| The ultimate Tuscany road trip
Two week travel itinerary
Tuscany is a popular region in Italy known for its beautiful landscapes of rolling hills, medieval towns, wine production, internationally renowned cultural attractions and thermal baths.
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and is considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. To which famous artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci, writers like Dante and scientists like Galileo contributed. The region is therefore rich in their works and hosts some of the world’s most prominent museums.
Tuscany is therefore a popular destination among travellers. You can make a very versatile trip here in a relatively short time. In this blog, we give advice on the best way to do this, based on our own journey through this area.
Travel with us on this ultimate Tuscany road trip.
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Map of the route for our ultimate Tuscany road trip
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How long do you need for a tour of Tuscany?
That depends of course on your own preferences, how many places you’d like to visit and if you’d like to see some of the famous museums from the inside. To be able to do all this at a relaxed pace and really get to know this beautiful area, we recommend that you take at least two weeks for this round trip.
Where to start a Tuscany road trip?
The best place to start a tour of Tuscany is in Florence. Sometimes there are cheap flight tickets available to this place. However, it is often cheaper to fly to Pisa. You can then choose to stay here for a day or two, see the leaning tower and some of the student life, and then drive on to Florence. But you can also choose to go directly from the airport of Pisa to Florence. This is about an hour and a half’s drive.
For every trip we make, we always compare different flight options via Skyscanner and Kiwi.
Rent a car
For this tour, you definitely need a car. Although there are trains between the major cities in Tuscany, it is not possible to really get to know the region by public transport. Especially the characteristic rolling hills of Tuscany, which you really don’t want to miss, will remain out of reach.
The easiest way is to rent a car directly at the airport and to make sure that the accommodation you choose is always a bit outside the big cities like Florence and Siena. We rented our car through Rentalcars.com.
If you want to do part of this route by train, this is the website where you can find routes, times and tickets.
What is the best time to visit Tuscany?
The best time is again a bit dependent on what your wishes are. We ourselves went in spring, when the temperatures are still reasonable, the famous places like Florence and Siena have not yet been overrun by tourism and the hilly landscapes are still green. However, in this period in late April and early May, there is a slightly higher chance of rain.
But there is also a chance of fog in the early morning and this makes for very picturesque landscapes!
In the summer months, that famous ‘Tuscan sun’ will certainly be out, but it is also busier. The hilly landscapes will no longer be green, but yellow and this is also a beautiful sight. Part of this yellow landscape is formed by the many sunflower fields, which will be in bloom from the end of June onwards.
Start your road trip in Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and a must-visit during a road trip through this region. It is the logical place to start and end this ultimate Tuscany road trip. I have been here about four times now and it remains one of my favourite cities in Italy!
Florence is also seen as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. And the city continues to breathe this important chapter in art, architecture and science. You will find famous works here by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Donatello and Da Vinci, as well as museums that are known all over the world, such as the Uffizi museum and Galleria dell’Accademia. But Florence is also home to famous architectural sites, such as the Dome of Florence and the Vecchio bridge.
While visiting Florence, don’t forget to watch the sunset from Piazzala Michelangelo, for a scenic view over the city. And if you’re ‘on the other side of the Arno’ (the river that runs through Florence) then anyhow, you can enjoy the many terraces in Oltrano, one of the city’s more authentic and cosy areas.
At the moment, we are busy writing a separate blog about Florence, with all the high-lights you definitely do not want to miss.
You can easily see all the major attractions of Florence in one day, as everything is within walking distance. But take about three days for Florence, to visit some of the museums as well. It might be useful to book skip the line tickets for busy museums such as the Uffizi, The Medici Chapels, Accademia Gallery and Cathedral.
This can be done at providers such as Tiqets or Get Your Guide.
Where to stay in Florence?
If you have a car, it is really best not to stay in Florence itself, as driving and finding a parking space in this busy city is a hassle. Instead, stay just outside the city in a cheaper and quieter environment.
We stayed at Hotel Mulino di Firenze, which is a good tip. This beautiful hotel is located in an old mill that once supplied Florence with water. You will find this hotel on the banks of the Arno River. It offers free parking and has a wellness centre with a Turkish bath and sauna.
This historic property in the Tuscan countryside is a 10-minute drive from Florence’s city centre.
Drive along the SR222 to Siena
One of the most beautiful areas in Tuscany is the Chianti wine region. We continue our road trip with one of the most beautiful and famous routes through Tuscany, the SR222 or ‘Chiantigiana road’, which runs from Florence to Siena.
To find this route you have to check the options ‘avoid highways’ and ‘avoid toll roads’ in Google Maps. Then you’ll have it in no time. This route can be driven in 1h35min, but you can also stop at various places along the way.
Visit the historical centre of Siena
Siena is also an ancient city, which was once an important banking centre and the great rival of Florence. The historical city centre has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1995. The centre of Siena is formed by the shell-shaped square Piazza del Campo. All small alleys end up here. Around it, you can admire beautiful medieval houses, museums, cathedrals, palaces and other monumental buildings.
Actually, the best way to explore Siena is to just wander around the historical centre. We have made a special walking route for you that will take you past the most important high-lights of the city.
As in Florence, the historical centre of Siena is a car-free zone. In our blog about Siena, you will also find tips on where to park your car (with opportunities to park for free).
Where to stay in Siena?
Just like in Florence, in Siena it is more convenient to stay outside the city itself, especially if you are in possession of a (rental) car. The centre is in any case car-free and the parking costs can be quite high. Moreover, in the surroundings of Siena you can find beautiful agriturismos.
Our top tip! Rinidia Bio. We stayed here ourselves and this was perhaps our best stay in Italy. This beautiful agriturismo is located in the town of Sovicille just below Siena. It contains apartments that are fully furnished, including a kitchen (and also BBQ facilities), so you can cook your own meals and relax next to the infinity pool with a glass of wine.
Hike the Elsa trail
A stay in the Siena area is a good starting point to visit Colle di Val d’Elsa, where you can hike the Elsa trail to the Diborrato waterfall. This hike on a special path in the middle of nature, runs along the beautiful river Elsa, which is characterised by its emerald green colour.
The trail starts at the Spugna bridge (Ponte di Spugna) and is about 2.5 km long (5 km there and back, which is about 2 hours walking). The path of the Elsa trail is signposted under the name Sentierelsa. You’re also allowed to swim in the cool water.
Depending on how many stops you make to take photos, you will spend a maximum of half a day on the Elsa trail. This means that there is still some space in the day to visit for example the medieval town of Colle di Val d’Elsa itself, or the nearby village San Gimignano. The latter is a separate medieval town with several high towers, which the rich families used to build to compete with each other.
Continue your ultimate Tuscany road trip to Val d'Orcia
From the surroundings of Siena you continue your road trip to the Val d’Orcia. According to the Italians themselves: the most beautiful region of Tuscany! This was one of the places we were most looking forward when we travelled Tuscany. With rolling landscapes and cypresses along meandering country roads, this valley really offers that typical Tuscan image you find on postcards. Perfect for photography!
For us, this meant getting up early to photograph the sunrise over these landscapes. But also at sunset we were on the road again.
Eventually, we will list the most beautiful photography spots of this region in a separate blog.
But this is also a perfect region to just drive around and stop at the beautiful places you encounter that are not marked on the map.
Where to stay in the Val d'Orcia valley?
Two of the nicest and most centrally located towns of the Val d’Orcia are Pienza and Bagno Vignoni. I would recommend you to look for an accommodation that is not too far away from these places. You can compare distances and prices on Booking.com.
During our visit to the Val d’Orcia, we stayed a bit further away, at Country House Art and Garden on Monte Antico. This is also a nice accommodation in a beautiful setting and is about an hour’s drive from Pienza.
Drive further south to the thermal baths of Saturnia
The Terme di Saturnia or Cascate del Mulino, as they are called locally, are clear blue thermal pools, in which you can swim freely. Bring water shoes, because the pebbles under your feet can feel unpleasant.
The turquoise baths are filled by the sulphurous water that flows down the Monte Amiata from the earth. This mountain is about 30 kilometres from Saturnia. The temperature of the baths is always around 37,5 degrees Celsius.
The baths are well known in Tuscany and therefore are very popular. It is best to go as early as possible, when the sun rises, because there will be few people there. We were there ourselves at 6:15am and by then the first bathers were already in sight. Nevertheless, this was a wonderful time to arrive at the baths, because in these cooler temperatures, you can see the steam from the baths rising into the landscape.
Swimming in the pools of Saturnia is free. You will just have to pay a parking fee after 8:00 in the morning. Alternatively, you could visit the nearby 5 star resort where, at a reasonable price, you can visit the baths in a more peaceful way without any annoying pebbles under your feet.
Visit Pitigliano
If you are staying near Saturnia, don’t miss a visit to Pitigliano! This medieval village that is located on, and seems to be completely entwined with, tuff rocks, is also known as “little Jerusalem”.
This is because at the end of the Middle Ages many Tuscan Jews moved to this place, where they could live in peace under the rule of the rich Medici family. They had more freedom to express their culture here than in the rest of central Italy, so the street scene today still reflects their influence. This is especially visible in the old ghetto around Via Zuccarelli.
Where to stay near Saturnia and Pitigliano?
We stayed at about half an hour’s drive from the Saturnia thermal baths in a beautiful room in a unique hotel located in the small medieval village of Scansano. The hotel name is Morelliana4Rooms and we really recommend it! It is a very small hotel with only four rooms, so it is useful to book this in advance. You can find this hotel here.
Finish your ultimate Tuscany road trip
You can end this road trip in two ways. By driving back to Florence. A journey that will take a little over two hours. This is what we did. But you can also drive on to Rome, which takes about the same time. Of course, the capital of Italy is also not a bad place to end this trip 😉
Hi, we are Samira & Maurits, a travel-hungry couple with a passion for photography.
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Find our other blogs below
Ultimate Florence Travel Guide: Discovering the Renaissance City’s Wonders
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. The city breathes this important chapter in art, architecture, and science from every angle. In this blog, we’ve put together the most fun things to do in and around Florence for you.
The 7 most beautiful photography spots of the Val d’Orcia: Explore this beautiful valley in Tuscany
The Val d’Orcia is a valley in Tuscany that is very popular among photographers. Here you find those typical Tuscan landscapes with cypress trees along winding country roads, idyllic medieval villages, beautiful chapels and abbeys overlooking the vineyards. In this blog, we list the most beautiful photography locations in the Val d’Orcia for you.
Pitigliano: Discover this hidden gem in Tuscany
Pitigliano is one of the lesser-known Renaissance villages in the Tuscany region, and that is remarkable because it is a very special place. The houses here seem to rise out of a rock. Read our blog and discover why you should not miss this hidden gem during your road trip through Tuscany.