Discover Tuscany's Movie Sets

Tuscany, with its beautiful, artistic landscapes, has always been one of the favorite settings for various movie and commercial directors.

One of the first great directors who used Tuscany as a movie set was the world renowned Federico Fellini, who chose the towns of Chianciano Terme and Bagno Vignoni for his award-winning film 8 � and who described Tuscany as the ideal set for his movies.

However, Tuscany�s most famous movie set is, without a doubt, the city of Florence, which has been used as the setting in countless films, since its palaces and streets are capable of creating unique settings. Just think of A Room with a View or the film Hannibal, which starred Anthony Hopkins. Other important actors such as Marcello Mastroianni and Vittorio Gassman have also strolled through Florence in various movies, as well as film director Brian de Palma.

Another very important actor/director who has chosen Tuscany for his movies was Robert Beningni, who chose Arezzo and Cortona to film his masterpiece, Life is Beautiful, which won various Oscars. Most recently, the town of Cortona was used as the setting for another famous movie, Under the Tuscan Sun.  

The director Franco Zeffirelli has also chosen Tuscany for various movies, including Tea with Mussolini.

To end with one of the most recent movie sagas, one of the films in the famous Twilight Saga was filmed in Montepulciano.

Finally, my friends, Tuscany is Tuscany, a unique and marvelous landscape which certainly makes everyone dream�

 

Kind regards,

George

Enjoying Tuscany�s Thermal Spas and Springs (Northeast Tuscany - Pisa and Lucca)

On a trip to Tuscany, you can�t miss enjoying a good bath in a natural environment, especially if it�s in one of the 39 thermal spas and hot springs that Tuscany has to offer.

Apart from exploring Tuscany�s art, culture, history and gastronomy during your trip, you can also enjoy some of the world�s best thermal spas and springs. In fact, there are so many of these spas and springs in such a small area that I�m sure that every one of you would be satisfied. Tuscany has much to offer, from luxurious five-star thermal spa resorts such as Adeler Thermae to thermal springs which are more popular but just as spectacular, such as those in Saturnia, which you can see in the image above.

Throughout the next few blog posts, I�ll talk about some of these thermal spas and springs which I think are worth visiting in order to help you prepare for your trip to Tuscany.

Terme Bagni di Lucca

The rainwater which filters through the rocks is accumulated throughout the passing of the years until it is released towards the surface by a strong pressure. These thermal waters are rich in mineral salts and are some of the few odorless and completely crystal-clear thermal springs. It is told that, in antiquity, these thermal springs would open in the spring, since during this period the phases of the moon would balance the heat of the earth with water, creating some of the best therapeutic effects.

It is also told that, during the 19^th century, many hedonistic aristocrats would enjoy these thermal springs, found in some of the most beautiful villages of Lucca.

If you decide to visit these thermal springs, you could also bathe in two natural steam caves where the temperature varies between 40 �C and 47 �C. These caves are two perfectly conserved natural enclaves where you can enjoy some of the most modern treatments. This center is open all year round.

Bagni di Pisa

Located in the same area of Tuscany, I would recommend that you also visit this thermal spa. Bagni di Pisa is famous for being one of the most elegant places of the past centuries. Here, famous figures such as King 

Gustav III of Sweden, King Christian VII of Denmark, various kings of England, Paolina Bonaparte, Percy and Mary Shelley, Vittorio Alfieri and Carlo Goldoni would enjoy this thermal spa and also play in its casino.

Therefore, if you do decide to visit this spa, apart from enjoying this marvelous architectural enclave which was built in the 1700s, you can also enjoy two thermal pools at 38 �C, a Turkish bath and many other thermal pleasures such as saunas, spas and massages.

Bagni di Pisa, from my point of view, is really spectacular. If you manage to visit it, you should also visit the various lobbies and rooms of the hotel which, to this day, still conserve the glamour and noble spirit of this fantastic place.

As always, I hope that this post has helped satisfy your curiosity regarding some of the unique aspects that this beautiful land known as Tuscany has to offer.

Kind regards,

George