Tuscany, Italy: Artistic, Traditional and Historic
Fill Your Heart with Passion and Your Soul with
Tuscany
Florence
As the capital of beautiful Tuscany, Florence is a Renaissance city packed full of famous historic treasures such as the stunning marble and red-roofed Duomo cathedral at the Piazza Del Duomo, and the home of Michelangelo’s David – probably the most famous sculpture in the world. Not to mention, there are many other less famous delights to be experienced and the attention to detail in the Florentine architecture can be admired all over the city.
David is located at the Galleria Dell’Accademia on Via Ricasoli, which
is a short walk from the Piazza Del Duomo. Tickets can be reserved in advance
to avoid queuing, at a small fee. Alternatively get up early to avoid both
queuing and paying (entrance is free). David is quite honestly a superbly
impressive piece of art and history. Standing more than four metres tall over
his crowd of admirers, his rippling muscles appear less marble and more flesh.
His face appears both innocent and masculine. David is of course the
centrepiece at the Accademia, although there is some excellent historic
religious art to be found.
Lucca
Intact medieval city walls, car-less narrow stone streets and wonderful renaissance and Pisan architecture make this impressive town a moody, buzzing and interesting place to be. Cars are not ordinarily allowed inside the city walls however most hotels will give you a permit.
Hire a bicycle to experience this town how many others appear to enjoy
it, locals and tourists alike. For stunning views of the red-tiled roofs,
narrow streets and surrounding natural beauty climb the Torre Guinigi – a tower
over-looking the city with oak trees growing on the top.
Ice-cream and sweet treats are in abundance, so go ahead – indulge in
the art of La Dolce Vita and forever
appreciate the blessing of a sweet tooth, Italian style.
San Gimignano
This is a small medieval town characterised by its tall imposing
oblong towers. Each once belong to one family, and they would increase the
height of their tower as a sign of power. It is a popular place for tourist
visits, but for good reason. The narrow alleys, high quality craft shops and
general history make this an atmospheric and interesting place to visit.
Pisa
With many more architectural delights than the famous Leaning Tower,
Pisa is packed full of history and culture beyond the obvious. However the
Piazza Dei Miracoli hosts a stunning and imposing array of famous Pisan
landmarks including the Leaning Tower. On a warm day, an ideal lunchtime option
is to stroll down one of the bustling streets off the Piazza Dei Miracoli,
dodge the expensive tourist-trap restaurants, choose some fresh bread,
mortadella salami and fresh ripe tomatoes from a local shop, and park yourself
on the lush green grass in front of the Leaning Tower to immerse your senses
and (hopefully) soak up some sun.
Isola d’Elba
For
the clearest, most turquoise ocean water, greenest Tuscan hills, and most laid
back island lifestyle, head to blissful Elba. The simple pleasure of peering
into the gentle rippling crystal water at the blue-tinged rocks below never
fails to impress. Climb or cycle up the forested hills and mountains for
impressive views of the winding coastline and the hills dropping straight into
the ocean.
Elba has a collection of small towns each with their own array of
nearby beaches, including the main town Portoferrario, which most ferry
journeys arrive to and depart from. Marciana Marina is a tiny coastal town with
a beautiful natural harbour. It possesses a good collection of Italian
restaurants along the oceanfront, with excellent seafood choices, and many
other traditional Italian pasta and pizza delights. Head towards the harbour,
and tucked around the corner is a convenient and clean little pebble beach.
Carry on further round for rock pools and various attractive little rocky
coves. The other side of the oceanfront leads to a collection of restaurants
and pretty little houses with a straight drop to the shallow water below. Walk
the narrow road up the hill and climb the steps to reach a grassy hill. Look
out over the blue expanse and admire the view of the little town and seafront
below, with the mountainous backdrop.
Hotel Suggestion - Elba
Hotel La Primula in Marciana Marina is an excellent affordable
mid-range hotel. Rooms are clean, fresh and light with a good shower and a
small balcony. Marciana Marina is a good location for natural beauty. Secluded pebble coves, mountain scenery and outdoors mountain activities like rock-climbing, mountain biking, and via ferrata.
G etting Around on Elba
Elba can be extremely busy in the height of summer as it is a popular destination
for holidaying Italians. Although this adds a bustling pleasant atmosphere, for
a more secluded stay, and very reasonable prices, a good time to visit is
springtime.
The bus services are not the most frequent so a good (and slightly
hair-raising) option is to rent a moped. Alternatively push-bikes can be easily
rented at hotels or local vehicle rental places in high and low seasons. It can
be a lot of hassle to bring a car to Elba as there is very limited parking in
most places, especially in summer. The island’s tourist facilities such as
moped rental are in full swing in summer, however if you are visiting outside
of this time many moped rental companies are closed or offer limited services,
so check before you travel.
The ferries are frequent, approximately every two hours. They depart
from Piombino on the mainland. Toremar is usually the cheapest company and
there is normally no need to pre-book. The Toremar website is in Italian, so
for an English alternative for information visit:
Text and Images Copyright © Lise Griffiths, 2012
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
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