One of the most beautiful and popular regions of Italy is Tuscany. You cannot visit Italy without passing through this picturesque and interesting land. The capital is Florence, so I doubt that you will go to Italy and not step on the city of The David by Miguel Ángel.
Landscapes, art, culture, gastronomy... whatever you want, Tuscany has it, so today we will see what to see in tuscany.
Toscana
As I said, it is an Italian region, from the center of the country. They will be about 23 thousand square kilometers inhabited by just under 4 million, whose capital is the beautiful and cultural Florence. The cradle of the Renaissance It has an endless list of treasures.
After Veneto, Tuscany is the most popular region in the country and not only is Florence, there is also Siena, San Gimignan, Grosseto or Lucca, all unforgettable destinations. It is very close to Rome, you can go by train and arrive in less than two hours in Florence to, from there, make a base for exploration. So let's see what to see in tuscany.
Florence
its historic center It is heritage of the Humanity since 1982. It was built on an ancient Etruscan settlement and It is the city of the Medici, who knew how to be absolute masters between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
What not to miss? La Florence Cathedral which, although it has a simple exterior and interior, offers its dome to marvel at. You can climb inside it to the top and go out to the circular and small balcony that looks at the entire city in 360º. By his side is the Bell Tower and the Baptistery of San Juann, and all three sites are included in the same ticket.
To the south of the cathedral is the Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery. The first is the town hall and overlooks Piazza della Sihnoria where there is also a copy of David. You can enter and tour it, walk through its internal courtyards, see the stairs that lead to the beautiful Cinquecento Hall, 52 meters long and 23 wide, with its walls decorated with beautiful frescoes, the private apartments and its terrace.
To get to the other side of the Arno river you can cross the famous old bridge and thus arrive at the Oltrano district, which is where the beautiful Pitti Palace with the indispensable and necessary Boboli Gardens. Although you can visit both sites in one day, you should start early because they are huge.
To the west of the cathedral is the Strozzi Palace and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. A good way to see the size and beauty of Florence is from a height, and for that it is best to climb the surrounding hills. you can go to the Fort Belvedere, from Piazzale Michelangelo and see on the way the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte, for instance. It is a calm and beautiful walk although it is uphill.
I rented a bike to get around the city and I don't regret it because you have to walk a lot. I crossed the Arno several times, walked unknown streets, came and went as many times as I wanted, wherever I wanted.
My recommendations? Do not forget to walk or eat in the square of the market, or within it, which is very beautiful, visit the Galileo Galilei Museum, beautiful, and if you want to see inside a stately home that is not a palace, visit the Palazzo Davanzatti.
Pisa
La Square of Miracles, or Plaza del Duomo, is perhaps one of the most famous squares in the world although no one remembers its name. It occupies an area of almost nine hectares and for the Catholic Church it is sacred.
The place has Pisa Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Bell Tower and the Monumental Cemeteryand. Grass and stone make up the surface and it also houses a couple of museums. Since 1987 it is World Heritage.
You can get to know everything in the same walk. The interior of the cathedral is really beautiful, although fame has always gone to the Bell Tower, better known as the tower of pisa. Construction of the tower began in 1173 and its completion took several stages and almost 200 years. We already know how the ground soon began to give way, making it the most recognized leaning building in the world.
Do not leave the cemetery out of the walk, at the north end of the square. It is a walled site, built around a piece of soil brought from the Holy Land in the Third Crusade in the XNUMXth century.
San Gimignano
It is known as the "skyscraper town" because it is full of towers. It's a very well preserved medieval village. It is on a hill, surrounded by walls, and inside there are many Gothic and Romanesque style buildings, palaces, churches and towers.
The historic center is World Heritage, with its buildings, churches and squares, although its skyline It is what has made it popular for its towers that, from a distance, make it look like an old and small New York. Of all the ones I had today, he has 14 left.
Siena
An important center of banking activities, back in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, it is, in fact, the Headquarters of the oldest bank in the world, operating since 1472. She is also known for her university, founded in the XNUMXth century and still in operation, and with all this and more of course is World Heritage.
If you manage to go in July try to coincide with the Palio of Siena, the traditional horse race of the city, of medieval origin. It takes place in July but also in August, so check. And what else can you know? The Siena Cathedral, with its works of art, the Piazza del Campo, various churches and gardens. That beauty!
Val d'Orcia
This zone it runs from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata. It is a crop land studded with towns and villages, Pienza, for example, Montalcino or Radicofani. It is World Heritage 2004 since.
It is also a wine growing area. The vineyards are on a strip of land that follows the River Orcia and the wines they produce, red and white, have designation of origin. A very good way to appreciate these landscapes is to take the train.
Yes, the Val d'Orcia it is crossed by an XNUMXth century trainX with stations and tunnels. Although it was discontinued in 1994, there is a section of the route that remains and is the one that connects the towns of Asciano and Monte Antico. You like the steam locomotives and old wagons? Is for you!
An extra fact? It was filmed here Gladiator, by Ridley Scott and The English Patient, by Minghella.
Tuscany is undoubtedly a beautiful region. It's great to go in the spring, rent a car and not be in a hurry, but however you visit it you won't regret it.