Where to Stay in Tuscany: Our Best Accommodation Tips

How much does it cost to stay in Tuscany?

In a nutshell: cities are expensive, the countryside is cheaper. That’s a big advantage on a road trip, for example.

A room at a winery in Tuscany can be had for as little as 100 euros per night. There’s often a pool on the property too.

City accommodation is always pricier: in the center of Florence, expect to pay at least 150 euros per night for a small double room during peak season.

At the coast, prices depend on the time of year: in midsummer, you won’t find anything under 200 euros a night along the popular Versilia coast in the north. In the south, around Grosseto, it’s a bit more affordable.

Accommodations in Florence

Florence is not only the capital of Tuscany, but also the city with the most attractions.

In Florence there’s a really wide selection of places to stay, including both hotels and vacation rentals.

A big advantage of basing yourself in Florence is that you can easily reach the other cities of Tuscany by public transportation.

Florence is also super easy to reach from the airports in Pisa or Bologna.

Staying in Florence is especially worthwhile if you don’t have a car. You should plan for at least two nights here.

Our top hotel picks in the center of Florence

Accommodations in Siena

Like Florence, Siena is very well set up for tourism, with plenty of hotels and vacation rentals.

However, with around 50,000 inhabitants, Siena is much smaller than Florence. That means you can see all the sights in Siena within one to two days.

That’s why staying in Siena is especially worthwhile if you also want to visit other beautiful places in Tuscany — Siena is very centrally located in the region, which makes it a great base.

Just keep in mind that you’ll need a car to reach most of the highlights around Siena, because south of the city the Tuscan rail network is very sparse.

Our top hotel picks in Siena

Accommodations in Pisa

Pisa generally offers more affordable hotel rooms than Florence or Siena.

The city is also close to the coast, so you can easily combine your Tuscany trip with a bit of beach time.

The Leaning Tower and the Cathedral Square are the top highlights in Pisa. But there isn’t all that much more to see.

That said, you can be in Florence by train in half an hour. Lucca is also just a short distance away.

Pisa makes sense if you want to spend less on lodging. But if you want to see the Tuscan sights, you’ll have to do a lot of traveling.

Our top hotel picks in Pisa

Classic Tuscany: staying at a winery

Staying at a winery is simply part of any Tuscany trip.

This style of tourist accommodation in Italy falls under the category of Agriturismo.

An agriturismo is a combination of a working farm and a guesthouse. In addition to wine and olive cultivation, these rural estates offer all kinds of services for vacationers.

Most have a pool, a restaurant, sometimes animals, and often a range of leisure activities — including horseback excursions.

The rooms are always well-appointed, with Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and a private bathroom.

There are often entire vacation apartments or vacation homes on the property as well, with their own terrace or garden.

A Tuscany vacation at a winery is perfect if you want to wind down your evenings after sightseeing in a beautiful, peaceful setting.

Where is the best location for a winery in Tuscany?

Tuscan wineries are scattered throughout the region. Strategically, the best area is the Chianti region between Florence and Siena.

It’s fairly central in Tuscany, making it easy to reach beautiful cities like Florence, San Gimignano, and Siena. And this is the home of the world-famous Chianti wine, which you can taste at every winery.

Note: If you want to stay at a winery, you’ll definitely need a rental car in Tuscany. Most wineries are located far from any town, and the nearest train station or bus stop can be miles away.

We always compare rental car deals on Discovercars.

These Chianti wineries are perfect for a Tuscany vacation

Tuscany accommodations at the coast

Tuscany has over 300 kilometers of coastline. This includes the protected Tuscan Archipelago with its seven stunning main islands.

The most popular islands for a beach vacation are Elba and Giglio.

Many tourists are drawn to the Versilia coast in northern Tuscany, with towns like Viareggio and the stylish Forte dei Marmi. Here you’ll find everything a vacationer’s heart desires: beach hotels, fully equipped beaches, and plenty of entertainment.

In the south it’s less touristy, but the beaches with their pine forests and crystal-clear water are far more beautiful than in the north.

Staying at the beach on Elba

Elba is the perfect vacation island: an incredible number of dream beaches, a colorful underwater world, idyllic mountain villages, and stunning viewpoints all over the island.

If you choose to spend a beach vacation on Elba, you really can’t go wrong — unless you plan it in July or August. That’s when Elba gets packed, and the beaches can fill up fast.

June or September are better options — you can still swim comfortably then.

These are the best hotels on Elba:

Staying at the beach in Viareggio

Viareggio is located in northern Tuscany, about 45 minutes by car from Florence. The city was already a popular seaside resort in the 19th century, and you can see that in the many historic hotels lining the beachfront promenade.

In summer there’s always a lot going on, and the promenade and city park offer a wide range of entertainment for all ages.

Viareggio’s beach is almost entirely paid access, with beach clubs lined up one after another. But if you stay at one of the nearby beach hotels, you’ll usually get discounts on umbrella and chair rentals.

These are the best hotels in Viareggio:

Staying at the beach in Forte dei Marmi

Forte dei Marmi is the seaside resort of the Italian and international jet set. It’s only a few kilometers from Viareggio, but accommodation prices here are considerably higher.

Everything is more luxurious overall — you might even run into an Italian soccer player or a Russian oligarch on the promenade.

These are the best hotels in Forte dei Marmi:

Staying at the beach in Castiglione della Pescaia

Castiglione della Pescaia is a charming little town with a fishing village vibe. It has a small yacht harbor, a lively historic center, and a medieval castle that offers a wonderful view over the coastline and the sea.

Castiglione della Pescaia has a beach right in town, with both free and paid sections.

There are also wonderful beaches to the north and south that are absolutely worth a visit — like Le Rocchette (great for snorkeling) or the hidden beach Cala Violina, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Tuscany.

These are the best hotels in Castiglione della Pescaia:

Staying at the beach in Follonica

Another popular seaside resort in Tuscany is the coastal town of Follonica, with its gently sloping, long beach and a lively beachfront promenade.

Follonica is a more modern town that gets very busy in summer, with several clubs and restaurants.

The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag for years thanks to its excellent water quality.

These are the accommodations we recommend in Follonica:

Staying at the beach in Castiglioncello

Castiglioncello is located at the northern end of the Costa degli Etruschi, about 40 minutes by car from Pisa airport.

Castiglioncello was once the summer hotspot of the Tuscan elite in the 1930s. You can see this in the elegant Art Nouveau villas and refined hotels that still make the town a hugely popular seaside resort in Tuscany today.

The beach at Castiglioncello is very narrow and a mix of rocks and sand — great for snorkeling.

Castiglioncello is ideal for a stay in June or late August; in July and August the narrow beach sections can get very crowded.

These are the hotels we recommend in Castiglioncello:

Tips for accommodation on a Tuscany road trip

On a road trip, you get to see all of Tuscany without being tied to one fixed location — you can stay in two to three different places along the way.

We definitely recommend spending at least two nights at a hotel in Florence. There’s so much to see in the city that it’s simply worth staying longer.

A night in the countryside is also a must — for example, in the stunning Val d’Orcia.

You’ll find tips for the perfect Tuscany road trip route right here:

How to save money on your Tuscany accommodation

Tuscany isn’t exactly budget-friendly, especially in summer. Food, museum tickets, and fashion or souvenir shops all come at a price.

But there are some solid tips for saving on accommodation that we don’t want to keep to ourselves!

Book your Tuscany accommodation outside of peak season

Peak season in Tuscany runs from June through August.

The months of April and May, as well as September and October, are also fantastic times to visit Tuscany — and hotel rooms and vacation rentals tend to be a bit cheaper then.

In May you can usually go sightseeing in a T-shirt, and by June you can definitely swim in the ocean.

September is the same story: while most Italians are back in the cities, it’s still warm enough to lie on the beach. Prices are lower not just for lodging, but also for beach chair and umbrella rentals.

Travel during these shoulder months and you can save quite a bit.

Staying in a bungalow at a campground

OK, not everyone is a camping fan — but many campgrounds also offer fully equipped bungalows.

These have pretty much everything a vacation rental would have: a bathroom, kitchen, one to two bedrooms, and a private garden. Depending on the campground, guests may also have access to swimming pools, tennis courts, and restaurants.

There are a lot of campgrounds along the coast in particular, since this style of vacation is also very popular among Tuscans. But you’ll also find them inland and near cities.

The upside: you’re just steps from the beach and nightly rates are lower than at a private vacation rental.

So if you’re planning a beach vacation, it’s definitely worth taking a closer look at this option.

Staying outside the cities

Tuscan cities are far more expensive than the countryside. So if you have a car, it’s worth booking your accommodation at a winery outside of town.

You’ll find them all over Tuscany, and nightly rates are often significantly lower than in city centers — and the rooms are generally larger too.

The farther you get from the city, the lower the prices. A room at a lovely winery just outside Florence might cost 80 to 100 euros, while one just a fifteen-minute drive further away might only be 50 to 70 euros.