Tuscany is a beloved region in Italy and therefore one of the most visited regions. The rolling hills that make up the Tuscan landscape are unique to the country, and you won’t find them like this in the rest of Europe either. If you have been to Tuscany before, you will recognize the pictures out of thousands. But Tuscany has more to offer than the beautiful landscapes. Tuscane ranks incredibly high in livability, and Italians take pride in the region’s relaxed atmosphere. Most Italians in Tuscany live off their farms and vineyards and enjoy delicious meals in the evening and a glass of wine at sunset. That wonderful outdoor life that has put Italy on the map is probably more likely to be found in Tuscany than in any other region.

How to travel around Tuscany?

Tuscany unfortunately isn’t the best region for public transport. In the larger cities like Pisa, Siena and, of course, Florence, you’ll find train stations. Around those, there are still some small stations you can get to, but the further south you go, the more difficult it becomes. There are some buses, but they are far from regular. You can get to most places with those, but a day trip is often difficult because the times there and back just don’t line up nicely. An alternative is to book organized day trips, where you go with a group on a rented bus. But that obviously limits flexibility. But it’s nice if you want to visit a vineyard or a specific village, because there are plenty of tours that offer this.

I myself took a train to Chiusi (direct train from Florence) and caught a bus there to the cute little town of Montepulciano. From there I looked at bus options into Tuscany, for example to the famous Cyprus road and Val d’Orcia in general. That turned out to be hardly feasible, as the buses didn’t go on a daily basis. So I rented an electric bike and started cycling around Tuscany instead. So that’s actually a better option than buses. Still want to visit Tuscany by public transport? Here’s how far you can get by train and bus.

Another option is to rent your own scooter (preferably a nice Italian Vespa), car or camper. Preferably electric, of course, to make it a sustainable trip. In this article you can read everything you need to know about a road trip in Tuscany and how to make it as sustainable as possible.

But the places we at least visited, and that I can recommend, are:
– Montepulciano
– Cyprus road (and Val D’Orcia in general)
– Siena
– San Gimignano
– Cascata del Diborrato (waterfall)
– Volterra
– Viterbo (technically already no longer Tuscany)
– Saturnia thermal baths

For Saturnia, by the way, I have since found several alternatives that are a bit less “insta famous” and perhaps quieter. I just haven’t tested them out yet. But also check out Parco dei Milini and Bagni San Filippo.

Tips for a sustainable roadtrip

Driving a car is not particularly sustainable. But as I said, public transportation just doesn’t get you very far in this region. A first alternative, of course, is to opt for an electric car or motorhome. Electric driving in Italy is on the rise so the supply of charging stations is also growing. I do think that in small villages it might be a challenge to find (free) charging stations, but I cannot say for sure. My road trip through Tuscany was before electric cars were really on the rise, so I didn’t test it out. But the apps available for charging stations can certainly help you check in advance to see if there are many present.

But, in addition to sustainable transportation, there’s a lot more you can do in terms of sustainable travel. Best of all, these tips will only make your trip more fun, too.

Sustainable accommodations in Tuscany
Tuscany is the birthplace of the now wildly popular agritourism. This is accommodation on a farm or vineyard. This started in the last century as a way to generate extra income when crop yields were disappointing. Today, there are entrepreneurs who no longer have a farm at all, but live solely from the agritourism. Still, they are sustainable accommodations because you stay with a local family. Usually, you eat with them and so you also learn something of the local culture and possibly get a cooking lesson. If you stay on a vineyard, you can often get a peek into the kitchen and learn the intricacies of winemaking.

Read more about agritourisms and why this is just an incredibly fun way to make your trip more sustainable.

Sustainable vineyards in Tuscany
Tuscany is one of the famous wine regions in Italy, so it offers endless choices for wine tastings. From the big cities you can do lots of daytrips to those vineyards, but during your own Tuscany road trip you can of course check out some of them as well. Then you can also choose smaller vineyards that normally don’t get as many visitors or specifically choose those that make organic wine.

Local experiences in Tuscany
Traveling around by car or scooter gives you all the freedom to go wherever you want. The big cities get plenty of income from tourists, but in small villages they are often much more grateful for your visit. So a road trip through Tuscany is the ideal opportunity to visit small villages, find local restaurants and sit down in different places for a cup of coffee, pie, breakfast or a glass of local wine (if you don’t have to drive, of course). Find a traditional “trattoria” for your meal, these are usually family-run establishments that cook with local ingredients and according to the most delicious family recipes.

Best length for a roadtrip Tuscany

I recommend that you take at least a week for a road trip through Tuscany. But you could really spend months there, especially if you also include Umbria (around Perugia, towards the mountains) and Lazio (around Rome). It also depends a bit on whether you want to spend time in Rome and/or Florence, as both cities deserve at least 3 days by themselves.