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A visit to Tuscany is a trip into the country. There are plenty of good hotels in the larger towns, but the classic experience is to stay in one of the rural accommodations—often converted private homes, sometimes working farms or vineyards (known as agriturismi).
Though it's tempting to think you can stumble upon a little out-of-the-way hotel at the end of the day, you're better off not testing your luck. Make reservations before you go. If you don't have a reservation, you may be able to get help finding a room from the local tourist office.
Caryatids stud the grounds of this well-kept neoclassical villa (it's been a hotel since 1870), where a small garden invites reading, and guest rooms are functional, airy, and reasonably quiet. The location—minutes from the main sights but near the long-distance bus terminal and parking area—is a big plus here, as is the pleasant staff. Single rooms are not the usual monastic-cell size. Head downstairs to the restaurant for inexpensive meals.
For a complete change of pace, you can stay in the company of five Franciscan friars at this 13th-century convent, which is managed by a religious organization and has simple, quiet guest rooms with en suite baths. Four rooms accommodate three people, and one room has four beds. You are given keys, so there's no curfew, and you can participate in some spiritual activities or skip them altogether. The city center is a 10-minute walk away.
Horseback trail rides through Tuscany's cowboy country are an integral part of the experience at this family-run country inn, where your hosts can arrange picnics, suggest itineraries, and organize weeklong tours. But nonriders don't have to mope at the bar—this agriturismo also has a pool and idyllic views. Rooms are plainly decorated with modern wooden wardrobes and desks; most are carpeted; some are enlivened by wood-beam ceilings.
Convenient to Rio Marina's charming town center and gravel beach, this comfortable hotel has pretty sea views, especially from one of the five rooms that have terraces facing the sea. Use of beach chairs and umbrellas is complimentary.
Within the town's medieval walls, this convent-turned-hotel has wood-beam ceilings, graceful archways, and terra-cotta floors, with nice contemporary furnishings and ironwork in the rooms. Sip a beverage or write a postcard on the small terrace filled with potted geraniums; the pool area is framed on one side by a church with a stained-glass window of The Last Supper.
Cortona might tempt you to step back in time and stay there awhile, and the spacious, beamed, richly furnished rooms in this 15th-century town-center palazzo provide the perfect hideaway. Many rooms and the terrace take in sweeping views of tile roofs and the valley below, and the stage-set streets and squares of the medieval town are just outside the door.
On a quiet street in the upper part of town, these unpretentious lodgings are given sparkle by the welcoming and friendly service of the owners, Roberto and Vittoria Giardinelli. Rooms are a bit kitschy and filled with family knickknacks, but each has a private, modern bathroom. Your lively hosts are on hand to serve breakfast in the morning and an honor bar is available to all guests. There's also a quiet garden terrace for lazy afternoons.
The space for part of this tiny guesthouse has been carved out of the tufa rock beneath the aqueduct at the entrance to the old town. Rooms are small and simply decorated, with painted armoires, floral print chair rails, and wood dressing tables. Only one room, the smallest, has no air-conditioning, and all are immaculately clean. A two-bedroom apartment with private terrace is available for minimum three-night stays.
Exuding the charm of a bygone era, this palazzo has guest rooms featuring high ceilings and antique furnishings, as well as bathrooms decorated with hand-painted tiles. Many rooms also have hard-wood floors, and all have writing tables. In warm weather, enjoy your ample breakfast in the garden with a trickling fountain and fantastic views. In addition, a wine bar (at reception) offers fine wines by the glass, which can be enjoyed in one of the sitting rooms.
The wood-beam ceilings, terra-cotta floors, and some of the original frescoes of a 19th-century town palace remain, but the marble bathrooms have all been updated, some with whirlpool tubs. A plentiful buffet breakfast is served on a patio to the rear of the hotel.
In a pleasant palazzo facing the Arno, a 10-minute walk from the Campo dei Miracoli, this hotel has room styles that range from the 1800s, complete with frescoes, to the 1920s; the most charming are in the old tower. This comfortably furnished property has been in the Piegaja family since 1837, and the continuity may help explain why such notables as Charles Dickens and Charles Lindbergh enjoyed staying here. Cocktails are served in the pretty rooftop garden.
