Tuscany is a region in the centre of Italy, bordering west the Tyrrhenian coast, east the regions of Marche and Umbria and south the region of Lazio. It covers 23,000sqm of land, including 20 cities about and more than 350 municipal districts, where there is a great variety of artistic and architectonic beauties, offering an incredibly beautiful landscape.
It has a very diversified and mostly hilly land, surrounded by the Appennines, overlooking west about 400km of sea coast between Carrara and Viareggio, until the coasts of Livorno and Grosseto, where the wide land of Maremma starts, including protected parks, as Uccellina Park and Orbetello oasis.
Arno valley is in the centre of Tuscany, where there are the well known cities of Arezzo, Florence, Pistoia, Lucca and Pisa, while Livorno and Grosseto lay on the coast and Siena is inland. On the sea coast there are popular seaside resorts such as the Versilia in the north, Livorno and its beautiful coastline and the Etruscan coast in the centre, Castiglioncello, Port Hercules, Port St. Stephen and Giglio island in the south.
Arezzo is a medieval and Renaissance city, boasting Piero della Francesca's frescoes, such as the Legend of the True Cross, wholly restored in 1993. The city covers part of Casentino Valley and borders Chiana Valley south, near Umbria borders.
Pistoia, thanks to its Gothic-Romanic style, is an interesting destination for the visitors who want to visit the completely restored Cathedral Square, with the 5th century historical buildings restored during the Tenth and Twelfth centuries.
Lucca, Giacomo Puccini's native town, boasts a great historical and artistic heritage of Roman, Etruscan and medieval origins. Ancient buildings, gardens, medieval towers and a huge number of churches constitute the historic centre of the city. Lucchesi villas are worth to be visited, they are the Renaissance period evidence from the Sixteenth to the Seventeenth century, performing beautiful gardens and incredibly charming century old trees.
Florence.
Dante, Macchiavelli and Petrarca's homeland, is the core of the most important Italian cultural traditions. The historic centre is the worldwide known artistic heart of the Town. Its most important museums are the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery, with the beautiful David of Michelangelo (1500), the Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo), where the second Pity of Michelangelo (1550) can be seen.
Do not avoid the visit to San Miniato Church, the finest Romanesque Basilica standing up of the highest point of Florence.
Pisa has a glorious past as seafaring republic, between the Tenth and the Thirteenth century, its renowned Miracles Square has been recognized as human patrimony. The city is famous due to its 56m high leaning to
wer with bell tower of the Twelfth century.
Livorno, the cradle of the Tenth century BC Etruscan civilization, is one of the main ports of Italy and its land is extended on the Ligurian sea coast. It has always been a touristic destination for important and renowned lidos.
Grosseto, the provincial capital of Maremma, has one of the most beautiful land of Tuscany, thanks to the naturalistic qualities of this province and to its many protected natural and marine parks and to a very charming coast. The Etruscan origins offer the possibility to visit several tombs and very important places in the city surrounding areas, among which there is the Etruscan city of Roselle, 10km from Grosseto.
Siena is in the heart of Tuscany, in a mild hilly landscape full of olive groves, cypresses, villas and castles. Siena is one of the most seductive medieval cities, carefully kept in good conditions and full of productions of important artistic evidence, reflecting its history of a free city.
Some pictures of this page dedicated to Tuscany, belong to the collection of the photographer Mr. Geert van der Wijk, you find them at his calendar of 2005. I thank him for his art and open understanding in making it available.
