Tuscany, 14 March 2017: Cheering on the cyclists in the centenary race of the Giro d'Italia is just one of the reasons to visit Tuscany in 2017, according to To Tuscany (0121 286 7782; www.to-tuscany.com). The team behind the villa-booking website has picked the best of the region's celebrations and anniversaries in the coming year and suggested great places to stay to join in the fun.

100th anniversary of the Giro d'Italia

17 May

The 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia hits the streets of Tuscany in May, when Stage 11 of the race travels from Florence to Bagno di Romagna in neighbouring Emilia-Romagna. The cyclists will depart Ponte a Ema, birthplace of the champion road cyclist Gino Bartali, then head west on a hilly 161km journey, cheered on by the crowds.

Villa Paterno is a handy base for seeing the race as it passes through Tuscany, just four miles from the route. The four-bedroom villa with private pool costs £2,610 for the week of 13 May.

25 years of Open Cellars

27-28 May

A highlight of a trip to Tuscany is a visit to a local winery. And the fact that many vineyards now throw open their doors to the public is due in no small part to the Open Cellars movement, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. There are plenty of wineries to choose from – more than 100 across Tuscany will be taking part in the event.

Villa Beba is on the doorstep of participating vineyard Castello di Fonterutoli. The three-bedroom property sleeping six, with private pool, costs £1,391 for the week of 27 May.

Follow in the footsteps of Edith Wharton

11 August

American writer Edith Wharton, who died 80 years ago this August, is best known for The Age of Innocence, the novel for which she became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. Yet, she was also a prolific travel writer and the author of the influential book Italian Villas and their Gardens, which includes descriptions of some of the finest Medici villas gracing Tuscany's rural pastures, many of which are now Unesco listed.

Castello Pandolfini (pictured, centre) was once owned by the Medicis, making it possible to stay in as well as view this dynasty's great houses. The nine-bedroom villa costs from £11,681 per week.

For more reasons to visit Tuscany in 2017, including the newly expanded Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art and the first Nova Eroica cycling race, read To Tuscany's latest blog post.

For more information, visit to-tuscany.com or to book call 0121 286 7782. Follow developments on Twitter @ToTuscany and facebook.com/ToTuscany.

For further information, images, or to arrange press trips, please email travelnews@traveltappers.co.uk. Alternatively, contact Kate Simon on 07939 526109 and kate@traveltappers.co.uk or Simone Kane on 07811 161839 and simone@traveltappers.co.uk. Traveltappers is a trading name of Little Black Book Creative Ltd.

Notes to editors:

Prices quoted are the total cost for the apartment or villa hire for one week, not per person, and they do not include international travel. To Tuscany is an easy-to-use, online-booking site, which features more than 750 high-quality holiday properties across the price range. The site allows customers to book direct with owners yet benefit from the peace of mind of paying through a secure portal. To Tuscany was set up in 1998 by Sean Caulfield, who lives in the region, and is supported by a small team back in England, who are always ready to help with online and phone enquiries.

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