Autumn in Tuscany brings a welcome balance: temperatures are mild, the days are still bright, accommodation prices are more manageable, and village streets are finally easier to walk around without summer crowds. During October and November, the region fills with festivals, sagre and markets celebrating local produce, while museums and exhibition spaces open their major seasonal shows.
It is also a good time to explore the Val d’Orcia as it turns ochre and brown, Garfagnana as its chestnut woods come into view, and Maremma’s natural thermal springs for an outdoor soak.
A visit to Tuscany in autumn reveals a more authentic side of the region, less performative but still full of surprises.
Autumn foliage walks in Tuscany: where to see colourful woods
With more than 40 tree species, including beech, fir, maple and Turkey oak, the Casentinesi Forests National Park is one of the best places for autumn foliage in Tuscany.
The Sasso Fratino beech forest, where trees are more than 500 years old, is a particularly evocative spot. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, it can only be visited with an authorised guide, which adds to its sense of seclusion.
Each year, the park organises Autunno Slow, its autumn foliage festival. The programme includes guided walks and cycle outings, photography treks, tastings of local foods such as mushrooms and chestnuts, and workshops for families. Excursions take place between September and November and can be booked on the park’s website.
Pistoia Apennines and Garfagnana: villages and chestnut woods
For anyone who prefers combining autumn colour with lesser-visited villages, two areas stand out: the Foresta del Teso in the Pistoia Apennines, with chestnut, beech and fir woods, and Garfagnana, where nature almost reaches the doorsteps of the medieval villages scattered across the valleys.
Things to do in Tuscany in October: villages and autumn festivals
Autumn in Monte Amiata is celebrated with chestnuts. Between September and November, this part of southern Tuscany hosts festivals and sagre that bring together food, folklore and live music.
The main events include:
- Piancastagnaio hosts Il Crastatone between 31 October and 2 November. It is one of Monte Amiata’s oldest and most popular sagre, with chestnut-based specialities, open wine cellars and street performers.
- Abbadia San Salvatore holds its Festa d’Autunno on 10–12 and 17–19 October, with food stalls, music, guided walks around the historic centre and woodland strolls.
- Arcidosso celebrates Castagna in Festa over the weekends of 17–19 and 24–26 October, with food stalls and the opening of village wine cellars.
Val d’Orcia in autumn: a changing countryside
The Val d’Orcia may be Tuscany’s most photographed countryside, but autumn shows a side that many people miss. It is a good season for walking or cycling between San Quirico d’Orcia and Bagno Vignoni, with time for the free natural springs or the village’s celebrated medieval thermal pool.
This is also the season for exploring Tuscany’s villages in autumn without the pressure of summer queues. A few concrete ideas include:
- Volterra: the medieval tufa-stone town changes pace in October during Volterragusto. Its 27th edition takes place on 25–26 October and 1–2 November, focusing on white truffles and produce from the Alta Val di Cecina. The arcades of Palazzo Pretorio host stalls run by local producers.
- Montefioralle, in Chianti, is one of Tuscany’s smallest and best-preserved villages. It has only a few blocks of medieval homes, broad views across the hills and an osteria serving young wine directly from local producers.
- San Gimignano loses its summer throngs and returns to a more human scale. Its medieval towers at autumn sunset create an almost surreal sight.
Truffles in Tuscany: the season for the king of the table
Autumn is the season for white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico), the world’s most prized and expensive underground fungus. Tuscany’s most important harvesting areas lie in the hills around San Miniato, in the province of Pisa, the Crete Senesi around San Giovanni d’Asso, and the Alta Val di Cecina near Volterra.
White truffles are collected between October and December, with peak quality in November and December, when autumn rain intensifies their aroma.
Key truffle events in October and November include:
- Volterragusto (Volterra): 25–26 October and 1–2 November, with a white-truffle market and local produce beneath the arcades of Palazzo Pretorio.
- Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco delle Crete Senesi (San Giovanni d’Asso): weekends of 8–9 and 15–16 November.
- Mostra del Tartufo Bianco di San Miniato: 15–16, 22–23 and 29–30 November, with stalls in the historic centre, restaurant tastings and the chance to take part in truffle hunts with dogs.
The price of fresh white truffle changes each year according to production. In a good year, it may sit between €200 and €400 per 100 grams, though festivals make it possible to buy small quantities for a simple tasting.
Tuscany day-trip ideas for October and November
October is the month of late grape harvesting in Chianti, when vineyards take on deep red and orange tones. A classic route starts in Greve in Chianti, with a visit to the Wine Museum and a tasting at Antica Macelleria Falorni, then continues towards Castello di Verrazzano for an open cellar visit. The village of Montefioralle, perched above Greve, is worth at least an hour on foot among its narrow lanes.
Pumpkin patches: pumpkin fields for families
A tradition imported from the United States has put down roots in Tuscany in recent years: pumpkin patches, where pumpkins can be chosen and bought directly from the field to decorate or carve for Halloween. It is especially suited to families with children.
In Reggello, in the Valdarno, L’Orto delle Zucche is open until 2 November every weekend and public holiday, as well as on Friday afternoons from early October. Alongside hundreds of pumpkin varieties, it has painting and carving workshops, games including bowling and tin-can throwing, a theatrical witch’s cottage and a refreshment point serving pumpkin-based sweets and specialities.
In Versilia, at Capezzano Pianore in the municipality of Camaiore, Zucche di Halloween is a themed garden where pumpkins are sold among seasonal decorations and spooky scenes.
Thermal springs and autumn wellness
Autumn is also a good season for thermal springs, especially those outdoors. Tuscany has Italy’s highest concentration of natural thermal springs, many of them free and accessible all year.
The best-known in autumn include:
- Saturnia (Grosseto): the Gorello thermal waterfalls, with water at 37°C amid autumn morning mist, leave a lasting impression.
- Bagno Vignoni (Val d’Orcia): the medieval village with its central thermal pool is one of Tuscany’s most photogenic places, and autumn brings an almost magical atmosphere.
- San Filippo (Montalcino): the Balene Bianche, or White Whales, are travertine formations created by calcite deposits. This free natural sight has water at around 52°C.
Living in Tuscany
People who visit Tuscany in autumn often grow so fond of it that they begin wondering what day-to-day life there might be like. The quality of life, proximity to nature and cultural depth make the region a sought-after place for those considering a move or a property purchase.
