TUSCANY FOR FREE
1. Saturnia Hot Springs
At the Cascate del Mulino, you can splash in cobalt-blue pools under gentle waterfalls, as warm spring waters soak your skin in sulphur and other minerals. These open-air thermal springs are open all year round.
Relaxing in the Cascate del Mulino
2. State Museum First Sundays
With Italy’s popular #DomenicalMuseo program, every state museum and archaeological area in Tuscany is free on the first Sunday of the month. The list includes some of the best: Florence’s Uffizi and the Galleria dell’Accademia, Piero della Francesca’s frescoes in Arezzo and Chiusi’s Etruscan museum.
3. Tuscan Church Masterpieces
Some of Italy’s most precious artworks are on show in Tuscan churches. In Pistoia, the tiny Church of Sant’Andrea (see Giovanni Pisano’s Pulpit) has Giovanni Pisano’s carved stone pulpit, which dates from 1301. Pienza’s stunning cathedral (see Pienza’s cathedral) is one of the few in Italy that has its original gold-leaf altarpieces still in place, rather than installed in a museum.
4. Gregorian Chant
In the church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence and the Romanesque abbey of Sant’Antimo near Montalcino, monks still celebrate daily prayer in chant. You can find the exact schedules at the tourist offices.
5. Free Tour Florence
Free guided walks around Florence depart from outside Santa Maria Novella every day. In the morning tour, Medici rulers and their palaces take centre stage while in the afternoon the focus is on Renaissance architecture and outdoor local markets. Donations are welcome and reservations are required.
6. Pilgrims’ Path
The Via Francigena was the medieval pilgrims’ route from Canterbury to Rome, and much of the path through Tuscany has been waymarked for 21st-century walkers. The 30-km (19-mile) stretch between San Gimignano and Monteriggioni is among the most picturesque. The website has downloadable maps.
Pilgrims’ Path
7. A Village with a View
The ancient Etruscan settlement of Fiesole is ideally situated for a panorama over Florence in the valley below. A little balcony on the steep road to San Francesco monastery is the perfect spot to snap the city and Chianti hills beyond.
8. Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore
The Great Cloister at this remote monastery (see Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore) has over 30 narrative panels painted by Renaissance artists Luca Signorelli and Sodoma. The drive there, through the surreal landscape of the Crete Senesi hills, is a Tuscan classic.
9. Archivio di Stato di Siena
From the 1250s to the beginning of the 18th century, Siena’s local government commissioned illustrations for the front cover of the city ledger, often from top-rank artists like Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Sano di Pietro. You can see these “Tavolette di Biccherna” on guided visits around the Archivio di Stato or state archive.
Detail, Pontormo’s Entombment
10. Mannerist Masterpieces
The big names of the art movement that grew around Michelangelo were all Florentines: Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino. Key works are scattered around city churches and cloisters, including Santissima Annunziata, Santa Felicità and the Chiostro dello Scalzo.
TOP 10 BUDGET TIPS
1 Give heavy desserts a miss and have a much cheaper and more refreshing gelato instead.
Refreshing Italian gelato
2 At coffee bars and cafés, a caffè al banco (coffee had standing at the counter) costs a fraction of a caffè al tavolo (at the table).
3 Aperitivo or “happy hour” buffets are unlimited from around 7 to 9pm. Buy a drink, eat your fill from the ample buffet and skip dinner.
4 Eat lunch at markets frequented by locals, such as Florence’s Sant’Ambrogio (www.mercatosantambrogio.it) or the Central Market (www.mercatocentrale.it/firenze).
5 When booking accommodation, don’t be afraid to haggle with the hotel by email. Booking directly with them saves them commission fees.
6 You’ll get more accommodation for your money in less attractive areas (such as around Florence’s train station) or in hostels or monasteries. Look at Monastery Stays (see Accommodation) for details.
7 If you are a visitor from outside the EU, you can get a refund on the 22 per cent sales tax (known as IVA) on goods purchased. Save your shopping for one big store to hurdle the €155 lower limit for a tax refund.
8 The low season runs from mid-October to March. Airfares and hotel prices drop, although coastal resorts are deserted.
9 Long-distance rail fares are much cheaper when booked between 90 and 120 days in advance.
10 Thursday is a popular evening for free talks at many museums, including at Florence’s Strozzina. Find details at www.strozzina.org.
