Tuscany Beyond the Vineyards: A Local’s Guide to the Region’s Best-Kept Secrets

Tuscany is synonymous with rolling hills, world-class wine, and Renaissance art — but the region offers far more than Chianti tastings and Florence museum queues. Step off the beaten path and you’ll discover a landscape rich with medieval villages, thermal springs, and culinary traditions that have remained unchanged for generations.

Begin in the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape where lone cypress trees line winding roads through golden wheat fields. The hilltop village of Pienza — originally redesigned in the 15th century as an “ideal city” — is home to some of Italy’s finest pecorino cheese, best enjoyed with local honey on a terrace overlooking the valley. A short drive away, the ancient thermal baths of Bagno Vignoni feature a grand piazza built around a steaming pool of natural hot spring water — a sight unlike anything else in Europe.

For a true local experience, visit the weekly market in Montepulciano, where farmers sell fresh porcini mushrooms, truffles, and handmade pasta that never sees a supermarket shelf. In the evening, drive to Montalcino — not for the famous Brunello (though you should try it), but for the crumbling fortress walls where locals gather at sunset with a glass of wine and no tourist in sight. Tuscany reveals its soul to those who slow down — and a private villa surrounded by olive groves is the perfect way to do exactly that.