Our villas in Tuscany and our villas in Umbria prove to be some of the most popular within our entire portfolio year after year. But which region is best suited to you for your next holiday in Italy? Check out our handy guide to find out.
Best for city lovers: Tuscany
Tuscany is definitely more famous than its neighbour to the East, Umbria, and part of the reason for this is its cities. Think of Tuscany and a whole host of cities spring to mind including Siena, Pisa, Lucca and San Gimignano. Whilst we love Umbria’s capital city, Perugia, it simply can’t compete with Tuscany’s capital, Florence, which is arguably one of the most famous cities in the world.
Best for families: Too close to call!
We just couldn’t call this one. Wherever you go in Italy, you’ll find it exceptionally family friendly. Italians love children and family holidays don’t get much better than a holiday in Italy. Enjoy a holiday in a villa in Umbria and the kids can run around the Park of the Monsters, enjoy the rides at Italy’s oldest amusement park just outside Perugia or learn about the ancient Romans either underground in Amelia or above ground in Spello. But enjoy a holiday at a villa in Tuscany and you can take the kids to the birthplace of Pinocchio, get close to nature at a dolphin watching experience off the coast or help them to prop up the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Check out all the family friendly things to see and do in Umbria and in Tuscany.
Best for nature lovers: Umbria
Not an easy call to make but Umbria just pips it for us on the nature front. What sways it for us is the incredible spectacle in the Sibillini mountains which straddle both Umbria and neighbouring Le Marche. Here, in the late Spring and early Summer, a blanket of wild flowers cover the plains of the Piano Grande. Nothing can prepare you for just how beautiful or colourful or far-reaching the sight is. However, other events such as the Infiorata in Spello also impacted on our decision. A very different way to enjoy nature, the Infiorata is an annual floral spectacle in the heart of the old town of Spello. You’ll find artists working on their floral masterpieces throughout the night so that local residents wake up the following morning to a town literally paved with petals.
Best for foodies: Too close to call!
We just couldn’t come off the fence on this one! Each region is renowned for their culinary specialities. You’ll certainly be spoilt for choice when it comes to food options at either a stay in one of our villas in Tuscany or one of our villas in Umbria. Think of Tuscany and you’ll perhaps think of the famous bistecca alla Fiorentina, their delicious panzanella salad, their mouth watering pappa al pomodoro soups or perhaps their incredible seafood and renowned salt cod. However, think of Umbria and you’ll be dreaming of Italy’s ‘green heart’ home to some of Italy’s finest olive oils, cured meats, salami, wheat, honey, lentils, game, meat, truffles and wild mushrooms. Our favourite meat dish in Umbria is porchetta which can rival Florence’s incredible steaks any day. Plus, for those with a sweet tooth, Perugia can lay claim to being the chocolate capital of Italy each October when it hosts the annual Eurochocolate festival. Check out foodie guide to Italy for more mouth watering dishes from both Tuscany and Umbria.
Best for wine enthusiasts: Tuscany
We hope our vineyard-owning friends in Umbria still speak to us after this one! Both regions can boast a plethora of fine wines. Umbria’s most famous are the white Grechetto and the red Sagrantino and Sangiovese grapes. The Arnaldo Caprai vineyards in the Montefalco region of Umbria produce one of our absolutely favourite sagrantino wines. Also of note are Umbria’s Avignonesi vineyards and Casanova di Neri. And yet, Tuscany is Italy’s oldest wine-producing region and home to Italy’s most famous and largest wine producing region – Chianti. Tuscany is also home to one of the most sought-after wines in the world from the Sassicaia estate at Bolgheri.
Best for art lovers: Tuscany
We decided you can’t beat the art and architecture on offer in Tuscany. The sheer volume of art on offer in Tuscany’s capital city is impossible to match. Florence is home to some of the most famous artworks in the world, among them Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. And during your stay at one of our villas in Tuscany, you’ll keep coming across incredible art and architecture in every Tuscan church, village, town or city. But again, don’t underestimate the incredible art and architecture that Umbria can boast too. Head into the local village church in Umbria and you will be amazed at what hidden gems you will discover.
Best for sports lovers: Umbria
Both Tuscany and Umbria offer some great cycling options, both on and off road. There are also plenty of opportunities in both regions to try horse riding too. But, for us, Umbria takes the edge when it comes to offering something for the sporty folk out there. Head to Lake Trasimeno in Umbria during your stay in one of our villas in Umbria to enjoy a range of water sports including sailing and windsurfing. Or opt for the Perugia Wake Park to try your hand at kitesurfing and wakeboarding. Alternatively, head to the Nera River in Umbria to enjoy a white-water rafting trip. Or make your way instead to the Roccagelli Gorge, where you can enjoy some canyoning, making your way down seven successive waterfalls, the largest of which is 16 metres high. In the Winter, you can even ski in Umbria with some fantastic cross-country skiing to be enjoyed on Monte Subasio (although admittedly the snow can be a little erratic!)
Best for beach lovers: Tuscany
As a landlocked region, it’s hard for Umbria to compete on this one. So many of Tuscany’s beaches are absolutely stunning and Tuscany’s coastline is perfect for those looking to enjoy a beach holiday in Italy. However, that’s not to say that Umbria doesn’t have any beaches. Head to Lake Trasimeno and you will find a number of lakeside beaches to spend the day at.
Best for romance: Umbria
To be fair, we would argue that anywhere in Italy is pretty romantic! Italy oozes romance. It was also the home of Romeo and Juliet, Casanova and St Valentine. And the latter is part of the reason Umbria pips Tuscany when it comes to romantic stays. St Valentine was a former resident of Terni in Umbria and is now the town’s patron saint as well as being the Patron Saint of lovers. So if you’re looking to kindle some romance during your holiday in Italy, what better place to do so than in birthplace of St Valentine’s Day! However, to be fair, Terni is far from the best example of Umbria’s charming hilltop towns and villages. Instead, opt for a romantic break in Spello, Orvieto, Montefalco, Assisi or Spoleto. These may not be able to compete with Tuscany’s larger cities in terms of size but in terms of authenticity, charm and romance, they win hands down.
Whether you fancy a stay in one of our villas in Tuscany or one of our villas in Umbria for your next holiday, we’re sure we have the perfect villa in Italy for you.