Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Four must-dos off Tuscany’s beaten track

1. Eat at the San Lorenzo Food Market in Florence

1. Eat at the San Lorenzo Food Market in Florence

Ignore the stalls outside selling bric-a-brac and head straight for the indoors Mercato Centrale for the kind of food shopping that will send foodies into a trance. Barrels full of different grades of porcini mushrooms, truffles and sundried tomatoes, and display cases of locally produced cheese, prosciutto and wines are guaranteed to tempt you into exceeding your luggage weight limit. The second level has food stalls where you can sample the delights before embarking on your shopping expedition.

2. Taste the world’s best gelato in San Gimignano

Once a key pitstop in the medieval pilgrimage route, this perfectly preserved medieval town has a Unesco World Heritage Site award, famous wines and the world’s best gelato, courtesy of two-time world gelato champion Sergio Dondoli. His signature Crema di Santa Fina gelato (made with saffron and pine nuts) is to die for.

3. Watch horse-racing in Siena

Another Unesco World Heritage Site, Siena is host to the twice-yearly Palio di Siena horse race. Dating to medieval times, this competition pits the 17 city neighbourhoods against one another in a bid to win a painted banner (palio) of the Virgin Mary amid a spectacular carnival-like atmosphere.

4. Hit the beach at Viareggio

The wide beachside promenade, lined with cafes, gelatarias and shops, contribute to this seaside town’s chic, summery appeal. The hundreds of coloured deck chairs lined up on the soft sand facing the clear-blue Tyrrhenian Sea is a sight to behold.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.