When you hear of Tuscany, the first and perhaps the most common association is with Florence. Coming to Italy for a short vacation, and trying to see all of Italy, is sadly not possible, so most likely you’ll limit yourself with only the largest and most popular cities. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find that the journey to Tuscany cities alone can give no less emotions to take back, than in Rome, Milan and Venice together. The main thing – you need to know where to go. If you plan on longer trips or/and plan on coming back occasional then buying a house in Italy is the best option for you, else hotels in Tuscany and in overall Italy are well suited for your travel needs.
Fiesole
Fiesole – a small Italian town, located close to Florence nor more then 10km. This ancient town, founded in the VI century BC has preserved remains of Etruscan settlement walls, ancient baths and an amphitheater – a legacy of the Roman period. By the way, in the amphitheater you can still see concerts and theater performances hosted.
All the major historical and architectural attractions of Fiesole are concentrated in the city center, the Piazza Mino da Fiesole – San Romolo medieval cathedral, the Episcopal Palace and the Palace of Pretoria. Nearby is the Bandini museum, where you can explore the magnificent art of Italian masters of XIII-XV centuries.
Siena
Siena, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, located in the valley of the Chianti region, is known as a major center of winemaking in Tuscany. With powerful fortress walls, Siena has the best preserved medieval appearance among all Italian cities.
Central square, Piazza del Campo since 14th century and to this day is the center of life of Siena – once the gathering spot for locals to address important policy issues or celebration of any event, now famous Palio horse racing is held here twice a year .
At Piazza del Campo you can admire the Fountain of Joy, the impressive Cathedral and visit the famous museum Museo Civico, where you can enjoy magnificent frescoes by Simone Martini.
Pisa
Pisa, located on the Tyrrhenian coast, is first and foremost known primarily for its white marble architectural ensemble of the square of miracles, which includes the famous leaning tower and the Baptistery and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore. Not far from the Piazza dei Miracoli is the Campo Santo cemetery, covered with a holy land, brought from Jerusalem in the XIII century.
An interesting architectural landmark of Pisa is the old Basilica of San Pietro a Grado, dating back to the XI century – according to legend, the basilica was built on the spot where St. Peter landed, returning to Rome from Constantinople. No less famous is the University of Pisa – one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions, not only in Italy but also in the world. At the University of Pisa studied and then taught the well-known native of Pisa Galileo Galilei.
