We spent 3 weeks touring Tuscany in November/December 2014. It’s a magnificent region where you can visit mysterious medieval cities and tiny Etruscan hill towns. All are located within driving distance. The food, the wine, and the magnificent views make it hard to ever leave.
After we left Rome we took a train to Florence and headed off for a few days staying in Montecatini Terma. It’s located in the heart of Northern Tuscany between Florence and Pisa. There we went to a spa and visited several old cities and hill towns including Lucca, Montecarlo di Lucca, and Montecatini Alto. Then we headed south to stay in Siena stopping at Castellini in Chianti and Montepulciano.
After leaving Tuscany, we drove to Sorrento and toured theAmalfi Coast before heading back to Rome to board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth at the ancient port of Civitavecchia. Our first stop was back in Tuscany at the port of Livorno where we boarded an excursion bus and took a quick tour of Florence and Pisa.
Tuscany is an amazing place to visit and I especially loved exploring the hill towns. Because were traveling during the off-season most of the towns were quiet and relaxed. There’s nothing better than sitting on top of a beautiful hill overlooking vast vineyards, sipping a glass of Chianti and nibbling on freshly baked bread dipped in truffle oil.
To read more about our adventures in Italy click on the following articles:
What I Learned About Eating in Italy
My Foodie Vacation in Italy Continues to Tuscany
Our Italian Itinerary and Recommendations
First Days in Rome Foodie Heaven
Collecting Doors and Travel Memories
Scroll down to see individual cities and hill towns in the Tuscany region.
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Lucca, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
Lucca is a city on the Serchio river in Italy’s Tuscany region. It’s renowned for the well-preserved Renaissance walls encircling its historic city center and its cobblestone streets.
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Montecarlo di Lucca, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
Montecarlo is a hill town in the Province of Lucca in the Italian region Tuscany.
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Montecatini Alto, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
Montecatini Alto is a hill town located above Montecatini Terma in the eastern end of northern Tuscany between Florence and Pisa. During high season, you can take a funicular up to the old city.
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Siena, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
Siena, a large and beautiful city in Italy’s central Tuscany, is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings.
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Castellina in Chianti, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
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Castellina in Chianti is a hill town near Siena. The city’s origins go back to Etruscan times and many artifacts from that time period can be found there.
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Montepulciano, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
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Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town located in southern Tuscany.
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Florence, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
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Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region and birthplace of the Renaissance, is home to masterpieces of art and architecture.
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Pisa, Italy Travel Photo Gallery
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Pisa is a city of 89,523 residents but is best known for it’s Square of Miracles consisting of the Cathedral, Baptistery, and the Bell Tower – Leaning Tower of Pisa. Both the Cathedral and Baptistery are beautiful and hold priceless artwork and artifacts.
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Hi Rebecca! Your photos are wonderful. We visited Tuscany several years ago and LOVED Sienna and Montepulciano! Such an amazing country. Of course we were there in the fall so it was warmer so coats weren’t necessary. But you brought back a lot of great memories AND some encouragement to visit some of the other cities you mentioned. Thank you! ~Kathy
Thanks Kathy,
I wish we could have been there in October during the grape harvest and full on truffle season but actually November and December was pretty comfortable. So glad you were able to see Siena and Montepulciano. I agree, they were both amazing! There are so many wonderful little towns to visit. I can’t wait to go back.
Isn’t Italy delicious? Thanks so much for sharing your pictures. They brought back good memories!
Thanks Laura,
Yes, Italy is delicious in many ways besides just the food. Glad to tweak some memories for you.
Our son studied in Florence his Junior year at UCLA. We had a ball discovering Italy through the eyes of a resident. I loved your photos. The architecture of Tuscany is so magical, isn’t it?
I bet that was so much fun! My boyfriend’s daughter studied in Florence with Chapman University as well and he visited when she was there but that was before we lived together. I wish I’d had more time in Florence. Cruise ship excursions are way too quick.