Under the Tuscan Sun…The Ultimate Guide to 10 Days in Tuscany

I’m frequently asked: “What is your ultimate favorite vacation destination?” Read on to hear more about our favorite vacation destination & my ultimate guide to 10 days in Tuscany! 

Initially, my brain starts firing like a ping-pong machine with memories of sun, waves, vineyards, rolling hills, mountains, sunrises and sunsets…all the images that my brain has conjured up over the years of idealistic getaways.

But then, I stop to think of those vacations that have *really* stood out in my mind. Where was I when I first tasted wild boar ragu? How many days did I spend in the rain and cold trekking through Iceland? Remember the intoxicating scent of the lavender fields in Provence? What about those rolling hills of Tuscany…?

What about them rolling hills, I say…Those rolling hills are what linked my heart during our 10 days in Tuscany forever, my friends.

Our Cottage In The Hills of Tuscany

My husband and I had the pleasure of renting a little renovated-farmhouse-turned-guest-cottage in the hill-town of Fiano named Casa Christine, just outside the walled city of Lucca. Casa Christine is a beautiful cottage with traditional Tuscan decor, complete with an outdoor pool area. The patio has sweeping views of the Tuscan sun. Oh, and did I mention the property contained its own 100+ year old vines and olive trees? Yep. It sure did.

While Fiano itself is a sleepy little village–there are only a few essential businesses here such as a bakery and shoe shop along with the quintessential sighting of elderly men sitting on park benches shouting Italian at one another, all the while wearing 3-piece suits–the city center of Lucca boasts everything one could need for a 9 day stay. Fiano was the perfect launch-pad for day trips to locations such as Pisa, Cinque Terre, Sienna, The Wine Road (Tuscany) and Florence. If you desire the proximal convenience to all the major Tuscan cities and attractions with the idealistic country landscape, then this area is for you.

10 Days in Tuscany Tip #1: Pisa

 

10 Days in Tuscany Tip #2: Florence

There are no cars allowed inside the city of Florence (which is fine, because have you ever tried to drive in a congested city center or park in Europe?), so we caught the 6:45 a.m. train into the city center. The train ride from Lucca proper to Florence was 1.25 hours long. My husband was like a kitty in the window, peering out and checking each location so inquisitively. I, on the other hand, was asleep before we even left the Lucca train station–let’s blame it on the wine from the night before! (Insert —>snore.)

There are so many well known attractions in the city of Florence–Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (better known as “The Duomo”), the Ponte Vecchio, the Galleria dell’Accademia–just to name a few. And, if you’re only visiting for the day during your 10 days in Tuscany, and you want a little time to do some–eh hem–shopping for leather goods?…well then make sure you hit these big attractions and save the rest for your next visit to Florence.

Santa Maria del Fiore: The Duomo

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as The Duomo, began construction in 1296 in the Gothic style and was completed structurally in 1436. It is an architectural marvel. If you have the opportunity, I’d highly recommend taking the stairwell climb to the top of the Duomo. It is a very narrow climb of 463 steps and several stories to the top. And, at one point towards the end, we climbed at an angle up over the top of the dome so it’s similar to hiking a rocky cliff. The view from the top is nothing short of amazing! There’s something special about terra cotta roof tops and honey-colored buildings that makes my heart soar.

The Ponte Vecchio

A visit to Florence isn’t complete without walking across the famous Ponte Vecchio. The words Ponte Vecchio mean “Old Bridge,” and it was the only bridge to cross the Arno River in Florence until 1218. During WWII, it was the only bridge to cross the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy. Today, the boutique shops and restaurants that dot the edges of this bridge are absolutely adorable, but the real highlight here is the rivers-edge view of the Arno.

Galleria dell’ Accademia

Our last attraction stop this day was a viewing of the Statue of David at the Galleria dell’ Accademia. I wish I was an art history buff–you know the type that can spew off random facts about late artists, their life stories and the mediums they are known for? Unfortunately, that’s not me, but I do appreciate the rare opportunity to view these works of art in person. A word of advice: make sure you purchase your queue ticket in advance of your visit to Florence. The day we arrived was in the middle of the week in mid-June and the queue line was around the building and into the next city block. Since we had purchased our ticket in advance, we skipped the queue line and went straight in.

And the David? Ohmyheavenlystars.

It is exquisite; an absolute sight to behold.

Michaelangelo was an absolute artistic hero. To create such a marvel of marble in the early 1500’s is absolutely astounding. The David stands 17 feet tall and represents the Biblical hero David, a favored subject in the art of Florence. Naturally, since cameras aren’t allowed in major art galleries, I have no photographs to share of the Michaelangelo. But, that does give you all the more reason to get on a jet plane and view it for yourself.

 

10 Days in Tuscany Tip #3: The Wine Road to Siena…

After spending such a ridiculously fantastic day in Florence, where do you go from there? Like…how do you top that? It’s almost like you have to prepare yourself for the rest of your 10 days in Tuscany to go downhill from here…right? Nope. Not even close. The best was yet to come!

The next day…

Castello di Verrazzano. Wine Road. Tuscany.

I.can’t.even.

If you want to see some astounding agriculture, get your tushy to Tuscany. I’m absolutely amazed by the rolling topography, abundant mix of horticulture and general “green-ness” of the region. It is a true sight to take in. Ahhhh…I digress. Sorry, let’s get back on track, shall we?

For our day driving the wine road, my husband had to put his big-boy boots on and step up his driving game in order to get us to Siena. Driving in Italy isn’t the same as the states, people. It’s an actual Olympic sport. (Well, not really, but it should be!) They should give you football pads and helmets when renting a car in Europe for proper precaution. However, they do not. So you just say a prayer and hope that Jesus doesn’t have your number that day. (And you use the sample + spit protocol for wine tasting that day.)

Tuscan Winery Tours

The original guidebook that we used for this trip mentioned Castello di Verrazzano, one of the oldest active vineyards in Tuscany, dating back to the 11th century, as a wonderful stop. The guide book did.not.lie. The drive up to the vineyard was vastly magical. If I ruled the world, everyone who wanted to would experience something this beautiful in his/her lifetime…

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We arrived a little late to join an ‘official tour group’ because we didn’t make an advance reservation. Fortunately, in Italy, this isn’t a big deal, unlike so many tourist traps in the United States. (Insert: You’re late? No soup for you!) The grounds operator let us casually join a tour that was currently in progress. After the tour of the grounds, we entered a wine cave where we caught sight of a cellar that contained one bottle of every production of wine this vineyard ever produced dating back to the 1100’s! Astounding! Next, we enjoyed a light lunch, consisting of cured meats and cheeses perfectly paired with house wines. My life could have ended that day and I would’ve died a very happy woman…

After getting our fill of this beautiful establishment, we rocked our rental car right down the famous “Wine Road” in Tuscany all the way to Siena. No 10 days in Tuscany is complete without a trip down to this famed city! We stopped along the way for a few more tastings at small establishments where the wine was red and plentiful. We vowed to return some day. Perhaps on motorcycle?

Siena

We finally made our way to Siena…our experience of driving, parking and actually finding a way into the city was absolutely maddening! Please tell me we are not the only couple to have ever walked in circles around the walled city and struggled to find our way in! We could see.the.city.center but couldn’t reach it-BAHHHHH! I think it’s part of the Italian charm–being all mysterious and difficult to reach. But, whatever. We clearly loved every minute of it.

Once inside the walls, we explored one of the most beautiful piazzas in all of Italy. The horse races, Il Palio, take place ever year here in the month of July and it becomes packed with tourists and locals. Since it took us so long to actually find the piazza, by the time we got there, we only had time to savor some Chocolate Fondant Gelato and head back to try to find our car. Now that’s a whole other story…

That night, after arriving home from Siena, we didn’t have the energy to cook a meal, so eating out it was! The cottage owners where we were staying recommended without hesitation a small ristorante called La Fonte in Pescaglia, about a 20 minute-over-the-mountain-top drive. No biggie. And it was truly worth every hair-pinned, blind-cornered, S-curve in the road.

La Fonte~Traditional Local Italian Restaurant

La Fonte was totally our style. The owner was the host, server, chef and entertainer. This is where the locals hang out and they could care less that dinner takes 3 hours to consume. Neither did we. Because isn’t that how dinner on vacation (without kids) should be?

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So…after that incredible meal, we had to find some amazing way to spend our last full day in the area before returning to Milan for a few days…

Just outside Tuscany: The Cinque Terre…

Seriously, people. As if the days need to be one-upping each other.

Good heavens.

Technically speaking, the Cinque Terre isn’t in Tuscany. But, we wanted to venture out a bit & we certainly wanted to see the Cinque Terre while we were in the vacinity. So, we took our rental car on this last full day of our 10 days in Tuscany and drove about 1 hour from Fiano towards the coast.

The 5 Villages

The Cinque Terre, easily stated as one of the most beautiful places in all of Italy, if not the world, was right at our fingertips. The 5 villages strung along the coast: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, make up the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We so badly wanted to do the full hike of the Sentiero Azzurro, which is a walking trail that connects all five villages, however, devastating floods had hit several areas of the path about a month before we were there. So, part of the path was under construction and the hike wasn’t a possibility. We were able to walk between a few of the villages, then took the train to Monterosso to lay on the beach, drink some ice-cold beer and eat gelato. A perfect day in our book…

The next day, sadly, we had to say goodbye to Casa Christine and drive to Milan where we would spend a few days. There aren’t an abundance of places Erick and I vow to return to–we’re always looking to visit a new destination–but we will return here some day.

The BIG City: Milan

Ahhhh, city life. Milan is a bustling metropolis of art, culture, high-couture fashion and just everything fancy! We found ourselves navigating the train system on the regular so we could bus ourselves to places like the Piazza Sempione and the 19th century Arch of Peace (think Arc de Triomphe but newer and for the Italians) and Milan’s most famous landmark, the Duomo.

Milan’s Duomo

Milan’s Duomo, 500 years in the making, is one of the largest Gothic-style cathedrals in world. It began construction in the 1380’s, was consecrated in 1418, and finally completed in 1965. It invariably inspires ooohs and ahhhhs from first timers such as myself. The Duomo is said to be in possession of one of the nails from the Crucifixion. The nail rests inside the dome and is only lowered down into plain view once a year at Easter. (My childhood Catholic self just lost her mind.)

The Last Supper Painting

The last major attraction I had to see was a viewing of Leonardo di Vinci’s The Last Supper painting. Yes, here we go, people. This was the culmination of the most spectacular once-in-a-lifetime-trip. We had to purchase these tickets over 2 months in advance as it’s the fastest-selling ticket of all European attractions. Probably because it can only be viewed every 3rd Tuesday between the hours of 12:14 p.m.-3:47 p.m. and only on a Leap Year. Ok, totally kidding, but honestly I’m not exaggerating that much here. The tickets were really hard to come by. We were really lucky that we were actually visiting Milan on a day of the showing.

The viewing of the painting lasted 15 minutes. It was accompanied by a detailed tour and explanation of the museum and painting. Of course, photographs are strictly prohibited inside the museum. This place is under strict surveillance of light, humidity and sound to preserve what’s left of the painting. The painting measures 15′ x 29′ and covers an end wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Da Vinci began work on the painting in 1495 and finished in 1498. If was worth every penny (or Euro). If you have the opportunity to view this painting, Leonardo does not disappoint–do it!

The very last night of our trip was made complete by enjoying cocktails and appetizers out front of the Duomo at sunset.

I sure hope this post inspires you to spend 10 days in Tuscany! It truly is a magical place! And…for more travel inspo, check out my blog post about our luxury stay in Sicily or our epic family adventure to Iceland!

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