Florence by night

Must-Sees In Tuscany If You’ve Only Got Three Days

Tuscany is the most popular and well-known of Italy’s 20 regions, attracting around one in three of the 45 million tourists who visit the country each year.

Its attractions are countless, from the medieval charm of Florence to the green countryside of Chianti, from the snowy slopes of Mt Amiata to beaches of Versilia.

You could spend week after week discovering Tuscany — and then realize there was more you still had to see. But what to do if you have only a limited amount of time and need to see as much as possible? Here’s our guide to what you must see in Tuscany if you’ve got just three days to spare.

David statue in Florence

Day 1

Your first port of call must be Florence, one of Italy’s most captivating cities and home to some of the world’s most famous art (think Da Vinci’s David, Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Caravaggio’s Medusa). In fact you could do a lot worse than spend the whole of your first day here.

Florence is a city best explored on foot. See some of that awe-inspiring art at the Uffizi Museum and the Accademia Gallery. Marvel too at the imposing façades of churches such as the Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce and the famous Duomo.

Sample the city’s culture by taking a stroll through its historical centre. Be sure to pop into the San Lorenzo street market either to haggle for some bargains or just to look around. Then take a stroll over the romantic Ponte Vecchio, the antique bridge over the Arno River that is dotted with jewellery and watch shops.

Round off the day in Piazzale Michelangelo, a square that offers breathtaking panoramic vistas over the city and Arno. The views it affords, especially at sunset, are unforgettable.

Tuscany countryside

Day 2

This is when you discover the glorious natural beauty of Tuscany. This part of the trip is undoubtedly easier by car. Start off in the Chianti countryside, just a few miles south of Florence. A series of charming country roads perfect for driving or biking winds through the region.

The area is full of lush, green rolling hills — often densely wooded and home to wild boar — studded with picture postcard panoramas and imposing, typically Tuscan villas. One suggested route would be to take in the towns of Greve, Panzano, Castellina and Gaiole.

However, you would be hard pressed to limit yourself to a strict itinerary.

Chianti is a wine-lovers’ paradise, as the numerous farmhouses with their wineries attest. Two of the most popular to visit are Meleto and Brolio, where you can see first-hand wine being produced by traditional methods.

Make time too, if you can, to see two ancient abbeys-turned -wineries — Badia a Coltibuono near Gaiole and the 11th century Badia a Passignano in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. Both run tours.

By the way, if you are lucky to be in Tuscany during the second week of September, Greve plays host to the region’s largest wine fair, the Rassegna del Chianti Classico.

San Michele in Foro

Day 3

Spend the first half of the day visiting the historic walled city of Lucca. Often called The City of the 100 Churches, this unspoilt example of medieval Tuscany is a warren of charming streets and piazzas.

For that reason it’s best to leave the car outside the walls and explore on foot. The walls themselves date from the 16th century and are wide enough to walk on, allowing you an elevated view of the city.

You won’t have time to visit all of its churches, but top of your list should be the Duomo of San Martino cathedral, the San Michele in Foro church and the 15th century Casa Guinigi tower, which not only has great views of Lucca and beyond but is also topped by an oak tree whose roots protrude into the room below.

For the second half of the day, head to Tuscany’s famed Versilia beaches, around half an hour’s drive from Lucca. Tuscany has 170 miles of them, so you won’t be short of choice.

Some of the best in the area are in Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, where you can also marvel at the lavish Tuscan villas increasingly being bought up by wealthy Russians.

In addition, one of Forte dei Marmi’s beaches, Santa Maria Beach, was a few years ago named by Forbes magazine as one of the top 10 in the world for topless sunbathing. If that’s your thing.

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