And while Tuscany and Umbria have long been favorite vacation spots, the countryside still gives at least the illusion of seclusion where you can watch the summer sun set over row upon row of humpbacked hills strung with grape vines. The pastoral dream lives on. Villa rentals are surprisingly affordable. Apartment rental also allows you to self-cater, which is not only economical but also allows visitors to experiment throwing together a meal with the sausage, proscuitto, mozzarella, truffles and assorted other delicacies proffered by the region s myriad shops. Agro-tourist resorts provide an ideal location in which to spend a secluded week of lounging on stone terraces and strolling through neighboring villages.
Many resorts even offer activities like tennis and swimming.
Establishing a comfortable home base is also an excellent strategy for exploring the medieval hill-towns that dominate the region. The development of the towns was conditioned by their efforts to retain their independence in the face of power struggles between Siena and Florence and the eventual dominance by Florence in its city-state heyday under the aegis of the Medici clan. Many towns date back to the Etruscan Era and some, like Volterra and Spoletto, boast immaculately preserved ruins. While several towns, like San Gimignano, have grown large enough to expand beyond their original, defensive walls, others like Monteriggione remain discreetly nestled behind the battlements that once deterred the aggressive advances of the neighboring city-states. Automobile traffic is prohibited within the walled confines of Tuscany s hill towns.