About

About ULTIMATE Tuscany City Guide

ULTIMATE Tuscany City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Tuscany, Italy. We publish 14 curated lists: hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars & wine, sights, art & music, gardens & nature, walks, shopping, health & spas, property, developments, motoring and getting around. We cover the whole of Tuscany in ten region guides: Florence, Chianti, Siena and San Gimignano, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri and the Etruscan Coast, the Maremma and the Argentario, Arezzo and Cortona, and Elba.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Every place in our lists has been checked against its own website or an official source such as UNESCO, the museums’ own sites, Toscana Aeroporti or Trenitalia. We don’t use review scores, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm. MICHELIN distinctions are quoted only from the official MICHELIN Guide.

Before you go

Opening hours, ticket rules and festival dates change often. Please check directly with each place before you travel. Prices are in euros.

For venues

Run a venue in Tuscany and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• The peaks of the Apuan Alps above Versilia, by Lucarelli, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Arezzo’s Piazza Grande in the evening, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A gilded coffered ceiling in the Uffizi Galleries, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s bell tower and Brunelleschi’s dome at dusk, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Castello di Brolio above its vineyards in Chianti, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Palazzo Pitti seen from the Boboli Gardens, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The castle gateway into the village of Bolgheri, by Janericloebe, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Castello di Brolio above its vineyards in Chianti, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palazzo Vecchio, the Badia and Santa Croce from Giotto’s bell tower, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Siena’s Piazza del Campo and the Fonte Gaia from the Torre del Mangia, by Zairon, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cypresses along a white road in the Val d’Orcia in summer, by Matteo Vannacci, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The barrel cellar of Avignonesi, Montepulciano, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Castello di Brolio above its vineyards in Chianti, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia, by Commonists, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Florence tram at a stop by Santa Maria Novella station, by Rémy Lee, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Last Judgement frescoes inside Brunelleschi’s dome, Florence Cathedral, by Livioandronico2013, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s bell tower and Brunelleschi’s dome at dusk, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Portoferraio and its harbour on Elba, from the air, by Carsten Steger, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A pebble beach at Punta Bianca on Elba, by s.melzig, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence’s rooftops from the cathedral terraces, with Santa Croce and the Bargello, by Rhododendrites, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers of San Gimignano at sunset, by Julian Lupyan, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Roman theatre at Fiesole, with the hills beyond, by Szilas, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence Cathedral and Brunelleschi’s dome at dusk, seen from the hills, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The beach at Forte dei Marmi, by Krdan, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The roofless Abbey of San Galgano among the fields, by PaestumPaestum, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lucca’s rooftops from the Torre Guinigi, by Myrabella, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The thermal cascades of the Cascate del Mulino at Saturnia, by Raimond Spekking, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence Cathedral and Brunelleschi’s dome at dusk, seen from the hills, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor reflected in the Arno at dusk, by Martin Falbisoner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lucca’s oval Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, by Ingo Mehling, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tree-lined promenade on top of Lucca’s walls, by Fedispili, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pitigliano on its tufa cliff, by Virtual-Pano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Montepulciano’s Piazza Grande and the valley beyond, by Gzen92, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos Hill, by A.Savin, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the Exumas, by DrGvago, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, by Miamireader, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Horn and the mosques of the old city, Istanbul, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica, by Fred Romero from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower, by Domob, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyond, by The Fun Chronicles, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Stone Bridge over the Vardar, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The gilded domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, by Plamen Agov (user:MrPanyGoff), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey Mosque, by Andrew Milligan sumo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Mark’s Church in Zagreb’s Upper Town, by Bernard Gagnon, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An avenue of cypresses off the Via Cassia in the Val d’Orcia, by Enrico Pighetti, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Cypresses along a white road in the Val d’Orcia in summer, by Matteo Vannacci, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Palazzo Pitti seen from the Boboli Gardens, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pinturicchio’s frescoes in the Piccolomini Library, Siena Cathedral, by Wolfgang Moroder, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling hills and a farmhouse near Pienza, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baptistery, Cathedral and Leaning Tower of Pisa in evening light, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pisa Cathedral and the Leaning Tower on the Piazza dei Miracoli, by PaestumPaestum, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baptistery, Cathedral and Leaning Tower of Pisa in evening light, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Pitigliano on its tufa cliff, by Virtual-Pano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor reflected in the Arno at dusk, by Martin Falbisoner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Castello di Brolio above its vineyards in Chianti, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling hills and a farmhouse near Pienza, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The barrel cellar of Avignonesi, Montepulciano, by Eric Kilby, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Salone dei Cinquecento in the Palazzo Vecchio, by Eusebius, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers of San Gimignano at sunset, by Julian Lupyan, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The marble facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The thermal cascades of the Cascate del Mulino at Saturnia, by Raimond Spekking, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor reflected in the Arno at dusk, by Martin Falbisoner, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Siena’s Piazza del Campo and the Fonte Gaia from the Torre del Mangia, by Zairon, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The starry dome inside Siena Cathedral, by Livioandronico2013, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palazzo Vecchio, the Badia and Santa Croce from Giotto’s bell tower, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The church of San Michele in Foro, Lucca, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Florence’s rooftops from the cathedral terraces, with Santa Croce and the Bargello, by Rhododendrites, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Last Judgement frescoes inside Brunelleschi’s dome, Florence Cathedral, by Livioandronico2013, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Florence tram at a stop by Santa Maria Novella station, by Rémy Lee, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A Florence tram at a stop by Santa Maria Novella station, by Rémy Lee, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A gilded coffered ceiling in the Uffizi Galleries, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An avenue of cypresses off the Via Cassia in the Val d’Orcia, by Enrico Pighetti, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats on the canal port at Viareggio, with the Torre Matilde, by Ingo Mehling, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Boats on the canal port at Viareggio, with the Torre Matilde, by Ingo Mehling, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tree-lined promenade on top of Lucca’s walls, by Fedispili, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.