On her way to Tuscany, Upasna Prasad stopped by every single town. So come tag along as she takes you on a memorable road trip around Italy.

There are many good road trips all over the world, but driving through Tuscany, a region in central Italy, is an altogether another level of experience. Known for its dessert wine Vin Santo, made from a variety of region’s grapes, the countryside is a perfect picture book where green hills are dotted with slender cypress trees standing in line, sunflower fields and vineyards at every corner. On the way, every single town is worth stopping by.
It is imperative to feel safe and comfortable while driving, so we hired a tourist Volvo bus in accordance with our budget from Firenze (Florence city, capital of Tuscany) early morning 7 am in the summer month of June two years ago.
The lush green countryside and rolling hills were a sight to behold, needless to say, the Tuscan sun beaming on our faces and the breeze seething through our hair. Many stupendous little villages also dotted the region.
The itinerary detailed here are the places I had visited, encompassing every beautiful village and hilltop Tuscany had to offer. Buon Viaggio!

Montalcino

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We had started our journey from the gorgeous city of Florence, known for its art and culture. After driving around for a little over two hours, our first stop was Montalcino, a beautiful historical town perched on a hilltop in Tuscany. If you love wine, this is a special place to be as wine knowledge, passion, and quality are exceptional. Even if you don’t drink, the sheer pride and interest in wine-making will make you love this town. Though you reach this town by car/bus, you discover this place on foot.
Known for the production of delicious wine, the famous Rosso and Brunelleschi di Montalcino, there were stunning views over the surrounding countryside and wonderful food and wine to give the perfect company.

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Pienza

On our way to Pienza countryside, we stopped at San Quirico d’Orcia to take pictures of the beautiful, scenic countryside. Pienza is Tuscany’s ‘Ideal Town’ perched atop a beautiful hill in scenic Val d’ Orcia, with incredible history.

Here the architecture blended beautifully into the landscape, and there were pretty alleys and excellent food too. Though we met with occasional rains here, we could completely immerse ourselves in this remarkable town.

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Montepulciano

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It is another stunning Tuscan town famous for its views and wine. The famous wine produced here is Vino nobili di Montepulciano, and the town also houses a historical town centre with pleasant streets, beautiful piazzas, churches and breathtaking viewing terraces over the countryside. The street was long, meandering and delightful; dotted with cafes, restaurants, shops, local souvenirs, local textile and kitchenware. Excellent wine and olive oil are also produced here.
We continued with our Tuscan countryside trip on the second day from Florence.

Siena

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After driving for an hour and 10 minutes, we reached Siena at 10 in the morning. It is a city famous for its Palio (horse race) that takes place twice a year and its characteristic narrow streets flanked by brick buildings. The traditional Sienese dishes include Crostini neri, toasted bread with liver; Pappardelle con leprechaun, ribbon shaped pasta with a sauce made with hare; Pici, long thick spaghetti with a rich sauce and ribolita.

San Gimignano

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The world’s best gelato and ice cream are served at Gelateria Dondoli, an award-winning gelateria in San Gimignano. That is the reason we stopped here. There were countless astounding and delicious gelatos here, and a long queue waited outside to get their delicious pick. We had to wait for an hour, but it was worth the wait. San Gimignano and its surroundings are well worth visiting to enjoy historical monuments and taste great wines. There are a dozen tower houses, which form a beautiful skyline with its hilltop setting and encircling walls.

Pisa

Our last destination was the city of Pisa, best known for its iconic Leaning Tower, a World Heritage Site. It was a crowded place full of tourists. I could see many Indians also here. It took almost two centuries to complete the Leaning Tower. The tilting towards the north started with the completion of the second floor because of the bad soil underneath it. Pisa is a Greek word meaning “marshy sands”. The terrain in this area is mainly made of clay, and for this reason, it is not strong enough to sustain such a tall construction. The Bell Tower of Romanesque rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli.

That was the end of our Tuscany countryside trip covered in two days. By the end of it, I was exhausted. Black poplar trees were found in the countryside on our way back to Florence. The peculiarity of these trees is that oyster mushrooms grow here, pushing through the bark of trees after a cold rain. Finally, we were back in Florence. This road trip was not so much about the destination, but it was about the journey in between.
All I can say is breathe deep, take your time and soak in the beauty of Tuscany!

(All pics courtesy Upasna Prasad)