Expanses of greenery as far as the eye can see, flourishing vineyards, meadows where you can lie in the shade of olive and cypress trees. The Tuscan countryside is an emblem, an ideal bridge to our rural past, a symbol of the balance between a happy nature and the gentle hand of human beings, an image of a dream for the community. Looking at it gives the same emotion as being in front of a great work of art.
The countryside in Tuscany teaches respect, to wait with patience and devotion for the passing of the seasons, to refresh oneself with wholesome food and to enjoy refined wines in company. It teaches that not everything can be obtained as we like it but that hard work yields fruits that are gold.
Here flocks, herds of Chianina and Maremma cattle graze. Here mushrooms and truffles hide and legumes and grains are grown.
Furrowed by historic paths and winding roads tgat you can ride on a bike, whether at a slow pace or for practising some sport, the feeling of freedom is priceless. Just think of the Via Francigena, which crosses Tuscany for nearly 400 kilometers, welcoming wayfarers from all over the world since the Middle Ages, or the Eroica, a permanent route to take by bike through the landscapes of the Chianti and the Val d'Orcia.
To get to know the Tuscan countryside, you can go as far as the Valdichiana, the granary of Tuscany, discover the gardens of the Plain of Lucca and the Valdinievole, venture through the crags of Valdarno or into the Padule di Fucecchio (Marshes of Fucecchio), the largest inland wetland area in Italy.
And then you have to stop at the characteristic villages, true pearls in a sea of hills: Castelnuovo Berardenga, Certaldo, Montepulciano, Monteriggioni, Pienza, Volterra, Vinci and San Gimignano are just a few examples of where you can breathe in an all-Tuscan atmosphere.
