the Val d'Orcia if you drive, Siena if you do not. Florence also works as a base for day trips by train and bus, but evenings are in the city rather than the hills.
When is the best time to visit Tuscany?
April to June and September to October. Spring is green and cool, and autumn brings the grape harvest. July and August are hot and busy, and some restaurants close for holidays.
Is Tuscany or Umbria better?
Tuscany for famous cities, wine and landscape, Umbria for quieter hill towns and lower prices. Both fit a week, but Tuscany needs more driving between bases.