Discover the region of Tuscany

Tuscany is roughly triangular in shape in the centre of Italy. The western coastline is on the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas, among which is the Tuscan Archipelago, the largest island is Elba. Tuscany has Appenine mountains in the north, south west and east but also fertile plains inland from the coast, gentle hills used for agriculture. Hills make up nearly two-thirds of Tuscany. The river Arno valley runs east to west through Tuscany and many of the largest cities lie on the banks including the capital Florence, Empoli and Pisa.

Alpi Apuane

An inviting and impressive backdrop to the coast of Massa Carrara, these craggy peaks from which marble is quarried are now a protected Parco Regionale. Many attractive villages lie amongst the chestnut wood slopes. One example is the lovely village of Stazzema.

Garfagnana

Valley of the Serchio River north of Lucca and Pisa, surrounded by a natural barrier of two mountain ranges, the Apennines and the marble mountains of the Alpi Apuane. Please see our Guide to The Garfagana

Chianti

A fertile region to the west and north of Siena, produces the best-known Italian wine.

Lunigiana

Lunigiana in the province of Massa-Carrara, is the northern most part of Tuscany extending from the magnificent Tuscan-Emilian Apennine Mountains to the warm waters of the Ligurian and Tuscan coastline. Please see our Guide to Lunigiana

Maremma

The golden beaches of the Maremma coastline in the south of Tuscany is regarded to be the cleanest coastline in all of Italy. The hill towns and valleys of southern Tuscany are a wonderful cross-section of Italy’s charms, constantly offering striking views of the rolling hills, olive groves and vineyards of classic Tuscany.

The Parco Naturale della Maremma encompasses the Monti dell’Uccellina, running parallel to the coastline from Principina a Mare to Talamone and was one of the first protected areas in Italy. Today the Province of Grosseto can boast 13 Nature Reserves plus the various oasis of the WWF. In all, there are almost 40,000 hectares of nature reserves stretching from north to south. They provide a complex and detailed vision of the wealth of the Maremma’s natural heritage in all of its diversity. 

Monte Amiata

The outline of mount Amiata (1,738 m.) dominates the area and can be easily seen from the hills near Viterbo, from the Trasimeno valley and the Tyrrhenian coast.