Routes through the cities in Tuscany.

As we have noticed that many of you are demanding more articles about Tuscan cities, we have decided to open a new section in our Blog especially devoted to one- day routes in Tuscan cities.

Today the route is:

Siena-San Gimignano and Monteriggioni.

This route is surely one of the most beautiful routes you can do in one day.

Starting off in Siena and parking at the "Siena Stadium� or �Piazza del Mercato� parking lot you will find yourself practically right at the city center and at ten minutes� walk from the most beautiful Piazza del Campo, one of the most impressive historical monuments in the city.

The visit will continue with the Duomo. The Duomo, or better say, the Siena Cathedral, is ten minutes� walk from the square. It is a landmark you can�t miss and, in my opinion, it�s the second most beautiful cathedral in Italy after San Pedro. Its richness lies not only in its exterior, but mainly in its interior. Siena was one of the richest cities during the Middle Ages and the Sieneses wanted their cathedral to be the wealthiest and most stunning one in the world. The interior of the cathedral is home to marvelous mosaics as well as art masterpieces of all times.

After visiting the Cathedral I especially suggest a stroll around the center narrow streets and two brief stops at the following palaces: The Accademia Chigiana (the Siena Music Academy) and the Palazzo Salimbeni (the historical venue of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest bank in the world.)

The visit to Siena should last around 3 hours and end by 12.30 am, so you can continue your trip to Monteriggioni.

Monteriggioni is an incredible medieval village located at 15 km. from Siena( the access from Siena is really fast). I highly recommend having a meal here as the place houses two really interesting restaurants. The first one is called Bar dell Orso, where you can enjoy simple, but exquisite food based on cold cuts, cheese and wine in its fabulous terrace. The other eating spot is called il Pozzo and is located in the village of Monteriggioni, right in the heart of the Square. Il Pozzo is more expensive, but, at the same time, more refined. It offers superb pasta and fried food. Il Pozzo also boasts of a beautiful small terrace, where you can eat under the shade.

The town of Monteriggioni has a small church, which, from my point of view, is really worth visiting as it seems to be unscathed by the pass of time with its medieval towers and walls in perfect conditions.

Around 3 pm. you should be leaving Monteriggioni and heading towards San Gimignano, a true architectural medieval jewel. San Gimignano is absolutely fantastic; it still conserves many of the towers, which belonged to rich merchants and rich families, who wanted to show their power to the rest of the city dwellers in the Middle Ages.


San Gimignano offers a most interesting cathedral with Ghirlandaio�s marvelous frescos. A stroll round the city is a major experience. The highest location in town is home to a bar, where you can relax and have a good wine surrounded by breathtaking panoramic views.

The visit should be finishing by 5.30 p.m. to allow for enough time to get back to your hotel or villa, have a wonderful bath and get ready for a superb Tuscan dinner.

As usual, I hope this article is of your interest.

Yours,

Giovanni.

Finisterrae

Hi, friends!

Today I want to share another restaurant I simply adore with you. It is called Finisterrae and it is in Florence, in the heart of the city, in Santa Croce square, opposite the famous church.

Fisnisterrae is a different eating spot from the typical ones you would find in the city as it specializes in Mediterranean cuisine with not only Italian dishes, but with Arab Greek and Libanese specialties as well. The food is superb and if it is to your liking you can try the Cus Cus, the Kebab or the Mussaka.

If you don�t want to be that exotic this restaurant also serves pasta from all Italy, not only Tuscany, such as Paccheri Campani (a very tasty pasta from Naples) or typical pasta from Sardegna based on semolina with strawberries and clams.

The restaurant also has a good selection of wines, of Spanish wines, too (if you grow nostalgic about them) and other more exotic ones from other Mediterranean regions.

The place is wonderfully decorated with Arabic touches and provides carefully chosen Mediterranean chill out music. If you come to the restaurant in the summer we suggest you should get yourself a table at the terrace, not in the exterior one, overlooking the Santa Croce church, but in the interior one, which opens up into an internal patio with a fountain and a lot of vegetation.

The last time I went to this restaurant was a year ago and I really found it was a perfect place for trying out some food besides the typical Tuscan cuisine, that�s why I want to recommend it as a restaurant to visit in Florence.

Well, friends, I�m attaching the link to the web of FINISTERRAE, where you can find more pictures of the ones published here, as well as the restaurant complete menus.

I hope you�ll enjoy and have fun in Tuscany.

routes in Tuscan cities

As we have noticed that many of you are demanding more articles about Tuscan cities, we have decided to open a new section in our Blog especially devoted to one- day routes in Tuscan cities.

Today the route is:

Siena-San Gimignano and Monteriggioni.

This route is surely one of the most beautiful routes you can do in one day.

Starting off in Siena and at Siena football Stadium or �Piazza del Mercato� parking lot you will find yourself practically right at the city center and at ten minutes� walk from the most beautiful Piazza del Campo, one of the most impressive historical monuments in the city.

The visit will continue with the Duomo. The Duomo, or better say, the Siena Cathedral, is ten minutes� walk from the square. It is a landmark you can�t miss and, in my opinion, it�s the second most beautiful cathedral in Italy after San Pedro. Its richness lies not only in its exterior, but mainly in its interior. Siena was one of the richest cities during the Middle Ages and the Sieneses wanted their cathedral to be the wealthiest and most stunning one in the world. The interior of the cathedral is home to marvelous mosaics as well as art masterpieces of all times.

After visiting the Cathedral I especially suggest a stroll around the center narrow streets and two brief stops at the following palaces: The Accademia Chigiana (the Siena Music Academy) and the Palazzo Salimbeni (the historical venue of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest bank in the world.)

The visit to Siena should last around 3 hours and end by 12.30 am, so you can continue your trip to Monteriggioni.

Monteriggioni is an incredible medieval village located at 15 km. from Siena( the access from Siena is really fast). I highly recommend having a meal here as the place houses two really interesting restaurants. The first one is called Bar dell Orso, where you can enjoy simple, but exquisite food based on cold cuts, cheese and wine in its fabulous terrace. The other eating spot is called il Pozzo and is located in the village of Monteriggioni, right in the heart of the Square. Il Pozzo is more expensive, but, at the same time, more refined. It offers superb pasta and fried food. Il Pozzo also boasts of a beautiful small terrace, where you can eat under the shade.

The town of Monteriggioni has a small church, which, from my point of view, is really worth visiting as it seems to be unscathed by the pass of time with its medieval towers and walls in perfect conditions.

Around 3 pm. you should be leaving Monteriggioni and heading towards San Gimignano, a true architectural medieval jewel. San Gimignano is absolutely fantastic; it still conserves many of the towers, which belonged to rich merchants and rich families, who wanted to show their power to the rest of the city dwellers in the Middle Ages.


San Gimignano offers a most interesting cathedral with Ghirlandaio�s marvelous frescos. A stroll round the city is a major experience. The highest location in town is home to a bar, where you can relax and have a good wine surrounded by breathtaking panoramic views.

The visit should be finishing by 5.30 p.m. to allow for enough time to get back to your hotel or villa, have a wonderful bath and get ready for a superb Tuscan dinner.

As usual, I hope this article is of your interest.

Yours,

Giovanni.

Volterra

Dear readers,

Today we�re going to talk about Volterra, the precious medieval architecture jewel, set in the south of Tuscany, a few kilometers away from Siena and San Gimignano, and about the beautiful coast of Tuscany.

Volterra arouses admiration because it has 2000 years of history, which you can enjoy when visiting our city. The city originated in the VII century BC and turned into an important Etruscan capital in III century BC, reaching a population of 25000 inhabitants.

Then it became a Roman city. In the V century AC, the first church is built under the domain of the Tuscan Marquisate, which amazingly boosts its economic, social, religious and legal development.

In the Middle Ages Volterra continues playing an important role in the struggles between Siena and Florencia and beautiful walls are erected, which can still be admired nowadays.

Besides the marvelous walls, when visiting Volterra you can�t miss a stroll through its narrow streets and through the historical city center, where houses and palaces intermingle, in a city with 2000 thousand years of history.

Other landmarks you can�t miss are the Etruscan Museum, the Roman Theater and the Archeological center.

I am uploading a video of Volterra, which though in Italian, I think you will manage to understand.

Pienza is a precious jewel situated in the heart of one of the most beautiful and elegant areas in Tuscany. Pienza is the outcome of the architectural project of a Senese Pope, Pope Piccolomini, who decides to turn this small village into an example of a Renaissance town in XV century.

The pope assigned the project to Rosellino, the famous architect of the time, who spent an unimaginable fortune and built this marvelous architectural jewel in the middle of nowhere.

The story goes that when the Pope got the bill and saw the amount the whole project had come to, he got furious. However, his anger completely vanished once he arrived in Pienza and saw the marvelous sites which have been raised.

As Pienza was not easily accessible as regards roads and seaways, it started to lose importance and its population to deplete little by little. This coincided with the process of the Italian industrialization, giving way to the advent of the Sardo farmers, who bought many of these lands in the 60s and started to produce the famous Pecorino cheese. Nowadays Pienza is back in vogue as a destiny in Tuscany thanks to the selective elite, which visits this incredible city.

Entering Pienza through any of its doors (they are fabulous medieval doors), one gets to the main street, where you can find different stores selling Pecorine cheese (similar to sheep cheese) in its thousands varieties, mingled with gift stores.

The town main square is superb and its spectacular renaissance church and the town hall building make up a wonderful architectural piece of work.


Pienza boasts of a breathtaking viewpoint with majestic views of Valdorcia.


If you want to dine in the city, there are two restaurants I would like to recommend. The first one is called �Il Chiostro di Pienza�, and it is located within the beautiful cloister of an old monastery, (now a Relais), just next to a Romantic church in Pienza main street.

Il Chiostro is an extremely refined restaurant, with a superb terrace graced with the marvelous views of the Tuscan countryside. Mauricio, a dear friend of mine, is the owner. If you happen to come by, don�t forget to tell him Giovanni has sent you; he will certainly treat you with a drink or a glass of wine.

The other restaurant I highly recommend is located in the main street of the town, and the end of the street, and it is called �Latte di Luna�. Even though it is not as elegant as �Il Chiostro�, it serves the best suckling pig I have ever tasted.

Another interesting place you shouldn�t miss is the viewpoint bar, where you can go for a drink. Unforgettable views with unmatchable wines.

I am uploading a video of the town, which will help you get to know beautiful Pienza better?

Vinci, where Leonardo was born.

If you are staying at the North of Tuscany, or near Florence it is worth dedicating half a day to visit the town of Vinci, where the famous Leonardo da Vinci was born.

The town is very small. It comprises 4 houses, a church, a gift shop, a trattoria, which bears the name of the master of the Italian Renaissance, and a most interesting museum, home to many of Leonardo�s writings and some of his scale models. I remember visiting this museum with my school when I was a very small child and being overwhelmed by Leonardo�s brilliant ideas and his vision 300 years ahead of his time.

Leonardo designed many of the machines we use nowadays. One of the most fascinating one was the war tank he designed in 1500, that is to say, 400 years ahead of time.

I am uploading a video in English, which I have found in Youtube. It is an almost professional and quite comprehensive and it offers a panoramic view of the town.

Sovana

Sovana. The Etruscan and the Roman. The splendor of a city as tiny as peculiar.

The picture you see belongs to the remains of the �Tomb ILdebranda�, the biggest Etruscan mausoleum ever found. The impressive funerary monument was decorated with 12 columns at the time and the access to it was through two stone staircases, and an underground one, which led to the large funerary chamber. The �Tomb ILdebranda� is found in the fabulous Etruscan necropolis, in the Tuscan territory of Maremma, near the border with Lacio. The �Tomb ILdebranda� as well as the whole necropolis is excavated in volcanic tuff rock. The access was and still is through �vie cave�, paths with high walls the Etruscan opened in the rock to move from one area to the other or to use as trenches at times of war.

�Tomb ILdebranda� dates back to the III y II centuries B.C and it was discovered in 1924 by the Rosi brothers. Not knowing to whom the impressive temple had been originally devoted, it received the name of the most illustrious son of the city of Sovana: Ildebrano de Soana, born around 1020 and elected pope in 1073 under the name of Gregory VII, who is known as one of the most cultured and spirited popes of the middle ages, protagonist of the most important reforms in the Church at those times. His unprecedented reform is essentially contained in the 27 axioms, which make up his �Dictatus Papae� of 1075, where he clearly defines the powers of the Emperor (Sacred Roman Empire) and those of the Pope, in which the former cannot interfere. Thus, he faces Emperor Henry IV, who he excommunicates twice. In 1080 the Emperor, supported by the German clergy highest ranks and Lombardo appoints Clement III pope and make the antipope excommunicate the legitimate pope. Gregory VII dies exiled in Salerno in 1085. He is canonized in 1606. One way or the other, we have introduced ourselves into the peculiar city of Sovana, a beautiful city loaded with history. Nowadays Sovana is a tiny city with a main street with houses and beautiful mansions and a marvelous main square. However, its interest only resides in its splendid and homogeneous medieval architecture, perfectly preserved, which visitors revere with the enthusiasm of those marveled before a sanctuary attached to a glorious past.

Suana, as it was called, was one of the most relevant Etruscan centers of that civilization, whose epicenter was the territory of Maremma. The Etruscan unified different settlements by the river Flora, at the top of a volcanic tuff hill between the tributaries of Calesine and Folonia, and there they founded Suana.

The city immediately became the most important one in the area, where a huge number of farmers and hunters settled. Thanks to emblematic roads carved into the rock these dwellers could communicate and trade with other major centers such as Satonia, Saturnia, Chiusi and Cetonia.

To confront the unstoppable expansionist policy of Rome, Suana was allied to the not less powerful Vulci until III century BC, time when Cayo Tiberto adjoins the territory to the Empire. The Romans give Sovana the rank of �municipium� and continue boosting the growth of the city to the point that Suana becomes one of the richest cities in the territorial area, experimenting a significant commercial expansion due to the development of the agricultural and farming activities and the growth of a prosperous craftwork industry, which is still nowadays one of its most relevant commercial characteristics. However, Suana was reluctant to abandoning its original Etruscan culture to such an extent that even inscriptions from the I century BC were still written in the original language.

The first glimpses of Christianity only reached the city in the IV century AC. Saint Maximiliano, the patron of Sovana, was one of the protagonists of the evangelization. The new faith must have had a deep impact on the people and the saint must have been really influential and exceptional as at the turn of the century, in the V century AC Soana was elected as the Episcopal venue.

How many prodigies happened in Old Times!

Sylvia