Tuscany . . . "a country so perfectly constructed"
D.H. Lawrence
Yes, it is undeniably true that Tuscany is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy . . . and Florence one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is also true that Tuscany and it's most traveled towns and regions (Siena, San Gimignano, Cortona, Chianti) have become tourist destinations with the accompanying level of commercialism common to all sought after places. However because the Italian people appreciate and protect their culture the impact of tourism is controlled and commercialism is transparent. There is still a feeling you are traveling through the idyllic countryside described by D.H. Lawrence as a "country so perfectly constructed".
Tuscany is truly a place of enchantment with centuries old traditions and there are still many beautiful and hidden places to discover after you have left your tour guide. Tuscany (Toscana) is a land of hilltop cypresses with fields of sunflowers, vineyards and olive trees and autumn is the best time of the year to experience the colors of Tuscany (the magical glow of burnt umber, olive green and red wine). My first experience in Italy was on a driving trip from Milan with "mia cugina" Lidia and her husband Roberto. We drove their 1996 Fiat along the twisting roads of Chianti (SS222 and 429) on our way to Siena. It was a memorable trip and the beginning of my "Italian education".
Florence . . . One of Travel and Leisure Magazine's World's Best Cities
Do not travel through Italy superficially . . . it will just wet you appetite for more and leave you feeling unsatisfied. You must take the time and effort to see Italy in depth and let it reveal its layers of history to you. Nowhere is this more true than when traveling to Florence, voted #1 by Travel and Leisure Magazine readers as one of the Best Cities in the World. Voting is based on the collective experience of travelers who judged cities based on sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping and value.
You will need time to get to know Florence and you may not be able to do that in one trip, nor should you. It took me 10 trips to Florence before I began to understand, experience and appreciate the true beauty of this remarkable city on the Arno River. There are many wonderful bookswritten about Florence and you might consider reading a few before your trip. They will help you sort through all the tourist babble and hone in on a few significant sites that appeal to you.
There will be a first time you travel to Florence; most tours of Italy include Florence on their itineraries. According to statistics produced by UNESCO, 60% of the world's most important works of art are in Italy and approximately half of those are in Florence. My Italian family told me you cannot see all of Florence at one time, so you must choose to see what you can . . . then you will return and see more and little by little you will discover the beauty of Florence. Be selective in what you choose to see and plan to return and let Florence reveal itself to you. After all Dante called Florence " the beautiful and famous daughter of Rome" and as you know Rome wasn't built in a day.
Although Florence can be a destination in itself, each trip I have made to Florence was often brief. I was on my way to another destination either by car or train. The train station in Florence, in the Piazza della Stanzione near the church of Santa Maria Novella, was within walking distance of Florence's Duomo; the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi's Dome and the celebrated Bronze Doors of The Baptistry. So it is relatively easy to travel to Florence by train and find a reasonable hotel all within walking distance of many of the historical sites of the city. Even though I have driven into and out of Florence many times (pazza! crazy) I would not advise it unless you have driven in Italy before and even at that it can be a challenge. iF you plan on driving consider parking outside of Florence at Piazzza Michelangelo. You can park there for free and take a city bus (#13) to the center of Florence. There is a panoramic view of the Arno River, the bridges (Ponte Vecchio etc.), the Duomo and the city of Florence that you can see from P. Michelangelo that is spectacular. YOU MUST DO THIS. I've also taken a bus to Florence from San Casciano in Val di Pesa (about 20 or so minutes) where I was staying in a villa on the grounds of the hunting lodge of Niccolo'Maciavelli.
Traveling through Italy with my Italian family has taken me to hidden and beautiful places in little known towns as well as in renown cities such as Florence. You can read more about this city of exceptional art and architecture and my taste travels in Florence and Tuscany in Seeing and Savoring Italy - A Taste and Travel Journey through Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria available at Amazon.com.
the Symbol of Florence - Brunelleschi's Dome
I almost feel a magnetized drawn to visit Florence again and again. Visiting a place of great importance holds a fascination that compels you to revisit it. Many of the sites in Italy seem to need a longer look . . another glance. The Duomo of Florence is one place I have visited many times but never get tired of seeing. It is located in the San Giovanni District of Florence which has the highest concentration of art per square meter on the whole planet. Read more . . .
For many people Michelangelo's David defines the city of Florence. Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio have been the center of social and political life in the city of Florence for centuries. And in the Autumn of 1504 the Florentines gathered in Piazza Signoria to witness an event of great importance. After four days travelling round the city, transported with the care and attention, inside a wooden cage running on greased beams, Michelangelo's David finally reached its destination and was immediately celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance. His David was so successful that he was called back to Rome by the Pope himself for whom he would then paint the famous Sistine Chapel.
David celebrated his 500th anniversary in 2004. There is a copy standing in place of the orginal which can be viewed at the Academia Gallery Opening Times: Tuesday-Sunday 8.15 am - 6.50 pm Closed on: Monday Address: Via Ricasoli
The Ponte Vecchio is not an undiscovered place in Italy! It is in every travel guide leading tourists to expensive jewelers shops specializing in gold and silver. The hidden and undiscovered part of walking along the Ponte Vecchio is the way it makes you feel and where it leads you. the Ponte Vecchio crosses the River Arno which holds a special place in the heart and soul of Florence as well as having great historical significance to Italian history and culture. You can almost feel the atmosphere of the Renaissance and hear the footsteps of the Medici's as they cross the elevated walkway that separated them from the rest of the world.
for the fragrances of Tuscany visit . . . Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
For the hidden and beautiful fragrances of Tuscany you must visit one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Although it is only a 5 minute walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is miles away from the frantic pace of modern day Florence. Behind the unassuming entrance on Via della Scala 16, Florence becomes Firenze and you are transported to the time of Catherine di Medici whose renown perfumes are still being made according to formulas from the 1500's.
The Antica Farmacia, already well known in Dante's time, was established in the 13th century when the Dominican friars of Florence began to cultivate and prepare medicinal plants and herbs used for the treatment of the sick and pilgrims. Many of the products and lotions available for purchase today are based on the ancient recipes used by the friars. The elixirs, essences, distillations and powders have remained world famous over the centuries and inhaling their aromas is like breathing in the history of Italy.
Santa Maria Novella products and preparations are truly unique. Soaps are made by hand and molded with antique soap making equipment and aged for 60 days. Potpourri are made with flowers and herbs grown in the Florentine hills and collected by hand, then seasoned in old terra cotta jars for several months.
Medici Florence. . .the Church, the Chapels and the San Lorenzo Market
The Medici were living large from the 13th to the 17th century. This powerful Florentine family produced three popes (Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI), numerous rulers of Florence (notably Lorenzo the Magnificent, patron of some of the most famous works of Renaissance art) and later members of the French and English royalty. They ate, drank and made merry and some would say led Italy into the Renaissance. Through banking and commerce they achieved great wealth and political influence throughout Europe.
So I was very surprised when I first saw the unassuming Church of San Lorenzo , the official church of the Medici where six of the Medici dukes are buried as well as other family members. Michelangelo was commissioned to create a chapel of tombs for the Medici family. His famous sculptures of Dusk and Dawn, Night and Day are to be found here. The other part of the Medici Chapels is a domed octagonal room where the grand dukes themselves are buried. I like the gray and white interior and austere facade of San Lorenzo and I'm glad that Michelangelo left Florence without completing the exterior of the basilica. Work was abruptly cancelled by his financially-strapped patrons before any real progress had been made. The basilica lacks a facade to this day. The Medici Chapels are attached to the San Lorenzo Basilica, however, the entrance to the museum is from the other side in Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini. The Medici Chapel is open to visitors from 8.30am to 5 pm almost every day. The chapels are closed to visitors on the first and third Monday, and the second and fourth Sunday of every month, as well as December 25 and January 1. Admission: 9.00 Euro per ticket paid upon arrival. After the monochromatic colors the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapels, the San Lorenzo Market( located around the San Lorenzo Church on Via del canto de Nelli, Via dell Ariento and Via Sant Antonino) captures the local color of one of Italy's most famous street markets. I found some pashminas (good price, quality) and where else can you shop in the shadow of the Medici.
San Lorenzo Market located around the San Lorenzo Church on Via del canto de Nelli, Via dell Ariento and Via Sant Antonino
Opening Hours: Daily not Monday
Tue-Sun 9am-7.30pm ( from 9.00 to 19.30)
mmm . . . Montalcino, Montepulciano and Monteriggioni
Traveling through the "Cradle of the Renaissance" that is to say Firenze, just gives you a foretaste of things to come. You must continue on to Siena, traveling through the towered and walled towns of Monteriggioni, Montalcino and Montepulciano to experience classic Tuscany. A trip through this region of Tuscany has been listed as one of the 25 most unforgettable driving itineraries by Frommer's.
My cousin's husband's family came from Monteriggioni. We visited the town on our way to search for testaroli, an ancient ribbon shaped pasta made on a flat or slightly domed cast iron or stone griddle called a testo.
We arrived in the early afternoon while all the Monteriggiorans were resting. It was almost like breaching the walls of this Tuscan hilltown! It was very peaceful and quiet. We walked through the streets to look up at an occasional shuttered window opening with a little old Italian women's head peering out at us. Perhaps she was inside making testaroli!
Siena
In the central valley region of Italy known as Tuscany there is a medieval town called Siena set within a landscape of the burnt sienna of the artist’s paint brush. The colors of Siena are as rich and deep as the traditions and history of it's people.
Mario Batali one said that "nothing can prepare you for the breathtaking beauty of the main piazza in Siena - nothing" and I definitely agree with him. However it can also be said that nothing can prepare you for the number of tourists that are milling around the main piazza (Il Campo) of Siena. Overlook it! Siena has become a brightly shinning blip on the tourist radar and like many of Italy's more popular towns and cities can be a little overwhelming at first glance. Don't let this keep you from discovering the medieval charm and unique cuisine of Siena.
In Siena you can discover the Piazza del Campo (Il Campo), one of the most unique places in the whole world, where a square turns into a big concave shell. The paving is made of red bricks arranged in fishbone style, divided into a sunburst pattern by nine strips of travertine (in memory of the Government of the Nine, who ruled over the city from 1292 to 1355).
Il Campo has always been the center of Sienese life and is the site of one of Italy's most popular festivals, the Palio of Siena, a horse race famous throughout the world In Siena you can discover the unique striped facade of the Duomo with the spectacular multi-colored marble flooring, that covers the whole of the inside like an enormous carpet. In Siena you can discover the mysticism of St. Catherine by visiting the house of her birth near the fountain of Fontebranda. And in Siena you can discover some of my favorite regional Italian food; pappardelle col sugo di coniglio (rabbit), ribollita (hearty vegetable and bread soup), pici (thick, chewy spaghetti), crostini di fegato (toast with chicken liver spread), and wine, Chianti Colli Senesi, Brunello di Montalcino, Vin Santo and sweets, panforte ( a chewy cake fruitcake like confection), ricciarelli (an almond paste cookie).
