Honestly, I am obsessed with Tuscany. The countryside is always my favorite to visit. I have been to a few places in this region that I will elaborate more on. Tuscany is so different from the South and North. Central Italy is its own magical place. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Also, THE FOOD/WINE. I mean... seriously? Need I say more?

How to get there:

Train: Depending on where you’re coming from, I think by train is the best bet if you’re within the country or not too far out. Rail Europe has affordable tickets you can book for anywhere in Europe almost.

Flight: If you choose to fly, there is an airport in Florence you can fly into called Amerigo Vespucci Airport. From there, you can catch a train or rent a car depending where your next stop is.

Car: If you wish to do a road trip to Florence, that works too! Mind you, parking isn’t always the best so make sure wherever you are staying at has parking included or is in an area that is conveniently located.

Florence:

The streets that surround Firenze are so lively and vibrant, I can’t help but feel like I’m walking through a time portal. All the buildings that surround me are from so long ago and filled with so much art.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This is a given & definitely one of the most populated spots to see but you won’t regret it. I fell in love with this building the minute I set eyes on it. The details blow my mind. It was first built in 1296 and completed in 1436. It’s a Gothic style cathedral and what I loved most was you can go inside and climb to the very top of the dome. There is a fee to do this but it’s not much. Probably around 15 euros? It changes every time I have gone so I can’t give you an exact number. The top has incredible views of the city and it’s truly breathtaking. I recommend doing this!
Ponte Vecchio. The famous medieval stone bridge that sits above the Arno River. There’s also a lot of really great restaurants near this area so I would suggest stopping by here when you’re tired of walking around and want to a chill spot to eat. You will occasionally see gondolas going up and down the river bend and it’s quite romantic.
Palazzo Vecchio. The town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria, which holds a copy of Michelangelo's David statue. Definitely very busy during the summer with people selling things, music filling the streets, artists drawing on the ground, and people taking photos everywhere you turn. Also, it was built in 1299 so we can all agree any building still standing from this time period is worth checking out.
Piazza della Signoria. If you are a lover of art this is where you should go. Although, everywhere you turn in Italy you’ll set your eyes upon art but you get where I am going with this. Over here contains a myriad of buildings and classical art. The wonderful fountain of Neptune is nearby and Loggia dei Lanzi which contains some beautiful Renaissance sculptures including Perseus, Menelaus and Hercules.
Boboli Gardens. Looking to escape the city? This is where to go. Everywhere you turn you’ll find the most amazing plants, worldly trees, blooming flowers & several ponds. It’s definitely worth visiting.

Other activities:

Piazzale Michelangelo
Palazzo Pitti
Galleria dell’Accademia
Basilica di San Lorenzo
Corridoio Vasariano
Piazza del Duomo
Bargello Museum

Food:

Trattoria Sabatino: $ (Very good food for a very reasonable price)
Ristorante Il Guscio: $$-$$$
S.forno: $ (Bakery)
Osteria dell'Enoteca: $$$ (Wine enthusiasts should definitely go here)
Trattoria Cammillo: $$$ (I had the best pasta ever here)

Pienza:

Oh the charming, quaint city of Pienza. I truly cannot get over how small yet STUNNING this town was. I would say you only need about 1 or 2 days here as it is very small but you MUST go visit. Fun fact: A scene from the hit movie Gladiator was shot here.

Val d'Orcia. You’ll most likely recognize these hills from Renaissance paintings or the movie Gladiator.
Pecorino di Pienza. Pienza is known as the city of cacio, which means CHEESE. Pecorino cheese (my favorite) is really big over here and you will not have any difficulty finding restaurants that offer cheese and meat with fig spread and delicious bread/wine. The charming streets are full of small shops that sell cheese and fig spread and all other yummy treats for you to bring home to your loved ones (or to be honest…yourself). I recommend eating at Osteria Baccus, located on the main street, Via del Casello. The pecorino is prepared in different ways and you can eat it on various dishes. So delicious. Take time to walk around and taste test what you can. You won’t be disappointed :)
Historic Centre (Unesco). All I have to say is, make sure your camera is charged and be prepared to get lost in the streets that surround this area. It’s where the main photo of this blog was taken :)
Diocesan Museum (Palazzo Borgia). Some stunning pieces of art hang here. Again, if you’re a lover of art and museums, this is where to be.
Palazzo Piccolomini. Small garden but the views from here are insane. I was so mesmerized when I walked through and along the pathways.
Relais il Chiostro di Pienza. This 4 star hotel was absolutely DIVINE. Everything from the breakfast, the pool, the views from the patio where you eat/swim & the hospitality was just fantastic. I had the best dinner there one night and was so taken back at how charming this place is. The views from the rooms are quite nice as well. Book here.

Arezzo:

Located in Eastern, Tuscany; this city is known for its art and pottery. If you do happen to find yourself here and are wondering what on earth you should do/see. Fret not, I got you!

Piazza Grande. A large square (duh) filled with surrounding buildings. There is the Grand Art Gallery nearby. What I liked most was you can see there is a mixture of styles regarding the architecture. You get a mix of Medieval, Renaissance & Italian style. This is the perfect place to sit at a charming cafe and people watch :)
Basilica of San Francesco. The outside is beautiful but honestly not as much as the inside. I genuinely loved it because of its fine art and religious decoration. It’s actually the oldest church in Arezzo, which I thought was pretty neat.
Parco Sandro Pertini. The perfect place to escape and relax. I loved walking through and feeling like I entered a completely different town. Located near the historic centre so it’s easy to get to when walking around that area. Rent a bike, take a run or just simple walk around. You’ll enjoy the scenery it has to offer.
Roman Amphitheatre. This was SO COOL to see. Former grounds of gladiatorial events and plays. So much history and I loved every bit of it. The ruins were so old, naturally, and really had me feeling like I was brought back in time. You can also still see some of the seating areas that surround it.

Tuscany, Italy