Being one of the most visited destinations on earth I could assume that everyone knows how to respond to the question where is Tuscany? But during our last trip abroad, it happens to meet a person asking me if Tuscany is a region of Italy or an independent state. And another one did not know that Tuscany has a sea. Or that Florence is in Tuscany.

This is the reason for this article. To help anyone that is planning a Tuscan holiday and needs to get more info about its geographical position.

Where is Tuscany? The Map of the region

So, let’s go to the point. Where is Tuscany in Italy? Tuscany is one of the twenty regions of Italy and is located in the middle of the peninsula. At the moment, it has ten provinces. Starting from the north you find Massa Carrara, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato, Florence, Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Arezzo, and Grosseto.

Florence is the capital and obviously one of the most beautiful and visited cities in the world.

The borders

Tuscany has a funny triangle shape that reminds me of the famous local steak, the Bistecca Alla Fiorentina. In the northwest, it borders Liguria, the marvelous region with terrific seaside landscapes and wonderful places like Cinque Terre and Porto Venere.

Manarola Cinque Terre at sunset
Manarola, one of the five villages of Cinque Terre, the northern neighbor of Tuscany

DISCOVER HOW TO GET FROM FLORENCE TO CINQUE TERRE

To the north and east Tuscany shares a border with Emilia Romagna. To the east, you find Marche and Umbria. Finally, we border Lazio to the southern part. In the west, Tuscany has almost 400 km /245 miles of coastlines kissed by the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Even seven wonderful islands, reunited in the Tuscan Archipelago, belong to the region.

The islands of Tuscany cover photo

THE SEVEN ISLANDS OF TUSCANY

The Tuscan Scenery

Thinking of Tuscany your mind goes immediately to the fairytale sceneries made of rolling hills and cypress, countryside roads winding along vineyards and olive groves. The region is mostly covered by gentle hills, but there are also mountains in the northwest.

View of San Gimignano, cover blog post How to get from Florence to San Gimignano
San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy

In the past, the coast and the south were marsh areas. Today you find lovely flatlands. Parts of them have been converted into natural reserves where you can observe many species of interesting fauna and flora.

Pinewood of Cecina Italy Tuscany
The pinewood of Cecina

The mountains of Tuscany

The Apennines and the Apuan Alps are the two mountain ranges of the region and they are the perfect destinations for lovers of nature, hiking, and even skiing. The Apennines crosses the region from north to south along the eastern border. The rocky Apuan Alps in the northern part offer visitors amazing panoramas of the coast and are also famous since the time of ancient Romans for the quarries of the precious white gold, the marble of Carrara.

The Marble quarries of Carrara

Where is Tuscany? And where could you go in Tuscany? Looking at the geographical map of Tuscany, you see also many valleys: Lunigiana, Garfagnana, Mugello, Valdarno, Valdera, Casentino, and Valtiberina. In the past, they were basins formed between mountains and the coast. All of them have good reasons to organize a visit there: food, traditions, events, little hamlets, and nature.

Lake Gramolazzo Garfagnana, view from the church of Gorfigliano
Lake Gramolazzo Garfagnana, view from the church of Gorfigliano

In the center of the region, mountains leave the place to the traditional rolling hills that everyone knows. The Val d’Orcia, in the south of Siena, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It welcomes visitors with fairytale landscapes, panoramic roads, famous cypresses, and wonderful little villages such as Pienza, Montalcino, and Montepulciano.

3 DAYS IN TUSCANY BETWEEN VAL D’ORCIA AND VALDICHIANA

Driving across the central countryside, you may happen to cross strange lunar landscapes. These are the Crete Senesi, nearby the Val d’Orcia, and the Balze next to the village of Volterra. Both of them were formed thousands of years ago due to the phenomena of erosion.

Where is Tuscany

Rivers and beaches of Tuscany

A few rivers flow through the territory. But the biggest and most famous is, without a doubt, the Arno that crosses the historical centers of Florence and Pisa.

Things to do in pisa lungarni
The Lungarni in Pisa

Along the coast, it is possible to choose between different kinds of beaches. Versilia and the Apuan Riviera in the north have wide sandy beaches. Loving comfort and facilities this is your area because it is plenty of well-furnished beach clubs.

Better to go to the Etruscan Coast between Livorno and Piombino if you do not like fine sand and prefer rocks it’s. The wild Maremma is the best for you if you are more into nature and wildness.

Tuscany has also seven beautiful islands that are part of the Natural Park of the Tuscan Archipelago. The biggest is Elba Island and here is more information about 7 things to do on Elba Island.


Typical Plants of Tuscany

Vineyards, olive groves, and wheat fields are three of the symbols of the Tuscan landscape and cover most of the land.

vineyards Chianti
Vineyards – Photo Credits: Podere Casanova

Other typical plants are the slender cypress, the pine trees (common especially along the coast), and the colorful scented Macchia Mediterranea. The macchia hosts varieties of plants such as broom, sage, juniper, rosemary, myrtle, sage, heather, and many more. Tuscany is also one of the Italian regions with the biggest cover of trees. In fact, rich forests of oak, beech, ash, and chestnuts cover the mountains, and during the autumn you can assist in the suggestive show of the fall foliage.

Now you have more information to respond to the question of Where is Tuscany. But if you have not enough about the geographical aspects of Tuscany, let me know and I will be happy to satisfy your curiosity.

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Where is Tuscany, a useful map of the region

(Updated on 14.03.2023)

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