Hardly any other region in Italy evokes such powerful associations and yearnings as Tuscany with its gently rolling hills, picturesque villages, cypress trees, olive groves and poppy fields, old stone-built houses, lively markets and elegant wine estates. And then there are the large and small (but no less beguiling) gems of Tuscan art, architecture and culture: Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Volterra. The list of these inspirational locations is almost inexhaustible. Tuscany is remarkable for the diversity of its countryside – gentle, elegant wine-growing landscapes in the north and wild, unspoilt coastal and steppe landscapes in the far south – and also for its authenticity: Local traditions, dialects, winemaking secrets and old recipes have survived the centuries and are just as much a part of the Tuscan way of life today as they were in the past.

A holiday in Tuscany is a feast for the senses: Gourmets find themselves in a culinary land of milk and honey, aesthetes fall into raptures of delight, and lovers of the good life have just about all the ingredients needed for la dolce vita. What makes Tuscany so irresistible is its unique atmosphere and the very special, soft light that Leonardo da Vinci captured in his paintings. Could that be the explanation for Mona Lisa’s elusive smile?