Tuscany Summer Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know

What is Tuscany Italy known for?

Tuscany, Italy is known for its iconic farmland, natural springs, world-renowned food, and being the home of Renaissance art. In my humble opinion, if you want to experience the best of Italy, you’ll find it in Tuscany.

What to do in Tuscany

Visit the towns and villages of Tuscany

Each town and village of Tuscany is unique with its own charm, food, wine, and views. If you’re visiting Tuscany during summer I highly recommend getting up early and heading out to some of the more popular sites as parking can become difficult during busier times of the day. However, as there are so many small, quaint villages to see, you’re bound to find one that is just perfect in your eyes. In fact, I even ranked the towns of Tuscany to help you make an informed choice. Some of my favourite towns of Tuscany are:

Experience Tuscan wineries & vineyards

The vibe of Tuscany is best found enjoying an alfresco wine tasting on a lazy evening when the sun is low and the rolling hills and olive trees are hazy. Some of the best places to experience this are:

Understand the history of tuscany

Tuscany has some of the most beautiful and unique fortress towns, renaissance architecture, artworks, and nature. The purpose of this Tuscany summer travel guide is to make sure you experience these customs and see some of the most important legacies as it will help you get immersed in Tuscany. Tuscany is so much more than Florence, too! (If you’re going to Florence, I wrote a photo journal all about my visit there). Some of my recommendations would be:

How to visit Tuscany

Tuscany has two airports that serve the region, and Florence is accessible via high speed train. If you’re travelling from Australia, the easiest way is to travel to a big international airport like Milano and take the high speed train to Florence. While in Florence, you’ll be able to get around by using public transportation or ride share services. When travelling around Tuscany, unless you are on a guided tour, I highly recommend that you rent a car as it is the best way to get around by far and offers you the most freedom. Public transportation is not frequent in Tuscany and many towns will not be accessible to you. 

Where to stay in tuscany

Tuscany is expansive, with many small towns and villages as well as some bigger towns like Florence and Pisa. When I visited, I stayed a few nights in Florence and reviewed both hotels (Hotel Palazzo dal Borgo & Hotel Villa Agape) and then stayed at an agriturismo outside of Siena which I used as my home base as I travelled out each day by car to the villages of Tuscany.

Best restaurants in Tuscany

Tuscany is one of the best places to experience delicious Italian delights, with gelato and bruschetta available in every second store! Italy is accidentally vegan friendly, meaning it isn’t too hard to find something to eat that is vegan, even if it was not intended! If you’re going to Florence, I wrote a vegan guide for that. Unfortunately, as I’m vegan I can’t recommend any meat dishes in this Tuscany summer travel guide, but some of the best restaurants have both vegan and meat options. My favourites are:

Best time of year to go to Tuscany

They say that the best time of the year to visit Tuscany is Spring (March, April, & May) and Autumn (September, October, & November). This is because the weather is agreeable for most, with temperatures around 17°C-23°C in Spring and 20°C-26°C in Autumn. I went during August and I really enjoyed it. The reason I would vouch for summer is because the weather in the day gets hotter (around 33°C) but the heat abates by night (around 18°C). This means it is the perfect time to enjoy sitting by the pool during the day and long evenings drinking wine and watching the sun stretch over the hills.

It is also the best time of year to enjoy the fruits and vegetables that Tuscany offers. Although it is peak season (which means many others escape to Tuscany to relax and you’ll find Florence more crowded), it means that all of the restaurants, agriturismo stays, and boutique shops are open which is not the case in the off-peak seasons.

Is Tuscany an expensive place to visit?

Yes and no. I would say that day-to-day costs in Tuscany are not too expensive for the average traveller compared to visiting other European destinations.

Average daily costs

Travelling on a budget will cost you about $320AUD per day (approx. $205USD), mid-range will cost you $450AUD per day (approx. $290USD), and high-end luxury travel will cost you $650AUD – $1650AUD per day (approx. $420USD-$1050USD depending on accommodation). These costs include accommodation, meals, and car rental. Check car prices for Tuscany here.

What to wear in Tuscany Italy?

Tuscany in summer is the perfect excuse to get your favourite linen dress out and some comfy slides. I put together some items that scream Under The Tuscan Sun: