Falling short of options will definitely never happen when visiting Tuscany. And, although it is primarily a summertime destination, the scenic Italian region is also an excellent winter option, especially if planning to welcome the New Year there! With plenty of parades, festivals, performances, and events taking place to farewell the year and step into the next one with a playful, hopeful, and fun mood, Tuscany pleases both those based in the countryside and those preferring the big cities to enjoy the New Year celebrations. Here is a tiny taste of what’s up in the wine region just before the closure of another year.
Joining the Lively Ambience and Take in the Unique Beauty
For starters, you could consider joining one of the free evening outdoor parties in Florence, Pisa, or Siena, which will take you to the final countdown with choral groups performing in front of religious sites and bands snaking through the streets until the early morning hours.
Or you may prefer the snowy peaks of Lunigiana, Monte Amiata, or Abetone for a lavish dinner atop the mountain overlooking heart-stopping views or some New Year’s Eve skiing adventures. Now, if you are looking for an experience that’s more mellow and relaxed, away from much noise and blinding lights, the countryside is perfect for celebrating the new year in a wonderful and tranquil manner. Plus, you’ll be surrounded by mind-blowing landscapes of superb beauty. The same applies to the thermal baths in Tuscany, which provide a luxurious endeavour and an excellent way to start the new year!
Speaking of Tuscany’s gastronomy, the region has some special culinary traditions for this particular time of the year. Most elegant restaurants serve dishes that promote good health and flavours that are believed to attract good fortune, including the classical Tuscany staples, such as Bistecca alla Florentina (grilled T-bone beef stakes) and ribolita (hearty bean stews). Also, New Year specialties like Tuscan cotechino sausages, and, of course, finger-licking desserts with pomegranate and grapes being the primary ingredient in the recipe. Needless to say, all this palate-pleasing feast is accompanied by the best local wines (i.e., Vin Santo dessert wine, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Chianti)!
What else to do in Tuscany around the New Year?
Whether you have rented an elegant Tuscany villa near Florence, Siena, or another beautiful Tuscany capital, expect to be amazed by the fantastic, well-organised annual events. Want some lively fun combined with an enviable nightlife? You could head to Versilia and regions across the coast, which are known for their disco-clubs and the stunning seafront promenades with a great selection of restaurants, fashion stores, and cafes.
And, can you think of a more soul-gratifying way to commence the new year fast approaching than heading on top of a Tuscany hill and soaking up the unimaginable natural beauty spread below your feet? Take your time and watch the wind caressing the grass-filled pastures, the cypress forests and olive groves giving a vibrant green colour to the countryside, and the streaks and small rivers offering the land invigorating water injections to continue thriving. Nothing compares to being in touch with nature and enjoying the little things in life, New Year or not. Perhaps that’s the true meaning of living!
Happy New Year!
That aside, though, there’s an abundance of indoor options to celebrate the end of this year, featuring champagne, firework displays, sublime programs of classical music, and lavish medieval festivities. However, if you would like to spend New Year’s Eve at an upscale nightspot or fancy restaurant anywhere in Tuscany, kindly ensure you book a seat in advance or have your concierge make all the needed arrangements and VIP reservations for you.
Tons of music and light shows welcome visitors and locals alike to an unforgettable New Year celebration. There’s a festive atmosphere everywhere with lots of rhythm, joy, partying, dancing, and singing in the squares and streets of all major cities and towns in Tuscany. Also, chamber music concerts, quartets, open-air events, live music events guided by a DJ or live bands of various genres, and even kids bands playing music accompany the people walking along the illuminated monuments at Tuscany’s medieval towns and charming villages.
