Holiday houses & apartments in Tuscany

Live the Italian dream with a perfect holiday apartment in Tuscany

Renting a holiday apartment Tuscany is much more revealing than being stuck in a stock standard hotel, giving you absolute freedom to enjoy the endless attractions of this famous region. Whether a historic countryside villa or comfy modern city apartment, you’ll be able to explore the famous wine region of Chianti, the artistic wonders of Florence, the medieval charm of Siena, quaint Tuscan villages with an authentic feel, and some secluded Italian coastline from the comfort of your own home.

Enjoy a region that needs no introduction

People may credit films like Under the Tuscan Sun or Hannibal Lecter's immortal Chianti advertisement in The Silence of the Lambs for the popularity of a holiday home in Tuscany. However, this central Italian region has been a favourite destination for centuries, long before these films were even in pre-production. It doesn't take very long to find out why, so rich is this region in culture, heritage, history, nature, food, wine and sightseeing that it can hardly be described in words.

Wine and dine with the best of 'em

In addition to the famed restaurants in Florence, Pisa, Siena and other cities that showcase local Tuscan cuisine, you can find amazing food wherever you go between the rolling Tuscan hills and the tranquil Tyrrhenian Sea. Tuscany's most famous product is its red wine, especially the Sangiovese grape varieties of Chianti and Montepulciano. Have a look on TUI Villas for a holiday home in Tuscany in the region's wine wonderland and you might chance upon a rustic farmhouse where you can enjoy wine and food straight from the source – or the bustling old villages where you can sample several cellar-door experiences in a day and be back home in time for a delicious local dinner in your Tuscany holiday home!

Homely living on holiday

Just like the region itself, a holiday apartment in Tuscany is incredibly rich and varied. TUI Villas offers cosy and affordable inner-city locations close to such world-famous sights as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the world's best Renaissance art collection at the Uffizi Gallery, and Michelangelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze. Or you can escape to the countryside and find a spacious six-room villa with views, self-catering facilities, an outdoor dining area and private pool ideal for large groups. Family-friendly for holiday home options in Tuscany can be found everywhere, including amenities such as on-site parking, satellite TV, WiFi, laundry facilities and child-proof fencing.

Get to know Tuscany's smaller towns

While most major tour operators, hotel chains and promoters focus on the big names, TUI Villas let you discover a home away from home in some lesser-known (though no less impressive) places. Vinci is known around the world for its most famous local, Leonardo da Vinci, whose museum dominates the tiny Tuscan town. Another essential visit is the picturesque walled city of Lucca, a living museum of pre-Renaissance Gothic architecture matched only by a few places in Europe. Arezzo, once a vital Etruscan town during pre-Roman times, is a quiet destination perched on a hilltop providing a refreshing antidote to the busy streets of Florence.

An archetypal medieval city experience

The stunning striped city of Siena is one of Italy's best preserved medieval towns. It has been surprisingly unaltered by modernisation, and you can find an affordable place in the heart of the city where you'll have everything within walking distance. The town centre is completely pedestrianised so families with children can enjoy wandering around without worrying about traffic. The jewel in Siena's crown is the stunning Duomo, a Romanesque cathedral that houses the city's most precious art works. Even those who don't appreciate the subtleties of Duccio's Maesta will be blown away by the view from the museum's Panorama dal Facciatone. In the evening the place to be is Piazza del Campo, Siena's uniquely shell-shaped city square that overflows with al fresco diners, musicians and chatty locals.

Cruise from Chianti to the coast

It would be perfectly lovely to rent a holiday apartment Tuscany just to see Florence – it has so much to offer – but don't miss out on Tuscany's other beauties. Find a Tuscany holiday apartment in Chianti, for example, and you'll find yourself among Italy's most famous wine regions, a land of rolling hills, sun-baked villas and photo-worthy stone fortresses. Alternatively, head to the Tuscan Coast to uncover an entirely different side of Tuscany, with quaint villages, beautiful islands, and sandy beaches stretching almost all the way from Grosseto in the south to the famous Cinque Terre in neighbouring Liguria.

How do I get to Tuscany?

As one of Italy's most visited regions, there are many options for reaching your holiday apartment in Tuscany. The major international Tuscan airports are Pisa and Florence with daily flights from all over Europe and beyond, or you can be in Tuscany after a three-hour drive from Milan (from the north) or Rome (from the south). Train travel is well developed and easy to use across Tuscany, with every city and most towns having a station offering services connecting them to every corner of Italy and even direct routes to Florence and Pisa from England, France and Germany.

When should I visit Tuscany?

Make sure to check the weather forecast before visiting Tuscany. Although generally mild year-round, the climate varies according to geography, for instance, the hilly regions in the east and north are more prone to cold and rainy winters. During the scorching summer heat of July and August, it's wise to stay close to a pool or directly by the coast for some much needed cooling down. April, May, June, September and October are the most pleasant months if you're looking to maximise great weather but avoid the crowds, although villages and remote countryside are mostly immune to fluctuations in the number of visitors year-round.

Neighbouring holiday regions Florentine Hills

• Siena Province
• San Gimignano and the surrounding area
• Siena and the surrounding area
• Ombrone
• Tuscia
• Montagnola Senese
• Colline Metallifere
• Cecina
• Valle del Diavolo
• Valdelsa