Italian art and culture are synonymous of beauties and treasures well known all over the world. All travellers that have been to Italy they all know the magnificence and the importance of the Italian art. Those who haven’t been yet, they all dream to come to Italy one day. It is one of the most attractive aspects of this charming and sparkling country.

There is no region in Italy where history, art or culture has not left a visible mark: from the Coliseum in Rome to the Dome in Florence, from the Canals in Venice to the Greek Temples in Sicily. Every corner, every monument, every square and every person has a story to tell.

If you have the chance of spending a few days in Tuscany, you will be definitely attracted by the “jewels” of Tuscany. And this is not only because Tuscany is also famous for its high quality jewels, the real precious objects in this case are the monuments, statues and buildings that you will certainly see around (Giotto, Cimabue, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raffaello, Machiavelli are only a few of the most important artists).

Tuscany offers to its holidaymakers a wide range of accommodations: holiday houses and luxury villas that allow you to plan your holiday without renouncing to your freedom and assuring you privacy, relax and enjoy the real life with your family, children and friends.

And if you are about to get married, why don’t you plan your marriage or your honeymoon in Tuscany? There’s no better place!

All the most famous destinations in Tuscany make the most of their accessibility and you can therefore take advantage of visiting the most important towns and villages by simply day-tripping. Tuscany has two major airports: Florence airport and Pisa airport. Both of them have daily low-cost flights most of them carried by Ryanair in Pisa and Meridiana in Florence from the biggest European towns (London, Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam and even New York).

Your eyes could not ask for more and your soul will perfectly mix with the atmosphere of Florence by sitting down on one of the most famous squares: Piazza della Signoria. Famous names such as Dante of the Medici family vibrate from the most popular buildings and monuments of Florence. After a walk in the central shopping streets, enjoy a fabulous view from the Ponte Vecchio and have an unforgettable promenade at sunset along the quays of the river Arno. If your hunger for art, history and culture is still alive, then have a visit to the Palazzo Pitti or the Galleria degli Uffizi. You can also visit the Fortezza da Basso where the most important fairs take place, such as the Pitti Uomo twice a year, which brings lots of visitors and features the best Italian fashion producers.

If you are lucky, you can be in Florence during the renowned “Calcio Fiorentino in Costume”, a spectacular football match played by local people in historical dresses.

But Florence also stands for life, summer life. In summertime Florence is full of events: from outdoor concerts to theatre nights, everything is entertainment, and the frame can be the Giardino di Boboli, the Piazzale Michelangelo, the famous Santa Croce or the uphill Fiesole. 

Travelling south you will reach Siena: a small town full of history, art and culture. Siena offers to its visitors a huge variety of artistic sites, museums, and historical itineraries and excursions.

One of the most fascinating is the old path of the “Via Francigena”, the old road that served the pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome. You can enjoy your holiday in Siena by coming up the 102 meters of the Torre del Mangia, the highest tower in the main square of the town, from where you will have an overview of the surrounding countryside. Siena is famous for the Palio (a famous horse race run twice a year), for its handicraft (pottery and crystal), and for the painters of the past who left memories of great preciousness.

Among the artists Siena counts Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini: you can see some of their artistic masterpieces in the communal museum in the main square of the town. You cannot miss a visit to the Museo del Duomo and to the Pinacoteca, where treasures from the past and modern art exhibitions will give your holiday a taste of Italian culture.

And if you have already spent a day in Siena and you now want to visit the surrounding countryside, it’s now time for “Chiantishire”, so let’s go wine tasting and country tripping!

If you drive north you can have the chance of entering the world famous Chiantishire, a green land which has the taste of its wine (the Chianti), its tender hills, its medieval castles and its cypresses: a glance on a paradise on Earth!

If you drive south you reach the Crete Senesi and the Val d’Orcia: a corner of a magic land whose colours and shapes will stagger your at first sight…and not only the colours, but especially the most famous glory of this land: the Brunello di Montalcino! Also Montepulciano is famous for the production of red wine (the Nobile di Montepulciano and the Rosso di Montepulciano), and Pienza is renowned for its large and quality production of cheese. Tip: do not miss the Abbazia di Sant’Antimo near Montalcino, and old abbey in the heart of nature.

Talking about art and culture we cannot forget Arezzo and its surroundings, who gave birth to famous artists such as Piero della Francesca and Giorgio Vasari. Arezzo gathers its passion for art and culture in everything: high life-standard, fancy and quality shops, and a particular attention for gold production exported and well known all over the world. Arezzo has developed its fame throughout the centuries thanks to high-valued workers that have exported ideas and imported success. Nowadays it is one of the richest towns of Italy. If you are near Arezzo, you cannot miss a daily trip to Anghiari and Sansepolcro or even a day-trip to near Umbria!

For those holiday-makers who like art and culture but do not despise sea and sun, Tuscany also offers nice beaches from the northern Versilia to the southern Maremma: from the trendy beaches of Viareggio, Camaiore and Forte dei Marmi to the Etruscan Coast near Pisa and Livorno, to the old fishermen villages (Castiglione della Pescaia is a lovely hamlet) now restored and destination of many vacationers.