The most beautiful places to visit in Tuscany
Cypress alleys, patchwork fields and crumbling castellos. Everyone can picture Tuscany, but it’s not always easy to capture the immensity of the endless waves of green you see with the naked eye, or the timeless quality of ancient stone streets. There are incredible places to stay, from spectacular Tuscan hotels and sprawling Italian villas to cutesie Airbnbs tucked into the Tuscan countryside, and there are countless world-renowned restaurants hidden in the shadows of rolling hills, each with uninterrupted views and even pools to splash about in post-meal. Here are the prettiest places to visit in Tuscany to try and visit on your next trip, plus photographer Mary Quincy tells us where the best places to take pictures are.
Mary QuincyTuscan countryside
Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta
This little chapel doesn’t have a bad side. Framed between two rows of cypress trees and surrounded by typical Tuscan countryside, it looks particularly wonderful at sunrise and sunset.
Mary QuincySan Quirico d’Orcia
If there’s one scenic drive in Italy you need to do it’s the road between Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia. You’ll want to stop every two seconds along the six miles of magical landscapes. Even if you drive it hundreds of times, you’ll discover new viewpoints along the way – including this one.
Mary QuincyLandscapes of Val d’Orcia
The rolling hills of the Val d’Orcia are absolutely what you would expect. After seeing these perfect landscapes in films such as Gladiator or The English Patient, you would think you might be disappointed in real life, but not so.
Mary QuincySan Quirico d'Orcia, Podere Belvedere
This view of the Podere Belvedere farmhouse is very much loved by tourists, but be mindful and respectful, because this shot is taken from a field surrounded by private properties. It looks especially magical when the farmhouse is encircled by fog.
Mary QuincyFlorence
View of Ponte Vecchio and city from Piazzale Michelangelo
If you want to capture a complete view of Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo is the perfect spot to photograph the city and its most famous bridge. Of course it can get quite crowded, so it’s always best to come early in the morning – but be ready to climb a few stairs to get there.
Mary QuincyCathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The architecture of Florence is unique, and every detail seems to blend perfectly if you zoom from certain angles. We are used to seeing the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in its entirety but if you stand far away enough and you own a good zoom lens, you can focus on certain parts of the building, which creates a slightly different photograph.
Mary QuincyCathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore from Piazza di San Giovanni
This cathedral has been photographed many times, and even early in the morning you’ll see people trying to capture it. If you don’t own a wide-angle lens, find an angle that you like and wait until someone strides by: it will show the actual scale of this incredible monument.
Mary QuincyView of buildings by the river from Ponte Santa Trinita
When morning light appears and hits the buildings, head to any bridge in Florence to capture the reflection of the different city colours in the river. This shot was taken on the St Trinity Bridge, which is also a great spot for capturing the Ponte Vecchio.
Mary QuincySan Gimignano
The doors of San Gimignano
Doors often say a lot about a town. And most of the doors in San Gimignano are worth capturing – taking you back to medieval times. This one makes me wonder how many people have entered and exited through it.
Mary QuincyView from San Gimignano bell tower
San Gimignano is known for its 13 sky-high towers, which are as impressive in real life as they are on film. Even if climbing up the tallest of them might not be easy, your efforts will be rewarded by an incredible view of the town from above, and of the surrounding landscapes and valleys. It truly is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.
Mary QuincyView from via don Minzoni, San Gimignano
As with most towns, the best viewpoints are outside the centre. Just a 10-minute walk away from the entrance to the town, you’ll find yourself in a more residential area, which gives the best panoramic sights of this beauty on a hill.
Mary QuincyVia Palestro at sunset
San Gimignano is a medieval town that transports you back to another time. As soon as you enter the gate, you’ll be in a walled settlement filled with little alleys, stone houses and impressive views of the valley from every corner.
Mary QuincySiena
View from Torre del Mangia
There are many viewpoints in Siena but this one really stands out. From the Torre del Mangia you can admire the entire city – the rooftops as well as wide-angle cityscape shots.
Mary QuincySantuario di Santa Caterina
The entrance of the Santuario di Santa Caterina is a great spot for a photo because the arches and columns create the perfect frame and invite you in to see more.
Mary QuincyVia Santa Caterina
Siena is a hilltop town and you need to be prepared to climb to get where you want to go. But as the city is built this way, it creates different layers when you photograph it and it adds a different sense of perspective. The steep streets will offer many viewpoints and photography opportunities.
Mary QuincyVia Diacceto
There is nothing more charming than little Italian shops and trattorias. And Siena has so many pretty façades you’ll want to stop to photograph each one. Add to that a colourful Vespa or a bicycle and you’ve got yourself a very Italian postcard photo.
Mary QuincyPiazza San Giovanni
Every detail around Siena Cathedral is a photogenic gem. As it tends to be a crowded place during the day, in order to capture the sides of the cathedral it’s best to get up early. There’s nothing better than to feel like you’re the only one exploring a city.
Mary QuincyDuomo di Siena
Piazza del Duomo will surprise you with its architectural details. In complete contrast with the warm colours of most of the houses and buildings in Siena (yellow and orange), the façade of the Duomo di Siena is made of black and white polychrome marble. You can see some colours as well, but the beauty of each detail is definitely eye-opening.
Mary QuincyTorre del Mangia from the ground
Whether it’s staircases or modern architecture, you’ll find an original way to capture a city when you look up. If you’re standing in the middle of this square at the bottom of the Tower of Mangia, looking up will create the perfect perspective shot.
Mary QuincyView from Torre del Mangia
If you feel adventurous, climb the 400 steps leading to the top of the Tower of Mangia and this 360-degree view will be worth all your efforts. Standing at the top of this symbol of the city, you’ll get to capture rooftops, churches and even people walking on the Piazza del Campo, who will look so tiny you’ll feel like you’re at the top of the city.
Mary QuincyView from via Camporegio
One of the best viewpoints from which to catch the sunrise in Siena is via Camporegio. Houses are layered one on top of another, and as soon as the sun comes out you’ll want to sit on one of the benches and marvel at this typical Tuscan landscape.
Mary QuincyPienza and San Quirico
Piazza Martiri della Liberta, Pienza
Every corner of Pienza is a photographer’s dream – from the beautiful streets to the cute exteriors and the amazing views. This shop displayed its products in such a delightful way it was impossible not to capture it.
Mary QuincyCorso il Rossellino, Pienza
The streets of Pienza are so charming that you might not even look up and see this brick bell tower right in the centre, but if you’re entering the town on Corso il Rossellino, it will definitely catch your eye.
Mary QuincyVia Dante Alighieri, San Quirico d’Orcia
San Quirico d’Orcia is a fortified town from the 11th century and no cars are able to drive in the centre, which makes Via Dante Alighieri (the main street of the town) so agreeable to walk around.
Mary QuincyBottega di Ines, via Dante Alighieri, San Quirico
Bottega means small store, and from the outside this charming shop looks more like a wine bar or restaurant. Well, the Bottega di Ines does both. It sells traditional products and serves big plates of cheese or charcuterie and wine to enjoy on the outside terrace. San Quirico is a little Tuscan town that makes you want to do just that: take a break between all these photo stops and enjoy a peaceful and delicious moment outside.