When it comes to Tuscany, the first and perhaps most persistent association is often associated with Florence. Arriving in Italy for a short vacation, “our” and not only “our” tourists try to take the maximum of the country, limiting themselves, often, to only the largest and most popular cities. But if you dig a little deeper, it turns out that a journey through the cities of Tuscany alone can give no less emotions than through Rome, Milan and Venice combined. The main thing is to know where to go.
6. Fiesole
Fiesole is a small Italian town located very close to Florence; the distance between them does not exceed ten kilometers. In this ancient town, founded in the VI century BC, both the remains of the fortress walls of the Etruscan settlement, as well as the ancient baths and amphitheater - a legacy of the Roman period. By the way, concerts and theater performances are still held in the old amphitheater.
All the main attractions of Fiesole are concentrated in the city center.
All major historical and architectural sights Fiesole concentrated in the city center, on Piazza Mino da Fiesole - the medieval cathedral of San Romolo, the episcopal palace and the palace of Pretorio. Nearby is the Bandini Museum, where you can get acquainted with the magnificent painting and sculpture of Italian masters of the XIII-XV centuries.
5. San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a city of magnificent medieval towers and magnificent palaces, in one of which - the Palazzo del Popolo, is an art gallery with works by Pinturicchio, Lippi, Benozzo Gonzoli and other masters of the Florentine school of painting. There is a wonderful archaeological museum in the city, a museum of religious art, as well as the main city museum, consisting of ten spacious exhibition halls. Another interesting place where the faint of heart is better not to meddle is the Museum of Torture and Torture.
San Gimignano is a city of medieval towers and magnificent palaces, and the historical center is on the UNESCO list
By the way, the historical center of the city San gimignano Unesco World Heritage Site.
4. Lucca
Tuscan town Lucca often called the "city of a hundred churches" - and indeed, there are many churches here. Built in different eras, some are perfectly preserved to our time, others can only be seen in the form of ancient ruins.
Of considerable interest is the magnificent Cathedral on Piazza San Martino, the Basilica of St. Fredian, the Church of San Giovanni, the Basilica of San Pietro Somaldi and other historical and architectural structures.
Lucca is often called the "city of a hundred churches"
Fans of Renaissance art should look into the National Museum to admire the work of Tintoretto, Bronzino, Giordano, and lovers of long leisurely walks to walk along the wide shady alley that stretches along the fortress wall surrounding Lucca.
3. Siena
Siena, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, is located in the Chianti Valley, known as the main center of Tuscan winemaking. Thanks to the powerful ramparts, Siena was much better than other cities in Italy, was able to maintain its medieval appearance.
Central square of the city Piazza del campo from the 14th century to this day it has been the focus of Siena's life - once the townspeople gathered here to solve important political issues or to celebrate any events, now the famous Palio horse races are held twice a year.
The fountain of joy was created at the beginning of the XV century.
In the Piazza del Campo you can admire the Fountain of Joy, the magnificent Cathedral, as well as visit the famous Civico Museum, which displays magnificent frescoes by Simono Martini. An unforgettable experience will remain after examining the works of Siena painters of the XII-XIIV centuries at the National Pinakothek, as well as tasting the famous Italian wines in Siena Enoteca.
More details about the sights of Siena can be found in a separate post.
2. Pisa
Pisa, located on the Tyrrhenian coast, is known primarily for the white-marble architectural ensemble of the Square of Miracles, which includes the famous leaning tower, as well as the baptistery and Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore. Not far from the Square of Miracles is the Campo Santo cemetery, covered with holy land brought by ship from Jerusalem in the 13th century.
Pisa is famous for the white marble architectural ensemble of the Square of Miracles
Interesting architectural landmark Pisa is the ancient basilica of San Pietro a Grado dating back to the 11th century - according to legend, the basilica was erected on the spot where the apostle Peter landed, returning to Rome from Constantinople. No less famous is the University of Pisa - one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions not only in Italy but also in the world. He studied and then taught at the University of Pisa, a famous native of Pisa Galileo Galilei.
The Pisa Botanical Garden, founded in 1544 and which is an example of the classical garden of the Renaissance, is also noteworthy.
1. Florence
The magnificent Florence, located near the border between Tuscany and Emilia, was founded in the 59th century BC. Julius Caesar and her, as one of the most interesting cities in Italy, pay special attention to BlogoItaliano.
Initially, the town was only a settlement for legionnaires, but by the 11th century, thanks to its convenient location at the junction of trade routes, Florence completely changed, turning into a large trade and craft center where the famous Michelangelo and da Vinci, Galileo and Machiavelli lived and worked in different eras. , Dante and Petrarch.
In the 59th century BC Florence was founded for the settlement of legionnaires
Acquaintance with the city is worth starting with the famous squares of Florence, which are original open-air museums - which is worth only Signoria square, laden with the works of famous Italian Renaissance sculptors, or the Duomo square with the ancient Baptistery and Giotto's bell tower.
While in Florence, you should definitely visit the most popular museum in Italy - the Uffizi Gallery, which presents one of the most complete collections of Renaissance fine art in Europe, see the original statue of David by Michelangelo at the Academy Gallery, the Palaces of Pitti and Vecchio, as well as the Boboli Gardens - one of the most famous parks in the world.
About what you should definitely see in Florence, even if you are in the city for just 1 day, BlogoItaliano shot a separate video and wrote a detailed article. For those who want to see the maximum in Italy without spending a fortune, we recommend our free e-mail course for travelers, which contains a lot of valuable tips and useful life hacks.
