Tuscany’s story is written in stone and sun: Etruscan roots, a Renaissance that reimagined beauty, and hill towns that hold tight to tradition. You’ll base in Florence and Lucca—two cities on a direct rail line—so your days unfold with easy train hops, great meals, and time to wander.

Early April is shoulder season: mild days (upper 50s–mid 60s °F / 14–18 °C), cool nights, and a chance of showers. Pack layers and a compact umbrella. Museums can be busier around Easter; pre-book marquee sights like the Accademia, the Duomo climb, and the Uffizi.

Food here is honest and regional—ribollita soup, bistecca alla fiorentina, wild boar ragù, and Vin Santo with cantucci. Coffee is ritual: a quick caffè at the bar in the morning, then a leisurely aperitivo at sunset. Trains are frequent and inexpensive; buses fill gaps where rail doesn’t reach as fast.

Florence

Florence is the Renaissance city-state that changed art, banking, and the way Europe thought about the self. Its compact heart is made for walking: Brunelleschi’s dome above you, the Arno beside you, and a thousand artisan workshops glowing behind small windows.

Top sights include the Duomo complex, the Accademia (home to Michelangelo’s David), and the Uffizi’s Botticelli rooms. Across the river in the Oltrarno, find studios for bookbinders, goldsmiths, and wood inlay artisans—living crafts, not just museum pieces.

Where to stay: Search stays near the Duomo or in the quieter Oltrarno for an evening stroll to Piazza Santo Spirito. Compare options on VRBO Florence and Hotels.com Florence.

Getting here by air or rail: For flights into Italy or within Europe, compare on Omio (flights). Fast trains from Rome (1.30–1.40 hrs, ~€20–€65) or Milan (1.55–2.00 hrs, ~€25–€75) arrive at Firenze S. M. Novella—book on Omio (trains in Europe). For regional buses, see Omio (buses).

Day 1: Arrival and Oltrarno Stroll

Morning: Travel day. If arriving by train, you’ll step out into Santa Maria Novella and the historic center within minutes.

Afternoon: Check in and decompress with a coffee at Ditta Artigianale (specialty roasts) or historic Caffè Gilli (since 1733) for a buttery sfogliatella. Stretch your legs with a loop: Piazza della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio’s fortress elegance) to the Arno and over the Ponte Vecchio’s goldsmith stalls.

Evening: Aperitivo at Le Volpi e l’Uva (tiny wine bar, thoughtful pours; try crostini with chicken liver) before dinner. For a first Tuscan feast: Trattoria Mario (no-frills classics; ribollita, peposo) or Buca Lapi (oldest restaurant in Florence) for bistecca alla fiorentina. Gelato nightcap at Gelateria dei Neri—pistachio or ricotta-and-fig.

Day 2: David, the Duomo, and a View from the Top

Morning: Beat crowds with a guided skip-the-line immersion that ties art to city lore: Best of Florence: Small Group Tour Skip-the-Line David & Accademia with Duomo.

After David, grab a schiacciata sandwich at I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti (shorter lines than the famous spot) with truffle pecorino and finocchiona.

Afternoon: Climb Brunelleschi’s masterpiece for a 360° panorama and an inside look at the dome’s frescoes: Florence Duomo Tour with Dome Climb and Skip the Line Ticket.

Cool down with a stroll to the Baptistery doors (Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise”) and the cathedral museum, home to original masterpieces removed for protection.

Evening: Cross to the Oltrarno for dinner at Trattoria Cammillo (handmade pasta, Florentine classics) or Il Santo Bevitore (modern Tuscan, excellent wine list). Sip a Negroni sbagliato at Rasputin, a speakeasy-style bar tucked into a cellar near Santo Spirito.

Day 3: Uffizi Highlights and a Sunset Food & Wine Walk

Morning: Reserve a late-morning entry for the city’s jewel-box of Renaissance paintings: Uffizi Gallery Timed Entry Entrance.

Don’t miss Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Spring, then Caravaggio’s Medusa for a jolt of drama. Lunch upstairs at the terrace café (view of the Palazzo Vecchio tower), or head to Da Nerbone in Mercato Centrale for lampredotto if you want an old-school sandwich.

Afternoon: Artisan crawl in the Oltrarno: peek into wood marquetry ateliers near Via Maggio, and stop by the quiet cloisters of Santo Spirito. Espresso pick-me-up at S.forno Panificio, a bakery from the same team as Santo Spirito’s beloved trattoria.

Evening: Graze through the city’s edible history on a guided amble: Winner 2025 Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe—expect wine windows, Tuscan cured meats, a “zero-waste” soup, and proper gelato lore.

Day 4: Cinque Terre Day Trip (Hike or Village-Hopping)

Make good on your coastal wish with a full-day small-group adventure: Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking or Pisa.

You’ll ride out by coach and connect the villages by local train or footpaths—Monterosso’s beach promenade, Vernazza’s cliff-ringed harbor, Manarola’s postcard view. In early April, some coastal trails can close after heavy rain; the tour flexes to trains or boats as needed. Back in Florence late evening: quick late bite at Palle d’Oro (Tuscan crostini, soups) or a slice from Gustarium near the Duomo.

Lucca

Lucca, the “city of a hundred churches,” is a walled beauty you experience at human pace—by bike atop its tree-lined ramparts, by foot through piazzas where Roman stones anchor medieval houses. It’s Puccini’s hometown, and music still spills from evening concerts.

Highlights include the Guinigi Tower (with its rooftop oaks), the elliptical Piazza dell’Anfiteatro set inside a Roman amphitheater’s footprint, and a circuit on the Renaissance walls, now a park in the sky. Food skews rustic—farro soups, herb-studded roast meats, and the sweet anise-kissed bread called buccellato.

Stay within the walls for easy exploring; the station sits just outside the southern gate. Compare stays on VRBO Lucca and Hotels.com Lucca.

Day 5: Train to Lucca, Bikes on the Walls, and Tuscan Comfort Food

Morning: Train from Firenze S. M. Novella to Lucca via Pisa or via Prato/Pistoia (1h20–1h35, ~€9–€13). Book on Omio (trains). Grab a standing cappuccino and budino di riso at Pasticceria Nencioni before departure.

Afternoon: Check in, then rent bikes near Porta San Pietro for a leisurely 2.5-mile loop atop the walls—pop down to climb the Guinigi Tower for treetops and terracotta roofs. Coffee and a slice of buccellato at Pasticceria Taddeucci, a local institution on Piazza San Michele.

Evening: Dinner at Osteria Baralla (ancient brick vaults; pappardelle al ragù, peposo) or Buca di Sant’Antonio (white-tablecloth classic; roasted guinea fowl, tortelli lucchesi). After, explore Enoteca Vanni’s historic cellars for a glass of Tuscan red.

Day 6: Lucca Slow Day or Side Trip to Pisa

Morning: Option A—Lucca slow morning: visit San Martino Cathedral (Volto Santo), then the Puccini Museum near his birthplace. Option B—Pisa by train (25–30 min, ~€4–€6 via Omio) for the Campo dei Miracoli: Leaning Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery. Book tower climbs in advance, or enjoy the view from the Camposanto’s cloisters.

Afternoon: Lunch in Pisa at Osteria I Santi (pasta all’amatriciana, grilled meats) or back in Lucca for Da Felice’s thin-crust pizza and a warm slice of cecina (chickpea flatbread). Walk Lucca’s Via Fillungo for small boutiques and artisan shops.

Evening: If you love music, look for the nightly Puccini recitals (often at San Giovanni from spring). Dinner at Ristorante Giglio (inventive yet grounded; consider the tasting menu) or Trattoria Da Leo for homey classics. Gelato at Gelateria De’ Coltelli’s Lucca outpost if open, or La Bontà for seasonal flavors.

Day 7: Return to Florence and Departure

Morning: Train Lucca → Firenze S. M. Novella (1h20–1h35, ~€9–€13 on Omio). Store bags at the station if you’ve time. Final stroll through Sant’Ambrogio Market for edible souvenirs—Tuscan olive oil, aged pecorino, and cantucci.

Afternoon: Quick lunch: schiacciata at Pugi or a plate of fresh pasta at Trattoria Sabatino (cash-only value legend). Depart from Florence in the afternoon—use Omio (flights) for air connections or Omio (trains) if continuing by rail.

Evening: If you’re lingering, toast the week with one last Arno sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo (best light after a rain-cleared day) and dinner at Trattoria Casalinga—grilled meats, seasonal sides, and a crowd of happy locals.

Optional/Alternate Florence Activities You Can Swap In

• Florence in a Day: David, Cathedral & City Highlights Guided Tour

  

• Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence

  

• Accademia Gallery: Michelangelo's David and High Renaissance Art

  

Practical tips: Many major Florence museums close on Mondays; verify hours and book timed entries. For trains, validate paper regionale tickets before boarding (or use app tickets). In Cinque Terre, buy the Cinque Terre Train Card if traveling independently; carry cash for small cafés.

In one week, you’ll read Tuscany in layers: stone underfoot in Florence’s piazzas, sea light along the Cinque Terre, and Lucca’s green ramparts where locals pedal at sunset. It’s an itinerary that balances masterpieces and markets, big vistas and small bites—the way Italians live them.