Reading for the Road: Books About Florence

At&nbsp;The Slow Road&nbsp;we answer to many names (wanderers,&nbsp;bon vivants, students of life) but first and foremost, we’re a group of dedicated travellers.That’s why we love compiling&nbsp;reading lists&nbsp;that include the books — from novels to memoirs, and everything in between — that have really opened up our favourite regions.In this post, we’ll round up a few of our favourite books about Florence — <a href="https://butterfield.com/destination/europe/italy/tuscany">Tuscany’s</a> gorgeous capital city with a massive heart and an even larger supply of artistic and historical treasures.<h2>Must-Read Books About Florence</h2><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Heart-Italy-Beautiful-Disconcerting/dp/0865477248">The Dark Heart of Italy</a></h3>By Tobias JonesThis sparkling memoir by Tobias Jones captures his four-year voyage across the Italian peninsula and how his travels introduced him to unexpected perspectives of the Bel Paese. He narrates the darker side of Italy, from the language, soccer, crime, Catholicism, cinema, television and terrorism.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Medici-Money-Metaphysics-Fifteenth-Century-Enterprise/dp/0393328457/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D1ND8V21HKNZ&amp;keywords=medici+money+tim+parks&amp;qid=1646153952&amp;sprefix=medici+money%2Caps%2C246&amp;sr=8-1">Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence&nbsp;</a></h3>By Tim ParksThe Medici family was an Italian&nbsp;banking family&nbsp;and&nbsp;political dynasty that first gathered prominence under Cosimo de’ Medici, in Florence during the first half of the 15thC. Tim Parks highlights how Cosimo and Lorenzo Medici, among other members of the iconic family ― used diplomatic, military and metaphysical tools to further their fortunes and reputation.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Florentine-Cuisine-Florence-Emiko-Davies-dp-1743796765/dp/1743796765/ref=dp_ob_image_bk">Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence</a></h3>By Emiko DaviesThe 2020 edition of Emiko Davies’ award-winning Florentine&nbsp;rounds up her encounters with traditional Florentine cuisine and shares recipes that will transport readers to the piazzas of Florence. This updated cookbook includes stunning photographs, insider tips and&nbsp;neighbourhood itineraries — from 24 Hours in Florence, to Day Trips Outside the City Centre, to Best Bistecca and Pastry Shops, to Shopping for Cook’s Tools.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Lovers-Guide-Florence/dp/0875806805/ref=sr_1_1?crid=225CCOW53JQ3R&amp;keywords=an+art+lover%27s+guide+to+florence&amp;qid=1646146427&amp;sprefix=an+art+lover%2Caps%2C87&amp;sr=8-1">An Art Lover’s Guide to Florence</a></h3>By Judith TestaWith a focus on the greatest works of Florentine Renaissance art, and the rich historical background behind each creation, Judith Testa provides readers with a fresh perspective over the genesis of works of art by such masters as Botticelli and Michelangelo.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Birth-Venus-Novel-Readers-Circle-ebook/dp/B000FC2N7G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2C6PXBL5MXXEN&amp;keywords=the+birth+of+venus&amp;qid=1646147923&amp;sprefix=the+birth+of+venus%2Caps%2C81&amp;sr=8-2">The Birth of Venus</a></h3>By Sarah DunantThis fiction novel tells the tale of art, love and religion in Florence at its most dramatic period. Through the heartfelt voice of Alessandra, Dunant brings the story of a young woman who withstands an arranged marriage to life while her love continues to blossom for a talented painter.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/House-Medici-Its-Rise-Fall/dp/0688053394">The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall</a></h3>By Christopher HibbertA vividly written account of the famous Florentine banking family and their influence on Florence’s political, economic and cultural history. The embodiment of the Italian Renaissance. Excellent — very readable.<h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Brunelleschis-Dome-Renaissance-Reinvented-Architecture/dp/1620401932/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IJJE2ZT145L0&amp;keywords=Brunelleschi%E2%80%99s+Dome&amp;qid=1646146567&amp;sprefix=brunelleschis+dome%2Caps%2C193&amp;sr=8-1">Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture</a></h3>By Ross KingPerhaps one of the most iconic structures in all of Italy, Brunelleschi’s dome is considered one of the most remarkable examples of Renaissance architecture and was the world’s largest dome at the time of construction. Award-winning author Ross King tells the story of the Florence Cathedral’s inception against the backdrop of plagues, wars and political feuds.&nbsp;Take the story from the page into real life on a <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/bespoke/tuscany-bespoke">bespoke trip</a> to Tuscany. Step into a verdant land of sunlit vineyards and artistic masterpieces, where every day brings an exciting new chapter.

Discover the best books about Florence—from Renaissance history and Medici intrigue to novels and memoirs that bring the city’s art, culture, and stories to life.

Best Books About Florence | Reading List for Art, History & Travel

Discover Tuscany

We come here for the same reasons Shelley, Stendhal and Twain did. To behold the astonishing light, breathtaking views and learn the secrets of a life well-lived. Passing vines tended by generations of winemakers and savouring traditional cuisine made from the freshest and tastiest local ingredients, this is the region you imagine when you think of Italy. Home to olive groves and cypress trees, Roman battlefields and Renaissance churches, and a who’s who of charming villages. It can’t help but capture your soul.

A journey through Tuscan art, wine and scenic landscapes

Cycle Val d'Orcia and Chianti, walk hill towns on small group or private bespoke trips through Tuscany, with private estate stays and cellar access.

Tuscany Bike & Walking Tours | Butterfield & Robinson

Explore Pienza and Siena with Carlo, a Tuscan native, and expand your palate with local wine-maker Elisabetta. From tiny Montefollonico to lordly Montepulciano, Tuscany embodies the good life. Revel in a cyclist’s paradise as our friends reveal its many charms.B&amp;R Experience Designer Courtney Mundy has been named a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler.

Incredible Rides

Exclusive Access

Authentic Food

Tuscany’s calling—and this self-guided spin lets you answer at your own pace. Cycle past cypress-lined hills to storybook towns like Pienza and Montepulciano, sip from sun-soaked vineyards, and feast at trattorie that know their way around a wild boar ragu. With local tips for living la dolce vita, Tuscany never felt so personal.

Your pace, our routes, Italy's pleasures

The itinerary below is a sample and is subject to slight changes in routes, accommodations and activities. Please download the itinerary for your selected departure for precise details.

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Experience Designers

$6,395 based on two travellers. $5,995 based on four travellers. $5,795 based on six travellers.

Ride from Pienza to Siena on a tailor-made Tuscany cycling itinerary. Chianti estate access, hilltop town stops and a converted Tuscan monastery as your base.

Tuscany Cycling Tours: Pienza to Siena, Chianti & a Monastery Stay

Our Super Tuscan has been finely crafted for the traveller who delights in truly exquisite accommodation, exceptional wine and wants to suss out the idyllic countryside through a well-structured blend of activity—pedalling past hilltop hamlets, ambling among vines tended by generations of winemakers and (optionally!) rising to salute the famous Tuscan sun on a yoga mat. In between, you’ll savour traditional cuisine made from the freshest ingredients. It’s a robust build. Fancy a taste?B&amp;R Experience Designer Courtney Mundy has been named a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler.

One-of-a-kind Hotels

Local Wines

Think of this as the Super Tuscan of trips—bold, balanced, and built to impress. Pedal through olive groves and hilltop hamlets, sip with winemakers whose vines have stories to tell, and savour meals so fresh they practically introduce themselves. With luxe stays and medieval magic around every bend, this ride goes down very, very smoothly.

Embodying the finest of the region

Feel the rhythm of Tuscany

Featured stays

Haven't found the perfect itinerary yet? No journey should be one-size-fits-all. With our bespoke trip planning, you have the freedom to curate a travel experience that fits your unique interests and desires.

Our Super Tuscan has been finely crafted for the traveller who delights in truly exquisite accommodation, exceptional wine and wants to suss out the idyllic countryside through a well-structured blend of activity—pedaling past hilltop hamlets, ambling among vines tended by generations of winemakers and (optionally!) rising to salute the famous Tuscan sun on a yoga mat. In between you’ll savour traditional cuisine made from the freshest ingredients. It’s a robust build. Fancy a taste?

Spend 5 nights cycling Chianti Classico in a small group. Estate tastings, truffle hunts and a converted Tuscan monastery — the Super Tuscans, on two wheels.

Super Tuscan Bike Tour: Chianti Classico Estates & a Converted Monastery

Certain things can’t be compromised, like sublime hotels, unique walking routes, delightful dining experiences and exclusive tastings. Schedules? Those you can bend to your will. Tour around Cortona with local gem Giovanni for an entertaining history lesson, taste wine at La Bandita Townhouse and simply relax in the piazza when the mood strikes—the choice is always yours.B&amp;R Experience Designer Courtney Mundy has been named a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler.

UNESCO Site

Historic Sites

In Tuscany, the only thing even remotely rigid is the pasta al dente. Wander at your own pace from Cortona’s cobbled streets with our storytelling friend to sipping wine at La Bandita Townhouse. Skip the schedule, linger in the piazza, and live like the Tuscans do—indulgently, emphatically and gloriously free of stress.

Stroll through Tuscan splendour

Walk from Pienza to Cortona through the Val d'Orcia on a tailor-made itinerary. Truffle trails, medieval hill towns and Tuscan tables most visitors miss.

Tuscany Walking Tours: Pienza, Cortona & Val d'Orcia on Your Terms

Savour a feast prepared by our local friends—and enjoy it in their backyard. Take in the evening energy of Siena and join in the laughter radiating from the piazza. Dine under the stars, at a winery, on a meal prepared by our private chef. We don't just visit Tuscany—we bring its story to life.Please note the hotel lineup for 2024:May 5th: Villa di Piazzano, Grand Hotel Continental, Pieve AldinaFor all other departures: Villa di Piazzano, Grand Hotel Continental, Le FontanelleFor information about the hotels assigned to your departure, kindly contact your Travel Advisor. You can also download the detailed itinerary to view the complete hotel lineup.

Exceptional Wines 

Tuscany was made for two wheels. From the vine-striped ridgelines of Chianti Classico to the chalk-pale crete approaching Siena, then south through Montepulciano's hilltop streets and on into Umbria — this is the long version of Tuscany, the one they left out of the guidebook. Ride with friends who have been making biodynamic wine in these valleys for generations. Stay at COMO Castello Del Nero and Villa di Piazzano. Sit down to dinners that happened to be exactly what you'd order if you knew. This is where the word dolce actually means something.

Explore Italy's most exalted region

Savour a feast prepared by our local friends—and enjoyed in their backyard. Take in the evening energy of Sienna and join in the laughter radiating from the piazza. Dine under the stars, at a winery, on a meal prepared by our private chef. We don't just visit Tuscany—we bring its story to life.

Spend 5 nights biking Tuscany's estate-lined hills in a small group. Chianti direct from the cellar, private villa access and routes no map puts you on.

Tuscany Bike Tour: Private Hilltop Estates, Chianti & Cypress Roads

Savour a feast prepared by our local friends—and enjoyed in their backyard. Take in the evening energy of Sienna and join in the laughter radiating from the piazza. Dine under the stars, at a winery, on a meal prepared by our private chef. We don't just visit Tuscany—we bring its story to life.



Iconic Italy

In a verdant land of stone villages, sunlit vineyards and landscapes that beg you to slow down, pedal past cypress-lined lanes, sip Chianti where it’s born and wander Renaissance cities that never lost their magic. From Florence’s masterpieces to Pienza’s perfect pace, this is a region built for lingering—and for living very, very well.

Bike from Florence into Chianti's vineyards on a tailor-made Tuscany itinerary. Private estate visits, truffle hunts and Tuscan tables that reward those who

Tuscany Private Tours: Florence to Chianti, Private Estates & Truffle Hunts

While we’ve been travelling to Tuscany for decades, this is the first release in our challenging trip series. We’ve paired famous race trails with the&nbsp;crème de la crème&nbsp;of gravel bikes. The payoff is not just the challenge of riding along gravel with heart-pounding ascents and thrilling descents, but also the unbelievable places it takes you.

In Tuscany and Umbria, slow down to a gentle pace of life and wander from golden-hued horizons to lush, verdant lands. Your journey begins tracing the hills of Montepulciano and Val d’Orcia, travelling along age-old routes that were carved into the landscape step by step. Pass vines tended by generations of winemakers and travel through Pienza, a picturesque Renaissance town. In Umbria, indulge in local cuisine and crostata made with our friend Agnieska, and spend a day exploring&nbsp;endless olive groves, flowering meadows and forests. At the end of each day, spend time relaxing at your beautiful hotels—from the brand-new Casa Newton to Monastero di Cortona, a converted monastery, and Hotel Castello di Reschio, a thousand-year-old castle.

Great Walks

Walk your way through Tuscany and Umbria, where every trail feels like a love letter to slowing down. Trace ancient paths through Montepulciano and Val d’Orcia, bake crostata with our friend Agnieska, and wander olive groves that roll on forever. With castle stays, Renaissance towns, and a thousand golden horizons, this is Italy at its most soul-soothing.

From the Golden Land to the Green Heart 

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Spend 5 nights hiking between Cortona and Umbria's green valleys in a small group. Truffle-hunter trails, hilltop medieval towns and a converted monastery as

Tuscany & Umbria Walking Tour: Cortona, Truffle Trails & a Monastery

B&amp;R’s Women’s Only trips are designed by women, for women to experience new regions, cultures and communities from female perspectives. Venture straight to the heart of Italy through the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, laden with history, cuisine and natural beauty. Wander on foot and by bike through the Tuscan landscape across fields of wheat, rolling emerald hills, stretches of sunflowers and sun-drenched vineyards&nbsp;connecting from one picturesque village to the next. Immerse yourself in your peaceful surroundings with&nbsp;morning yoga and step into our friend Margot’s estate to savour exquisite wines. Cross into Umbria via shady wooded paths and hills blanketed in wildflowers to your hands-on&nbsp;crostata&nbsp;cooking class. Retreat to Reschio, Italy’s finest hotel, and explore its enchanting grounds before dining in the castle. By the end of this journey, you’ll feel a deep connection to this serene and magical corner of Italy.

Local Connections

Luxurious Stays

Active Adventure

Cycle, stretch, sip, repeat—this is Italy at its most rejuvenating, reinvigoratinng and remarkable. Pedal through sunflower fields, wander wildflower trails, and find your flow with morning yoga. Bake crostata in the hills, toast fine wines at Margot’s estate, and retreat to dreamy Reschio, one of Italy's best hotels. It’s a multi-active escape with just the right dose of magic (and vino).

Wander through the idyllic countryside

Tuscany & Umbria Women's Multi-Active | Butterfield & Robinson

Authentic Cuisine

Tuscany is where vineyard-laced hills meet timeless towns and every meal tells a story. Ride through Chianti’s golden landscapes, walk through vineyards guided by passionate female winemakers, and linger over long lunches with women who’ve perfected the art of Italian hospitality. From homemade pizza in the vines to private tastings in storied cellars, this is Italy at its most soulful.

Spend 5 nights biking and hiking Val d'Orcia in a small women's group. Cypress hill roads, private farmhouse access and a Tuscany that rewards those who go