There is always something interesting happening in Florence and its surrounding “paese” or towns in the countryside of Tuscany. More importantly, it’s easy and inexpensive to travel with the Italian train system to anywhere in the province. In under one hour’s time you can be at the beach, in the rolling Chianti countryside, or visiting other famous cities like Viareggio or Cortona. There are countless places to visit in Tuscany; one can choose from viewing art exhibitions in the cities, watching sporting events like calcio storico or modern Fiorentina soccer matches, visiting one of the famous wineries, enjoying a spa day at a natural hot springs, or visiting the seaside of a legendary carnival town.

Here is a sampling of some of our favorites links:

Florence museums
There are over 15 museums in Florence alone, and 300,000 works of art. One could spend days exploring all of the artwork and culture Florence has to offer: 

www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/ ; www.firenzeturismo.it/  

Florence Soccer
If you are a sports-minded person, then Florence is the city for you! The Fiorentina, or Florence Professional Soccer Team, plays in the most competitive division of Italian Soccer, Serie A. The team plays from September until May, so be sure to wear your purple and cheer on the Fiorentina!!!

www.acffiorentina.it/en/ 

Fiesole
Fiesole is an enchanting hilltop town just kilometers outside of Florence. You can easily take the #7 bus from the station and arrive in 20 minutes. The busride provides an amazing view of Florence, as you climb the hill to arrive at the center of Fiesole. There are many viewpoints which provide a wonderful panorama of Florence, as well as several restaurants and cafés which are worth checking out. 

www.fiesolemusei.it/fiesolemusei/ 


Greve in Chianti
Greve is the closest market town to Florence located in the Chianti Region. Just take a short bus ride to Greve and see the agricultural heart of the beautiful region of Tuscany. In Greve you can visit a wine museum and learn how they make the Chianti wine. There are several well know trattorias in the central piazza of Greve, which also includes a monument to the discoverer of New York harbor, Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485 - 1528), who was born nearby.

www.comune.greve-in-chianti.fi.it/

Viareggio
This is a seaside town, only an hour away from Florence by train. Viareggio is know for its sandy beaches and historic fishing harbor. One could easily spend a relaxing day at one of its many beach clubs, or watching the many luxury yachts that come and go from its world-renowned port. The town also hosts Italy’s largest carnival celebration during the weekends preceding the holy Lent period in February (the 40 days before the Easter holiday).

www.comune.viareggio.lu.it/