Tuscany

Montecatini Terme

Montecatini Terme Locate just 15 km west of Pistoia this is one of Italy's best-known spas. It was the location back in 1890 and what remains is a pleasant town with impressive sights to see.

We toured to this town in 2002. and there are more pictures and details about the town on that page.

We stayed at the Hotel Belvedere, vialle Fedeli, 10; getting a great room at a good price. The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful.

Montecatini is a choice for a place to stop while driving around Tuscany and there is more than enough to take up an afternoon and an evening in the town.

Lucca

Lucca Lucca is interesting and famous for its walls. Construction started in 1500. The city is entirely enclosed and you can walk along the top of walls looking out and into the city. A long history in this town. While depending on where you have just come from, it can seem to hold a slower pace than other cities, I can attest to the difficulty of trying to park a car, fine a tourist information office, or a hotel. At one time the city was one of the prime trading centres in the region. In fact, it used to be its own Republic. Oh, but the way, the tourist office is on Vecchia Porta San Donato, in Piazzael Verdi, near the bus station.

We stayed once, and felt that one evening in the town just was not enough. On subsequent trips, however, we have unable to get a hotel in the city and have ended up in other parts of Tuscany. On our most recent trip we booked into one of the primary downtown hotels, paid a hefty price, but had the advantages of staying in the town. That even, a concert in one of the churches would have been very difficult to attend had we not been in town.

Pisa

Pisa Don't miss this jewel thinking it is a tourist stop. Well it is. The buses roll in and out. But the Campo dei Miracoli, or the Field of Miracles is just that.

I had worn shorts as the day was hot and was stopped at the door and unable to enter the cathedral. I asked Karen to stick her head in and tell me if it was worth it to hike back to the car and change into my pants. Wasn't that a stupid question but travel fatique had set it. Well of course she said "unbelieveable". It was worth the run back to the car. And in Italy, no one even looks at a man changing pants in a parking lot!

We were fortunate as this trip was the year before they closed the tower. We were able to make our way up the narrow winding, smelly staircase to the top. There I was surprised that one just walked out onto the top flow. There was only a single metal bar preventing a fall. Stunning.

Don't miss a good amount of time in the Cathedral and the Bapistry. The Bapistry in Pisa is the largest in Italy.

Pienza

We have been to Pienza a number of times. Each enjoyable. Our memories include the architecture and the food. Some travel books refer to Pienza as being overrated, but there is a good feel to the place.


Cathedral exterior	Cathedral interior	Plazzo

Pienza is actually a fairly small town just each of Montalcino. It was a Renaissance experiment. In 1460 Pope Pius II directed that Pienza, his birthplace, should be florified into a city of art and renamed after himself. Well that got the construction going. The architecture is not stunning but the town has a good feel to it. Check our Great Places to Stay as there are some good restaurants in town.

Montepulciano

Church of San Giagio Located about 67 km southeast of Siena, it is best if you approach the town from the south so that you can see the San Biagio, a church by Antonia da Sangallo located about 1 kim from the town. Though unfinished, this is an great example of Renaissance architecture. The layout is that of a Greek cross with central dome and two towers.

Visiting Montepulciano is a long walk. The main street of Montepulciano stretches for 11.5 kilometers from the Porta al Prato at the bottom to the Piazza Grande at the top of the hill.

In the town, the Duomo is also unfished but it has an alterpiece and other works by famous artists from Florence and Siena. Florence and Siena both fought over the control of Montepulciano. The Plazzao Comunale, just outside the Duomo, is actually a smaller version of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.


On ourprevious visit to Montepulciano it was a cold overcast and rainy day. We just kept walking and walking along the 11 km main street till we got to the top of the hill. There was actual low cloud throughout the town which accentuated the grandure of the grand buildings. Well what a difference a sunny day makes!

Inside the walls the streets are crammed with Renaissance-style palazzi and churches.	Piazza Grande is the real monumental center of Montepulciano and hosts the "Palazzo Comunale" (Town hall) 15th century tower.	The Cathedral di Santa Maria was built from 1592 to 1650. The bell tower dates to the 1500's.

Abbey S. Antimo

Having visisted this abbey, and been taken with it location and construction, we can certain agree with the claim to being one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy. It is a short 9 km from Montalcino. Emperor Charlemagne was here in 781. Became ill, was told to make an infusion of the particular grass here and wine. He did, he and his men were cured. To pay his thanks he founded the abbey. Some historians feel the abbaye was founded before that. But what a story!

The apse of the original 9th century abbey still stands alongside, and is dwarfed by, the new 12th century apse. The Abbey was the most powerful monastic landowner and foundation in Tuscany.

If you arrange your visit at the right time you will be able to hear the Gregorian Chant.

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