The Toscana is one of the most captivating travel destinations in Europe. Gently rolling hills, historic cities, exceptional cuisine, and world-renowned wines. Traveling through Toscana means experiencing a region where culture, nature, and the art of living come together in a truly unique way. In the summer of 2026, Toscana showcases its rich character through festivals, hiking trails, thermal springs, culinary discoveries, and major art exhibitions.
Toscana in Summer: Music Festivals Under Open Skies
The musical summer of 2026 transforms Toscana into a stage without a roof. Between historic cities and softly rolling hills, festivals emerge where music, architecture, and nature blend seamlessly. These cultural experiences draw visitors from around the world.
In Lucca the Renaissance city walls become the backdrop for international stars at the Lucca Summer Festival including Katy Perry, John Legend, and Jamiroquai. Florenz brings major rock moments with Firenze Rocks , featuring Lenny Kravitz, Robbie Williams, and The Cure.
Along the coast, La Prima Estate combines music festival and summer vacation. The Pistoia Blues Festival fills the historic Piazza del Duomo with blues and rock sounds.
A truly special experience is offered by the Teatro del Silenzio in the hills of Lajatico, where Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli perform amid a spectacular Tuscan landscape. Opera lovers will find grand open-air productions at the Festival Puccini on the lake.
The season closes with the storied Estate Fiesolana at the ancient Roman theater in Fiesole, where jazz, classical music, and dance come together with Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, and Ludovico Einaudi.
Hiking in Toscana: Three Apennine Passes as Gateways to Nature
The Apennine passes of Toscana are far more than crossings between regions. They open up views of some of the most impressive landscapes in central Italy and invite travelers to discover Toscana slowly on foot, along historic pilgrimage routes and ancient trade roads.
The Passo della Cisa welcomes hikers on the time-honored Via Francigena with a symbolic wooden gate and sweeping views across the green Lunigiana all the way to the Ligurian coast.
Even more spectacular is the Croce Arcana at nearly 1,700 meters above sea level. The pass offers a breathtaking 360-degree panorama over the Apennines, and on clear days the view stretches as far as the Alps and the Apuan Mountains.
The Passo dell'Alpe Serra speaks to the long history of mountain travel. As part of the Via Romea Germanica , it was regarded during the Middle Ages as one of the most beautiful pilgrimage routes to Rome.
These passes represent a different way of traveling through Tuscany: unhurried, close to nature, and full of sweeping views.
Tuscan Cuisine: Mountain Products with Character
Between landscape and flavor, the mountain regions of Tuscany share a particularly close connection. Altitude, climate, and the demanding work of mountain farming shape products that are authentic, nature-rooted, and of outstanding quality.
Many of these specialties carry the European quality designation "Prodotto di montagna" which guarantees that the products are made under the distinctive conditions of mountain regions. From cheese and honey to herbs and traditional cured meats, purchasing these products also supports sustainable agriculture and the preservation of Tuscany's mountain regions.
More at: www.vetrina.toscana.it
Cycling in Tuscany: Routes Between Peaks and Sea
Cycling through Tuscany means experiencing the landscape from a wide variety of perspectives, through forests and vineyards, past ancient villages, or up to viewpoints with far-reaching panoramas.
Riviera Apuana: A challenging mountain bike route leads from Carrara through chestnut forests and historic sites of the Parco della Resistenza up to over 700 meters, before a fast descent to Massa, accompanied throughout by the commanding presence of the marble mountains.
Monte Amiata: A historic ascent route winds through dense beech forests to the summit cross. From there, the view stretches far across the Tyrrhenian Sea all the way to Umbria.
Insel Elba: A scenic route from Marina di Campo to Marciana along the "Costa del Sole," with the sea as a constant companion for the entire ride.
Traveling Through Tuscany Sustainably
Tuscany cannot be defined by individual destinations alone, but by its wide horizons. From the heights of the Apennines across gentle hills to the open coastline, a region unfolds that invites slow travel.
Regional trains connect cities, small villages, and coastal towns. Cycling paths and hiking trails lead through vineyards, olive groves, and quiet landscapes, making the journey itself an experience.
Away from the well-known sights, regions such as the Val d'Orcia, the Maremma , and the small inland villages offer plenty of space, tranquility, and authenticity. Tuscany presents itself not as a collection of individual travel destinations, but as a cohesive landscape and one of the most compelling examples of sustainable tourism in Europe.
Thermal Springs in Tuscany: Wellness Between Mountains and Sea
Tuscany combines thermal springs, coastal scenery, and mountain panoramas in a truly distinctive way. Along the Versilian coast, the thermal baths of Montignoso are just steps from the sea. In the hinterland of Lunigiana, thermal springs rise directly from the mountains, as in Equi or along the Via Francigena near Montelungo.
Bagni di Lucca, the "Switzerland of Tuscany," blends a long thermal tradition with views over the Garfagnana and the peaks of the Apennines.
Further south along the Etruscan Coast and on the Insel Elba , exceptional wellness destinations await: the Tombolo Talasso Resort, the Calidario in Venturina with its warm natural lake, and the thermal baths of San Giovanni on Elba, where mud baths and sea views come together.
Art Exhibitions in Tuscany: Highlights 2026
Firenze Déco – Atmosphere of the 1920s
Through August 25, 2026 | Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence Florence as a center of international Art Déco: ceramics by Gio Ponti, works by Galileo Chini and Thayaht, alongside glasswork, furniture, jewelry, and posters that capture the cultural awakening of the 1920s.
Arne Quinze – I'm a Gardener
April 25 – November 7, 2026 | Oasy Contemporary Art, San Marcello Piteglio (Pistoia) Belgian artist Arne Quinze presents installations exploring the relationship between humanity and biodiversity, set against the mountain landscape of the Pistoian Apennines.
The Gioli Brothers and Painting in Pisa
May 16 – September 6, 2026 | Palazzo BLU, Pisa The art scene around Pisa between 1800 and 1900: from the Macchiaioli movement to naturalistic landscape painting.
Lucy Orta – Trame di Comunità
Through July 15, 2026 | CasermArcheologica, Sansepolcro A site-specific installation developed in collaboration with residents of the Tiber Valley, where art meets social exchange.
SUPERFLEX – There Are Other Fish in the Sea
Through August 2, 2026 | Palazzo Strozzi, Florence The Danish artist collective SUPERFLEX brings an installation about the environment and climate change to the courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi, marking the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Florence flood.
Fuksas Paladino
Through September 20, 2026 | Palazzo Pasquini, Castiglioncello Architecture, design, and contemporary art in dialogue between Massimiliano Fuksas and Mimmo Paladino.
The Veiled Library – The Fantastical Bestiary
Through October 3, 2026 | Museo di San Marco, Florence Historic manuscripts from the 13th through 16th centuries featuring dragons, hybrid creatures, and mythological beings.
Turandot – Divine Beauty
Through November 1, 2026 | Puccini Museum, Lucca Marking the 100th anniversary of the world premiere of Puccini's Turandot: historic stage costumes, photographs, and set designs by Galileo Chini, many originating directly from the 1926 premiere at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
Tuscany – A Region for Every Traveler
The Toscana is one of Italy's most renowned and beloved regions. With world-famous cities such as Florence, Siena and Pisa, centuries of art and architecture, picturesque rolling hills, culinary excellence, and a wealth of wine and wellness offerings, Tuscany captivates cultural travelers, nature lovers, food enthusiasts, and families alike. A region of authenticity, diversity, and Mediterranean joie de vivre, in every season.