First timer’s guide to Tuscany

Tuscany is a region in Italy with the regional capital Florence. It is majorly rural area, covered with vineyards, olive groves and forests. There are mountains and valleys and sea on one side.

The best time to visit Tuscany is May, September and October, ie during the spring season. During the summers, without rain, Tuscany becomes too hot and humid. In winters, the days might be pleasant, but nights become extremely cold. The most hot and humid month in Tuscany is July, hence better not to travel in the month.

Traveling to Tuscany is easier by air. There are international flights upto Milan or Rome, and there are cabs for hire from there to reach any destination in Tuscany. Tuscany is approximately three hours drive from Milan or Rome. Florence, Pisa and Grosseto have rail stations, so you can reach the area by train as well.

Suites are available at very reasonable cost in most of the Tuscany hotels. Cortona hotels come highly recommended. If you do not want to stay in a hotel, you can make your Tuscany vacations memorable by opting to stay in a farmhouse as well. Staying in a farmhouse gives you an opportunity to live life the Tuscany way- helping with the chores of the farmhouse, enjoying home cooked food and seeing places as well.

When in Tuscany there are a lot of things to do. Every town in Tuscany has a cathedral. Every one of them is very beautiful that you cannot miss even one of them. The leaning tower of Pisa is a symbol of Italy known worldwide. In Florence, there is David, Michelangelo’s masterpiece. The best art collection of renaissance may be seen in Uffizi gallery. There are several castles spread around in Tuscany as well. You can pay a visit to them and experience several hundreds of years in the past. There are vineyards and areas which are famous for their wines. It is worthwhile paying a visit to the vineyard and tasting some of the best wines in the world. You may spend some time relaxing at the beach and if interested in marine biology, visit the marine parks. If interested in cooking, there are cooking classes offered of the Tuscany cuisine. And if your intention of the vacation is of leisure, then there are health spas. If you are the adventurous type, there are games as well. Windsurfing, paragliding, mountain biking and trekking are all offered under professional guidance.

Visiting Tuscany at least once is absolutely necessary. It is a vacation you are never going to forget. Holidays in Tuscany is where the time stands still and you feel rejuvenated inside out.