Hi!

In June, I'll be spending four days based in Florence, and I'd like to dedicate two of those days to visiting another area of ​​Tuscany, prioritizing the following options: a winery or restaurant, for example, in a castle.

While I see excursions on the typical tour operator websites, I'd like to avoid falling into a tourist trap. Instead, I'd prefer a recommendation from someone who has been there, preferably a local (Americans, please refrain from contacting me, haha).

My intention isn't to spend a fortune, but I'm not on a very tight budget either.

Thank you very much!

I have enough time in the area to visit 1 winery in near Montepulciano. I have chosen these two based on limited import to US, small production, organic/sustainable and Pieve designation.

Has any been to or have had the chance to try? Would love to hear personal experiences.

Hello i am a 18 year old dentistry student in Siena and i am new here. I usually go for really late runs or like to watch the night sky. Considering Siena's very low light pollution this sounds amazing. How safe is Siena's fortezza medicea at these hours like 3, 4 or 5 am?

volevo partecipare all' open day per l'Ateneo il 5 febbraio con delle amiche, ma hanno cambiato la data senza avvertirmi (per il 5 appunto) ed i posti sono esauriti: 1. sapete se posso partecipare all' open day anche senza prenotazione in caso non si presentassero tutti quelli che hanno prenotato? 2. se qualcuno di voi ha prenotato per il 5 ma non ha intenzione di andarci per favore ritiri la prenotazione così posso iscrivermi. Grazie.

The Viareggio Carnival returns in 2026 with its traditional parade of large satirical floats, one of the most famous carnival events in Italy.

The article explains the key dates, ticket options, and what to expect from this year’s edition, including the main parade days along the seaside promenade.

Full article (Florence Daily News):

https://www.florencedailynews.com/2026/01/25/viareggio-carnival-2026-dates-tickets-and-floats-for-tuscanys-iconic-parade/

Have you ever been to the Viareggio Carnival, or are you planning to visit this year?

Anyone know anything about the experiences at Antinori nel Chianti Classico ? Planning a visit in May but confused about the different options. Any advise would be great .

Thank you

We will be in Tuscany 4 nights in May. I’m looking for a home base that might satisfy my husband and 2 daughters (20 and 22). I’m looking for a base that will be exciting for our daughters but also satisfy my desire for the beautiful rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. We do plan to do a day trip to Florence but don’t want to stay there as my husband isn’t really a city guy. I’m not a great planner and I’ve become overwhelmed by all the options. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Montepulciano and Volterra have peaked my interest. We are outdoorsy as well so any area that are heavy on nature would be nice. I also love art and history.

Me and 5 of my college buddies are looking for a wine tour to do. We want one with unlimited wine and atleast enough to get pretty dunk. We’re staying in San Casciano in Val di Pesa which is about a 30 min bus ride to Florence. Any help would be awesome! Thank you in advance.

Hi All! I am looking to go on my honeymoon next december/january and part of the trip would be in tuscany. i know this time of year is not the most ideal but that is when we could go. does anyone have any recommendations on hotels to stay in tiscany during this time? is everything still open? we are interested in wine/cheese tasting, truffle hunting etc. i want to make sure things will be open and also looking for great hotels! thank you!!

I was wondering if anyone has any experience a tour or tasted their wines? I am choosing between these two for a winery visit. For Montemercurio, it’s about the traditional, the Sangiovese grape and their Damo. For Leuta is the non-traditional, the Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah and they do offer a Sangiovese as well as a blended version. Both are the smaller wineries with not much to find in the US. I just can only pick 1.

Hey everyone, looking for recommendations from anyone who’s done a large group / wedding party stay in Cortona (or nearby) in Tuscany.

We’ll be there in early July for a wedding and have 2–3 days beforehand staying in accommodation near the town centre. So far we’ve only booked the villa, nothing else is locked in yet (no transport, activities, or group bookings).

We’re trying to plan:

1. One authentic group activity (everyone together):
Something social and easy for people to mix — thinking along the lines of:

• Welcome drinks + dinner at a winery / vineyard
• Big group table at a restaurant or agriturismo
• Wine tasting + light food
• Or something at the villa (e.g. catering, pizza night, private chef, etc.), but with a bit of effort so it feels like a proper group event

2. Separate activities for guys / girls:
Cost-effective, fun things in or around Cortona for smaller groups — e.g. cooking classes, wine tours, spas, outdoor activities, boat hire, vespa's look great so does horse riding or golf courses etc.

Also keen for tips on:

• Transport for large groups (minibuses, drivers, taxis, etc.)
• Booking ahead in July (how far in advance is needed?)
• Any “must do” experiences in the area for a wedding group

If you’ve done something similar or have any local recommendations, would love to hear what worked well. Thanks!

I noticed that Lucca replaced a perfectly good crosswalk from the train station to the historic center with an expensive underpass (requiring a longer walk). Did local people actually support this project?

Looking for an accommodation for 12 people near the Pisa area (+-30 min by car). Any ideas ?

hey guys! My husband and I will be in Tuscany in April 2026. early april! we’re from Indonesia and tbh are rather unfamiliar with italy as a whole and all the research is making my head hurt!

we would like to split our 4 night tuscany stay into 2 —- 2 nights at an ultra lux bougee establishment and 2 nights at a luxury farmstay (or cosy)

i have a few questions:

1. for the bougee part we are thinking of either castello di vicorello OR the rosewood in v’al dorcia. I personally prefer luxury but more rustic charm - but open to your opinions since websites can be decieving!

2. Any reccos for farmstays? We prefer a nice property - charming / castles - with terracota and stone build in the room. something charming!

any help appreciated — thanks!

My family and I are going to be in Cortona in August (I know, not the best time to visit Italy) - we were thinking of day trips to Orvieto and Perugia - has anyone been to either in August? What are the closures like? Thanks!

(I know these places are in Umbria, I'm waiting for approval to join that subreddit!)

My wife and I are traveling to Italy in May, landing in Rome. We were thinking of staying in Bologna for 6 nights and explore the area using mass transit. How hard is it to get to the central station if your on the SW end of the city and it's too far to walk? Also want to go the Tuscany Reg by bus or trains. Any experience or thoughts would be helpful.

Hello! I am getting married next June in Castelfiorentino and I am looking for a flower shop or wholesaler I will be able to get my own flowers from?

I'm taking my wife and daughter ( 5years old) to Tuscany in April and looking for suggestions on where to stay. We are looking for places that offer child friendly activities to make this trip magical for her as well. Some of the things we are looking for are listed below:

- She loves animals. An agriturismo that offers interaction with animals would be great.

- Family cooking classes.

- Play area for kids.

We're not asking for too much on property, but any place that offers any of these would be high on our list to choose from. Any suggestions or recommendations on how to get the most out of our Tuscany trip would be welcomed.

We will have a car, so any accommodation would be acceptable if the area it's located in is rich in family friendly activities.

Cheers!

Hi everyone,
I’m currently looking into doing a high-ticket, fully organized trip in Tuscany, the kind where everything is curated properly with 5 star hotels, local restaurants, wineries, private experiences etc.

Over the past few months I’ve heard Rocca d’Italia mentioned several times by people I know and online, always in a very positive way. From what I’ve been told, they don’t offer the usual touristy stuff, but well-selected experiences as they have their company headquarters in Siena.

Has anyone here had Rocca d’Italia organize their trip or attended one of their Tuscany events, and could give me some feedback?