Tuscany

Here is a region of Italy which much to see. From beaches, hills covered with olive groves, mountains and cypresses trees and endless vineyards. We have probably travelled in this region the most of others and have always enjoyed returning to find yet another great location.

So when you tell your friends that you are going to Italy, and they ask you if you are going to "do Tuscany"; the reply is more that you are probably going to see a small section of it, one trip at a time. After almost 20 years of travelling in Italy we can still go back to parts of this region and discover something new.

As reported in the May 2008 Trvel + Leisure article on Tuscany, make time to travel the strade bianche, the white roads, as they often give you the best experience.

Through our various journeys we have criss-crossed across much of this region. We will keep working on adding information to region.

When you tell someone you have been to Italy, often the first question is: What did you think of Tuscany? Although there is so much to see that is to different across the country, Italy and Tuscany seen to be combined in the minds of many.

This is one of Italy's world famous regions. You will find eye-catching landscapes -- green hills, lunar like appearances near Siena, golden browns, mountains and the sea. There are endless towns, museums, cathedrals, buildings, streets to fill up many vacations. All around are ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins. Bring lots of film!

Travel Journal information on:

San Gimignano

Located on a top of hill, we get goosebumps everytime we see the many towers of San Gimagnano from a couple of kilometers away. It is quite the sight and well worth pulling over on the side the of the road and just enjoying the view.

While there are only fourteen towers left, and with this they call it the Manhattan of Tuscany, at one there were were many more.

In the centre of the town, theTorri degli Adringhelli and the Torre del Diavolo stand on the south and north side of the piazza della Cisterna - named after the well that dates back to 1263. The Piazza del Duomo, as with many Italian towns, is the centre of the town.

On our 1994 and on subsequent trips we have stayed at the Hotel Pescille, located on the route to San Gimignano (about 2 km outside of the town). This is one of our Great Places to Stay and everyone we have referred to this hotel always tells us how special it was to stay there. So relaxing to return from a day of touring and spend time time around their pool, or in the gardens. It is located in an incredible setting, the buildings and decor are the kind that really make staying in a location great. We have stayed there twice and each time we enjoyed the hotel.

During the day, San Gigignano is jammed full of tourists. But, for a small town, it packs the sights and if you are looking for some small leather goods over the course of of many visits here we have dropped a few dollars in the stores.

Volterra

We have been to Volterra a couple of time, although each time as a day's outting from staying in another location. Each time, the magnitude of the buildings is what struck us. It must have been one heck of a centre in its heyday.

Volterra Located about 80 km from Florence this is one impressive town. It is located high in the hills and is also known as the city of wind.

You'll find yourself asking: how did they get the amount of stone used to build the town up here anyway? It is a town of narrow streets and large impressive stone buildings. If you are into photographing doors you will think you have hit pay-dirt with this town. The window ornaments are likewise very interesting.

If you have any interest in alabaster then you find more than enough stores selling alabaster carvings and the like.

The piazza dei Priori represents one of the finest medieval piazzas in Italy. Dating from the 1200s the three-storey building has a façade that is adorned with trilobed, double arched windows. The Della Robbia glazed terracotta coats of arms are of the various Florentine magistrates from the 15th and 16th centuries. The building also bears, engraved between the banner and torch holders, the canna volterrana, which is the the medieval standard measurement of the commune.

Volterra You will find Volterra to be one of those towns to talk, to enjoy. It has some fine museums, however, we have been taken with the feel of the place.

On a recent trip to Voltera, in 2003, we had dinner at Da Beppino at via delle Prigioni 15/19 and found our meal to be great. Pasta with mushrooms, roast pork with roasted potatoes. The slivers of fresh Rosemary in the pork gave it a great taste. A litre of vino de cassa was just fine. The meal for two including dessert was very reasonable.

Just outside the Porta Florentina there is large Roman theatre and if you walk the road from the Porta S. Francesco you will pass along an Estruscan wall that extends for over 5 km. The cavea, of the Roman Theatre, served as a seating area for the audience. Nineteen rows of the central and lower cavea are still visible.

We stayed just outside of town at the Villa Nencini. It was fine and the villa had a pool which was a plus in the heat of the summer.

Pitigliano

		This is one of the noted "Top Ten Hill Top Towns of Tuscany" and much of the charm is the view from afar. Houses seem to just emerge from the rock cliffs. This was once the part of the holdings of the Orsini. Walk along the rather narrow piazza della Repubblica. This is the split between the old medieval town where the Orsini counts livied in the 14-16 Century.
		Lots of side alleys to walk, or rather climb steps. Down the vicolo Marghera you enter the old ghetto and on vicolo Manin are the remains of the synagogue that was built by the Jewish community who settled in Pitigliano back in the 15th Century. The day we were here, the gates to the entrance were closed and tour group after tour would arrive and then leave.

Sovana

The streets were paved with bricks in the 16th Century.

This is a pleasant medieval town with Etruscan tombs located outside the town in the porous rock that makes up this area.

The Duomo, which sits on the edge of the town, dates back to the 12th and 14th Century. It has a rather solemn appearance. There are ancient sculptures some with pagan themes. The figures on the capitals give you a feel for the age of this church.

The town used to be completely walled and linked to the Aldobrandescha castle of which only some remains are left.

Although we did not visit the remains of the castle, the town is a pleasant stop on anyone's travels in the area.

The church in the town, the Santa Maria, also dates to the 12th Century and inside are Romanesque reliefs and an unusual ciborium that dates from the 8th & 9th Century.

The ciborium dates from the 8th & 9th Century. Although a ciborium can be a box in which the Host (wafers or bread for the Eucharist) is kept, in the earlier Christian churches it was a canopy resting on columns over the altar

Sovana

Solemn interior of the Duomo.

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Tuscany

San Gimignano

Volterra

Pitigliano

Sovana