Home » Surroundings » Surroundings Tuscany
Tuscany is one of the largest and most important Italian regions in terms of artistic, historical, economic, cultural and geographical heritage. It is located in central Italy and is one of the main tourist destinations in the country. Tuscany is rather triangular in shape and lies between the northern part of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the central Apennines and covers an area of approximately 22993 square kilometres. Although surrounded and criss-crossed by the main mountain ranges, leaving between them some sparse plains characteristically very fertile, the region’s relief is dominated by rolling hills.
The first thing that comes to mind when we think of Tuscany are the hills of sown fields, vineyards, olive groves… Hills that change colour depending on the season and where small and charming villages are scattered.
The capital of Tuscany, Florence, is the most populous city. This city has extraordinary cathedrals, squares, museums, famous paintings and sculptures. In fact, worldwide it is considered one of the most important cities of the architectural renaissance. It is also the centre of the region’s activities, be they economic, administrative, historical, artistic or architectural. This makes it a highly required tourist destination in Italy. The Piazza del Duomo is the most famous and famous tourist site in Florence. It is considered to be the historical and religious centre of the city.
The Cathedral of Florence, the Santa Maria delle Fiori, is one of the largest and most beautiful Catholic churches. The white and green marble front and the 45m diameter dome give this structure an imposing presence. This cathedral, so to speak, models the silhouette of Florence.
As the oldest building in Florence, the Battistero di San Giovanni is a key tourist attraction. It is located just in front of the Florence Cathedral and its white and green marble cladding matches the rest of the buildings in the Piazza del Duomo. If you are looking for a place to spend some time relaxing, take a seat in the open-air museum called La Logia dei Lanzi. It’s small but very pleasant, where you’ll find sculptures such as Perseus with the head of Medusa.
The Accademia Gallery is one of the most popular museums you can visit in the city of Florence, famous works of art such as Michelangelo’s statue of David, a must-see for lovers of fine art… The Ponte Vecchio has a unique appeal, its reputation has spread far and wide. As a result, it has become one of the most recognised bridges in the world. The hanging houses and shops characterise it and make it very popular with tourists. This stone bridge is the oldest in Europe, dating back to 1345.
The city of Siena is one of the most famous cities in Tuscany. It is not a big city for its size (55.000 inhabitants) but for its culture, monuments, traditions and heritage. It is situated in the centre of Tuscany, south of Florence and east of the small massif of the Colline Metallifere. In the middle of a hilly area, the geography of the region is typical of Tuscany with small valleys, low hills, wooded areas, cypresses lost among the cereal fields that accompany the traveller in his journey through this part of Italy.
Founded by the Romans, the city was visited and occupied by the Lombards, then became a free city, favourable to the policy of the Germanic Roman Emperor against Florence, which supported the Pope. After the defeat of Montaperti in 1260, Siena was determined to become a free city. Having lost its political influence, paradoxically, it was from that time onwards that Siena concentrated on trade and business.
Its location is ideal for a visit to Tuscany. To the east of Siena lies the Chianti Valley and a little further on the Chiana Valley (Arezzo, Cortona). To the north Florence, Pisa and Lucca. To the south, but close by, the extraordinary Val d’Orcia, Grosseto, Maremma and the Elba coast.
No self-respecting trip to Tuscany in Italy is complete without a visit to Pisa. Seeing the leaning of its famous tower live is an attraction that’s hard to resist, and it’s just a stone’s throw away from Florence. The Piazza dei Miracoli is a huge green meadow on which stretches the impressive monumental ensemble whose centre is the Duomo cathedral, although its most popular corner is the famous leaning tower.
The Duomo Cathedral of Pisa is the monumental heart of Piazza dei Miracoli, around which the other religious buildings are arranged. The Duomo of Pisa was begun in 1064 in the so-called Pisan Romanesque style, although its interior is influenced by Byzantine and even Islamic art.
On the east side of the Piazza dei Miracoli, behind the apse of the cathedral, is where you will find the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Standing 56 metres high, its construction began in 1173, although it took 200 years to complete, as instability problems began to arise from the very beginning due to the characteristics of the ground on which it stands.
Comfortvilla - Villa Expert BV is a Dutch-Spanish organisation, operating from Hilversum in the Netherlands, but with its own office in Begur, Costa Brava, Spain.
Villa ExpertVan der Zaenlaan 441215 SJ Hilversum, The Netherlands