The Tuscany region is located in the central part of the Apennine peninsula, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The relief in the region is varied: in the east and northeast the Apennines, Chianti and Pratomagno ranges stretch, from the northern part - the ranges of the Apuan and Ligurian Alps, and along the valley of the river. Arno and closer to the coast begins a small strip of plains.
No wonder why this region is so loved by holidaymakers in the country of Italy. Tuscany is one of its most beautiful parts, the birthplace of many schools of architecture and painting, a place of unique historical richness, as evidenced by numerous tourist reviews. This is the place of formation of the Etruscan civilization, the Apennine ancient culture, the state of the Lombards and the Roman Empire, in addition, the birthplace of the Renaissance. An incredible number of cultural sites are concentrated in this place, due to which as many as 6 cities of the region fall into the UNESCO List (among them are the historical centers of Siena, Florence, Pienza and San Gimignano, the Val d'Orcia valleys and PiazzaPisa).
Italy, Tuscany: attractions
Many tourists, coming here, remember with pleasure the picturesque town of Volterra with its Pinacoteca, Palazzo dei Priori, Romanesque cathedral, art gallery, baptistery, Etruscan museum of Guarnacci and the Etruscan arch. In the town of Certaldo there is an opportunity to see the villas of Cetinale, Chigi, Volte Alte, Chela, as well as the castle of Velcaro. Pienza arose through the efforts of Pope Pius II on the site of the former village of Corsignano, whose roots go back to the Etruscan era. This is one of the most picturesque settlements in the region. Its decorations are the Palazzo Piccolomini Palace, which has a luxurious park, the Duomo Cathedral, the Palazzo Borgia (the collections of the Museo delle Cattedrale and the Diocesan Museum are now located here), the Palazzo Comunale Town Hall, Ammannati, Cardinale Atrebatense and Gonzaga, the Church of San Francesco (the oldest in the city, built in the eleventh century), in addition, the grottoes of Monticchiello and the monuments of Pieve Consignano.
In Lucca, the sixteenth century ramparts, the Roman amphitheater, the churches of San Fernando, San Michele, Santa Maria Forisportam, the Pinacoteca, the eleventh century Cathedral of San Martino, as well as the delightful villas of Torrigiani, Mansi, Garzoni deserve attention di Sand and Marlia with their luxurious gardens. In Pistoia, the churches of San Andrea, San Domenico, San Giovanni Fourcivitas, San Francesco and Madonna del Umilta are worth seeing. In Arezzo, the Piazza Grande, the Church of Maria della Piave, the Fraternita dei Laichi Palace, the Bishop's Palace, the Loggia of Vasari are interesting, in addition, the churches of San Michele, Sant Donatus, Santa Maria in Gradi,the Basilicas of San Domenico and San Francesco, the Cathedral of Sant'Agustin and a huge number of other architectural monuments. Each of these towns causes genuine delight among vacationers, who then share admiring reviews with all their friends.
Resort Tuscany
The region of Tuscany in the mind of a tourist is mainly associated with the Siena-Florence-Pisa triangle. These once warring and powerful republics became the real focus of medieval Italian life. These republics have been gone for a long time. But the enchanting climate, the sea and the mountains of the Mediterranean, which Italy can give vacationers, remained outside the power of man and time.
Tuscany in the summer is an opportunity to kill three birds with one stone with a well-aimed tourist shot, while devoting time to history, seeing the Tuscan Maremma (including the baths and Saturnia). It is not for nothing that you can see mostly only admiring reviews about the region! In addition, you can sunbathe on luxurious beaches. Italy is famous for them! Tuscany's coast provides vacationers with a chic, wide, sandy.
To the sea
For some it will be a discovery, but in Tuscany (Italy) there is a sea - Tyrrhenian. Consequently, there are also resorts, reviews of which also arouse interest in this region. Forte dei Marmi has long been preferred by show business stars, European aristocrats and famous fashion designers, for whom Italy (Tuscany) is ideal for relaxing. The coast in Marina di Carrara and Marina di Massa is simpler, and the publictoo, while there are more hotels, and the beaches are longer. But in Monte Argentario, yachtsmen are in charge. In addition, there is the island of Elba with seven dozen beaches where you can go diving and snorkeling. Italy (Tuscany) is famous for this. The resorts of the region will be considered in more detail below.
Impressions in Livorno
Livorno, the “ideal city” of the Renaissance, is famous for the Venetian area with a dense network of canals and a huge number of old buildings, the Montenero shrine, the Mascagnano Museum, the monument to Ferdinand the First Medici, the fortresses of Castello Nuovo and Castello Vecchia. Therefore, the impressions of vacationers from staying here are only the brightest.
Sights of Prato
Here you can see the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, the Pretorio Palace, the Castello del Imperatore (the old castle), the churches of Sant'Agostinho, Santa Maria delle Carceri, San Domenico, San Francesco, San Fabiano, as well as San Vincenzo (monastery). No wonder many tourists are attracted by this particular city in Tuscany, which they are happy to tell all their friends about. Italy as a whole is full of attractions, but here they are concentrated very tightly. In Massa you can see the Malaspina Castle, in Piazza Aranci the Palazzo Ducale, the Cathedral, Marina di Massa (picturesque port) and Alpi Apuane Pietro Pelegrini (mountain botanical garden).
Nearby Carrara today is famous for its Palazzo Ducale and its cathedral.
Idyll in Chianti
Once in Tuscany, you need at least two daysvisit the Chianti region, which is advised by many vacationers here, try the wine of the same name, and also enjoy the view of old castles and hills. You can also spend the night here - the main number of castles are currently operating in the mode of hotels, although there are also hotels that are more familiar to us. Tuscany (Italy) provides high-quality service to its vacationers. At the same time, amazingly trained staff is amazing, anticipating the desires of their guests. Basically, they have shops that sell bottled Chianti, aromatic olive oil and other gourmet things, which is what makes this region and Italy in general famous. Tuscany, whose reviews can be found exclusively admiring, pampers vacationers with its freshest olives and aromas.
Tuscan Islands
They stretch between Corsica and the coast of the region. Judging by the reviews, the greenest, largest and most visited among them is Elba Island. Today it is considered part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and a prestigious resort area, which is famous for its olive and eucalyptus groves, picturesque beaches, the San Giovanni baths, the churches of Forte della Stella, Misericordia and Santissimo Sacramento, the fortresses of Forte del Falcone and Portolongone, the monastery of the Madonna of Montserrat, the Palazzina dei Mulini (Napoleon's exile took place here), as well as the Villa San Martino, which today houses his museum. The coast of the island is completely built up with elite resort areas, among them Capiloveri, Portoferraio, Porto Azzurro, Lacona, Prochio,Rio Marina, Cavo Marciana, Campo del Elba, Marciana Marina, Marino di Campo and Poggia. No wonder so many famous people love Tuscany (Italy), where holidays are hard to compare.
Giglio Island, off Cape Argentario, is a diver's paradise as it is a granite rock that plunges steeply into the sea. Many of the scuba diving enthusiasts are happy to talk about this place later. The island's rocky shores alternate with small beaches, while the ancient towns of Giglio Castello, Giglio Porto and Campese are famous for their fine cuisine. The island of Capraia is located off the coast of Corsica and is known to many for the picturesque lake that occupies the crater of the volcano.
Giannutri is famous for its untouched nature and incredibly beautiful sea, which is so attractive for romantics. The miniature Gorgon Island, which lies opposite Livorno, is incredibly beautiful, but it is not accessible for visiting (a prison is located in this place). The same fate befell the flat little island of Pianos near the Elba and, in addition, the island of Montecristo, which lies between Corsica and Giglio.
The amazing cities of Fiesole
This is a small town in Italy, which is located very close to Florence - the distance between them does not exceed 10 kilometers. In this ancient town, which appeared in the sixth century BC. e., the remains of the fortress walls of the Etruscan dwellings, as well as the amphitheater and ancient baths, a legacy of the legendary Roman period, could be preserved. By the way, in the amphitheatertheatrical performances and concerts are still held, which vacationers here then talk about with delight for a long time.
All the main historical and architectural sights of the town are concentrated in its center, on the square. Mino da Fiesole - the episcopal and Pretorio palaces, the Cathedral of San Romolo. Nearby is the Bandini Museum, where you can get acquainted with the stunning sculpture and painting of Italian masters of the 13th-15th centuries.
San Gimignano - the territory of luxury
This is a city of luxurious palaces and majestic medieval towers, which Italy is famous for. Tuscany, on the other hand, has collected a huge number of monuments, including San Gimignano. This attracts thousands of tourists to the city every year, who initially read the reviews about the city. In the Palazzo del Popolo there is an art gallery with works by Benozzo Gozzoli, Lippi, Pinturicchio and other masters of the Florentine school of painting. The city also has a museum of religious art, a wonderful archaeological museum, the main city museum, which consists of 10 exhibition and spacious halls. Another interesting place that it is advisable not to meddle in for the faint of heart is the Museum of Torture and Torture.
By the way, the historic center of this city is included in the UNESCO list.
Such an unusual Lucca…
Many people like the cities of Tuscany. Italy as a whole is able to amaze and surprise vacationers. An example of this is Lucca. This Tuscan town is often referred to as the "city of 100 churches". In fact, there are a great many of them here. Built in different eras, they miraculously managed to survive to the present day, while others can only be seen in the form of ancient ruins.
The Cathedral, located on Piazza San Martino, the Church of San Giovanni, the basilicas of St. Fredian, San Pietro Somaldi, as well as other historical and architectural buildings are of great interest.
Renaissance art lovers should go to the National Museum to admire the works of Bronzino, Tintoretto, Giordano, while fans of unhurried long walks will be interested in the wide shady alley that stretches along the fortress wall of Lucca.
Famous Siena
The city, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, is located in the Chianti Valley, famous as the main center of winemaking in the region. Thanks to its fortress walls, it was able to preserve its own medieval appearance, which is so loved by many vacationers in the country of Italy. Tuscany, on the other hand, generously provides tourists with the full enjoyment of these views.
Its central square, Piazza del Campo, is the center of life in the city - once the townspeople gathered here, wanting to resolve important political issues, as well as to celebrate any events. It currently hosts the popular Palio horse race, which takes place twice a year.
On the square you can admire the magnificent Cathedral, famous for the Fountain of Joy, while visiting the Civico Museum - its expositions exhibit stunning frescoes by Simono Martini. Amazing impressions will also remainafter viewing the works of Sienese painters in the National Pinakothek, in addition, tasting the best Italian wines in the Enoteca.
Sights of Pisa
The city, which is located on the Tyrrhenian coast, is primarily famous for the architectural white marble Square of Miracles, which includes the baptistery, the famous leaning tower, as well as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore. Near the square is also the Campo Santo cemetery with holy earth, which was brought in the 13th century from Jerusalem on ships.
An interesting architectural landmark of Pisa is also the 11th-century Basilica of San Pietro a Grado – legend has it that it was erected where the Apostle Peter landed on his way from Constantinople to Rome. The University of Pisa is famous here - it is one of the most prestigious and oldest educational institutions in the world. Here he studied and later taught Galileo Galilei.
Also noteworthy is the botanical garden, which was founded in 1544. It is an example of a traditional Renaissance garden. Therefore, this place, judging by the reviews, is loved by all fans of architecture and history.
Italy, Tuscany: Florence
Stunning Florence, located near the border between Emilia and Tuscany, was founded in the 59th century BC. e.
At the very beginning, the town was just a settlement for legionnaires, and by the eleventh century, due to its convenient location at the crossroads of trade routes, it had completely changed, becoming a major craft and trade center, in whichdifferent eras created and lived the famous da Vinci and Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo, Petrarch and Dante. No wonder you can not find a single negative review about this city.
You should start your acquaintance with the city from the squares of Florence, which are a kind of open-air museums. It is interesting to look at Piazza della Signoria, densely lined with the works of famous Italian sculptors of the Renaissance, as well as Duomo Square with Giotto's bell tower and the ancient baptistery.
When you come here, you should definitely visit the most popular museum in the country - the Uffizi Gallery, which presents one of the most complete European collections of fine art of the Renaissance period, look at the palaces of Vecchio and Pitti, the original statue of David in the Academy Gallery and, of course, the gardens Boboli is one of the most famous parks in the world.
Reviews of tourists
People who once visited this great country forever keep warm memories of it in their hearts. Regardless of whether this trip was of a business nature or was a romantic trip, tourists first of all note the hospitality and goodwill of Italians.
Many kind words deserve the hotel staff, who do their job with high quality and professionalism.
Italian culinary specialists receive rave reviews, who amaze with their gourmet dishes not only in expensive restaurants, but also in small cafes.
Without a doubt, with special delight our compatriotsspeak about the unique historical and architectural monuments of this country. In addition, they celebrate well-thought-out and interestingly conducted excursions to memorable places.
It is hardly worth saying that holidays in Italy cause only the most pleasant emotions. Russians are delighted with the level of service at famous Italian resorts.
We couldn't find any negative feedback about our stay in Italy. They may exist, but there are so few of them that they are simply lost in a sea of thankful words.
