5 days in Tuscany outlet shopping and beaches

[Rocket8]

3 friends aged in early 40s excited about 5 days in Tuscany but would love a recommendation of a place to stay - we want something affordable that we can share but wanting to know the best place to base ourselves if trying to seek out the cheap outlet shops, vibrancy of markets and beauty of white sand beach? What area and any specific recommendation with a pool? We have a car and we have preciously visited Rome and Florence. Help with accom, any good markets and beach all in one locationish

 

[Lourdes]

mmm.... you'll be all over Tuscany!

Ciao Rocket8,

Mmmm, these is a hard one to mix! markets, outlets and sandy beaches? they are all spread out over Tuscany!

Vibrancy of markets..... most towns have a day dedicated to the market if they don't have daily markets. Most of them offer fresh produce and kitchen items, linens, books, that sort of thing. Most are pretty small, given the towns.... Florence and Siena are the ones with larger daily markets.

If you're interested in sandy beaches, I'd recommend Maremma in southern Tuscany or the area from Piombino up to Viareggio.

As far as outlets.... cheap ones are the ones in Barberino to the north of Florence and the Valdichiana to the south of Arezzo.
The Mall and the other outlets near that one are not truly "cheap" - they are high end designer brands, so yes, they are at a discount... but even then, that could mean hundreds of euro. So the "cheap" is relative ;-) Check out the article on the outlets here.

See everything is all spread out.... which tops the list for you, the beach, markets or outlets? Right now, I'd recommend staying between Pisa and Florence so that you can head west to the beaches and east to the outlets the local markets - just ask where you stay at, they'll tell you which days to head where!