Tuscany Highlights
Spending a week based at a beautiful campsite in the middle of Tuscany was an affordable way to explore the region, visiting Florence, Sienna, and Pisa, as well as having time for a bit of respite from the 30c+ heat around the campsite pool. While the campsite offered a shuttle bus service into Florence which we took advantage of, to be able to visit the rest of the region a car was needed and so we booked a rental car which we collected on arrival into Pisa airport (and was the only way to get to the campsite!).
Florence
Top tip before you even get to Tuscany – book any tickets to cultural attractions online. Tickets to enter Duomo di Firenze and the Bell Tower, as well as many of the gardens, sell out fast on the day, so if this is your only opportunity to visit Florence, avoid disappointment by booking tickets for these popular attractions well in advance.
One of the many gardens we visited were the Boboli Gardens in the city itself that were originally designed from the Medici family. This is a great option to get away from the crowds, but also get good views across Florence.
Florence is very easy to walk around and trying to cross the Ponte Vecchio is certainly an experience with all the tour groups trying to do the same!
Sienna
It’s a winding, scenic journey through the Tuscan hills to the smaller walled city of Sienna, but it’s certainly worth the drive. Meandering through the streets and squares, admiring the medieval architecture, and hiking up the Torre del Mangia for views across the city and surrounding countryside.
We found a wonderful Gelateria just off the Palazzo Pubblico that certainly helped after climbing up to the top of the tower!
Pisa
Well, there really is only one thing to do in Pisa, and that’s the tower. Again, be sure to book tickets online well in advance as visitor numbers are limited. It’s quite disorientating entering the tower and starting the ascent, as the slight lean certainly throws you off! Then there is the obligatory photo opportunity ‘holding up’ the tower – it’s difficult to find a good place for this to work though as many of the green spaces are roped off.
There are plenty of places to get a drink or bite to eat around the tower and of course, gelato as a reward for the climb!
