Tuscany roadtrip with itinerary

I love Italy in general and I love coming back here. I'm fascinated by the fact that every corner of it is completely different, yet the basics remain - nature, history, sights, shopping and great food, gelato and wine. Of course, in Tuscany you'll find a little bit of everything and maybe even more of something too, it's such an Italian gem, I guess. Urban tourism lovers in particular will find something to love here, as every other city or town has something distinctive and interesting, plus most of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of which there is a really huge concentration in Tuscany. You won't go wrong even if you want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Would you rather lounge by the sea or move further south to enjoy wine from the local vineyards under the shade of cypress trees?

Tuscany had been on our radar for a while, and before the world went coronavirus crazy, I even bought tickets for May 2020. But the situation was still bad at the time, with borders closed and flights cancelled. I managed to cancel most of my accommodation too, except for one in Florence, which issued a voucher. Letting it lapse would have been an eternal shame though, so I threw myself into planning. As I've already mentioned, there are an incredible number of interesting places here and it was clear that I had to choose carefully. I then present my brilliant itinerary to Pep. "Well, you've got to be kidding... we're going on a 10 day sightseeing tour for one accommodation!!!". But... I can be persuasive :) and I think in the end he didn't regret it because it was great. I mean, not that we relaxed, not really, but it was still great!

By the way, who would like to know how to get here by air, I find the most convenient flights to Pisa and Florence (both Ryanair). TIP: a combination of flights - arriving in Pisa and departing from Florence or vice versa, whichever works best for the price. Not only will you save money but also time as you won't have to go back to one city. 

Our itinerary

I tuned the program according to my own preferences, mainly in an attempt to at least balance the overwhelming prevalence of urban tourism. That's why I decided to spend the first few days at Lake Garda, to get into "vacation mode" and enjoy some nature. After that, we had one longer crossing to our only sure stop - Florence. Sure, we could have stopped in Mantua, Bologna, Modena or Ferrara on the way, but this way you could spend half a year there, and we only had ten days, so maybe next time :)

I planned our return journey through Switzerland, mainly because of the highway tolls. The route via Italy-Austria was about half an hour better in time, but we would have to pay the Austrian vignette again and pass through the Brenner Pass, which of course we didn't really want to do. In contrast, we had already bought the Swiss vignette from our July trip, and since it is valid all year round, we could still use it in peace. Plus, we liked Switzerland well enough, so when there was a chance to see a few more bits of it, there was no reason to hesitate.

1. DAY 

Lago di Tenno, Riva del Garda

night Albergo Villa Mimosa

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2. DAY

Lago di Garda

night Albergo Villa Mimosa

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3. DAY

Lago di Garda, Sirmione

night Pensione Mercedes

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4. DAY

Verona, Florencie

night Sognando Firenze

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5. DAY

San Gimignano, Siena

night Hotel More di Cuna

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6. DAY

Val d´Orcia

night Az. Agr. Il Cavalleggero

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7. DAY

Volterra, Pisa

night La Pieve di Luca

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8. DAY

Cinque Terre

night La Pieve di Luca

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9. DAY

Outlet Milan

Switzerland - Bellinzona 

night Agarone-Romitaggio

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10. DAY

Switzerland - Corippo, Valle Verzasca

Liechtenstein

overnight car journey

If you are interested in some numbers, we covered more than 2 700 km in these 10 days. Of course, there are other fees associated with the car, which have to be taken into account on this route (with this itinerary). So that you know roughly what you are getting into:

• Austrian vignette - €9,50
• Brenner Pass - €10
• Italian motorways (toll gates) - approx. €60
• total parking - approx. €32
• Swiss vignette - 40 CHF
 

Florence

Let's start with this Tuscan capital, which receives millions of tourists every year. It became an important cultural centre in the 15th century, during the Renaissance, thanks to the legendary Medici family. They were one of the richest and most powerful families in Florence and had a huge influence on the political and cultural life of the city. Their heyday is thus inextricably linked to their name and today we can commemorate their fame with an entry on the UNESCO list of monuments. Collectively, you would find it under the title "Medici Villas and Gardens". Specifically, there are 12 villas and 2 gardens, of which 4 villas and the Boboli garden are in Florence.

But UNESCO has one more notch here, and that is the entire historic centre of the city. A must-stop is, of course, the main square, Piazza del Duomo, home to the stunning gothic cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, along with the Chapel of St Lawrence and Giotto's bell tower. 

The iconic Ponte Vecchio (Old bridge) over the Arno River, also known as the "Bridge of the Goldsmiths", is sure to be the second highlight. I have to say, I'm totally smitten... especially from a distance. You don't even notice that you're walking on a bridge when you cross it. All around you are shops (surprisingly with jewellery), one next to the other, crammed together, making you feel like you're walking down any other street. It should also be noted that he didn't just charm me, he appeared for example in the movie Perfume: the story of a Murderer, or inspired the creators of Game of Thrones, who likened the bridge in Volantis to it in season 5.

A short walk from the Ponte Vecchio, the world-famous Uffizi Gallery is a must-stop for art lovers. Here you can see works by famous names such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo and many more. No wonder it is the most visited gallery in Florence. Admission costs €20 and you can find more info here.

If you are not a fan of art, take a walk to the viewpoint, where you will get an absolutely fabulous view of the whole city and the river. Brunelleschi's dome, which belongs to the main cathedral, and the Ponte Vecchio bridge also stand out. Type Piazzale Michelangelo into your sat nav and start climbing. Don't worry, it's nothing drastic and we managed to get there with a stroller. We started from the tower of San Niccolo, which was originally part of the city's fortifications and can now be climbed as part of the tour. We then passed several fountains, climbed a few steps and hallelujah the view... but there will probably be more access routes. 

Where to stay in Florence?

More than a year after booking, we are finally redeeming a voucher for accommodation at Sognando Firenze. To be honest, I was choosing based on different priorities at the time because we were originally going to fly in = not deal with parking. The other thing, we were supposed to go alone two because Donut was still lounging in my belly, but neither was a problem in the final. They helpfully added a cot to our room and we left the car a short walk from our accommodation in a parking lot with a pay and display, with the caveat that there is no charge on blue lanes on Sundays (otherwise €1/hour). 

Anyway, I can easily recommend Sognando Firenze further - very nice rooms, friendly staff and fine breakfast. In addition, you can walk to the centre along the river in peace, in short, what more can you ask for €64/night? But if you fancy something different, here are my other tips:

• cheap: Guest House Zefiro - well rated rooms with private bathrooms right in the center of Florence, given the location and the price of €44/night I would say that nothing cheaper can be found.

• medium: BandBFirenze 8 or B&B La Nannina - both beautiful stylish little rooms close to all Florence's must sees. Prices from €76/night, depending on the type of room.

• luxury: Velona´s Jungle - beautiful original accommodation with a relatively large price range, or Canto degli Scali offering designer rooms and suites

San Gimignano

This unique medieval town is located on a plateau about an hour from Florence, so if you're passing through these parts, I definitely recommend a stop here. Now what's so special about San Gimignano? It's characterized primarily by the many stone towers that once expressed the wealth and power of the family. However, the different families competed to see who would have the tallest tower, until the situation got so bad that in the middle of the 13th century, the councillors forbade the building of any more. There used to be 72 towers and to date 15 remain, the tallest of which is Torre Grossa at 54 metres.      

I generally don't do much research on these smaller towns beforehand, I think of it more as an opportunity to enjoy a stroll through the beautiful historic streets, sample some good food, and whatever we come across, we come across. No stress. For the sake of argument, I'd better mention two things I don't want to miss here. The first is Gelateria Dondoli, whose gelato regularly wins world gelato competitions and we have to admit - it's really delicious! You'll find the business in Piazza della Cisterna and it's very hard to miss, as there's always a queue outside... which is half the problem. The rest is waiting for you inside, where you will literally lose your head from the many flavors, but I think you won't go wrong no matter how you choose :) Then for the second thing I would highlight the views, especially Punto Panoramico (just off P. della Cisterna) and Vista Panoramica in Parco della Rocca are a must for me.

On the practical side: the centre of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is surrounded by walls. Only locals are allowed to drive, but there are several parking lots around the area, which of course are paid. 

Volterra

And we'll stay with medieval fortified towns for a while. Volterra doesn't have as many towers, nor is it a UNESCO World Heritage Site like San Gimignano, but it's still just as popular with tourists. The beautifully preserved historic centre with its many monuments and the adjacent streets inviting to explore are simply a sure thing. Volterra is also famous for its alabaster work, so you're sure to come across small workshops where craftsmen create their works of art in the form of statues and other decorative objects. The souvenir shops are brimming with alabaster artefacts. If you don't know what to think of alabaster, in simple terms it looks like marble but is softer, which is why it has become a popular material for carving small details. If you are more interested in this raw material, you can visit the alabaster museum - Ecomuseo dell'Alabastro.

On the practical side: parking in front of the city walls again, for example at the Parcheggio Stazione you pay €1.50/hour. I also recommend going up to the Pallazzo dei Priori tower, where you have a really great view of the whole of Volterra. The advantage is that you can get to several places at the same time within one entrance fee = "Volterra Open ticket" (€ 7). So we made the most of it by using the aforementioned palace in the main square, which houses a museum/gallery and includes a tower with a view. Just beware the final access staircase is not particularly wide and there is only room for a maximum of 3 people at the top of the observation deck. Fortunately there was no tourist rush in September. We also ran into the Enrico Fiumi archaeological park, where you can see the remains of the Etruscan acropolis and you can even descend into the original water tank. And lastly, we checked out the Roman theatre and baths (Teatro Romano e terme) from the late 1st century BC.

Plus, you might remember Volterra in the context of Twilight, specifically the second episode, New Moon, when Bella was vehemently trying to save Edward from the Volturi family right here in Volterra. But maybe... I'm just that kind of Twilight freak. Either way, you'd assume it was filmed here. Oh, surprise, it wasn't! Actually, the Piazza dei Priori footage was filmed in another Tuscan town - Montepulciano. And if you remember the moment when Bella crosses the square through the fountain, there is no such moment in Volterra or Montepulciano. So the poor filmmakers had to artificially create it to make the film as close to the book as possible. That's all of the Twilight world (and Volterra) for today :)

Pisa

Most anyone who has visited Pisa will tell you that it is a two-hour affair. I found that a bit strange, but after my own experience I have to agree. All the top sights are concentrated in the Piazza dei Miracoli, which is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The biggest attraction is of course the Leaning Tower, which rather surprised us with its slant. We didn't expect it to be so slanted :D This 56 meter high tower with a circular plan serves as a bell tower and is currently leaning by about 4 meters (but it used to be 5 meters). Now most tourists feel obliged to take a "very original" photo with it, which I must say is really fun to see. Bunches of people in strange poses and photographers shouting commands like hand down, foot right etc... but sure, at least make the photo believable when you're supporting the tower or carrying it on your back or what have you, right? :) Here I would also like to point out the fact that some parts of the lawn are closed for these photo-happy tourists, so please respect that and find an unfenced area.

Anyway, it is not the only interesting building in the Square of Miracles. You will hardly miss the white stone Cathedral of the Assumption or the stunning Baptiserium of St. John with its monumental dome. And that's not all! For a complete list of what to visit and prices, visit the official website here. Otherwise, beware, if you google "leaning tower tickets" or something similar, a million links will pop up pretending to be official but charging a hefty markup. The official site is really just Opa Pisa.          

On the practical side: the first thing I'll mention again is parking. This time we left the car at Parking Via Piave for €2/hour and it really took us two hours to explore the centre of Pisa with lunch (without entrance). And as for lunch, you'll find a great many restaurants offering a variety of European cuisine in the streets adjacent to the main square, so you don't have to worry about having to look too hard here. Plus, if you continue on for a few dozen metres, you'll come to a pretty little square called Piazza dei Cavalieri, which is definitely worth checking out.

So yeah, that's it for the start, but you can go straight on to Siena and the beautiful rolling Val d'Orcia! 

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