TUSCANY, Italy

REGIONAL CAPITAL: Firenze
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS: Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato, Siena
OTHER INTERESTING PLACES: Elba Island, il Chianti, San Gimignano, Volterra, Montepulciano, la Maremma, SanSepolcro, Cortona

TERRITORY:
The people of Tuscany generally claim to have the best of everything: architecture, the country’s greatest collection of art, beautiful contryside and some of Italy’s finest fresh produce and best-known wines. Most people visit Toscana to see the artistic splendour of Firenze, Siena and Pisa. But this region also features beautiful hill towns, Etruscan sites, pleasant beaches and natural beauties.

PLACES TO SEE:
Firenze: see Firenze.
Prato: Museo di Pittura Murale; Cattedrale di Santo Stefano; Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Carceri; Castello dell’Imperatore.
Pistoia: Cattedrale di San Zeno; Antici Palazzo dei Vescovi; Museo Civico; Ospedale del Ceppo.
Lucca: the cathedral, that contains the Volto Santo; Chiesa di San Michele in Foro; Casa di Puccini; Via Fillungo;the city walls.
Pisa: Campo dei Miracoli where is the famous Torre Pendente; Museo delle Sinopie; Museo dell’Opera del Duomo; Piazza dei Cavalieri; Borgo Stretto.
Livorno: Fortezza Nuova and Fortezza Vecchia; Museo di Storia Naturale del Mediterraneo; the cathedral; Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori.
Siena:il Campo; the cathedral; Baptistry of St. John; Pinacoteca Nazionale; Chiesa di San Domenico; Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana; Palazzo Piccolomini; Basilica di S. Maria dei Servi; Porta Romana; Palazzo Tolomei; Palazzo Cantucci; Palazzo Salimberi; Palazzo Spannocchi.
Volterra: Piazza dei Priori; Museo Diocesano d’Arte Sacra; Pinacoteca Comunale; Museo Etrusco Guaranacci; Fortezza Medicea; Parco Archeologico; Roman Theatre; la Balza (deep ravine created by ersion).
Montepulciano: Porta al Prato; Colonna del Marzocco; Piazza Savonarola; Palazzo budelli; Palazzo Cocconi; Piazza Michelozzo with a medieval tower house topped by the town clock and the figure of Pulcinella; Piazza Grande.
Arezzo: Chiesa di San Francesco; Pieve di Santa Maria; Piazza Grande; the cathedral; Chiesa di San Domenico; Museo Archeologico; Roman Amphitheatre.

REGIONAL CUISINES:
Unsalted bread and extra virgin olive oil feature in every corse. For example bread becomes a dessert when topped with egg yolk and orange rind and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Fettunta or bruschetta is a thick slice of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and soaked with oil. Panzanella is a cold mixed salad with breadcrumbs, tomato, cucumber, red onions, lettuce, oil, vinegar and basil. Typical is the ribollita, a vegetable stew or pappa di pomodoro, bread and tomato hot paste. In Florence don’t miss a bistecca alla fiorentina, slab of fiorentine steak. Lampredotto( a type of trip) and caciucco di pesce( rich fish soup served on toasted garlic bread) also are popular dishes. As a dessert try panforte, a rich cake of almonds, honey and candied melon or citrus fruit. Wines are excellent: taste the Chianti, the Brunello, the Vernaccia and the dessert wine Vin Santo.

TRADITIONAL FESTIVITIES:
Pisa celebrates the Palio delle Quattro Antiche Repubbliche Marinare: there is a procession of boats and race between the four rivals : Pisa, Venezia, Amalfi, Genova. The event rotates between the towns. On 17th June there is the Regata Storica di San Ranieri on the river Arno. In Siena twice yearly on 2nd July and 16th August is held the Palio, in honour of the Virgin Mary: a series of colorful pageants, a wild horse race around the Campo and much eating, drinking and celebrating in the streets.

Tuscany, Italy - map