Residenza Storica Palazzo Ricciarelli: This beautiful 1-bed accommodation in Volterra has everything you need for the night. Spend some time wandering around the streets in the city, visiting the piazzas, like the beautiful piazza della cisterna, the medieval fountains, and, of course, the Duomo in San Gimignano. Siena

The Florentine School refers to artists in, from, or influenced by the naturalistic style developed in the 14th century, largely through the efforts of Giotto di Bondone, and in the 15th century the leading school of the world. Some of the best known artists of the Florentine School are Brunelleschi, Donatello, Michelangelo, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Lippi, Masolino, and Masaccio. Montaione is about 22 mi (35 km) southwest of Florence, 47 mi (75 km) northeast of Siena, and 40 mi (64 km) south of Pisa. Haller, Hermann W. (1999). The Other Italy: The Literary Canon in Dialect. University of Toronto Press. pp.12–14, 25, 179, 202. ISBN 0-8020-4424-7 . Retrieved 5 May 2022. Make the most of your time in Pisa and book a local tour guide. Within Pisa, residents are offering unique activities including truffle hunting in San Miniato, pasta-making classes, Pisa food tours and e-bike trips through the rural Tuscan countryside. Day 3: Visit the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David, explore Santa Croce Church, and do some shopping at the San Lorenzo Market.Cala Violina: Awonderful cove in Maremma with white fine sand. To get there you walk a trail with incredible views of the coastline.

Florence, known as Firenze in Italian, is the capital of Tuscany and widely considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. The Cinque Terre is famous for its beauty and today visitors explore the five towns by walking the rugged, steep trails between them. Not everyone has a full week to spend in Tuscany, especially if the start and end of your holiday to Tuscany is taken up with travel time.Please accept our thanks for organising the whole thing, and dealing with all of my enquiries so promptly and efficiently, The Lucchese School, also known as the School of Lucca and as the Pisan-Lucchese School, was a school of painting and sculpture that flourished in the 11th and 12th centuries in the western and southern part of the region, with an important centre in Volterra. The art is mostly anonymous. Although not as elegant or delicate as the Florentine School, Lucchese works are remarkable for their monumentality.

Another place we liked quite a lot is Le Torri, vacation apartments featured in our blog post Castello di Poppiano - Why Not Pretend You Live in Italy? The post will give you a sketch of how life is in a little village in the Colli Fiorentini wine country.

Tuscany maps and guide books

No road trip through Tuscany would be complete without a visit to the region’s most famous town, Pisa, home to the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, as well as the impressive Pisa Cathedral and the Pisa Baptistry. From Pisa, you may also find time to explore Lucca. Between 1851 and 1860, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, an independent Italian state until 1859 when it joined the United Provinces of Central Italy, produced two postage stamp issues which are among the most prized classic stamp issues of the world, and include the most valuable Italian stamp. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was an independent Italian state from 1569 to 1859 but was occupied by France from 1808 to 1814. The Duchy comprised most of the present area of Tuscany, and its capital was Florence. In December 1859, the Grand Duchy officially ceased to exist, being joined to the duchies of Modena and Parma to form the United Provinces of Central Italy, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia a few months later in March 1860. In 1862 it became part of Italy and joined the Italian postal system. The pools get very busy so it’s best to go super early in the morning to beat the worst of the crowds.

Several famous writers and poets are from Tuscany, most notably Florentine author Dante Alighieri. Tuscany's literary scene particularly thrived in the 13th century and the Renaissance. Just 15 minutes away, in a landscape dominated by grapevines and olive groves, find a Montalcino farmhouse built in 1840. The rustic spot is Azienda Agricola le Chiuse, a winery and agriturismo that offers four apartments. Guests can splash in the pool and enjoy tastings led by owner Lorenzo Magnelli, whose great-great-grandfather created Brunello, the local wine celebrated internationally for its notes of licorice, tobacco, cherry, and chocolate. 3. San Giovanni d’Asso Tuscany has an immense cultural and artistic heritage, expressed in the region's churches, palaces, art galleries, museums, villages, and piazzas. Many of these artifacts are found in the main cities, such as Florence and Siena, but also in smaller villages scattered around the region, such as San Gimignano. Remember that motorways in Italy are tolled. This itinerary keep you on non-paying roads most of the time however, you are likely to be on the motorway when close to Siena.Afternoon: Florence Cathedral (Il Duomo): Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city. Ponte Vecchio: Iconic bridge with shops built along it. If you want a hotel and are ready to compare prices, see: Hotels in Tuscany. Eating Out / Tuscan Cuisine Montaione was my Tuscany road trip base. If you are looking for the best places to stay in Tuscany by car, I can highly recommend Montaione in the Chianti region. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance [5] and of the foundations of the Italian language. The prestige established by the Tuscan dialect's use in literature by Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini led to its subsequent elaboration as the language of culture throughout Italy. [6] It has been home to many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contains well-known museums such as the Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti. Tuscany is also known for its wines, including Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, Brunello di Montalcino and white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Having a strong linguistic and cultural identity, it is sometimes considered "a nation within a nation". [7] Italians make up 93% of the total population. Starting from the 1980s, the region has attracted a large flux of immigrants, particularly from China, Romania, Albania and Morocco. There is also a significant community of British and American residents. As of 2008 [update], the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 275,149 foreign-born immigrants live in Tuscany, equal to 7% of the total regional population.