Staying in a country hotel is the ideal way to get the best from Tuscany. It makes a perfect holiday for couples and families alike, allowing you to visit the tourist centres but also relax in the picturesque countryside of Tuscany. Located near the 'Cities of Art' it is also great for culture vultures.



The reason a country hotel offer so much to the tourist is due to the duality of their purpose. For those wishing to see all Tuscany has to offer they make a great base for touring. While those who just wish to sit by the pool and relax they make brilliant retreats for getting yourself together and coming back rejuvenated.

Tuscany is famed for its wines, of which there are many. Most famous of them is Chianti, although other wines of note are Morellino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Wine tasting can be seen as one of the major reason to travel to Tuscany. Your hotel in the region should possess a good number of these wines allowing you to sample them without even having to leave the comfort of your hotel.

Tourist destinations in Tuscany include the cities of Florence, Lucca and Pisa. Touring from a quality base in the country will allow you to visit many of them. Pisa is a great family expedition as youngsters will be able to recognise the leaning tower. Florence as the home of the Medici family will offer history buffs a fascinating insight into this powerful European family.

Art lovers will surely benefit the most from Tuscany, either staying in a city or country hotel will allow the visitation of many of the fine art galleries. Florence provides examples of the true master's work. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli all lived within the region and with such fine scenery as inspiration it is little wonder why these artists are considered some of the best in the world.

The reason to use a country hotel rather than one within Florence or Pisa is clear. During the tourist season these cities are swamped by tourists from all around the world. It is estimated that during any day between April and October the local populations are outnumbered by visitors. The opportunity to take a trip to either of these cities and then return to the serenity of your country hotel cannot be missed.

Florence itself was one of the centres of the renaissance. Mainly due to the Medici influence and finance, forward thinkers such as da Vinci, Galileo and Machiavelli all lived in the city at one time and the various museums give a wonderful representation of their work.

The cuisine of Tuscany has simplicity at its heart; no doubt your hotel will serve many of the signature dishes of the region and all are worth sampling. Most notable are the meat dishes of which Florentine steak is a favourite. With so many meat dishes available the sumptuous red wines accompany the local dishes excellently.

Taking the family to Tuscany may be seen as a wasted trip with so much culture and history to soak in. Lying so close to the coast however, an ideal day trip from your hotel is the beach; in the summer months the temperature soars making sun bathing and taking a dip in the sea great ways to keep youngsters entertained.

Visiting a country hotel in Tuscany really opens up this fantastic region. It has much to offer the tourist from the fine wine and cuisine to the picture perfect beaches. The glorious architecture of the cities twinned with their intellectual history makes the trip educational as well as enjoyable. The chance to just lay by the hotel pool sipping wine gives those who need it the chance to relax and recuperate in stunning surroundings. Overall Tuscany is an essential tourist destination that all should visit at least once in their lifetime.