A ROAD TRIP THROUGH TUSCANY'S TINY GEMS

A road trip is the best way to traverse the idyllic Tuscan countryside which, just like fine Italian wine, must be savoured, a sip at a time, rather than gulped down.

- Shikha Shah

Imagine driving on roadways lined with centuries-old cypresses, surrounded by a dreamy landscape of rolling hills, green valleys and rows of grapevines and olive groves, peppered with picturesque country houses, hamlets and towns rooted in antiquity, and trattorias proud of their genuine hospitality and age-old, family recipes.

Every romanticist's imagination turned into reality, Tuscany is man and nature working in extraordinary harmony to sing a soothing melody. To savour its pastoral charm at our desired pace, my friend and I took a three-day road trip through its unmissable sites, starting from Pisa and winding up in Florence. Distances between key locations are short which made the experience blissful.

Take off from iconic Pisa

After arriving in Pisa by train, we pick up our car and kickstart our epic journey.

On the surface of it, Pisa seems like a tourist trap, thanks to the sheer number of people leaning or flipping against the famed Leaning Tower; hugging it, kicking it and even 'stuffing' it in their backpacks, trying to make a gram-worthy snap. However, as soon as we reach the centre of Piazza dei Miracoli, surrounded by some of the most recognisable architectural masterpieces in the world, the crowd and chaos become insignificant.

We gaze in awe at the resplendent beauty of the Cathedral, Baptistery and Monumental Cemetery. There are manicured green lawns for one to relax and soak up the atmosphere. Beauty and folly in equal parts, the Leaning Tower is surprisingly declared safe for the next 200 years. One can choose to ascend its winding 269 steps to reach the top and learn all about its 800-year-old engineering history.