5 best places to visit in Tuscany

For many travellers, Italy has a magical draw - and now it seems the Obamas have fallen under its spell.

Barack and Michelle Obama were spotted enjoying a touch of the dolce vita in Siena.

But beautiful, medieval Siena is just jewel in Tuscany's crown. You have its capital Florence with its glittering Duomo and world renowned art galleries, stunning coastline and exquisite countryside - and world class food.

Here are five places to make sure you tick off on your next trip to the region.

Siena

Siena is popular with tourists for a reason. Its historic centre, where the Obamas visited its magnificent 12th century cathedral, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every summer, the small city is thronging with crowds for Il Palio, the world famous horse race around its main square, Piazza del Campo. If you can’t afford the Obama’s villa just outside, Borgo Finocchieto, which costs $15,000 a night, there are plenty of boutique options nearer town. Try Pensione Palazzo Ravizza, whose charming rooms have frescoed ceilings and have been owned by the same family for 200 years.

Portofino

This is the where the glitterati flock come on their yachts come summer. Perched on the Tuscan coast in Italy’s northwest, Portofino’s pastel villas make it one of the most Instagrammable places in the world. If you want to have the ultimate luxury experience, splash out on a room at the Hotel Splendido, a peach-coloured villa that sits on a hillside above the port. There aren’t many places more lovely, than its terrace for an aperitivo.

Florence

The capital of Tuscany, Florence is one of those destinations with timeless appeal thanks to its potent cocktail of art, beauty, food and shopping. Once you’ve ticked off the glittering marble-clad Duomo, walked over the Ponte Vecchio and seen the Renaissance highlights at the Uffizi Gallery, it’s time to explore Florence’s contemporary scene. The fashionable place to stay is Portrait Firenze – it’s owned by the Ferragamo family so you know you’re in stylish hands. To see and be seen by the hip crowd at dinner, book into La Bottega del Buon Caffe, which combines a Scandinavian design aesthetic with a divine Italian menu. For shopping, save time for The Mall, where you can find luxury brands with bargain price tags, just outside the city.

Chianti

In 2016, Italy’s famous wine region celebrated its 300th anniversary. Lying between Siena and Florence, there are of course wine tasting opportunities aplenty, but it’s also a wonderful place for cycling enthusiasts. You can pedal along the ‘Natural Path’ through the private Dievolo winery estate, where monks cultivated grapes as early as 1090. Exercise and wine, what’s not to like?

Montalcino

More off the radar than some Tuscan towns, Montalcino is the hilltop home, set west of Perugia and south of Florence, of one of Italy's most famous (and pricey) red wines, Brunello. When it comes to bedding down, the nearby and high end choice is the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco: an 800-year old estate set in more han 4,000 acres of prime Tuscan countryside. It has a pool with serious views, a spa, wine tasting bar and a cookery school.