Tuscany is the Italy many people dream about. Expanses of rolling countryside where life proceeds deliciously slowly. Perfectly symmetrical vineyards where some of the world’s best wines are cultivated. Grand, Renaissance-era cities and medieval hamlets with traditional restaurants that beckon you with the smell of roasted meats.
Situated in the center of Italy, Tuscany benefits from a mild climate, making it a great destination year-round, although the countryside is best enjoyed when the weather is favorable. Activities that were once reserved for summer, such as hiking, cycling, and even city strolling, are now best carried out in spring or early fall due to rising summer temperatures.
When it’s above 30°C (86°F), you don’t want to be out under the scorching sun, unless you're at the beach where you can take refuge in the water. But all of Tuscany's seasons have their pros and cons – here's our guide to the best times to come.
If your goal is to spend time outdoors, spring is generally the best and possibly the most underrated time to visit Tuscany. Winter wind and rain give way to more forgiving weather that doesn’t yet yield to the scorching sun you'll encounter in summer.
The months of April, May and June are ideal for enjoying the Tuscan slow tourism experience. You can walk or cycle along the Via Francigena, passing through historic towns such as San Miniato and San Quirico d’Orcia and immersing yourself in landscapes that are still green before the summer heat builds.
This is a prime time to sample spring produce that includes fresh asparagus and truffles (tartufo marzuolo). Towards the end of the season, temperatures will have warmed enough to justify a visit to the coast around Orbetello, Cala Violina and Marina di Bibbona, as Italy's many privately run beaches reopen, usually just after Easter.
Firenze (Florence), the capital of Tuscany, is known to the world as the cradle of the Renaissance, and this historic city has an abundance of unique sights and museums in its historic center. Visiting off-season is a must, however, unless you want to spend your precious vacation time waiting in line. December and January can be busy over the Christmas period and during the first week of the new year, but are otherwise crowd-free.
What’s more, Florence is decorated for the holidays at this time of year, so everything sparkles a little bit brighter. In addition to Nativity scenes, Christmas trees and holiday decorations across the city, Florence celebrates Green Line Firenze, a festival of lights projecting digital art onto the city’s historical buildings every evening from 5:30pm to 10pm.
Are there cons to visiting in December or January? Well, it rains quite a bit, but there's
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There’s so much that goes into traveling (especially the journey itself), you want to enjoy and make the most of the time you have while you're there. Sorting out the trip itinerary can be stressful when you don’t know the destination well or your group has a lot of ideas to narrow down.
On August 26, an unusual rail journey set out from Vancouver, British Columbia, with an itinerary stringing together seven pre-existing luxury train lines across four continents, starting in North America, zigzagging through Europe and Africa, before concluding in Asia (with a few international flights in between). The trip, packaged by specialist travel agency Railbookers, started from $113,599 per person. And its popularity resulted in a waitlist of more than 500 people before the expanded 2025 offerings went on sale this month.
A last-minute trip to Europe is as romantic as it sounds. Not only is the spontaneity thrilling, but European countries lend themselves very well to travelers who appreciate local customs and enjoy exploring new places without a rigid itinerary. Often, impulsively turning down a cobblestoned street will lead you to an exceptional hole-in-the-wall wine bar, a short-notice boutique hotel booking will be the best place you’ve ever stayed, or a chance encounter with a local will lead to a life-long friendship. But come 2025, you will need to do a little planning before you cross the pond. Next year, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will come into effect. This rule will require visitors from visa-exempt countries to obtain a travel authorization before entering 30 European countries and this includes US travelers.
Psst. We’re going to let you in on a secret. Lake Tahoe doesn’t disappear after Labor Day… but the summer crowds do. That means less traffic, fewer hikers on the trails, and beaches you barely have to share. Campsites get easier to book, too, so you can marvel at the autumn hues reflecting on Big Blue on a spur-of-the-moment getaway.
While women have been traveling the world on their own for decades (centuries, really), a 2024 report from Booking.com reveals that solo travel is surging this year, in particular.The booking engine says 54 percent of women are embracing solo journeys.A separate report from Road Scholar, which offers educational travel for older adults, says up to 85 percent of the company’s tour participants that travel solo are women. These reports underscore what plenty of female travelers have long known: Solo women travelers are a force to be reckoned with. Write us off at your own peril.Within the travel industry itself, there are a number of high-profile solo female travelers who are constantly serving up an inspiring look at what it’s like to be a woman exploring the world boldly - doing so with comfort, ease, and a level sheer joy that’s contagious.So, rather than publish another staid round-up of destinations that might be worth considering if you’re a woman traveling alone, we asked a handful of these fearless, globetrotting women what their favorite destinations are to explore solo and why.Consider this your insider’s destination guide, curated by a handful of women who, collectively, have visited nearly every corner of the globe and have done so with abandon.
United Airlines will launch flights in eight brand-new cities next year, marking what the airline called the largest international expansion in its history.