Travel guide

A day in Tuscany.

Three days the way we like to spend them ourselves. Each route starts and ends at Le Capanne, by car, at an easy pace. More days to come.

Day 1 · approx. 15–25 min each way

A day by the sea

Castiglioncello · Quercianella · Livorno

Morning
Cappuccino in Castiglioncello
Set off early, before the heat. Cornetto and cappuccino at a bar by the pine park, then down to the Baia del Quercetano: a small cove, crystal-clear water, still almost empty.
Lunch
Seafood with a view
Lunch by the water: fried calamari, spaghetti alle vongole, a chilled Vermentino. Then a siesta under the pines.
Afternoon
The rocky coves of Quercianella
The coast road north passes rocks and little swimming spots. Bring a snorkel; the water is especially clear here.
Evening
Sunset on the Terrazza Mascagni
In Livorno, head to the chequerboard seafront terrace as the sun goes down. Try cacciucco, the city's fish stew. Or drive home for pizza from the wood-fired oven.

Our tip

On summer weekends the beaches fill up from 10 am. Weekdays and late afternoons are loveliest.

Day 2 · approx. 45 min each way

Viale dei Cipressi · Bolgheri · Castagneto Carducci

Morning
The cypress avenue
Five kilometres of cypresses in a perfectly straight line from San Guido to the village of Bolgheri, made famous by the poet Giosuè Carducci. Drive slowly, stop at the start, roll down the window.
Lunch
Lunch in the village
Bolgheri is tiny: an archway, a few lanes, wine bars. A board of pecorino, salami and crostini with a glass of Bolgheri Rosso in the shade.
Afternoon
Wine tasting
The estates around Bolgheri are among the most famous in Italy. Many offer tours and tastings, almost always by appointment. Book a few days ahead.
Evening
Evening light in Castagneto Carducci
Continue to the hill village of Castagneto and wander up to the viewpoint. Below you, vineyards and olive groves; on the horizon, the sea.

Our tip

If you taste, don't drive. Pick a designated driver or join a guided wine tour for this day.

Day 3 · approx. 50 min each way

Etruscans · Alabaster · Le Balze

Morning
Through the hills
The road to Volterra winds through rolling hills, fields and cypresses. In the morning, mist often still lies in the valleys.
Lunch
The old town
Through the Porta all'Arco, one of Italy's oldest city gates, into the medieval lanes. Lunch: pappardelle al cinghiale with a glass of red.
Afternoon
Roman theatre and alabaster
From the edge of town you look down onto the Roman theatre. Then visit an alabaster workshop, where the white stone is still worked by hand. On hot days, the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum is ideal.
Evening
Le Balze at sunset
On the western edge of town, the cliffs of the Balze drop away steeply. At sunset they glow gold. Then back over the hills to Le Capanne.

Our tip

Park in one of the car parks outside the walls; the old town is closed to traffic.

Coming soon: Pisa and Lucca, the rocky coast of Calafuria, Etruscan Populonia.

Le Capanne is the quiet base for all of these days.