Colle di Val d'Elsa

You might not believe it when you finally see it, but Colle di Val d’Elsa is one of Tuscany’s hidden gems. Crowning a long ridge in the province of Siena, it’s a sumptuous showcasing of terracotta roofs and honey-tinged walls. Be sure to park the car in the new town and use the lifts that are built straight into the mountain to get up top. Then, you’re onto cobbled lanes draped with bougainvillea, where glass-blowing workshops and osterias beckon down the back alleys. A highlight here has to be the gorgeous view of the Chianti Valley that sweeps southwards. It’s classic Tuscany; think slender cypresses and dashes of verdant vineyards.