Tours around Florence

If you are not especially fond of museums and prefer the great outdoors, Tuscany is just the place for you. Explore the unique natural landscapes around Florence.

 

Fiesole, in the nearby hills, offers a splendid panorama of Florence and is definitely not to be missed! Fiesole is easily accessible by bus or even on foot or bicycle in Spring. You can visit the Acropolis with the basilica of Sant'Alessandro or simply have a stroll and enjoy the landscape.

 

You can also admire Fiesole’s magnificent Tuscan villas, many dating from the Medici Age, including Villa La Petraia, Villa Medici, Villa Bardini and many others. One particular landmark is Villa di Castello, where the prestigious "Accademia della Crusca" and the "Istituto Opera del Vocabolario Italiano", indomitable guardians of the Italian language, have their headquarters. Visits to the Academy are organized every first Sunday of the month.

 

And not too far from Florence itself are other stunning Tuscan towns such as Siena, Pistoia and Volterra. You can stroll through Siena and visit the Palazzo Comunale in Piazza del Campo - and the Torre del Magia to enjoy a view of the city, the surrounding countryside, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. The historic centre of Pistoia is enclosed within the remains of no less than three rings of city walls, while Volterra’s magnificent, unspoiled landscape is only rivalled by its historical interest.

 

Needless to say all this activity whets the appetite, but finding good food is hardly a problem in Tuscany.