Get your bearings
Situated in the north of ltaly, to the west of the Apennines, Tuscany has a roughly triangular shape. Its coastline runs from Liguria in the north to Lazio in the south. The River Arno connects the lively university town of
Pisa with
Florence, the powerful Renaissance city of creative geniuses da Vinci and Michelangelo. South of Florence, the vine-covered hills of
Chianti are topped by hill towns like
Siena and
San Gimignano. To the north of Tuscany,
Lucca nestles near the foothills of the Apuan Alps.
Tuscan culture
Cultural holidays in Tuscany begin in Florence, where there is art and architecture at every turn. Take in the nougat-coloured cathedral with its enormous red dome and matching campanile by Giotto. Visit the
Uffizi Gallery to see Botticelli’s graceful
Birth of Venus. The medieval laneways surrounding Siena’s sloping
Piazza del Campo can be tricky to navigate. Use the multicoloured Gothic cathedral, with its artworks by Donatello and Pisano, as a landmark. There are more Pisano sculptures in the cathedral at Pisa, famous for its majestic piazza dominated by the
Leaning Tower. Stroll around the city walls and Romanesque cathedral at Lucca, birthplace of composer Puccini. In
Arezzo, see early Renaissance paintings by Piero della Francesco.
Local tastes
From informal
trattoria restaurants to elegant dining in frescoed Tuscany hotels, Tuscan flavours are rustic and robust. Menus feature hare, wild boar and the famous
bistecca (
beef steak) from the Chiana Valley near Arezzo. Olive oil is an essential ingredient, with the finest oils coming from the gentle slopes surrounding Lucca. Olive oil features in refreshing
panzanella (
bread and tomato salad), and hearty
ribollita (
white-bean soup). For dessert, try fruity
panforte from Siena with a glass of
vin santo dessert wine.
Family fun
Young imaginations are fired by San Gimignano’s medieval skyscrapers and
Pistoia’s narrow laneways and lively weekly market. In Florence, little ones can run in the lush Boboli Gardens surrounding the Medicis’ Pitti Palace. The city is filled with shops selling creamy gelato (ice-cream). Shop for wooden toys in Florence before visiting the Pinocchio-themed park at
Collodi, outside Lucca. The leafy
Garfagnana region is ideal for horse riding, picnics and boating, and there is a wide and sandy beach at
Viareggio.
Tuscan luxuries
Indulge in a week-long cooking
class in the truffle town of
San Miniato, or take a wine-tasting class in Chianti. Soar over the vine-covered hills surrounding Siena with a glass of champagne in your hand on a
hot-air balloon trip.
San Casciano dei Bagni offers soothing thermal springs. Make time during your holiday in Tuscany for a shopping excursion in Florence for leather luggage and hand-marbled paper.
