Visas & entry
Italy is in the Schengen Area. EU/EEA/Swiss travelers can enter with valid ID; many visitors from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and similar visa-exempt countries may normally visit the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but must check current passport-validity, ETIAS and entry requirements before travel.
Getting in
- Florence Airport: The best airport for Florence and central/northern Tuscany. It is convenient for a Florence-first trip, though flight choice is more limited than Pisa or Rome; use the city tram and collect a rental car only when leaving Florence.
- Pisa International Airport: Often the most practical low-cost and international gateway for Pisa, Lucca, the coast and a driving route through Tuscany. Pisa Centrale is connected to the airport, and Florence is reachable by rail via Pisa or direct services depending on schedule.
- Rome Fiumicino Airport: Useful for southern Tuscany—especially Maremma, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Montepulciano/Cortona-side itineraries—or when long-haul flight options matter more than proximity. It is not a painless Florence gateway; allow for the onward train or a long car pickup and drive.
Getting around
Use trains for Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo and much of the Florence–Siena corridor; coaches can be better than trains for Florence–Siena. Rent a car only after leaving Florence or Siena if your plan includes Chianti, San Gimignano, Volterra, Val d’Orcia, Maremma or most of the coast. Do not drive into ZTL-restricted historic centres: fines are common, parking is awkward and a car is dead weight in Florence; use it for rural bases and scenic transfers instead.
Money
Italy uses the euro. Cards are widely accepted in cities and established restaurants, but carry some cash for small bars, markets, parking machines and rural transactions. Service is generally included; round up or leave a modest tip for notably good table service rather than applying North American percentages.
Daily budget · EUR (€)
- Value
- €100–160
- Mid-range
- €190–320
- High-end
- €500–1,000+
- Figures are per person per day excluding international flights, assuming two people share a room.
- Central Florence, summer Elba/coastal rooms, Palio dates, Chianti wedding weekends and premium Val d’Orcia agriturismi drive rates up sharply.
- The bed is usually the biggest variable; after that come car rental, insurance, fuel, parking, museum admissions and wine experiences.
- Automatic cars, historic-centre ZTL fines and parking can make a self-drive itinerary materially pricier than it first appears.
Eating well
- Book destination restaurants and serious winery lunches ahead, especially May–October and on weekends.
- Bistecca is generally sold by weight and is best shared; it is traditionally served rare, so choose another dish if that is not appealing.
- Panzanella is a summer dish and ribollita is best in cooler weather—good menus follow the season.
- For wine-country tastings, schedule a driver or stay nearby; Tuscany’s scenic roads are not the place to improvise after a long tasting.
Book before you land
Uffizi Gallery, Florence · Accademia Gallery, Florence · Brunelleschi’s Dome climb at Florence Cathedral · Palio di Siena paid stands, balconies or window places, if attending · Elba vehicle ferry from Piombino in summer or peak holiday periods
- Florence and Siena have camera-enforced ZTL traffic restrictions; do not follow a navigation app blindly into their historic centres.
- Arrange rural winery visits in advance, particularly in Chianti and Val d’Orcia; many are not casual walk-ins.
- For a no-car trip, base in Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Siena or Arezzo rather than an isolated agriturismo.
- San Gimignano is best early or late in the day; the late-morning-to-afternoon crush is real.
- On Elba, reserve car ferries well ahead in summer and arrive early for vehicle check-in.
- Keep restaurant hours in mind: smaller towns can become quiet early, especially outside the main season.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
March–April
Cities are cool to mild and often rainy, with green hills and improving daylight; by April Florence commonly reaches about 12–18°C, while mountain areas remain cooler and the coast is milder.
Florence museumsLucca and Siena city breaksSpring walksLower-season value
Easter week is busy and expensive, many rural properties are not fully operating, and beach resorts are largely closed.
May–mid-June
Fields are green, temperatures are usually comfortable, and restaurants, agriturismi and outdoor sights are fully open.
First visits mixing cities and countrysideWine-country staysDriving routesOutdoor dining and walking
This is no longer a quiet shoulder season: central Florence, premium rural stays and rental cars need early booking.
Late June–August
Florence, Siena and inland valleys can be intensely hot; the coast and Elba are lively, sunny and at their busiest.
Elba and beach timeSwimmingSummer evening eventsFamilies tied to school holidays
Expect peak prices, queues, heat and crowded roads; build in air-conditioned breaks and avoid Siena during Palio unless the race is the point of the trip.
September–October
September remains warm enough for pools and coastal time, while October brings cooler evenings, harvest activity and more chance of rain.
Food and wineHarvest atmosphereVal d’Orcia drivesWalking and city sightseeing
Popular September weekends remain busy, daylight shortens in October, and wet weather becomes more likely.
November–February
Florence, Lucca and Siena are quieter and good for art and serious meals, with short days and damp cold; the coast largely shuts down and mountain areas are much colder.
Museum-focused tripsLower hotel ratesTruffle and seasonal foodChristmas city breaks
Many countryside lodgings, wineries and small restaurants reduce hours or close, so this is poor timing for a vineyard-and-terrace holiday.
Events worth planning around
Palio di Siena · July 2 and August 16, with major activity in the preceding days · Siena
This is a civic event rather than a convenient spectacle. Rooms, transport and restaurant tables become exceptionally difficult; the Campo standing area fills and closes, while paid seats, balconies and windows are sold separately. Stay at least two nights if attending.
Lucca Summer Festival · Usually July · Lucca
Major concert nights push up Lucca hotel prices and reduce availability; check the programme before fixing dates.
Harvest and seasonal food festivals · September–November · Wine-country towns and villages across Tuscany
Harvest, chestnut, mushroom and truffle events can make individual towns busy, but verify the current programme before building a trip around a small local sagra.
What to eat
Eat according to where you are and the season rather than chasing generic Italian menus. Tuscan cooking runs from resourceful bread-and-bean dishes to serious beef, game, pecorino and wine; the intentionally unsalted local bread makes more sense beside salty salumi, soups and olive oil than by itself.
RibollitaPappa al pomodoroPanzanellaCrostini toscaniBistecca alla fiorentinaLampredottoPici, especially all’aglione or with wild-boar ragùPecorino di PienzaCacciucco seafood stewChianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Florence: Bistecca alla fiorentina · Lampredotto sandwiches · Crostini toscani · Gelato and traditional wine bars
Siena and Val d’Orcia: Pici · Pecorino di Pienza · Wild boar · Brunello di Montalcino · Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Chianti Classico: Chianti Classico wine · Olive oil · Cured meats · Long agriturismo lunches
Livorno and the Etruscan Coast: Cacciucco · Fresh seafood · Market food · Bolgheri wines