Races in Tuscany

You already know the scenery, even if you’ve never set foot there: rolling hills, rows of cypresses, a farmhouse perched atop a knoll. Tuscany really does look like that, and it’s pretty disorienting the first time. Florence is everyone’s starting point, with its Duomo visible from the surrounding hills. Siena still lives to the rhythm of the Palio, that horse race that sends the city into a frenzy twice each summer. Pisa is much more than its leaning tower. Lucca keeps ramparts wide enough to run on, looping above the rooftops. And Livorno plays the port-city card, with its canals and its cacciucco 🇮🇹.

The terrain changes fast as soon as you leave the cities. Chianti unfurls its vineyards between Florence and Siena, cut through by white dirt roads that climb sharply before plunging back down. Farther south, the Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi open up almost lunar landscapes in summer—bare clay and cut wheat as far as the eye can see. To the west, the Apuan Alps stand apart: these mountains ripped open by quarries have supplied Carrara marble since Roman times, the very stone Michelangelo came to choose his blocks from 🗿. To the north, the Mugello Apennines and the Casentino forests stay wooded and cool, even in July. And then there’s the island of Elba, an hour by boat from Piombino, where Napoleon spent ten months in exile before taking to sea again. They say he was bored stiff there.

Season-wise, you’re spoiled for choice—except right in the heart of summer. July and August hit hard inland, especially in the Val d’Orcia where shade is scarce. Spring remains the prime time: the hills turn a vivid green, poppies pop up everywhere, and mornings are still cool. Autumn takes over with the grape harvest, golden light at day’s end, and perfect temperatures for a marathon. Winter isn’t really a problem on the coast or in town, where the thermometer stays mild. At altitude, in the Casentino or on the Apuan Alps, do plan on something warm to wear ❄️.

The race calendar in Tuscany covers just about every taste. The Florence Marathon takes place in late November, passing the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo on a flat, fast course that helps a lot of runners set new personal bests. The Pisa Marathon follows three weeks later, just before Christmas. The Florence Half Marathon returns in spring, when the EcoTrail Florence leaves the asphalt for the hills above the city. The Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB® starts in Radda in March and crosses the wine estates—one of the rare ultras where you run between rows of sangiovese. The Tuscany Crossing links the villages of the Val d’Orcia in April from Castiglione d’Orcia. The Crete Senesi Ultra Marathon explores Siena’s clay landscapes in May. The White Marble Marathon runs between Carrara and the sea in February, with the white quarries as a backdrop. On the island, the Elba Island Marathon, the Run the Tuscany Island and the ELBAMAN share out the year 🏝️. Add the Lucca Half Marathon on its ramparts, the one in Livorno in November, the Mugello Marathon in September, and the Trail del Cinghiale for forest lovers. Cyclists swear by L’Eroica and its vintage bikes on the strade bianche, or by the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche starting from Siena 🚲.

After a race in Tuscany, the table is never far—and it doesn’t mess around. bistecca alla fiorentina is ordered by weight and shared between two people, at minimum. Ribollita warms up winter evenings, Siena’s pici are rolled by hand, and Pienza’s pecorino pairs with honey. Lardo di Colonnata, meanwhile, is aged in marble troughs carved in Carrara—the same stone as the statues 🧀. To finish, cantucci dipped in vin santo, or a glass of Chianti (Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health; drink in moderation). For runners, the region’s pride is Daniele Meucci, born in Pisa, European marathon champion in Zurich in 2014 🥇. Among cyclists, Paolo Bettini, the Tuscan from Cecina, took Olympic gold and the world title—inevitably respected on the white roads. As for the rest, Tuscany gave us Leonardo da Vinci, born in the village of the same name, Puccini in Lucca, and Roberto Benigni, who climbed onto Oscar seats 🎬. So, more of a marathon in Florence or trails in Chianti? Compare the area’s marathons and trails—you’ll have plenty of reasons to come back more than once 👟.