Things to do in Tuscany

Looking for things to do in Tuscany? Here are just a few of our recommendations.

1. Shopping - Shopping is a favourite pastime in Italy and Tuscany offers great style and quality, especially in fashion, leather and also home design and furniture as well as antiques. For clothes shopping, Florence is second to none with fantastic boutiques and out-of-town designer outlets. Arezzo houses the largest outdoor antiques fair in its square and you can also find outdoor antique fairs in Lucca and other towns.

2. Walking - The scenery in Tuscany is so varied that no two walks are the same. Popular areas for walkers are the Garfagnana valley, an area of national parkland, the Apennine mountains, with the beautiful beach forests of the Orecchiella National Park but we loved exploring the Island of Elba. It's wonderful mountains with its lush wooded interior, old mines clear waters, wild landscapes and with over 63 hikes to choose from there is something for every level or walker and also interest - ranging from Napoleonic history to seeking out its wild flora and fauna.

3. Sights & landmarks - There is no shortage of famous landmarks in Tuscany, from the most popular leaning tower to lesser known Roman theatre in Volterra. The most stunning landscapes in our opinion is the Chianti region or Chiantishire as its known worldwide. With its iconic vineyards and olive groves all easily accessible by local winding roads, it's the perfect place to while away the hours just driving or cycling around for the day. You will also find an abundance of stop offs too for sampling local cuisine or the local tipple, a picture postcard and photographer's dream landscape in any season.

4. The arts, museums & history - With world-renowned culture and heritage for art lovers and pilgrims alike, Tuscany is an endless treasure trove of delights. We love in particular one of the most important Italian artists - Sandro Botticelli. A true Florentine and some would say one of the big influencers of the Italian renaissance, The Uffizi Gallery is the best place to see many of his works and even has a Botticelli room, all newly refurbished adding more space for visitors, enabling one to spend longer taking in the various masterpieces.

5. Food & drink - An unmistakable ingredient in Tuscan life is its cuisine; good traditional food using fresh ingredients and is full of flavour. Tuscan vegetable soup is delicious as is the famous Florentine steak. Expect to see plenty of wild game on the menu and lovely rice dishes served with a mixture of meat and chicken. It goes without saying that the region also produces copious amounts of wine, with Chianti being the most famous and Brunello di Montalcino being considered to be the best.

6. Sports & activities - Italy is not known for its golf but for golf lovers, Tuscany really does steal the march with courses around Florence, Montecatini Terme, Punta Ala, Tirrenia and Orbetello amongst others. With its temperate climate, perfect for golfers there are some great courses. The largest and we think one of the most picturesque in Europe is Castelfalfi. With a lake course that can be challenging but in particular the mountain course is really challenging. Other activities of interest include sailing and diving (especially along the more southern coastline around Argentario), horse riding and fishing.

7. Boats & sailing tours - Centred around the coastal resorts of Tuscany there are many trips to be enjoyed or self-drive motor boats to try. A real treat for us on a family holiday - so much so we had to visit twice was the Motobarca Mickey Mouse, a wonderful day out for all the family. One day was spent adventuring around the Island of Elba where we were lucky enough to see dolphins and another day was swimming with the very tame fish around a local ship wreck, visible on a clear day from the boats edge, they set sail from Marina di Campo.

8. Beaches - Sugary sands framed by pine groves and low-slung hills provide much of the scenery along the Tuscan coast, therefore you won't have difficulties finding the perfect spot. We love the beaches within the regional park of Maremma at Marina di Alberese. But if it's family friendly you require then perfect for children is the long sandy beach on Elba at Marina di Campo. If hustle, bustle and people watching is preferred then in the peak of the season the Versilla area is famous for its partying and summer nightlife.

9. Events & festivals - The region is drenched in culture, therefore expect an array of festivals to cater for all, particularly in the summer months, ranging from simple flag waving village affairs to the world-famous horse racing Palio di Siena and the Viareggio carnival. A favourite for us is the Monteriggioni Medieval Festival in July famed in particular for the elaborate costumes - said to be the best in Italy. Visitors are welcome to join in medieval games, watch artisan crafts and enjoy the local produce whilst dancing the night away with firework displays every night to end the days processions.