DK Travel : Tuscany

Limiting the choice of prime sights is not an easy task in a land as rich and varied as Tuscany. Its storybook landscape is home to medieval hill towns, fabled wines and, as crucible of the Renaissance, an unrivalled collection of artistic masterpieces. Here are the best of the best.

Tenuta Poggio al Casone

Poggio al Casone is a charming resort in Tuscany, set in a private wine farm among 40 hectares of vineyards! From the cypress lined drive up to the manor (which looked like a film set!), to the monographed towels and robes, the teapot, cup and saucers, the wonderful wine tour, to the caretaker's smiling and helpful self, owner's passion for his vineyards and Tuscany in general, the weather, the pool... the list goes on. Everything is perfect!!! The attention to detail is incredible. Here you feel so welcome... A tuscan home away from home!
Terme di Saturnia (Saturnia's Spa)

Don't miss the natural heated pools in the Terme di Saturnia, free to the public. Also, check out the natural waterfall, the Cascata del Gorello where you can freely lie in the sulphur springs of warm water (about 35 °C).
Tessuti a Mano

Fioretta Bacci works her giant looms at the back, turning out colourful, unique knitwear.
The Best of Florence in One Day

Morning

Book your Accademia tickets (see Florence’s Accademia) for 8:30am and spend a leisurely 90 minutes perusing the paintings and Michelangelo statues. On your way to the Duomo (see The Duomo Group, Florence), stop at Carabé, Via Ricasoli 60r, for a Sicilian gelato ; later you can compare this milk-based treat to the Florentine milk-and-yolk version.

Be at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo around 10:30, then head for the Duomo itself: climb the dome for stupendous views. Pop into the Baptistry for its glittering Byzantine mosaics and bronze doors.

Stroll the Via dei Calzaiuoli and turn left onto Via dei Cimatori for lunch on-the-go from >I Fratellini , nibbling your sandwich and sipping wine while lounging on the cobbled street.

Afternoon

During riposo , when much is closed, trek over to Santa Croce (see Santa Croce) to pay your respects to the artistic luminaries buried there, and browse the leather shop. On your way back to the heart of town, stop at Vivoli, Florence’s best gelato parlour at Via Isole delle Stinche 7r, for a fortifying triple scoop.

Have Uffizi reservations (see The Uffizi, Florence) for 4pm: this will give you a good three hours to commune with the masters of the Renaissance. Overloaded with art, stroll across the Ponte Vecchio in the twilight, pause to gaze up the Arno, and plunge into the Oltrarno district to find a good restaurant for dinner.
The Best of the Maremma in a Day

Morning

Start in the most dramatic of Maremma’s hill towns, Pitigliano , perusing the ultra-modern archaeological museum set in a fortified palazzo.

Head north to Sorano to visit the Fortezza degli Orsini (be there by 11am for a tour of its cellars), then poke around the abandoned, cliffside Via delle Rovine neighbourhood.

Ask at the Fortezza for a map of the Etruscan tombs and vie cave in the area, then take off towards Sovana, looking out for signs indicating Etruscan ruins (tomba, ippogeo, via cava ). Explore as many as you can before heading into Sovana for lunch.

Afternoon

Pop into Santa Maria Church and the 11th- to 13th-century Duomo, which preserves good carvings, some of which pre-date the Romanesque.

Follow the twisting road west through San Martino sul Fiora (more Etruscan roadside stops), then turn south to Saturnia. Skip the spa and head to the Cascate del Gorello open-air hot springs south of town to wallow in the natural whirlpools.

Go south to Manciano, from where you can reach coastal A12 highway: south to Tarquínia and Cerveteri (for great Etruscan tombs); or north to Monti dell’ Uccellina , the Etruscan Riviera beaches, or Piombino and ferries to Elba .
The Churches

Florence’s major churches are covered fully on and the cathedral on (see The Duomo Group, Florence).
The Dome of Florence’s Duomo

Brunelleschi’s ingenious double-shell dome revived the genius of ancient builders to kick-start Renaissance architecture (see The Duomo Group, Florence).
The Duomo Group

Florence’s religious heart: Giotto’s lithe belltower, the Baptistry’s Gates of Paradise and Byzantine mosaics, and the Duomo museum’s Michelangelo and Donatello sculptures – all lorded over by Brunelleschi’s dome, a miracle of Renaissance engineering and architecture.
The Duomo Group, Florence

Brunelleschi’s noble dome, Giotto’s slender belltower, Ghiberti’s robust gates, Michelangelo’s tortured Pietà and two panoramic terraces, all wrapped in red, white and green marble.
The Mall, Leccio Regello, near Florence

Come here for savings on clothes, shoes and accessories by names such as Armani, Gucci, St Laurent and Bottega Veneta. The outlet centre runs a shuttle bus from Florence (055 865 7775). The modern building is marked “café” and is 3 miles (5 km) off the main road.