Tuscany attractions

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.

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.

One of the most important squares in Lucca’s medieval center, Piazza dell'Anfiteatro was built on the site of a Roman amphitheater, from which it got its unique oval shape. Today, the piazza is the vibrant heart of the city’s historic center, and the perfect spot to enjoy the friendly vibe of this picturesque Tuscan town.

Opened in 1891, Opera del Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo) houses works and artifacts from Florence’s Duomo Cathedral, including Lorenzo Ghiberti’s original doors for the Baptistery of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni), Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene statue, and the unfinished Florence Pietà—aka The Deposition—that Michelangelo intended to cover his own tomb.

A bit of a misnomer, the Dante House Museum(Museo Casa di Dante) was never the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri's residence. Instead, this small museum is home to reproductions of early manuscripts of his magnum opus, The Divine Comedy, and other engaging exhibits that re-create Dante's life and times.

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.

This glorious Renaissance church is set below the hill town of Montepulciano, and its soaring dome and pyramid-topped bell tower turn heads from miles away. Designed in the 16th century by Antonio da Sangallo (Sangallo il Vecchio), the Temple of San Biagio (Tempio di San Biagio) has an elegant travertine exterior and airy pastel interior.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Florence’s Loggia dei Lanzi is a 14th-century open-air gallery featuring pieces by Renaissance sculptors Benvenuto Cellini and Giambologna alongside sculptural works from Roman antiquity. Named for the Swiss guards of Cosimo I, the Loggia was a terrace from which the ruling Medici family presided over ceremonies in the Piazza della Signoria.

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.

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.

Italy is famous for its fashion and design, and some of the world’s most popular luxury clothing and home decor brands come from this stylish country. If you love Italian elegance, visit Tuscany’s Barberino Designer Outlet to shop for designer brands from Italy at a deep discount.

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.

One of the grandest Renaissance buildings in Florence, the 15th-century Pitti Palace houses the Palatine Gallery, a collection of over 500 paintings dating from the 15th to the 17th century. The collection features works by Italian masters like Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona, and other European painters like Rubens and Velazquez.

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.

In a city filled with artistic masterpieces, the San Marco Museum (Museo di San Marco) has the distinction of being home to Florence’s largest collection of paintings by Fra Beato Angelico. The 15th-century former monastery is also home to works by Fra Bartolomeo, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Lorenzo Ghiberti.

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.

The historic church of Santo Stefano al Ponte Vecchio is now Cattedrale dell’Immagine, one of the most beautiful exhibition spaces in the heart of Florence. And with its excellent acoustics, and a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque architecture, the auditorium is the perfect place to take in a concert or opera.

Italy is known for its vibrant outdoor markets, and one of Florence’s liveliest is the Sant’Ambrogio Market (Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio). Here you can enjoy the authentic atmosphere of a traditional Italian food market and make some purchases from the stalls piled high with fresh produce and local specialties.

One of the most elegant squares in Florence, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata 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 this piazza to admire its architecture, central equestrian statue, and twin fountains.

Science buffs of all ages marvel at the array of scientific and mathematical instruments at Florence’s Galileo Museum (Museo Galileo). Check out clocks, globes, and barometers commissioned by the Medici family, as well as the telescope that Galileo Galilei used to make some of his most important discoveries. Interactive exhibits demonstrate these objects’ inner workings and their lasting contributions to science—all in an 11th-century palazzo overlooking the Arno River.

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.

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.

Standing watch at the center of busy Piazza della Signoria, the Fountain of Neptune has long been one of Florence’s most memorable landmarks, set against a backdrop of the grand Palazzo Vecchio (Town Hall. Inaugurated in 1565, the striking sculpted fountain is a highlight of walking tours of the historic center.

Dedicated to one of the greatest minds of the Italian Renaissance, the Leonardo da Vinci Museum (Museo Leonardiano di Vinci) is located in the artist’s Tuscan hometown, Vinci. Interactive exhibits detail his many talents and discoveries, from his influential drawings of the human form to his innovative designs for weaponry, clocks, and flying machines. Nearby, you can visit the countryside house where da Vinci, the original Renaissance man, was born in 1452.