Tuscany

Recent years have seen an explosion in not only the number but also the variety of Tuscan accommodation options. In historic towns like Siena, Pisa, or Lucca, traditional hotels are being challenged by luxury bed and breakfasts, historic palazzo conversions, and apartment rentals. And the country scene is even more diffuse: Lodging is now available in a bewildering range of establishments. These range from ultraluxe hotels in restored historic buildings such as Castello del Nero to humble "agriturismo" options. In between you'll find everything from village apartments to farmhouses on wine estates, country villas, and whole converted villages such as Il Borro. There are some cheaper options to be found if you search carefully, but on the whole Tuscany is more expensive than neighboring regions such as Umbria or Lazio. The dream of having your very own Tuscan farmhouse with pool—at least for a week or two—is serviced by an ever-expanding army of agencies, tour operators, holiday-let websites, and individual home owners. Reputable websites range from huge international owner-direct operations like Vacation Rentals By Owner (www.vrbo.com) to Italy (and Tuscany) specialists such as Vacanze in Italia (www.homeabroad.com), Cottages to Castles (www.cottagestocastles.com), and more high-end, bespoke agencies such as Bellini Travel (www.bellinitravel.com). Watch out for the small print, especially the rules regarding deposits and cancellations. In towns and villages, tourist offices (APT or Ufficio Turistico) keep records of registered apartment rentals (affitacamere)—you can consult a full list on the Tuscan tourist board portal www.turismo.toscana.it.