r/tuscany

We are traveling through Tuscany and was in Siena from sunday to tuesday morning. We only realised it was Palio in Siena about 2 weeks ago. We were exited to witness this event and went to the Piazza on sunday and monday. Yesterday we had to go to our next destination and decided to watch the Palio on the television.

Could anyone explain what we were looking at for about 1hr?

I understand that the starting order was decided (at random) minutes before the start, after that the horses are lined up, and as the last jockey arrives, they can start. But yesterday this was quite a mess, Oca (starting p9) was on p8 all the time and Nicchio seemed not able to line up. After 1hr and multiple failed starts they proceeded in an order that wasnt the supposed starting order.

Thank you in andvance! Sorry if this is not the correct subreddit to post this is, please guide me to the right one :).

(M35) che vive in questa fantastica terra bella quanto problematica, c'è qualcuno qui che vive in zona ? Com'è viverci ? Scrivetemi se volete parlarne in privato

Hello

My family and I are travelling to Anghiari for 2 weeks self catering in September and I’m looking for some recommendations or places to visit, eat etc in the area. We will have a rental car so day trip recommendations are welcomed! We love our food and wine! We will be flying into Pisa so any stops that you would make on the drive to Anghiari? We will have a 9 month old with us too so any go to baby friendly spots?

Thank you 🤩

Ciao a tutti!
Io e il mio ragazzo (22 anni) saremo a Siena dal 18 agosto. Avremo la macchina e stiamo cercando di pianificare un viaggio che sia il più autentico possibile, alla larga dalle classiche trappole per turisti e dai "punti Instagram".
Sappiamo che arriviamo in un momento molto particolare: l'immediato post-Palio. A questo proposito vorremmo qualche consiglio per muoverci con intelligenza e rispetto:

Post-Palio & Contrade: Sappiamo che il 20 rimuovono il tufo e che ci sono i vari smontaggi in piazza. Ci sono zone/strade che ci sconsigliate di girare a piedi per non intralciare i lavori o la vita dei locali? Inoltre, ho visto che c'è qualche evento gastronomico di contrada: da esterni (educati e discreti), ha senso andarci per mangiare qualcosa e respirare l'atmosfera o è una cosa intima in cui è meglio non intrufolarsi?

Cibo e Vino: Dove andate voi a mangiare i pici, la cinta o la chianina spendendo il giusto? E per il vino, avete una piccola cantina da consigliare per una degustazione verace, che non sia il classico tour da pullman?

Dintorni storici: Ci fa impazzire l'estetica dell'Abbazia di San Galgano. Se avete altre "chicche" del genere (borghi meno noti, abbazie, natura selvaggia o posti sopravvalutati da evitare assolutamente ad agosto), siamo tutti orecchi.

Se avete consigli pratici o "red flag" su posti da evitare per la troppa folla, vi leggiamo volentieri.
Vino, cibo e i vostri meravigliosi paesaggi collinari e medievali sono nei nostri pensieri da mesi ormai ♥️
Grazie in anticipo a chi ci aiuterà!

I see the Palio due to take place today has been suspended until tomorrow due to rain. We had originally planned on going today but changed our minds as logistically it wasn’t working out for us as we only arrived in the area this morning so had changed to going tomorrow (the day preceding) but now that means if we stick to our original plans to go to Siena tomorrow we will actually be there for the Palio. It’s meant to be…. So any advice on parking outside the city walls would be really helpful as this is a bucket list event for me and seems written in the stars to be there! Driving is really our only option of transportation

Looking for a Local Recommendation – Marriage Proposal in Tuscany 💍🇮🇹

Hi everyone!

My girlfriend and I will be visiting Tuscany on August 25th or 26th, and I’m planning to surprise her with a marriage proposal. ❤️

I’m looking for a beautiful and private vineyard/farm where I could organize a romantic picnic around sunset.

Ideally, I’d love somewhere with:

* 🍷 A beautiful vineyard or countryside view
* 🧺 A private picnic setup
* 🌅 Sunset views
* 💐 Flowers / romantic decoration
* 📸 Ideally a photographer who could secretly capture the proposal

I’ve found some options online, but I would really prefer to hear from locals who know the area well. Maybe there’s a small vineyard, agriturismo, restaurant, or family-owned place that isn’t easy to find online.

We will be driving from Venice to Tuscany and back to Venice, so Chianti, San Gimignano, Florence surroundings, or other beautiful areas that make sense on this route would be perfect.

If you know a special place or someone who could help organize something like this, I would really appreciate any recommendations. 🙏

Thank you so much! 🇮🇹❤️

I see that there is a big carnival being set up in Lucca for the entire month of September. Apparently, it comes every year at this time. It looks like a traveling carnival with rides, attractions, and games.

Settembre Lucchese | Luna Park

There are several small roller coasters already set up, and I think I saw them building a water ride/attraction - this is occupying a very large space outside the walls...and unfortunately eating up all the free parking 😭

Has anyone gone to the LUNA PARK event in Lucca, or have you seen it in other cities?

I am wondering if you have gone and if it's something safe and fun to take the family to.

Every day I see many questions about Tuscany on this sub, but 70/80% of the questions are specific to... nothing...

I see several times general questions that are too vague to actually give a real answer, like asking for advice on excursions... How can we advise you if you can be up to a 4 hour drive from one side to the other of Tuscany? How can we recommend a winery if we don't know where you are staying?

Also, regarding transportation, there are buses and trains between cities and villages, and they work pretty well depending on the area, but some areas are so isolated that it is impossible to get there by public transport and in this case a car is essential. I need a car from my own house to reach the closest town because there are literally only 2 buses passing at 07:00 and 13:00 respectively; it is not reliable and you will be stuck somewhere.

Taxis are obviously common in large cities, but in a village you won't even find a random person providing an Uber service, because there is no demand for them and it would be a waste to offer a service for a few tourists per year.

Do some research and try to get an idea of where to go, how to get around, and what to do. Tuscany is not a big amusement park and some activities can be tricky to do/reach depending on where you are. Going to the Saturnia thermal baths from Florence, for example, takes 3 hours by car and 15 hours by public transport. I doubt you want to leave the previous day and waste all this time just to take a picture for Instagram because you don't want to drive a car (also, the stereotype of Italians being maniacs on the road is exaggerated; we are maniacs as much as people in any other country. We don't drive with the idea of killing other drivers).

Use Google, Google Maps, or ask an AI to get a general idea of where you want to stay and how to get there. After that, we can definitely give you advice on activities depending on your situation. If you have one specific activity in mind that is essential for your holiday, try to understand what's the best place to stay and make sure you check HOW to get there.

Please don't take it for granted that whatever you need is close by where you dream of staying.

Do some research first and we will be happy to help you have a memorable holiday.

Hi everyone! I’m trying to figure out the easiest way to handle a rental car for our Tuscany portion of the trip and would love advice from anyone who has done something similar.

Our itinerary is:

• Sept 5: Leave Florence and head to the Tuscany countryside
• Sept 5–7: Staying in the countryside and using the car to explore
• Sept 7: Visit the hot springs (Saturnia) and then head toward Naples by train

My question is: Would it be easier to rent a car in Florence and drive into Tuscany, or take the train from Florence and rent a car somewhere in Tuscany?

Since we’re only keeping the car for about 2 days, I’m also wondering if it makes sense to pick it up in one location and return it somewhere else rather than driving all the way back to Florence.

Has anyone done a one-way rental in Tuscany, especially if you’re eventually heading toward Naples?

(For reference, we’re staying in the Tuscany countryside rather than Florence/Siena, and Saturnia is the last stop before we continue on to Naples.)

Hello! I’m traveling to the Montepulciano area next month with my mom, wife, and two kids (4 and 6). Unfortunately, we only have four nights, so we’d love to make the most of our time without packing the trip too full.

My kids love animals, so we’re hoping to do something like horseback riding, although I’m guessing my 4 yr old may be a little young. We’d also be interested in a family-friendly cooking class, farm tour, or anything similar.

Does anyone have recommendations for things we shouldn’t miss, especially activities that work well with younger kids? We’re also happy to explore nearby towns or countryside if there are places worth visiting.

The last day of Sagra dell’Ocio and the first day of Festa dell’Uva fall during our stay, so we’re thinking of checking those out as well.

Any recommendations for activities, farms, restaurants, towns, or other experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Salve, siamo una coppia di 30 anni, ai primi mesi di rapporto, stiamo cercando un posto carino (no mare) stile borgo, castelli, collina, paesino in Toscana.
Anche posti di nicchia poco conosciuti!
Sarebbe infrasettimanale della prossima settimana!

Valutiamo pure Liguria o Emilia Romagna (ai confini con la toscana)

Grazie!

I’m planning a one-week family holiday in Tuscany in May 2027 and would love recommendations from people with local knowledge or experience renting larger villas.

We’re looking for:

• Up to 16 people: 10 adults + 6 children
• A beautiful Tuscan countryside estate/farmhouse, preferably somewhere peaceful and rural
• Private swimming pool — ideally heated, but not essential
• Around 7–9 bedrooms, preferably with good private bathrooms
• Ideally within 1–1.5 hours of an airport with regular flights to Copenhagen
• A property suitable for a multigenerational family holiday, with plenty of outdoor space and communal areas
• Most importantly, we’d like staff/service on site: ideally a private chef for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus housekeeping and preferably someone who can help with serving, dishes and general practical things during meals
• We’re open to either a single large villa or a main house plus guest houses/annexes

Our total budget is approximately €13,500–17,000 for the week, including accommodation, staff and ideally food/service, although there is some flexibility for the right place.

We’re currently looking mainly around Tuscany, particularly areas such as Chianti, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Lucca and the surrounding countryside.

I’d be very interested in recommendations for specific properties, villa agencies, local contacts or experiences with staffed villas. We’re looking for something authentic and comfortable rather than an ultra-luxury resort.

Thanks!

Im staying by Santa Maria del Giudice, which is about halfway between Pisa and Lucca. Ive already visited both of those and I have 4 more days. Where should I consider?

It's so hot Ive only been exploring for the mornings and coming back to my AirBnB for lunch and chilling by the pool for the afternoon.

I hear Florence is great but it's over an hours drive and not sure if I want to deal with a big city in this heat. Any smaller places near me with that Italian charm?

Hi everyone!
For my girlfriend's birthday, I'd like to gift her a trip to the Tuscan countryside in August. Unfortunately, we don't have a car and renting one isn't an option, so we'll have to rely entirely on public transport and possibly e-bikes.
We know that getting around Tuscany without a car in August can be tricky, but we're trying to figure out how feasible our itinerary actually is.
Here is what we'd like to do:

1. Siena: A few days as our starting point to visit the city. 16th August to 18th.
2. Siena ➔ Montepulciano: We'd like to travel by bus. From our research, this seems doable using the extra-urban bus line 112. We are going to stay for some days in a Montepulciano B&B. 18th to 20th
3. Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia: The idea is to travel from Montepulciano to stop a day in Pienza and another day in San Quirico d'Orcia. 19th and 20th
4. Monticchiello: We would really love to visit it from Montepulciano. Since local buses seem almost non-existent in the summer, we are considering renting e-bikes for a day trip (round trip) or otherwise give it up.
   Honestly, I'd like to know if pulling off this plan is possible. Any advice or tweaks to our itinerary are more than welcome. I'd really love to hear your thoughts on this.