Drink in the sun
Wine has been made in the glorious sloping hillsides of Tuscany for nearly 3,000 years, and the area now has more than 40 DOC and more than 10 DOCG regions (the latter being the more tightly regulated), mostly producing red wine. (For all beginner wine lovers, DOC and DOCG are marks of provenance). Of these, chianti, montepulciano and montalcino are the best known outside Italy, which keeps much of the bolgheri and carmignano reds for itself. It's a large area, and although the large winemakers welcome visitors unannounced, at smaller vineyards it's essential to call ahead and book a tasting or tour through an organiser such as Tuscan Wine Tours. The Chianti region is around Florence, and there's no better way to learn about its wines than at Val delle Corti, a six-hectare organic winery with accommodation run by Roberto Bianchi. Chianti is made on a larger scale on the 130 hectares at Fondoti, but with no less care. Further south-east is the home of the dark red brunello di montalcino, and one of its finest producers is Poggio Antico. In Montepulciano, further to the south, seek out Azienda Agricola Maria Caterina Dei, or park yourself at Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to sample wines from across the region.
Foodie heaven
Tuscan cuisine is based on simple seasonal, local ingredients, with lashings of the region's wonderful olive oil. There's no better place to try it than Da Delfina, a stone farmhouse with a spectacular terrace situated a few miles west of Florence, where meat is grilled over an open fire. Less testing on the wallet is A Casa Mia (00 39 55 824 4392), an intimate little osteria with just 12 tables. Try the rabbit pasta, a local speciality, washed down with local chianti. If wine is your thing, the wine buff's paradise Trattoria Verdiana should appeal. Don't miss the pan-tossed wild boar. Top chianti producer Osteria di Passignano also boasts a fabulous restaurant, whose tomato ravioli with pesto is the stuff of dreams. For atmosphere, though, the half-abandoned hilltop village where Il Canto del Maggio is located is impossible to beat. Try the peposo alla fornacina (slow-cooked beef stew).
Don't miss …
Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, was also the birthplace of the Renaissance, and in the 15th century was one of the largest, most populous cities in the world, home to the famous Medici banker clan. This is a city where history confronts you on every corner, and sights such as the Ponte Vecchio and Duomo are the subject of a billion picture postcards. For a taste of Renaissance art, head to the Uffizi Gallery, which houses Botticelli's Birth of Venus and works by Titian, Raphael and Michelangelo. This is also a city synonymous with style. A walk from the Piazza Repubblica down the Via degli Strozzi has the potential to inflict severe damage on any credit card, as you pass the glamorous outlets of such brands as Fendi, Bulgari and Ferrari. Far safer to stay on the rooftop bar of the Rinascente Department Store in Piazza Repubblica and watch the world pass by as you take in one of the world's great cityscapes, with views over the Duomo, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Boboli Gardens.
Book your Tuscany trip at expedia.co.uk. Prices start from £133 per person for three nights in a three star hotel, including return flights from London Gatwick.
