In a city that boasts some of the world’s finest museums and galleries, there’s one spectacular current exhibition that’s not being held in any of them. It’s the blockbuster, limited-season show that is Autumn in Tuscany.

This week we spent a few days tootling around the countryside looking for autumn brilliance, and we weren’t disappointed. Blue skies, sparkling sunlight and golden leaves combined in a landscape to rival any of the great masterpieces.

We based ourselves in the Casentino Valley, less than two hours’ drive east of Florence and not too far from the setting for that lovely 2003 movie starring Diane Lane.

Geographically the Valley is relatively isolated; it’s surrounded by hills that, on the eastern side, rise up to the Casentino Forest National Park and theĀ Apennine Mountains. This isolation has helped protect the Casentino’s rich history; you still find ancient forests, fortified villages and medieval castles dotted throughout the Park.

All these are important but, for the moment, they seem to have become slightly less significant elements in the bigger picture that is the landscape in which they’re set. Right now – and for only these few short weeks – the star of this show is autumn itself.