Whenever you think of Italy, besides the wonders of Rome, Venice, or Florence your mind goes to the little villages in Tuscany. From north to south, Tuscany is plenty of small jewels to discover. They wait for you at the top of rolling hills or in the middle of a green grassy plain.
Every year the Italian Touring Club draws up a list of the best small town in Italy with less than fifteen thousand inhabitants. They check five main topics:
- Hospitality.
- Availability of accommodation and tourism infrastructures.
- Tourist Attractions (usability of historical and environmental assets, food farming production, shows, and events).
- Environmental Quality.
- Quality of the place.
These places get a reward called “Bandiera Arancione”, literally Orange Flag. Of all the twenty-one Italian regions, Tuscany has the highest number of Orange Flags in Italy, thirty-six.
Our 10 Most Beautiful villages in Tuscany
Of course, all these hamlets are worth a visit. We also know that this list does not consider all the wonderful places. Among these, we chose our best 10 villages in Tuscany. We intentionally did not consider the already-famous towns of Pienza, San Gimignano, or Volterra to give more space to the hidden ones.
Starting from the north of Tuscany we highly suggest adding those places to your bucket list.
1. Fosdinovo
Fosdinovo is the old gate of the historical area of Lunigiana. The village lies on the top of a hill overlooking Val di Magra and Luni Plains. From up there you have a wonderful 360-degree view of the Apuan Alps and of the Mediterranean Sea. It is famous for the beautiful 12th-century Malaspina Family Castle. You can visit its rooms and towers with a guided tour, and listen to the tales of its old inhabitants. Fosdinovo has also its unique food tradition, different from the rest of the region. Once there, do not miss to taste the Sgabei, Testaroli with pesto sauce, high-quality honey, and Vermentino wine.
READ MORE ABOUT WHAT TO DO IN FOSDINOVO HERE
2. Barga
Barga is a small hill town in the Media Valle of Serchio River. A visit to Barga represents a perfect daily tour to take from Lucca which is only 45 minutes away by car. A fun fact about Barga is that at the end of 1800 many locals emigrated to Scotland looking for a better life to live. Today many of them, together with their grandchildren, came back to their birthplace in Tuscany. They now live in the most Scottish town in Italy. In Barga, you can even find an old red phone box on the street and eat at Fish and Chips Fest during summer. The main attractions are the Romanesque Duomo overlooking the valley, the Renaissance buildings, and the small theatre Dei Differenti. If you happen to be in Barga in August, do not miss the Jazz Festival.
3. Collodi
Collodi is the birthplace of a naughty wooden child protagonist of one of the “best-selling books” in the world. I am talking about Pinocchio, the animated marionette created by Italian author Carlo Collodi. The little hamlet is halfway from the lovely town of Pistoia and Lucca. It looks like a cascade of houses descending down from a steep hill. At the lowest point, there is Villa Garzoni with its amazing garden Baroque style. Of course, it could not miss a Monumental Park dedicated to Pinocchio. It is a nice activity to do with kids touring around the fascinating sculptures of the Novel characters, including the big shark.
4. Certaldo
Certaldo is one of the few medieval hamlets of Tuscany, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, that is still perfectly preserved. The paved alleys of the center host workshops, taverns, traditional restaurants, churches, and museums. During the summer, Certaldo transforms itself on the occasion of the famous Mercantia Festival, an international festival of street art that attracts thousands of visitors. Do not miss to try one of the dishes made with the onion, symbol and proud of Certaldo and its culinary traditions.
DISCOVER THE THINGS TO DO IN CERTALDO HERE
5. Casale Marittimo
Casale Marittimo is the ideal village for lovers of slow travel and a quiet way of life. We are in the middle of the Tuscan countryside and only 10 km (6,3 miles) away from the sea of the Etruscan Coast. Potter around its narrow streets with lovely brickworks houses. Enjoy the Italian Dolce Vita with a glass of wine and a taste of local cheese and cold cuts in the main square. You have to know that we are close to the wine regions of Montescudaio and Bolgheri where they produce some of the most precious wines of the world.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT THE ETRUSCAN COAST OF TUSCANY
6. Suvereto
Suvereto takes its name from the cork oak woods that surround the village together with olive oil trees and vineyards (read about our harvest experience here). It is considered one of the best villages in Tuscany and in Italy and it’s not so far from the Etruscan Coast. It still presents its intact city walls and each summer many events and “Sagre” (feast) take place right inside. I recommend seeing the medieval entry door, the old town hall dating back to 1200, the churches, and the ruins of the citadel.
HARVESTING IN TUSCANY? HERE IS OUR EXPERIENCE IN A WINEYARD IN SUVERETO
7. Anghiari
Anghiari is set on a spur of rock, it is one of the most suggestive medieval villages in Tuscany close to the border with Umbria in the area of Valtiberina. It is protected by 13th-century defensive walls. Its name reminds me of the famous battle between Florentines and Milanese Troops of the Visconti Family on 29 June 1440, also described by Leonardo da Vinci on a fresco in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Every beginning of September, the close village of Sansepolcro hosts the historical crossbow tournament in costume.
8. Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a walled town on a natural hillock. It is also a rare example of medieval military architecture. The Sienese people built it in 1214 as a front line during wars against Florence in the middle ages. The circular walls are about 570 meters long and have 14 towers. It is only a few miles out of Siena and is also part of the Via Francigena for pilgrims direct to Rome.
9. Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a medieval and renaissance village of Etruscan origin in southern Tuscany in the province of Siena. It is renowned for its position in the fairytale Val d’Orcia, architecture, and gastronomy. Delicious food such as pork, Pici pasta, and lentils. And of course for the famous Vino Nobile. Potter around the historical center, admire the beauties of the Piazza Grande and the town hall in Romanesque style. You can also glance inside a few churches, workshops, and mosaic studios.
3 DAYS IN TUSCANY ON THE ROAD BETWEEN VALDICHIANA AND VAL D’ORCIA
10. Pitigliano
Pitigliano is an extraordinary natural sight that suddenly appears on the top of a tuff mountain in the Maremma area. It is only approaching this amazing village that you realize that houses were built into the tuff. Pitigliano looks like a continuation of the mountain. The hamlet is named also Little Jerusalem for the presence of Jewish in the past. Today you can still find traces of the Hebraic culture inside the restored Synagogue. Touring around the historical center don’t miss the Duomo and all the medieval-renaissance buildings around. Instead, going back thousands of years admire the Etruscan walls. And take a walk across the Vie Cave (open-air paths dug into the tuff just out of the hamlet).
11. Lari and Peccioli in Valdera
After having explored Valdera in Tuscany, I couldn’t not add an extra destination to this list. I talk about Lari and Peccioli. Only a few miles separate these two little lovely towns in the heart of Tuscany. You easily reach them from Pisa and the tour totally worth it. In Lari, you can visit the huge castle. And tickle your appetite with a tasting of Tuscan cured meat directly at the butcher shop. In Peccioli, the old and the new mix together. The alleys of the historical medieval center are the perfect exhibiting space for great artworks of modern art.
LEAF THROUGH OUR LITTLE GUIDE OF VALDERA IN TUSCANY
Which is your favorite on this list? If you haven’t had enough enchanting Tuscan villages take a look at another Top 10 Tuscany Villages to visit.
Villages of Tuscany: Pin this list for Later!
Wanted to visit Monteriggioni since I’ve played Assassin’s Creed 2. Heard that it looks different in real life.
Hi there…well the fortified walls look the same in reality. The difference is inside them. Today there is a quiet village, lovely houses in bricks, gardens, and a little church. I still recommend you a visit if you travel to Tuscany. 🙂
Great list! But starting off with a map of where these cities are in Tuscany would have saved me a lot of time to google, because most of them are far from our location. Perhaps you can add a map to this article.
Dear Tom, thanks for the suggestion. We have another more recent blog post about top places to see in Tuscany and there is a map. https://mytravelintuscany.com/top-10-tuscany-villages-to-visit/ I will do the same for this list too. Thanks for reading and the time to leave a comment.