Where to stay in Tuscany, from farm stays to mountain villages

Where to stay in Tuscany, area by area

In Tuscany it makes sense to choose the area first and the property second. You will find places around Florence, in the Pistoia area, between Chianti and Val d'Orcia, on the coast and in Maremma, and in the mountains. I have grouped them by proximity, so you can see straight away where to start.

Florence, Mugello and Empoli

If Florence is the heart of your trip, you have two options. Stay in the centre and do everything on foot, or stay a little outside and get around by car or train, usually spending less.

• B&B Cavour 10, in Florence. A nineteenth-century building with frescoed ceilings a few steps from the Duomo, spacious rooms and an excellent location. Support is often offered from a distance, so don't expect a reception desk that is always staffed.
• Le Terrazze, in Montorsoli. A hotel with a restaurant, bar and terrace, air-conditioned rooms and free parking. A practical base for visiting Florence by car, although guests' opinions are divided.
• B&B La Terrazza, in Empoli. A small family-run B&B close to the centre and the station, with a private bathroom, shared kitchen and terrace. Ideal if you visit Florence by train, less so if you want complete silence.
• Hotel Locanda degli Artisti, in Borgo San Lorenzo. Simple rooms, some with exposed beams, in a nineteenth-century building in the pedestrian zone. For staying in the centre at a fair price, without grand-hotel pretensions.

Pistoia and the surrounding area

Between Pistoia and the countryside around it, you sleep among olive trees and silence, a short distance from the big cities. This is an area people tend to skip, yet it works well for anyone with a car.

• Azienda agricola Scerba, in Casalguidi. A country property with rooms, a garden and a restaurant serving seasonal cooking. Liked for the greenery and the home-style dishes, but patience is needed with the service times.
• Agriturismo Gli Arancini, in Montorio. A restored farmhouse among the olive trees, with a view over the countryside. Guests praise the quiet, the welcome from the owners and the home-made produce.

Chianti, Val d'Orcia and Monte Amiata

This is the Tuscany of postcards, made of vineyards, hills and stone villages. Here the agriturismo is the natural choice, and a car is essential.

• Agriturismo Crocino in Chianti, in Lecchi in Chianti. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, with a seasonal pool, a restaurant and a family welcome. Calm and simple, not luxurious.
• Agriturismo I Roseti, in Montepulciano. Set among orchards on the edge of town, with air-conditioned rooms and apartments. Guests praise the owners, and I think it works very well for couples.
• Ristorante La Fattoria Bellandi, in Contignano. A farm stay with a restaurant in Val d'Orcia, roomy rooms, a garden with a play area and home cooking. Not for anyone who expects flawless service.
• Agriturismo Corvaia Val d'Orcia, in Radicofani. An old, isolated farmhouse with shared kitchen, a seasonal pool and dinners made with its own produce. Rustic and a little spartan, with no design touches or hotel-style services.
• B&B La Baita, in Castel del Piano. A small complex of apartments in the greenery of Monte Amiata, with a kitchen or kitchenette and free parking. For couples looking for quiet and nature.

Pisa, the coast and Maremma

Here the sea mixes with cities of art and hill towns inland. The options range from a practical bed near the station to a little house with a kitchen for the family.

• B&B Red Horse, in Pisa. A simple bed and breakfast a few steps from the station, with retro rooms and breakfast in a partner café. You choose it for the location and the price, not for the quiet.
• B&B il giardino segreto Riotorto, in Riotorto. The address is there, but many guests describe it as being in the centre of Volterra. Compact shabby-chic rooms, and a breakfast that divides opinion.
• Di Toscana Holidays, in Cecina. A village of separate cottages with a pool, a garden and play areas for children, close to the sea. Ideal for families, with some maintenance issues to bear in mind.
• Hotel Zeno, in Cinquale. A hotel close to the sea and Forte dei Marmi, with a garden featuring a jacuzzi, free parking and pets allowed. Opinions on the rooms are divided.
• B&B Tuscany Lodge, in Campiglia Marittima. In the historic centre, with well-kept rooms, a terrace over the village and a homemade breakfast. You visit the village on foot and drive to the coast.
• Agriturismo Il Montoto, in Ponti di Badia. On a hill among the olive trees in Maremma, with spacious apartments and a large garden. Peace and nature, for couples or families with children, provided you have a car.
• La Magica Torre, in Pitigliano. A guesthouse with a restaurant at the entrance to the historic centre, and rustic rooms with private bathrooms. For a short stay on foot among the alleys.

Mountains, Garfagnana and Arezzo

Towards the Apuan Alps, the Garfagnana and the Arezzo Apennines, Tuscany changes character. Woods, trails and home cooking, with roads that in some cases are not easy.

• B&B Casa Giorgini, in Stazzema. In the Apuan Alps Park, among chestnut woods and trails, with rooms in the house and in a stone and timber mountain hut. My choice for walkers.
• Rifugio La Mestà, in Trassilico. A simple inn with basic rooms and a shared bathroom, home cooking and a garden with a view. Plain living and genuine hospitality, for walkers and curious travellers.
• Alla Battuta, in Sansepolcro. A B&B in a rural house along the Way of St Francis, with roomy rooms, a garden and a small wellness area by reservation. Suited to pilgrims and couples.
• Casa al Taverni, in Subbiano. A mountain B&B in the Alpe di Catenaia area, with a restaurant, a wood-fired hot tub and a garden. Not for anyone wanting hotel comforts or an easy road.
• Casa Baita al Taverni, in Subbiano. A mountain hut with rooms and home cooking among woods and trails. Fresh air and quiet, if you don't mind a difficult road.

What kind of accommodation you find in Tuscany

Farm stays are the most typical type, but the region offers much more. You will find B&Bs in historic centres, holiday homes with kitchens, a few practical hotels and mountain places somewhere between an inn and a refuge.

Farm stays are almost always in the countryside, often with a restaurant or dinner made from their own produce. B&Bs and guesthouses are the right choice in villages and cities, where location matters most. Holiday homes suit families who want a kitchen and space. Few of the hotels I list are hotels in the usual sense, and I see them mainly as convenient bases for anyone touring by car.

City or countryside, what to choose

It depends how you get around. If you want to see Florence or Pisa without a car, sleep near a station. If you want the Tuscany of hill towns and rolling fields, the countryside is worth it, but you will need a car.

A good compromise is to stay outside the city, in an area with good transport links, and return in the evening. This works well for Empoli, the Pistoia area and bases in Chianti. In the mountains and in Maremma, however, the road is part of the journey and has to be factored in.

Which accommodation to choose for your trip

There is no single right place for everyone. This table helps you narrow down your choice by type of trip.

When to go to Tuscany and how to get around

Spring and autumn are the times I would recommend, because the hills are lovely and the cities less crowded. Summer brings heat and many visitors, especially in Florence and on the coast. The mountains, by contrast, offer cool air in summer.

To get around the region you almost always need a car, especially for farm stays and hill villages. The exceptions are Florence, Pisa and Empoli, where the train is enough. Some mountain roads are narrow and uncomfortable, so check carefully how to get there before you book. In peak season, book early, because the best and smallest places fill up quickly.