Tuscany is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Florence, is home to some of the world’s most recognizable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo’s “David” statue, Botticelli’s works in the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo basilica. Its diverse natural landscape encompasses the rugged Apennine Mountains, the island of Elba’s beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea and Chianti’s olive groves and vineyards
Tuscany is also known for its wines, including Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, Brunello di Montalcino and white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Having a strong linguistic and cultural identity, it is sometimes considered “a nation within a nation”.
What is the most beautiful part of Tuscany?The most beautiful villages in Tuscany
- Volterra. Volterra is a must-see when visiting Tuscany.
- Arezzo. An ancient Etruscan city, Arezzo was once a rival to neighbouring Florence and Siena, and still has to riches to prove it.
- Cortona.
- San Gimignano.
- Montepulciano.
- Pienza.
- Montalcino.
- Pitigliano.
What is typical Tuscan food?
You’ll find many roasted meats in Tuscan cuisine, particularly wild game such as deer, pheasant or wild boar used as sauces for pasta or as the main course, il secondo, itself. A mixed meat platter or roasted, wine-braised rabbit or duck make for a great secondo, however the Bistecca Fiorentina is an absolute must-try.
Vermentino
Though they only represented 2.1 percent of Tuscan vines in 2014, Vermentino-based wines are slowly gaining popularity. Vermentino tends to garner more of the spotlight in other Italian regions, but this hearty, late-ripening grape is slowly proving itself in coastal Tuscany as a wine that is able to translate the characteristics of the local terroir. At their best, these wines are fresh and balanced with notes of yellow peach, apricot, green apple, and citrus with a salty minerality.
Vernaccia
One of the region’s most historic wines, Vernaccia from San Gimignano was the first wine to receive the Italian DOC designation in 1966 and it ascended to DOCG status in 1993. Vernaccia tends to be crisp and floral with refreshing minerality. It made up 1.2 percent of vineyard plantings in Tuscany in 2014.
