Visitors to Tuscany are well and truly spoilt when it comes to what to see and do. Tuscany is home to so many iconic cities – Florence, Siena and Pisa to name just three – whilst the landscape in between these destinations is, in places, simply breathtaking. But the wealth of things to see and do in Tuscany means it can be hard to decide what to prioritise if you’re only there for a week. We love creating a Tuscany itinerary for clients to enjoy whilst staying in one of our Tuscany villas. Today, we thought we’d share just one of them. This itinerary was created for guests staying in Villa Borgo, a stunning 9 bedroom luxury Tuscany villa sleeping up to 20 guests.
Day 1: Arezzo
We always think it’s worth exploring closer to home on the first day of your stay, especially if you have had a long day of travelling to get to Tuscany. Arezzo is only 40 minutes drive from Villa Borgo and so is an ideal starting point. However, another reason that we suggest Arezzo for your first day is that, with most arrivals on a Saturday, your first day is likely to be a Sunday. And, dependent on what time of the month you’re visiting, this means that you may be lucky enough to be there during the Fiera Antiquaria, a huge antiques market in the central Piazza Grande.
Even if you’re not there during the antiques market, there is still much to see and do in Arezzo. Situated in the east of Tuscany, Arezzo is split into a lower, newer part and older, higher part. Definitely make a beeline for the latter! And check out our Arezzo travel guide to see how to make the most of your time there.
Day 2: San Gimignano
Approximately 1 hour from your luxury Tuscany villa, but a beautiful drive through the Tuscan countryside, lies San Gimignano.
San Gimignano’s towers will be easily visible as you drive towards it. Check out our guide to San Gimignano to find out what to see and do during your day here.
Day 3: Florence
Florence sits an hour by car from Villa Borgo. However, we usually recommend that our clients ditch the car and head there by train instead. Driving in Florence can be a nightmare, especially in rush hour and it’s best to be avoided if you possibly can!
You’re never going to be able to do justice to Florence in a single day. However, by ticking it off early on in your trip, you leave yourselves with the opportunity to return later in the week should you wish to do so. Check out our guide for spending 48 hours in Florence which will give you more ideas about how to spend the day here.
However, we think any visit has to start in the main square where you will find the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Duomo along with Giotto’s Campanile. Make sure you book tickets in advance to any of Florence’s attractions to ensure you don’t waste time in queues! We think that the best companies for this are Get Your Guide and With Locals. The Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio and Galleria dell’ Accademia would probably be next on our priority list if it’s the first time you have visited the city. But if you’re more into nature than art, then perhaps time would be better spent outdoors exploring Florence’s beautiful gardens rather than its galleries…
Day 4: Montepulciano
Famous for its wine, Montepulciano is definitely worth a trip during your stay in your luxury Tuscany villa! This hilltop town is surrounded by vineyards and day 4 is definitely an opportunity to sample some of Tuscany’s finest wines.
A good place to start your visit to Montepulciano is in the main square – the Piazza Grande – and this is where you will also find one of the town’s most famous winemakers – the Contucci family – and their residence – the Palazzo Contucci. It’s possible to enjoy a cellar tour and tasting in the palace basement here however you’ll find dozens of other wine makers in the countryside around the town. Montepulciano wines tends to be medium bodied red wines. The most famous of these is the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC which is made with at least 85% Montepulciano grapes and up to 15% Sangiovese grapes.
Check out our guide to Montepulciano for more ideas about what to see and do during your visit.
Day 5: Siena
Siena is definitely one of our top 3 favourite cities in Italy so a visit here comes highly recommended during any Tuscany villa holiday! Less than half an hour from Villa Borgo, a visit here is a no-brainer!
Check out our guide to spending 48 hours in Siena for a complete lowdown on what to see and do in the city, but if there for the day, I’d recommend focusing your attention on the iconic central square – the Piazza il Campo – where you will find many of the city’s main attractions including the striking black and white striped Duomo, the Palazzo Pubblico and the tall Torre del Mangia. Before you head home, stock up on snacks for your evening aperitivo back at the villa from Pizzicheria de Miccoli situated at Via di Citta 95.
Day 6: Tuscany’s ‘borghi piu belli’
Tuscany has so many famous cities to visit, that it’s sometimes easy to forget about its smaller towns and villages. However, there is nothing better than spending a day touring the beautiful Tuscan countryside with a brief stop here and there to explore some of its tinier villages. Italy’s ‘borghi piu belli‘ are its most beautiful villages (or at the very least are villages where a conscious effort has been made to preserve the place’s history).
Those closest to this particular luxury Tuscany villa – Villa Borgo include Lucignano (25 minutes), Buonconvento and Castelfranco Piandiscò and Loro Ciuffenna (all 40 minutes), Cetona (50 minutes) as well as Anghiari and San Casciano dei Bagni, both just over an hour away. Or check out the full list of Tuscany’s borghi piu belli on our website if you fancy enjoying a longer tour.
Day 7: Castiglione del Lago
We always think it’s worth always leaving an ’empty’ day in your Tuscany itinerary. This means you have time to go back and re-visit a place if you didn’t have enough time to do it justice… or perhaps you just fell in love with it so much that you can’t wait until your next stay to return! However, if you want to continue exploring somewhere new, our suggestion for the last day of your stay in Villa Borgo is actually to cross the border into neighbouring Umbria.
Here you will find the town of Castiglione del Lago nestled on Lake Trasimeno. Enjoy a stroll around the delightful town, admire the Rocca del Leone and enjoy a bite to eat in one of the town’s many excellent restaurants before heading to the lake itself where you will find small beach areas and the opportunity to enjoy some water sports or to cool off in the lake waters.
If you’d like help finding the perfect villa in Tuscany, then get in touch with the team at Bookings For You. We’ll listen to your needs to find you the perfect place to stay in Tuscany and will then be very happy to draw up a personalised itinerary of what to see and do during your stay once you’re there.