Le Stelle di Elisa

When a day at the coast calls, head to the long strip of beach running northwards along the Tyrrhenian Sea from shingle Spiaggia Torraccia (25 minutes’ drive) to the pretty harbour town of San Vincenzo (half an hour). Take your pick of peaceful spots like Spiaggia di Rimigliano (25 minutes, bring your own water) or head to the lively resort of Bagno Venere Talani (35 minutes) for its lidos and beach bars. Turn inland for a couples’ pamper session in the thermal waters at Calidario Terme Etrusche (20 minutes), or tick off Tuscan bucket-list attractions like the 13th-century Abbazia di San Galgano (an hour) and the fantastic Etruscan museums in Grosseto (45 minutes). And if you fancy exploring an island, the ferry over to Elba leaves from Piombino (35 minutes). The spectacular mountain-top Castello del Volterraio and Villa San Martino Residenza Napoleonica are just two of the cultural landmarks to put on your Elba itinerary.