Tuscany’s beautiful bucolic landscape hides so many secrets. Whether it’s the rolling hills of Montecatini, traversable by century-old funiculars, dank dungeons in Siena hiding some of Europe’s darkest history, or delightful little piazzas hidden in plain view in the centre of Florence — Tuscany’s incredible capital, these are some of our favourite places in Tuscany that most travellers miss.
The 1898 Funicular From Montecatini Terme to Montecatini Alto
This delightful hilltop village, connected to the spa town Montecatini Terme by a wonderful century-old funicular, feels trapped in time. Every house is an antique, each cobble an original, and the views… oh the views. Once aboard the Funicular, you have a slowly evolving perspective over the countryside from within one of the two (Gigio & Gigia) red cable-operated carriages. It takes about 10 minutes and you’ll pass the second train at the halfway point.
Arrive to Montecatini Alto early to beat the lunch crowds and you’ll have the streets to yourself for a while. All the better for viewing the historic church, sipping Aperol in the square, and finding a good bench to enjoy the views over Tuscany.
While the villages are easily seen on a day trip from Florence, there’s more than enough to fill a 2-day trip. Stay at the Montecatini Palace Hotel for a good balance of Tuscan tradition and luxury.
Find the funicular at Via Armando Diaz, 22, 51016 Montecatini Terme PT. In operation every half an hour from 9 am until midnight.
Beautiful, delicous food and wine at Le Volpi e l’Uva in Florence
Tucked away near Florence’s often-packed Ponte Vecchio, Le Volpi e l’Uva is an intimate enoteca with wine barrel tables stained from the spills of thousands of clinking wine glasses. The wine list is excellent but the real draw here is the crostini — which comes lacquered with thick cheese, nduja, and buttery Sardo. The interiors are quaint and typical of an old-school enoteca but its al fresco terrace on the cobbles is often bathed in the sun of an early evening sunset, making it an ideal spot for pre-dinner drinks.
An Epic Artwork Hidden From View?
Just once a year, the incredible Duomo di Siena uncovers a vast work of art that usually remains hidden beneath the feet of every single visitor. The art in question is a masterpiece created over several hundred years by 40+ artists: the cathedral’s intricate mosaic floor. The floor was started in the 14th century but wasn’t finished until the 19th century by artists such as Matteo di Giovanni and Neroccio di Bartolomeo de’ Landi.
For 11 months of the year, it is protected from the busy feet of congregants by fibreboard. In September, however, the entire 14,000 square feet of floor, made up of 56 panels – representing scenes from the Old Testament, allegories, and sibyls — are uncovered. The marble mosaic inlay and “graffito” are remarkably close to their original state, and the vibrant colours and intricate scenes are beyond compare.
The Floor has various opening times throughout the year, most recently opening twice a year between late June and late July and then again from mid-August to mid-October. Check here for up-to-date information and here for more detailed photos and explanations.
The Candlelit Procession at the Luminara di Santa Croce Festival
Lucca’s wonderful Luminara Di Santa Croce Festival has its roots in the 8th century and artfully conjures a similar feeling to the medieval period with processions lit by candlelight (with candles replacing street lights in the entire old town!). The festival is a two-day affair, but the procession happens on the evening of the first night when the thousands of candles are lit, and the procession winds along the streets, with priests and holy men joining the local families who have taken part for centuries.
It isn’t practical to view the procession and not stay in Lucca as it runs into the late hours, so consider booking a hotel in Lucca for the evening.
The Luminara Di Santa Croce Festival takes place annually on the 13th and 14th September. To see more photos and learn about the roots of the festival take a look here.
An atmospheric square with a dark past in Florence: Piazza Del Limbo
Florence’s city centre has few places to escape the crowds, but wander along Borgo Santi Apostoli and you’ll find a small piazza with nothing much to speak of but history and atmosphere. A set of stone steps leads into a private garden and a burial ground for unbaptised children (hence the name Piazza del Limbo), and there’s a 19th-century bath built atop the original Roman baths. But the best bit is the historic Santi Postoli Church — one of Florence’s oldest churches.
Look at the plaque on the way in and you’ll note local legend states it was founded in 800BC by Charlemagne and Roland, but it’s more likely the church was built closer to the 11th century.
The ornate wooden roof inside dates to the 1300’s, and along with the Romanesque semi-circular apse above the altar, which is said to have inspired Brunelleschi’s model for Santo Spirito, is a highlight of Florence’s under appreciated, less grandiose architecture.
The Museum of Torture in Siena
A small door on a crooked backstreet in Siena leads to a strange museum posed within the confines of a medieval dungeon. Low lighting barely lights the old stone walls and the scent of ancient iron in a cocktail with damp stone, worn leather and lumby wood permeates the air. The exhibits are shown beneath low arched ceilings made of brick, and there are skulls adorning the ceiling in the entrance.
This is the Museum of Torture, with devices laid bare, in unadulterated horror for museum-goers to touch (sometimes) and investigate. There are all manner of torture devices from across Europe, including a well-aged Iron Maiden and a stretching rack.
Visit: Chiasso del Bargello, 6, 53100 Siena SI, Italy
The Mummified Head of Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine’s mummified head is an 800-year-old Catholic relic kept inside an ornate reliquary in the back of Siena’s huge Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico.
Perhaps not for the faint of heart, this is an extremely morbid relic of not just a woman and a saint, but of the Church’s dark past. While fascinating, it seems to me a grotesque perversion of veneration, but a bit of a celebrity on the dark tourism trail.
To read more about Saint Catherine’s rather fascinating life story and how her head came to be so far from her body in Rome, take a look here.
A better view than Piazzale Michelangelo
Just a short distance from Florence city centre is the delightful little town Fiesole. More like a village, Fiesole has a small collection of monuments, including a delightful Roman theatre and an Etruscan-Roman temple and is quite quaint compared to Florence.
But, elevated so far above Florence, it also has incredible sweeping vistas of those stunning Renaissance rooftops as well as the Arno and Mugnone valleys
Fiesole is excellent if you’d prefer to beat the crowds, as its position makes it a little harder and less immediate to reach. But the reward is a far-reaching panorama of Florence swept up by all those Tuscan hills, with a little layer of haze sometimes lending the scene a more cinematic feel.
If you’re not driving, then you’ll need to take the bus, which takes about 30 minutes.
More Views of Florence
One of Florence’s charms is its views. The Duomo seems to lean over every street, pop up perfectly framed from every hotel rooftop, and cast shadows in every alley. Some of our favourite spots to soak it up are in hotel bars and parks. Boboli Gardens has stunning Duomo views from inside, and hotels like the lovely Grand Hotel Cavour Florence, which has some of the most immersive views of not just the Duomo but also Palazzo Vecchio from a large rooftop bar and terrace right in the middle of Florence’s cobbled old town. Find out more about the rooms and book a room in the Grand Hotel Cavour Florence here.
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