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Holiday Accommodation - Tuscany
Holiday accommodation in Tuscany is surrounded by lush olive groves and rolling hills with picturesque medieval towns nestled on them and sleepy villages decorated with enchanting cypress trees. Visitors on country holidays in Tuscany can explore the enchanting region, with holiday accommodation in Tuscany that is within easy distance of many other spectacular Italy resorts. The area rests languidly in the middle of the Italian peninsula, with parts stretching to the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Snaking through the Tuscan landscape from Florence to Pisa and soaking its thirsty banks is the Arno River. Country holidays in Tuscany provide tranquil Italy resorts and rustic holiday accommodation in Tuscany. People work in the fields in much the same way their ancestors did before them, producing some of Italy's finest wines and olive oils. From this same landscape emerges a profusion of art and architecture that has fashioned Italy onto the cultural map. Tuscany was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of unprecedented innovation in art, architecture and humanist scholarship. The grandeur of the High Renaissance was enjoyed during the Medici family's reign when they commissioned the art and architecture that lives on within the elegant precincts of Florence.
Assisi:
Named after the 12th century monk St Francis of Assisi, who was born here, Assisi is a quaint town situated on a hillside. The town is home to the history of the famous monk who founded the Franciscan order, which practised chastity, poverty and ascetism in devotion of achieving an 'abundance of the divine'. Tourists on country holidays in Tuscany and pilgrims flock to the bustling town for inspiration and worship, and a multitude of conferences, festivals and other religious activities are dedicated to this aim. Approaching the town is a visual spectacle of shimmering white marble buildings perched halfway up Mount Subasio. The town is set against the backdrop of the towering 14th-century hill fortress of the Rocca Maggiore, a landmark with which to orientate oneself from inside the city's medieval ramparts. The most loved and visited church in Italy is the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco containing frescoes by Giotto commemorating the life of St Francis. Other notable works include paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini's frescoes based on the life of St Martin. St Francis' tomb rests below the lower church.
Pisa:
Holiday accommodation in Tuscany on country holidays in Tuscany are ideally located to explore the magnificence of Pisa. Dating back to 1000BC the leaning tower of Pisa stands magnificently against the warm Italian skyline, famous for leaning but also a rich maritime legacy and as the birthplace of Galileo Galilei, the world's greatest astronomer and physicist. The Pisans also created one of the most beautiful squares in the world in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles). Its key component is the famous Leaning Tower, whose layers of heavy marble were constructed on a shifting subsoil foundation that has been the bane of Pisan engineers for more than 800 years. It seems that the tremulous soil underneath the Field of Miracles has exacted its price on the other buildings too, most notably San Michele dei Scalzi. Other attractions of interest in Pisa include the Museo delle Sinopie, a museum containing a display of sketches from the frescoed cycle that decorated the walls of the Campo Santo cemetery and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in which exhibits of arabesque panels and Corinthian capitals reveal the influences of Rome and Islam on Pisan architects. The Museo Nazionale di San Matteo displays a range of Florentine art from the 12th through to the 17th centuries.
Situated above lush vineyards and olive groves, Cortona overlooks Lake Trasimeno and the Valdichiana plain. It is one of the oldest cities in Tuscany and its Etruscan roots have been indelibly imprinted onto its foundations. It also stakes a claim as a 'City of Art', having spawned the great artists, Luca Signorelli and Pietra da Cortona. Most of the Etruscan city is hidden in basements but part of the original 4th-century BC walls can be seen at the base of Porta Colonia's outer side. Climbing the city's cut-stone staircases and meandering along its cobbled streets guides one back through the past from the Renaissance to the Middle Ages and beyond. The medieval houses along via Janelli are the oldest in Italy; massive timber beams support their overhanging upper stories. Places of special interest include the Palazzo Comunale, Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca (containing a number of major Etruscan artefacts) and the church of San Francesco, the first Franciscan church outside Assisi.
Lucca
The city of Lucca offers enchanting scenery, with magnificent medieval ramparts and a labyrinth of ancient Roman roads. It is home to Puccini, chamber music, Romanesque churches, museums and monuments. Lucca's flat landscape and narrow winding lanes create the perfect conditions for commuting by bicycle as many locals do. The Piazza del Mercato supports what survives of the ancient Roman amphitheatre. Medieval houses frame the square and low archways provide the gateways through which Roman gladiators would have emerged. Some of the city's essential sights include the Duomo, San Michele, San Frediano, Museo Nazionale Guinigi and Torre Guinigi. Casa di Pucini makes an interesting visit for opera lovers, as this 15th century house is a shrine to one of Italy's greatest composers.
San Gimignano
High above a vibrant stretch of olive groves and cypress trees are the towers of the medieval village San Gimignano. San Gimignano has been dubbed 'medieval Manhattan' however the skyline of towers numbers only 14 of the original 72. Built as status symbols and defensive outposts the towers played a significant role in the internecine feuds that eventually led to the town's downfall. Prior to its eventual decline into a sleepy backwater, the town prospered through its position along the main pilgrim route from Northern Europe to Rome. Today however it is better known for its tourism, wine production and rich artwork. The Piazza del Duomo is a good starting point from which to explore the historical buildings of the town. In close proximity to the square is the Collegiata church, dating to the 11th century and adorned with frescoes including The Creation by Bartolo di Fredi. Via San Giovanni is a good area to navigate for local merchandise.
The Piazza del Campo is one of Italy's finest ancient squares and the centre of this enchantingly red stoned medieval city. As old as the square itself are the traditions reverberating off its pavements twice yearly during the Palio delle Contrade. It is Italy's most colourful festival with rehearsals, processions and pageantry leading up to the climactic bare-back horse race around the Piazza. It is taken very seriously as it provides an outlet to the fierce rivalries that have raged for centuries among the town's 17 medieval districts. All of Siena's streets are a delight to explore but some of its notable landmarks include the Torre de Mangia, Palazzo Pubblico, the Duomo, Palazzo Piccolomini, Pinacoteca Nazionale and Museo dell'Opera. Torre del Mangia is the bell tower to the left of Palazzo Pubblico which stands at 330ft (102m), the second highest in Italy. It is named after the first bell ringer who was known for his infuriating idleness. The Palazzo Pubblico still serves as Siena's town hall although sections of it are open to the public. The Palazzo Piccolomini, built in 1460 for the prosperous Piccolomini family, contains Sienese state archives and financial records. Artists of the Siena School note the Pinacoteca Nazionale gallery for its collection of works. Siena's spectacular Duomo is unsurpassed amongst Italy's churches, built in full Gothic style. The carved pulpit panels by Nicola Pisano are magnificent depictions from The Life of Christ. Many of the original statues on the church's façade are copies; the originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
Etruscan Tour
Tuscany's abundance of minerals attracted the Etruscans in 900 BC and they made there was around Italy in the Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio regions. Traces of Etruscan civilisation can be found in their burial sites and in the artefacts found in their tombs. They were preoccupied with the afterlife and dedicated much effort in building burial sites carved into rock or constructed from stone slab and reached by dedicated rock-cut roads. For an exploration of Etruscan artefacts start at Grosseto. The Museo Civico Archeologico in Grosseto contains a selection of Etruscan artefacts that were found in tombs nearby. Head north from here to Roselle, the most important excavated Etruscan and Roman remains in Tuscany. From here follow the road leading east for 34 miles (54km) to the Etruscan village of Saturnia to explore its rock-cut tombs and on to Sovanato the famous Ildebranda Tomb. The town of Pitigliano is peppered with Etruscan tombs and tunnels. The town itself is a spectacular vista of houses jutting out over soft limestone cliffs and caves bordering the River Lente. The cliffs contain numerous caves that have been used to store local wines and olive oils and the town itself is a labyrinth of medieval streets that have carried the passage of many a traveller. Head west from this quaint town to the extensive necropolis on the outskirts of Marsiliana. Complete the trip with a stop at Talamone and Maremma for a visit to the Etruscan temple, Roman villa and baths.
Chianti Region
Visitors can experience some enchanting scenery in the Chianti Hills through the circular route from Siena. The route covers the villages of the Chianti Classico wine region garnished with ancient castles and rambling farmhouses. The vineyards and wooded hills of the Chianti are best explored along its winding back roads or from within its sleepy hamlets. By car, visitors would keep a lookout for signs marked 'vendita diretta'. The first stop is at Castello di Brolio, a magnificent vineyard owned by the Ricasoli family since 1167. The SS484 will take you south of Brolio and north past the hamlets of San Gusme, Campi and Linari before rejoining the road for a diversion to the Meleto castle. Another worthwhile stop is at Badia a Coltibuono for its restaurant and Romanesque church. The winding road west to Radda in Chianti is especially picturesque. A further nine miles (15km) from here north to the hamlet of Volapia is a delightful travel back in time as is a visit to Castellina in Chianti. Within the ramparts of this walled village is the Bottega del Vino Galla Nero at Via della Rocca 13, showcasing the region's delectable wines and olive oils.
Montepulciano
The highest hilltop town in Tuscany is Montepulciano, which is built along a thin limestone ridge. Sheltered within the town's fortified walls are charming streets packed with Renaissance-style palaces and churches. Its most celebrated achievement is its Vino Nobile wines. Also of interest is the Madonna di San Biagio, a delightful pilgrimage church on the outskirts of the town. For a dip into Etruscan reliefs and funerary urns collected by Pietro Bucelli, visit his Palazzo on Via di Gracciano del Corso 73. For splendid views, take a stroll to the Palazzo Communale and climb the tower, which is open between 9am and 2pm Monday to Saturday.
