You may ask is Tuscany worth a visit, and my response would be a resounding yes. For me, Tuscany overflows with everything you’d need to have a memorable holiday,  from its art and culture, beautiful coastlines and countryside, with olive tree covered hills and villas dotted here and there, and not forgetting its great food !

I chose Tuscany for these qualities, for its cultural and artistic heritage, for the exceptional cuisine, for the peace that I  find only in the Tuscan countryside, for the mountain paths, and cycling trails.
My journey started from the sandy coast of Versilia, from Forte dei Marmi to Viareggio, passing through the beautiful Marina di Pietrasanta. There I found the sparkling sea lapping onto the beautiful beaches. Worth visiting also is Livorno, an important port for the region, one of the busiest in Italy.

Leaving behind the coast i moved inland to Val d’Orcia, where I visited the picturesque villages of Montepulciano, Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia, with their famous churches and palaces and beautiful vistas. From there I headed south, towards Pitigliano, a picturesque village built on a rock of tufa. A marvel not to be missed.

A must of course was a tour of Florence, a favourite destination of tourists from around the world, including Italians themselves. After a walk through the old town, which is full of monuments and works of art, I went to enjoy the view from the hills surrounding the city.  When I left Florence behind i continued my journey to the Val di Chiana where I made a worthwhile stop to Cortona, an important cultural centre.

Throughout my travels around Tuscany, I discovered a land that oozes culture with scent, colour and flavour. No coincidence that many illustrious men made Tuscany their home from writers to scientists, artists, and navigators, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo Galilei, Antonio Meucci, Carlo Collodi and Giacomo Puccini, to name just a few. Artists whose spirits, surrounded my trip to Tuscany.

A unique experience, to be repeated and of course to recommend.