Tuscany attractions

The oldest known pharmacy in the world, the Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella, is hidden just around the corner from Florence’s Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Dominican friars established the apothecary in 1221, and it continues to use traditional techniques to produce soaps, cosmetics, and fragrances—including a perfume created for Catherine de’ Medici. Come to shop for Florentine souvenirs, and stay to see the boutique-museum's frescoed ceilings and original apothecary equipment.

Palazzo Strozzi once was a lavish private residence, belonging to the aristocratic Strozzi family in the 15th century. After a makeover, it opened to the public in 1940 as Florence’s largest exhibition space. Today, the trendy museum and cultural center is still going strong, regularly hosting blockbuster shows and retrospectives from contemporary art world A-listers such as Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor, and Damien Hirst.

No visit to Lucca’s medieval center is complete without a passeggiata (stroll along Via Fillungo, the main thoroughfare stretching through the heart of the old town from the ancient city gate of Porta dei Borghi to Canto d'Arco. Lined with bustling shops and cafés, this street is ideal for experiencing Lucca’s lively atmosphere.

Stretching 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Tuscany’s Mt. Falterona to the Ligurian Sea, the Arno River is the best-known river in central Italy after the Tiber. While the river flows through Pisa, it is most often visited in Florence, where it divides the city into two and serves as a meeting point for locals. Florence’s bridges—including the famous Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in the city—are renowned for their Arno views.

Dedicated to the great Italian poet, writer, and philosopher Dante Alighieri, this house museum is set on the foundations of his family’s 13th-century home. Here you can see reproductions of early manuscripts of The Divine Comedy, along with interactive displays that provide some background on Dante’s life and Florence in the 13th century.

Pisa’s most famous attraction may be its Leaning Tower, but for centuries its heart was Knights’ Square (Piazza dei Cavalieri), remodeled by the architect Vasari in the 16th century into a classic example of Renaissance civic planning. Today, the square is home to Pisa’s university in the medieval center.

Every day, countless crowds marvel at the cathedral, bell tower, and baptistery in Florence’s Piazza del Duomo—without knowing that many of the monuments’ original artworks are housed steps away in the Opera del Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo). This masterpiece-filled gallery is where you can see Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze Gates of Paradise, carved for the Baptistery of St. John, as well as the unfinished Pietà Bandini that Michelangelo intended to cover his own tomb.

Palazzo Gucci showcases more than a century of Gucci history in Piazza della Signoria. Get to know the story of the fashion house—born in Florence in 1921—in the Gucci Galleria exhibits, which display everything from luxe evening gowns to leather accessories. The site’s shop sells fashion books and ready-to-wear Gucci couture, while two restaurants are destinations in their own right: the high-end Gucci Osteria and Gucci Giardino, an all-day café and cocktail bar.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of Florence’s star Renaissance attractions. Its Gothic geometric marble facade in green and white immediately draws the eye, yet you’ll find the most important artwork inside. Just a few highlights include Masaccio’s Holy Trinity, a crucifix by Giotto, Domenico Ghirlandaio’s frescoes of the Virgin Mary, and works by Botticelli, Brunelleschi, and other masters from the 13th to 15th centuries.

Italy is home to some of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world, including the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa (Camposanto Monumentale). Part of the UNESCO-listed cathedral complex, this Gothic cloister features intricate marble arches encircling a central courtyard, 14th-century frescoes, chapels, and rows of Roman sarcophagi.

The energetic city of Naples can be daunting, with its warren of scooter-clogged streets and lanes teeming with open-air vendors that stretch from the bay to Mt. Vesuvius. Luckily, you can enjoy the best of what Naples has to offer by simply concentrating on the UNESCO-listed historic center, one of the most captivating in Italy.

If Florence is the capital of the Italian Renaissance, then the National Museum of Bargello (Museo Nazionale del Bargello) is the capital of Italian Renaissance sculpture. One of five sites that comprise the Bargello Museums, the National Museum of Bargello (often referred to as the Bargello), offers an impressive collection with four Michelangelo works, standout Donatello sculptures, and other masterpieces by household names of the 14th–16th centuries—all displayed in the beautiful Palazzo del Podestà.

With its beautiful grassy expanses and Renaissance basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence’s Piazza di Santa Maria Novella is beloved by Florentines and visitors alike. The centrally located square, lined with historic townhouses, restaurants, and cafés, has been a popular gathering place for 800 years.

The red-brick Guinigi Tower (Torre Guinigi) pierces the sky above Lucca’s medieval center, and is particularly notable for its impressive rooftop garden shaded by several ancient holm oaks that date from the early 17th century. Climb the 230 steps inside the tower for views across the historic rooftops of Lucca.

Two life-size stone lions flank the stairway to the Loggia dei Lanzi (also called the Loggia della Signoria), an open-air gallery situated between the north end of the Uffizi Galleries (Gallerie degli Uffizi) and Piazza della Signoria. Though strikingly realistic, the lions are overshadowed by the masterpieces beneath the loggia’s three Gothic arches, including Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa and Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women.

With one of the most magnificent facades in Tuscany, Lucca’s Church of San Michele in Foro is a stellar example of the Pisan Romanesque style and the crown jewel of this pretty town’s medieval center. A tour of this architectural masterpiece is a must for art and architecture enthusiasts while visiting Lucca.

The pure white marble from Carrara’s quarries has been used since Roman times for everything from landmarks like the Pantheon to Renaissance sculptures like Michelangelo’sDavid. Take a guided tour through the massive underground caverns and open-air quarries and see where this stone has been mined for centuries.

Pit yourself against the genius of Leonardo da Vinci at this museum that spotlights his engineering and mechanical feats. Working models of the Italian luminary’s inventions, from the hydraulic saw to the printing press, bring his original sketches to life, while a workshop gives you the chance to do some building of your own. With multimedia exhibits and hands-on displays, the Leonardo Interactive Museum® is a fun stop for both kids and adults.

The 15th-century Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti)—one of the grandest Renaissance buildings in Florence—houses the Palatine Gallery, which showcases over 500 paintings dating from the 15th century that were collected by the Medici family. The collection features works by Italian masters, including Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona, as well as Rubens and Velázquez.

The deconsecrated church of Santo Stefano al Ponte Vecchio is now Cattedrale dell’Immagine—a venue for digital art exhibitions in the heart of Florence. While live music concerts take place here during evenings, by day, visitors come to be immersed in exhibitions, many of which feature projections onto the walls and floor of the former church, virtual reality experiences, and video footage.

Pisa’s exquisite Church of Santa Maria della Spina (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina) is covered in intricate and fanciful stonework, a hallmark of the 14th-century Pisan Gothic style. With its fairytale exterior and magnificent Madonna of the Rose by Andrea and Nino Pisano inside, this church is a tiny gem and the perfect foil to the grandeur of the city’s Duomo.

Piazza della Santissima Annunziata is one of the most elegant squares in Florence, and is considered to be an important Italian historical and cultural site. Located in the city’s historic center, it is lined on three sides by the Renaissance porticoes of the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata, the Ospedale degli Innocenti, and the Loggia dei Servi di Maria. Tour the piazza to admire its architecture, Giambologna’s Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici equestrian statue at its center, and twin fountains.

Visit Sant’Ambrogio Market, which traces its roots back to 1873, and you’ll find more locals shopping than tourists. That’s because it’s an authentic alternative to the tourist-heavy Central Market, supermarket groceries, and fast-food lunch options. Here, you’ll find flavorful produce sourced straight from the Tuscan hills, and sold by local vendors. While the main draw is undoubtedly food, the market sells clothes, homewares, and flowers, too.

With a hilltop vantage point overlooking Brunelleschi’s Dome and the city beyond, the Bardini Garden is home to one of the most beautiful green spaces in central Florence. Tree-lined gravel paths, pretty fountains, and lots of flower varieties make the garden well worth visiting any time of year. For the best photo ops, head to the grand baroque staircase and a wisteria pergola that blooms in the spring.

The Fountain of Neptune in Florence’s historic center is known locally as “il Biancone” (the big white one), and it’s a nickname that suits it well. In a square where there’s no lack of big sights, the Fountain of Neptune commands attention with its mythical statues, carved mostly in white Carrara marble. Take a close-up look to admire the water-gushing tritons, nymphs, and horses that cavort around the colossal statue of the sea god Neptune.

The heart of Siena is Piazza del Campo, and the heart of this famous square is Fonte Gaia (Gaia Fountain). Dating from the 15th century, the fountain is lined with replicas of the original bas-relief panels by Jacopo della Quercia, considered a precursor to Michelangelo, and is one of the top attractions in this Tuscan town.

Siena’s National Art Gallery houses a large collection of paintings from the Sienese School, an artistic movement from the 13th and 15th centuries. Peruse paintings and sculpture from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance at this museum.

In a city filled with artistic masterpieces, the San Marco Museum (Museo di San Marco) has the distinction of being home to the world’s most important collection of paintings by Fra Angelico. The 15th-century former Dominican convent—restored by Michelozzo and a well-preserved example of Florentine Renaissance architecture—is also home to works by Fra Bartolomeo, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, as well as a library containing a collection of historic illuminated manuscripts.

Perched high above Chianti wine country, Brolio Castle (Castello di Brolio) is one of the most impressive defensive castles that once guarded Gaiole in Chianti, a sleepy hilltown with an important medieval past. The castle has been owned since the 12th century by the Ricasoli family, which has a long and prestigious history of winemaking.

Overlooking Cortona is one of this lovely Tuscan Hilltown’s many architectural treasures, the Santa Margherita Basilica (Basilica di Santa Margherita). The church, with a history dating to the 13th century, boasts an imposing neo-Gothic façade and lavish interior, and the preserved body of its namesake, St. Margaret, still rests within.