Where to Visit:

• Tuscany is a treasure trove of things to see and do. Unlike most other countries in Europe, Italy (due to its history of city states) is dotted with villages and small towns that are centers in their own right, each with their own specific beauties and sites to see. Thus, just in Tuscany, Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo, San Gimignano are but a few of the places you can visit and spend quite a bit of time exploring.

  Not to mention all of the smaller villages in the Chianti area such as Greve, Castellina, Radda, Panzano, Monteriggioni, San Casciano: you can drive from one to the next taking a short walk around their antique centers and sipping Chianti Classico as you go. But there are many more!

  Further south in the stunning Val d’Orcia, you have Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, Asciano, Bagno Vignoni, San Quirico d’Orcia, and more. Not to mention that the latter, aside from the wine, the views, the gardens, has hot springs... in case you are in the Spa Mood!

• Hot springs in Val D’Orcia

  https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/bagno-vignoni-hot-springs-in-val-dor- cia/

• Hotel Adler (in Bagno Vignoni), one of Italy’s best natural spa & resort

  https://www.adler-thermae.com/ en/

• Heading southwest to the beaches of the Maremma coast for some relaxing time is also a wonderful option

  https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/03c96877-3c0a-11e7-b500-c25849f3fc0c/

  Siena

• In Siena you should not miss: The magnificent Gothic Cathedral in stripes of white and black marble.

• The Piazza del Campo, (the horse-shoe shaped square where each year the famous Palio horse race takes place on the 2nd of July and the 16th of August).

• The Palazzo Pubblico or Town Hall with its tall bell tower, the Torre del Mangia, towering over the square.

  San Gimignano (45km/29miles):

• The Medieval Manhattan, as it is known by some, is a small city not too far from Siena. There are 13 towers, what remains of the original 72, which in the course of time were knocked down by the feuding factions of Guelfs and Ghibellines. It is well worth a visit but my suggestion is to go either very early in the morning or late in the afternoon once the swarming crowds of tourists have climbed back into their huge buses and departed.

  Arezzo (90km/55miles):

• This is the least visited of the Tuscan cities, but has a very authentic local feel. It is reachable by train, or by car taking the A1 motorway from Firenze Impruneta, towards Rome. The artwork in Arezzo is magnificent and to mention one thing in particular, do visit the church of San Francesco with the stunning Piero della Francesca fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross.

  Lucca (70km/44miles) and Pisa (72km/45 miles):

• If you are set on seeing the Leaning Tower, then please remember you should book your entrance and be aware that children under the age of 8 are not allowed up. You can book your tickets directly on www.opapisa.it. You can also visit the Cathedral and Baptistery at the same time. Sadly, of all the Tuscan towns, Pisa is the most run down, although the Lungarno (the walkway along the river) is very pretty. Pisa is again approximately 1 hour from Florence and can be reached by train from the Florence main station (a taxi can then easily get you to the Tower).

• Whilst visiting Pisa (if going by car) you should take the time to stop in Lucca (on your way) as the small town is extremely pretty with a rather nice old-fashioned feel to it. The Cathedral is beautiful as are sev- eral of the squares within the historic center. A fun thing to do in Lucca is to hire a bicycle and to ride on top of the city walls!

  Chianti Area (Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Radda in Chianti):

• These pretty villages in the heart of Chianti are but a few of the ones dotted around. You can drive from one to the next taking a short walk around their an- tique centers and sipping Chianti Classico as you go. Greve in chianti has its own local market in the main square on Saturday morning, Panzano in Chianti on Sunday.

Where to Eat

• Antica Macelleria CECCHINI
  Via XX Luglio, 11, 50022 Panzano In Chianti FI, Italy

• Gelateria Dondoli
  Piazza Della Cisterna, 4, 53037 San Gimignano SI, Italy

• La Vecchia Nicchia di Alessandro Pieragnoli Enoteca - Bruschetteria
  Via S. Martino, 12, 53037 San Gimignano SI, Italy

• Marchesi Antinori S.p.A.
  Via Cassia per Siena, 133, 50026 Firenze FI, Italy

• Ristorante Campo Cedro
  Via Pian D'Ovile, 54, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

• La Taverna di San Giuseppe
  Via Giovanni Duprè, 132, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

• Osteria Vecchia Noce
  Località La Noce, 39, 56010 Vicopisano PI, Italy

• L'Ostellino
  Piazza Felice Cavallotti, 1, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy

• I Porci Comodi
  Piazza Evangelista Torricelli, 8, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy

• Ristorante Alligalli
  Via Luigi Bianchi, 36, 56123 Pisa PI, Italy

• L'Ostellino
  Piazza Felice Cavallotti, 1, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy