Planning a trip to Tuscany and not sure where to start and what’s the best Tuscany itinerary?
In our previous post, you could read about some of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany. In this article, you can read how to combine all those beautiful places (and some more) and create the perfect Tuscany trip itinerary that allows you to experience the very best of this picturesque region in one week.
How many days do you need in Tuscany
While you can see the main cities in 3-4 days, I recommend at least one week for Tuscany. This will allow you to see not just all the highlights of the best towns of Tuscany, but also to get a glimpse of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.
Below, you can find our suggested Tuscany itinerary that shows you where to go and what to see if you have one week in Tuscany. Read on!
How to see the best of Tuscany in one week
This Tuscany itinerary starts and ends in Florence. However, you can start and end in other towns and combine this trip with a visit to the other regions (e.g. Cinque Terre or Bologna). This is really just meant to show you what’s possible and how to plan your time in Tuscany.
In order to see the very best of Tuscany and to experience some of its stunning landscapes, it’s best to visit the region by car. On the other hand, you don’t really need a car in the cities. Train connections between major towns in Italy are really good. So if you want to, you can visit some of the most beautiful towns using public transport only.
While this Tuscany itinerary is made assuming that you have a car, you can easily adapt it to your needs and your way of traveling. Just use this itinerary as a guide to the best places in Tuscany, how much time you need at each place, and how to best plan your trip.
At the bottom of the article, you can also find a map indicating all the places mentioned in this Tuscan itinerary. Read on!
One Week Tuscany Itinerary
Day 1 – Florence
Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and is not to be missed in any Tuscany itinerary.
One full day is the minimum that you need in order to see the main highlights of Florence. You can find more information, tips, and advice for visiting Florence in some of the more detailed guides to the city on our blog.
Not to be missed in Florence is the Cathedral (you can climb the dome of the Duomo as well), Ponte Vecchio, Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery, and Palazzo Vecchio. If you have just one day in Florence, stroll the old town, check out the market, and walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for the best sunset view in Florence. Alternatively, have a drink at one of the best rooftop bars in Florence.
Stay in Florence for at least one night, in order to take full advantage of your time here. If you are traveling by train, I recommend a hotel close to the railway station. We recently stayed at Hotel Croce di Malta, an excellent mid-budget 4*hotel with a lovely rooftop terrace. If traveling by car, keep in mind that parking in the city is very expensive.
TIP: If you only have limited time and want to see the best of Florence in one day, be sure to book priority tickets for ALL the places you absolutely want to visit inside.
LEARN MORE: One Day in Florence
Day 2 – Florence to Siena
Leave Florence early in the morning and drive to Siena. Via Chiantigiana road SR 222 from Florence to Siena is very scenic, so you may want to take this road rather than a highway.
Spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful town of Siena. Must-see in Siena is Piazza del Campo with its Palazzo Pubblico and the Mangia Tower, Siena Duomo (Cathedral), and the picturesque streets of the Old Town.
TIP: Stay in Siena for 1 or 2 nights. Albergo Chiusarelli is one of the best picks in towns in terms of price/location/quality.
LEARN MORE: Best Things to Do in Siena
Day 3 – Val d’Orcia – Tuscan countryside
Here is a scenic road trip suggestion through the picture-perfect Tuscan countryside – Val d’Orcia – that you can take as a day trip from Siena.
If you have the time, you may want to spend a couple of days in this area, but one day is sufficient to drive through the scenic Tuscan countryside.
From Siena take the road SR2 to San Quirico d’Orcia. From here continue East along the SR146 in the direction of Montepulciano. This is the most scenic road in Tuscany – the one with the typical Tuscan landscapes you see in travel magazines and on postcards.
Take your time to explore Val d’Orcia and visit at least a couple of charming little towns in the area: Pienza, Montepulciano, San Quirico d’Orcia, Monticchiello, Montalcino… Also the Abbey of Sant’Antimo is worth a visit.
With just one day in this region, I think I’d focus on Montepulciano, Pienza, and the countryside of Val d’Orcia.
TIP: If you are in Siena without a car, the best way to explore the Tuscan countryside is by taking an organized tour, e.g. this wine tour that brings you to Montalcino, Pienza, and Montepulciano from Siena.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Montepulciano
Day 4 – San Gimignano and Volterra
San Gimignano and Volterra are both relatively small towns and their proximity to each other means that you can easily visit them in one day.
San Gimignano, famous for its fourteen medieval towers has a tiny but very picturesque Old Town. It can get extremely busy during the day, so I recommend going there first thing in the morning.
One of the main places to see is Piazza della Cisterna. You can also climb to the top of the Torre Grossa.
Volterra has a great atmosphere in the evening, so it’s best to visit it later in the day. It’s a charming medieval town and it’s nice to just stroll the streets, check out some souvenir shops, and have a nice Tuscan dinner.
In my previous post, you can read more about what to see and do in San Gimignano and in Volterra.
TIP: One of the nicest and good price/quality hotels in Volterra is Hotel La Locanda. If you are on a tighter budget but want something really special, stay in Chiostro Delle Monache Hostel Volterra. It’s located in the 15th-century Franciscan monastery, has a great location, and free parking.
Day 5 – Pisa
Take your time to explore Pisa. Don’t limit your visit to the leaning tower of Pisa only! In fact, the leaning tower of Pisa is just one of the many monuments of Miracle’s Square. The Cathedral and the Baptistery are very impressive as well.
Pisa town center has no crowds and is very picturesque as well. Stroll the Arno River promenade and check out the Borgo Stretto, an old shopping arcade with many restaurants, cafés, and shops.
TIP: If you are touring around Tuscany by car, I’d advise not to stay in Pisa. Instead, drive to Lucca after you visited Pisa and stay there for two nights. Lucca has such a great atmosphere and several really nice hotels. They are located inside the city walls and so parking is not free (but possible). Check out Hotel Palazzo Alexander or Hotel Alla Corte degli Angeli.
Day 6 – Lucca
Lucca is our favorite town in Tuscany. You can see the main highlights in just one day, but you definitely won’t regret it if you choose to stay a bit longer.
The main landmark is the city walls of Lucca which you can explore on foot or by bike. In fact, the best way to see Lucca is by taking a self-guided bike tour.
Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is another must-see in Lucca. Make sure also to climb at least one of the towers -Torre Guinigi or Torre Delle Ore for the best views in town. Here you can read more about what to see and do in Lucca.
TIP: Take a food tour in Lucca – it’s a great way to explore the town and taste some of the typical local specialties.
Day 7 – Collodi, Pistoia, Prato, or the outskirts of Florence
There are several nice towns that you could visit between Lucca and Florence. Collodi, Pistoia, and Prato are all worth a detour.
We liked exploring the outskirts of Florence as well. You’re hardly out of the city, but the scenery is amazing. Take a road from Florence to Fiesole for stunning views and a beautiful Tuscan landscape.
Alternatively, you could easily visit Bologna. It’s located in the nearby Emilia Romagna region (so not in Tuscany), but is more than worth a visit if you find yourself in this part of Italy.
READ ALSO: Florence to Bologna Travel Info & Itinerary + Best Things to Do in Bologna
Where to stay for this Tuscany itinerary
Many people ask what’s the best area to stay in Tuscany. The answer really depends on what kind of trip you are planning.
If you are thinking of making a road trip in Tuscany, you can find my suggestions for hotels in each town in the day-to-day Tuscany itinerary above.
If, however, you don’t like changing hotels and packing your bags every day, you can also stay at one central location in the Tuscan countryside and take day trips from there. Sometimes you’ll need to drive an hour, sometimes two, so it’s not perfect, but it might still be easier and more relaxing, especially if you are traveling with kids.
TIP: If you want to stay in just one place for sightseeing, the best place to stay for exploring Tuscany would be the area close to Volterra or San Gimignano. It is very centrally located in Tuscany and is therefore ideal if you are looking to stay at just one hotel and explore the region by taking day trips. Here you can find the best deals for accommodation in Volterra and hotels in the San Gimignano area.
In fact, a few years ago we did just that when we were visiting Tuscany with our kids. We stayed at just one hotel in the Montaione area for 12 days and combined relaxing days by the pool with sightseeing. It worked well for us. You can read more in our best of Tuscany – itinerary from one central location post.
On our most recent trip to Tuscany, we were focusing on the area around Siena and Val d’Orcia, plus a few other places in Umbria too. For that, we opted to stay at this beautiful country house in Bettole.
There’s really not one ‘best’ spot to stay- Tuscany is way too big for that. So it all depends on which places you decide to visit.
Without a car: If you are not renting a car, the best places to stay for exploring Tuscany are either Florence or Siena. They both have good railway connections to the bigger towns and also a big choice of organized tours to the smaller villages in the countryside.
One week Tuscany trip itinerary map
Below, you can see an overview of this suggested Tuscany itinerary on the map.
Start in Florence, drive down to Siena, then on to San Gimignano and Volterra. Continue your trip towards Pisa and Lucca, and end in Florence.
Alternatively, continue to Cinque Terre, which is just a short ride from Pisa. Here you can find more information about how to see the best of Cinque Terre in one day.
Best Time to Visit Tuscany
Tuscany is a beautiful destination that has something to offer at any time of the year. That being said, the best time to visit Tuscany is in late spring or in early autumn. The very best months for sightseeing in Tuscany are May and September.
In the summer months, it’s very hot here. So if you are visiting in July or August, you may want to concentrate on the Tuscan countryside. A popular thing to do is rent a villa with a pool and make an occasional day trip to one of the smaller towns in the area.
Whereas the weather in late fall, in winter, and in early spring is more suitable for visiting the big cities rather than touring the countryside.
READ ALSO: Best Time to Visit Europe
So, this is our suggested Tuscany itinerary for up to one week. If you are planning a trip to Italy, make sure to check our Italy travel guide for more tips and travel advice for a big variety of popular destinations in Italy.
Alternatively, check our selection of articles below for more tips for a variety of destinations in Italy.
More tips for some of the most visited destinations in Italy:
- Best Things to Do in Rome
- Best Things to Do in Venice
- Best Things to Do in Milan
- Best Things to Do in Naples
- 2 days in Rome
- 1 day in Milan
- 1 day in Venice
- 1 day in Cinque Terre
- Tips for Visiting Rome
- Best Things to Do at Lake Como
- Bellagio, Lake Como
- Best of Lake Garda
- Best of the Italian Dolomites
- Emilia Romagna Region
- Hiking in the Dolomites
- Tips for Visiting Cinque Terre
- Amalfi Coast Itinerary
- Italian Riviera
- San Marino
- Best Day Trips from Naples
READ ALSO: Best Places to Visit in Italy
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Andrea
Sunday 15th of September 2024
Jurga -
Your blog has been so helpful to me thank you! Traveling to Tuscany in May 2025 for 6 nights with my 2 older teen daughter. We plan to fly in from Paris (into Florence, Milan or Verona) and then back to Denver from Florence. I want to see as much as possible (including Cinque Terre) but won't have a car and prefer to stay in no more than two hotels. Assume Florence for the last 3 nights since we'll fly out from there. What other town should be our base? And which towns make the most sense for day trips? Thank you!!
Andrea
Tuesday 17th of September 2024
@Jurga, thank you for the feedback and recommendations. Will look at Bologna and day trips. And will make Florence our base.
Jurga
Sunday 15th of September 2024
Hi Andrea, without a car, Florence is by far the best town to base yourself for a longer time. You can do some day trips by train and some smaller towns by taking tours. You could easily spend 6 nights in Florence and find plenty to do. Take a day trip to Siena. A tour that visits Sam Gimignano and Pisa, a tour that visits Montepulcuano and some wineries… We book all our tours via GetYourGuide. Just search ‘from Florence’ or similar and you will see tons of options. For example this tour and there are many more. That said, if you want to add an extra place, did you consider Bologna? It’s amazing and you can also take some nice day trips from there. Otherwise you can also stay in Siena for a few days. But I would do Florence at least 4 nights. Good luck with the planning and have a great trip!
Kathy Stern
Sunday 28th of July 2024
Hi Jurga, I'm a bit overwhelmed trying to map out or visit to Italy We have seen the main cities in Italy. We have rented a villa in Crotona for 6 night and plan to rent a car from where ever we should fly into from the united States. Cortona will be our base in Tuscany. We would love to see the Chanti area ,Seina, Pienza, Montepulciano and Florence all returning to each day. We also would like to go to Cinque Terre and The Amalfi Coast with Capri. How would you lay out this itinerary? The order and what mode of transportation would be preferred? We do not plan to have a car on the Amalfi coast as I hear it is difficult to drive. We plan to use ferries to get around there. Would Lake Como be out of the way or could we incorporate it in. We could spend 2-3 weeks. Thank you for you help, Kathy
Jurga
Monday 29th of July 2024
Hi Kathy, you can visit many places in Tuscany from Cortona, but if you also want to go to e.g. Cinque Terre, I would do that separately since it's a bit too much of a drive for a day. The same with Lake Como, which is even further away. One of the options would be to fly to Milan, visit Lake Como for a few days, then drive down to the Cinque Terre area and spend a few days on the Ligurian Coast, and then on to Cortona. After that, return your rental car either in Rome or Naples or so and explore the Amalfi Coast and Capri using boats and transfers or public transport. Depending on where you drop off your car, you can take a train e.g. from Florence or Rome to Naples. You can then fly out of Naples or take a train to Rome and fly from there. If you absolutely have to start in Cortona, then you could drive to Cinque Terre for a few days after that, followed by Lake Como. Then drop off the car in Milan and travel by train from there to the south. We have tons of articles covering all these areas and even transportation options from Naples to the Amalfi Coast etc., just use the search function on the blog. Good luck with the planning.
Tynes Quarles
Friday 21st of June 2024
Jurga, Just read your Tuscan itinerary and it's almost exactly like what I was looking to plan for next year. I was thinking of leaving Florence in the morning and taking the Via Chiantigiano geting to Siena that evening. The next day is exploring Siena and spending another night there. The next day is the Val d'Orcia to Montepilcino and spending a night down that way somewhere. The next day is spending a little more time in that area before heading up to San Gimignano/Volterra. One day there before heading to Lucca via Pisa. After a day or so there, I think heading over to Cinque Terre and doing your one day hike and 2nd day exploration of Portovenere sounds perfect. Leaving Cinque Terre, I'll head back to Florence arriving a day early so I can spend time up in the hills around Fiesole. I plan to rent a car, so we'll then turn it back in at the airport and regretfully head home. Any additions/subtractions/suggestions you can make would be much appreciated.
All the best,
Tynes Quarles
Jurga
Saturday 22nd of June 2024
Hi Tynes, your plan sounds good. It's just that you don't absolutely have to make a road trip and change hotels every day. You could also stay somewhere close to Siena/San Gimignano for a few days before moving toward Luca/Pisa/Cinque Terre area for a few days. But if you don't mind changing hotels, your plan sounds just fine. As for additional suggestions, unfortunately, I really have no time to help our readers with more detailed itineraries. There's so much to see and do in Tuscany. Here are some nice places you may want to add to your plan since you will be nearby: Pienza, San Quirico d'Orcia, Cipressi di San Quirico d'Orcia, Montalcino, Crete Senesi (on the road between Asciano and Taverne d'Arbia near Siena). Good luck with the planning and don't forget to spend some time in Florence itself! You can easily fill 3 days there too.
Teddy
Monday 26th of February 2024
What a fantastic blog! This has really inspired me! I am thinking to visit Florence and Tuscany for a week in mid-June.
After 2 nights in Florence, and having a car, what town would you recommend to stay as a base and then do day trips? In terms of day trips, a must visit for us are Sienna, Lucca and Volterra. And definitely a winery but without driving to it. Advice very welcome!
Jurga
Tuesday 27th of February 2024
Hi Teddy, if you want to visit Sienna, Lucca, and Voltera, you could stay somewhere in the middle between all these towns and make sure there's a winery nearby. I quickly checked something for you in the San Gimignano area which is very central and fits your criteria. There are several wineries that you can visit in that region and many accommodations, so you can find places to stay within walking distance to one or the other winery if you like. For example, this agriturismo (Capanna 1826) is just near this vineayrd. From what I read in the reviews of this accommodation, they even include a visit to their vineyard for free if you stay there. But there are many more options. You just have to do a bit more research and see what's available for your travel dates. If you don't mind taking a taxi to one or the other vineyard, then it will be easier. Just pick a hotel you like and then see what wineries there are nearby. Also, the San Gimignano area is just one of the many, so it's just a suggestion based on the info you gave. If you are traveling in June, I'd book your accommodations asap.
Ann Marie Pugliese
Friday 6th of October 2023
Hello, this blog seems very helpful. I am traveling to Italy for the first time with 9 family members for 2 weeks in June. We were trying to fit in so much, but don't think it's feasible with so many people. Was hoping to visit Venice, Tuscany, Rome and The Amalfi Coast. Also, we are planning to stay in Air bnb's along the way. Just not sure if we should travel to each area and stay for 3 days or find 2 central hubs and take day trips? Any insight you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Ann Marie Pugliese
Monday 9th of October 2023
@Jurga, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Greatly appreciate the information!!
Jurga
Sunday 8th of October 2023
Hi Ann Marie, since these areas are located quite far from each other and each has so much to offer, I think that staying in each place for a few nights is indeed better than looking for two base locations. You could start with 4-5 days in Sorrento (from where you can easily visit Amalfi Coast, Capri Island, Naples, Pompeii, etc.), then move on to Rome for 3-4 days. From there, take a train to Florence which is a good base for Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and also Bologna. Depending on what you want to see, you could stay here for 4-5 days. And finally, take a train to Venice and stay there for 2-3 nights. You can find lots of information for all these destinations on our blog. See an overview of all articles on our Italy travel page. This 2-week Italy itinerary might also be helpful - just to see what's possible and how you could structure your time at some places. For Amalfi Coast, take a look at this guide. Good luck with the planning!