The Perfect 4-Day Tuscany Escape
- Saheli Chatterjee
- Mar 7
- 5 min read
Planning a trip to Italy but short on time? Don’t worry, you can still experience its magic. During our journey through Italy in 2025, we had just about a week, yet we managed to savour both the timeless beauty of Tuscany and the historic grandeur of Rome in one unforgettable trip. So pour yourself a glass of wine, settle in, and come along as we relive our journey through rolling vineyards, Renaissance art, and the enchanting landscapes that gave the world Chianti wines. 🍷
One of the most important decisions for this trip was choosing our base while exploring Tuscany. Since we were relying mostly on public transportation and guided tours, we decided against staying in the picturesque countryside B&Bs that are best reached by car through the rolling Tuscan hills. Instead, we based ourselves in Florence, and our Airbnb turned out to be one of the best we’ve ever booked.
We arrived in Florence via FlixBus from Nice. Although we were exhausted from the journey, curiosity quickly took over. We walked past Basilica Santa Maria Novella, which is closer to the train station. We wandered through the lively squares of Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza della Signoria to get our first feel for the city. Of course, by then we were starving. So we made our way to the Instagram-famous sandwich shop I' Girone De' Ghiotti, where we found delicious, affordable sandwiches and drinks that were as satisfying as they were generous in size. It was so good that we couldn’t resist returning for another round on our second day.
Pro tips:
Book your Airbnb well in advance (months if possible) and stay away from the historical centre. We chose an Airbnb near the San Marco University area which has excellent tram connectivity and is walking distance from the Duomo.
At Piazza della Signoria, you’ll even find public fountains offering both still and sparkling drinking water—and the best part is that it’s completely free!
The second day of our trip was mostly dedicated to Arts and history, as we started the day at the Uffizzi gallery. This prominent museum provides everything from the works of the greats of Italian Renaissance like Boticelli, Caravaggio and Da Vinci, to some the greatest views of Ponte Vecchio and terrace views of the Duomo. We then moved on to admiring Michelangelo's David at Galleria dell'Accademia. We marvelled at the life-like details carved out of stone like veins, ribs and muscles. We were lost for words...
Pro tip: The best way to make sure to not miss out on these galleries is to buy timed tickets (preferably morning slots), some weeks in advance and studying up on the placements of the most important paintings and sculptures.
That evening, we had plans to celebrate the husband's birthday at a very special restaurant. We took a bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo and wandered around the hill just in time to watch one of the most breathtaking sunsets over Florence. Although the viewpoint can get quite crowded, the lively atmosphere makes it part of the charm—street musicians playing, people gathering to admire the view, and nearby restaurants buzzing with energy. One thing we could have planned better was the late-night transportation, as buses from the hill can be a bit irregular after dark. But in the end, the walk back through the softly lit streets of Florence turned out to be just as magical.
Pro Tip: Reserve seats for dinner at La Loggia del Piazzale Michelangelo around sunset and thank us later.
The next morning, we set out early to explore the iconic Duomo complex in Florence. This area includes the magnificent Florence Cathedral, the historic Florence Baptistery, Giotto's Campanile, and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The combined tickets for these attractions tend to sell out quickly, so it’s something worth planning in advance.
While Anupam tackled the climb up the nearly 400 steps of Giotto’s Bell Tower, I happily took a quieter approach, savouring an espresso with a pistachio cornetto at a nearby café. Once he returned, we made a beeline for the cathedral entrance, which can be a bit confusing to locate. We found that simply asking fellow travellers helped us quickly figure out where to go. One of the highlights of the day was seeing the original Gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti inside the museum. The intricate originals are carefully preserved there, while their famous bronze-gilded replicas still stand proudly at the entrance of the Baptistery.
We spent the second half of our day doing what one can do best when in Tuscany - wine-tasting in the Chianti region. We booked this guided tour from Florence covering two different wineries and tasting cheeses, cold-cuts, wines and white truffle olive oils. The highlight of this tour was a very friendly sommelier who was astonished at how fast our glasses were emptied every time he poured a new wine!
We reserved our last day in Tuscany for what turned out to be the most exciting and busiest day of the trip. The plan was a day excursion to the colourful villages of Cinque Terre, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage site made up of five picturesque towns perched dramatically along the cliffs of the Ligurian Sea. With their pastel houses cascading down rocky hillsides and the sea shimmering in shades of deep blue and emerald green, the views almost feel unreal until you see them with your own eyes.
The easiest way to explore the villages is by train, usually connecting through La Spezia, where a regional line runs frequently between the five towns. During good weather, ferries also operate along the coast, offering spectacular views of the villages from the sea—an experience that’s just as memorable as wandering through the towns themselves. The region is also famous for its food. Pesto is believed to have originated in nearby Liguria, and after tasting it here, we can confidently say it was some of the best pesto we’ve ever had—fresh, fragrant, and bursting with flavour. Meanwhile, the village of Vernazza is known for its gelato, and we’re happy to confirm that the reputation is well deserved. Sitting by the harbour with a cone of creamy gelato while watching the waves roll in was the perfect way to soak in the magic of Cinque Terre. 🍨🌊
Pro tip: To avoid all the planning and transportation connections, simply book this tour for a more productive and carefree day at Cinque Terre
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