Summer in Italy: Florence, Cinque Terre and Tuscany countryside

Summer in Italy is a dream that most of us share. Ancient cities, remarkable art, idyllic Mediterranean beaches, an amazing wine and food scene. Italy is dolce vita at its purest form. So make room for Italy this summer, it will be a trip of a life time. Here’s a suggested itinerary from my latest trip:

10 DAY ITINERARY

FLORENCE – 3 DAYS
CINQUE TERRE – 3 DAYS
TUSCANY COUNTRYSIDE – 3 DAYS
FLORENCE – 1 DAY

FLORENCE

Florence, a heart of Tuscany, is a remarkable city boasting some of the best art scene, architecture and food in all of Italy and the world. It’s a must see on your Italian road trip. Find yourself lost wandering down narrow cobbled streets of the old town, marvel at Duomo, explore the world famous galleries and museums, and enjoy all the pasta and gelato you can possibly have.

THINGS TO DO

DUOMO

One of the most breathtaking sites in Florence, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower is the UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to 1436. As you stroll down a narrow, cobblestone street and suddenly, Duomo rises before your eyes, it truly feels like a magic experience you will never forget. The cathedral’s dome still remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. I highly recommend climbing Giotto’s bell tower to skip crowds attempting to climb the dome and get the view of the actual dome towering over the old town.

UFFIZI GALLERY

Uffizi is one of the most prominent art galleries in Italy and the world holding art collections of the House of Medici. At Uffizi, you will discover paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Sandro Botticelli and more. You will easily find yourself lost for hours marveling at all of the paintings and sculptures in the most beautiful building with striking 20 feet high ceilings covered in delicate paintings by Alessandro Allori and his students.

PONTE VECCHIO BRIDGE

Built in 1345, the medieval Ponte Vecchio or “Old Bridge” is the only surviving bridge in the destruction of the World War II. Today, there are many art and jewelry vendors, and the bridge serves as a beautiful entrance to the old town. On my first morning in Florence, I strolled along Arno river enjoying the stunning views of this ancient city, and it felt really special to enter the old town via Ponte Vecchio like so many others did throughout centuries.

PIAZALLE MICHELANGELO

Catch the most beautiful panoramic views of Florence from Piazalle Michelangelo built in 1869 by a Florentine architect Giuseppe Poggi.

WHERE WE STAYED

Hu Firenze Camping in town – We had a wonderful time spending three nights at Hu Firenze Camping. While it takes only 15 minutes to get to the old town by their private shuttle, Hu Firenze feels like a proper outdoor getaway by the river surrounded with rolling green hills, cypress trees and beautiful nature all around. While there are glamping tents and mobile homes, if you’re on a road trip in Italy and you’re driving a camper van, this is a perfect place to stay in Florence as well.

CINQUE TERRE

Cinque Terre is what Italian summer dreams are made of. These five colorful fishing villages built in medieval times are the most beautiful destination on the rugged Italian coastline. Only two and a half hours away from Florence by train, Cinque Terre is easy to reach and absolutely worth the journey.

THINGS TO DO

Explore five old fishing villages by train and on foot. Every village is beautiful in its own way and they’re small enough to be explored in 2-3 days time.

MONTEROSSO

Visit Monterosso for its iconic beach club with green and orange parasols.

MANAROLA

Make a reservation at Nessun Dorma for some delicious local food and wine, and stunning views of this colorful village perched over sea cliffs. We waited a long time to get in but it was worth it, one of the highlights of our Cinque Terre explorations.

VERNAZZA

Visit Vernazza for its gorgeous harbor dotted with colorful buildings and boats. The town itself has so much character and charm, you will want to explore every street here.

RIOMAGGIORE

Visit Riomaggiore for its romantic feels. It must be the smallest town in Cinque Terre and also the first train stop from La Spezia.

WHERE WE STAYED

Cinque Terre is a small, yet world famous destination with few hotels and Airbnb options that get booked up months in advance. Since we were trying to find a place to stay only three weeks before our trip, it became a challenging task and we were happy to stumble upon a highly rated Airbnb for two at Riomaggiore. It was on the main street right above restaurants and steps away from the harbor.

TUSCANY

A land of green rolling hills, medieval towns, cypress trees and vineyards. You truly feel like you’ve stepped into a beautiful painting as you explore the countryside of Tuscany.

THINGS TO DO

TAKE A SCENIC ROUTE SR222 FROM FLORENCE TO VAL D’ORCIA

Explore Tuscany countryside at a slow pace by taking a scenic route SR222 from Florence. As soon as you leave Florence, you will find yourself on a narrow open road surrounded with green rolling hills, cypress trees, medieval towns and beautiful Tuscan villas dotted around.

EXPLORE MEDIEVAL TOWNS ALONG THE WAY – PIENZA, MONTEPULCIANO, SIENA, SAN QUIRICO AND MORE

There are so many charming medieval towns in Tuscany countryside, I recommend exploring as many as you can. Since we only had three days here, we chose to see Pienza, Siena, San Quirico and Montemerano. We fell in love with every one of these towns and promised ourselves that we’d be back for more adventures in this part of Italy.

SOAK AT LOCAL HOT SPRINGS

Even though Saturnia hot springs is highly popular and crowded, the drive to get there is absolutely stunning and it’s right next to Montemerano, another charming hilltop town where you will find a two star Michelin restaurant Caino run by Valeria Piccini and her son Andrea.