Tuscany

The home of the Medici family and epicenter of the Renaissance, Tuscany’s reputation for beauty and grandeur goes back centuries. No visitor to the region can fail to be moved by the charming red-roofed cities that seem unchanged since Medieval times, surrounded by green rolling hills as far as the eye can see.

From Florence to Lucca, Siena and more, Tuscany is packed with beautiful cities waiting to be explored. As the home of Chianti, Brunello and Montepulciano, some of the world’s most popular wines, the vineyards here are crying out to be visited. Whether your agenda is filled with museums and historical sights, or wine tasting and pasta-eating, you’re guaranteed a great vacation here.

With such a storied history, it’s no surprise that Tuscany is packed with must-visit wonders and Unesco heritage sites. Perhaps the most famous across the world is the leaning tower of Pisa. The bell tower with its wedding-cake tiers started to lean while it was being built during the 12th century, and rather than start over, construction simply continued, with one side built taller than the other in an effort to compensate. The lean was stabilized through restoration work in the late 20th century and has been featuring in amusing vacation photos ever since.

Down the road from Pisa, the city of Florence boasts multiple world-famous attractions – including Michelangelo’s David. This bigger-than-life-size statue (it’s an incredible 17ft tall) was completed in 1504 and has been considered one of the finest works of sculpture ever created, ever since. Located in Florence’s famed Uffizi gallery, crowds gather daily to marvel at the work. If you want to see it for yourself book tickets ahead of time – or if time is short, keep an eye out for the replica statue that stands outside the museum, in Piazza della Signoria.