Tuscany: why, where and when you should plan your holiday at best
Where is Tuscany situated?
Tuscany is the most popular of all the 20 Italian regions.
This region is located in the northern part of central Italy and bordering regions Lazio with the capital Rome in the south, Umbria in the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria in the north and to the west we have the Tyrrhenian sea with the island of Elba. It is often named Italy’s heart .
Tuscany is about half the size of Denmark, and has 3.5 million inhabitants.
The most famous cities are Florence, Pisa, Siena, Lucca and Arezzo, also each main cities in one of a total of 10 Tuscan provinces. In Tuscany you will encounter both vineyards, rolling hills, towering cypresses, olive trees, marble quarries that makes you think of snowy mountains, but also the beaches and of course the hundreds of medieval cities, which are strewn across the Tuscan countryside.
Where to Stay in Tuscany?
Tuscany is known primarily for the rolling landscape with tall cypress trees and the impressive pine trees, but Toscana is much more than that. Therefore, it is important to decide what your motivation exactly is, before you put together this year’s dream trip to Tuscany.
Roughly Tuscany divided into 4 parts: the capital Florence and its sorroundings, the area north of Siena, the area south of Siena and the area along the coast.
Florence
The Tuscan capital Florence is a city of contrasts. This was where the Renaissance was the cradle, and the city offers everything from world art of architecture, history, gastronomy, wine and street markets for Italian fashion at its best.
Villa Gamberaio is located in the Florentinian area, just 30 mins drive from the city center, halfway between Florence and Lucca. Definitely the best area to visit Tuscany, and to “have it all”.
When is it best to book a holiday in Tuscany?
What is the weather like in Tuscany?
It”s hard to describe the weather in Tuscany with a few words, although the region is only half as large as Denmark, the Tuscan weather is somewhat more unpredictable. This is primarily due to a very large variation in landscape types with everything from high mountains in the north, an extensive coastline to the west, but also the great variation on the plains and highlands of central Tuscany. Roughly speaking, one can say that winters are cool with the possibility of frost, and summers heat up to 30 degrees at midday.
There is precipitation throughout the year, mostly in the form of rain, but snow from November to early April is not unusual. Therefore, the most pleasant travel periods for most people in spring and autumn, but when the weather over most of Europe has been very unpredictable in recent years, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast before departure.
What is Tuscany known for?
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and has been home to many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contains well-known museums such as the Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti, as well as many others.
Fun fact: what else makes Tuscany unique?
Tuscany serves as the birthplace of western musical tradition. …and the musical origins can be traced back to Florence in the mid-16th century. A group of poets, musicians and intellectuals, known as the The Florentine Camerata, created new sounds and songs by testing ancient Greek myths along with music on the stage.