Holiday in Tuscany

What makes Tuscany special as a destination?

Tuscany is the epitome of Italian lifestyle — a region where gentle hilly landscapes with cypress avenues, golden wheat fields with medieval Borghi, and world-famous art cities with quiet monasteries combine to create a picture that has enchanted artists, poets, and travelers for centuries. The heart of the Tuscan landscape is the Val d'Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004: Here, the iconic rows of cypress trees line up, gracing every Italy poster, the Renaissance city of Pienza overlooks sheep pastures, and winemakers produce the robust Brunello di Montalcino. Further north, the Chianti region stretches between Florence and Siena — a labyrinth of vineyards, olive groves, and stone estates where the famous Chianti Classico matures. San Gimignano with its medieval towers is the skyline of the Middle Ages, Volterra impresses with Etruscan roots and alabaster craftsmanship, and Cortona offers a panoramic view over Lake Trasimeno from its elevated position. Besides the art metropolises of Florence and Siena, Tuscany surprises with hidden thermal baths in Saturnia, the wild Maremma coast, and the marble-white quarries of Carrara. Culinarily, Tuscany is a feast of simplicity: Bistecca alla Fiorentina from Chianina beef, Panzanella with sun-ripened tomatoes, Ribollita as a hearty peasant soup, and Cantuccini with Vin Santo for dessert. Every bite tells of a cooking philosophy that creates masterpieces from just a few top ingredients.