TUSCANY

Territory: The region stretches over the western side of the Apennines along the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Tuscan landscape is mainly mountainous and hilly, with a flat area along the sea (the Maremma). The coastline presents different aspects, offering both long sandy expanses and headlands. In front of the coast are the small enchanting islands of the Tuscan archipelago.

Major Gities: Florence is the capital of Tuscany. Other important cities are: Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Prato, Lucca, Livorno, Grosseto, Pisa and Massa Carrara, capitals of their respective provinces.

Art: Tuscany is unrivaled as a cradle of great art. Every town and cities has splendid monuments of art, but Florence stand head and shoulders above all.

All over the region visitors can admire a terrific range of art masterpieces, dating back to the XIII-XVI centuries. One can find examples of every age and style: from the Etruscan civilization (Fiesole, Chiusi, Volterra, Populonia) to Roman monuments and ruins; from Romanesque architecture to the impressive Gothic cathedrals, to the exceptional artistic explosion of the Renaissance.

Museums: Florence has preserved its masterpieces and great works of architecture over the centuries. The most important collection of paintings in the world is offered by the Uffizi Gallery; visitors can enter the very interesting Designs and Print Room; the collection of self-portraits. Great paintings can be seen in the Gallery of Palazzo Pitti, with Tiziano's and Raffaello's masterpieces.

Florence also has the Museum of the Costume and the Museum of the Carriages; the beautiful Italian gardens can be admired in the Giardino di Boboli. In the Museum of the Opera del Duomo the famous "Pieta" by Michelangelo can be admired. There are also the Museum of the Bargello, St. Mark's Museum, the Academy Gallery and the Stibbert Ethnologic Museum.

Pisa, an ancient Roman naval base and maritime republic, has the Museum of the Sinopie, which holds the preparatory drawings for frescoes, and the National Museum of St. Matteo.

Siena is a well-preserved medieval city; here are the Civic Museum, which houses the Histories of Alexander III, the Museum of the Opera Metropolitana and the Pinacoteca Nazionale, with Sienese painting.

Tradition and art are strong everywhere: in Arezzo the Gallery and the Medieval and Modern Museum can be visited .

To be visited: In addition to art, Tuscany offers outstanding natural scenarios, such as the National Park\ of the Argentario and the Island of Elba. In Siena is the beautiful Piazza del Campo. In Florence are the fifteenth century ~hops on the Ponte Vecchio.

Pisa has the Campo dei Miracoli, with the famous Leaning Tower.

The Apuan Alps in the north offer breathtaking views of the famous white marble quarries. Beautiful, in autumn, are the dense forests of Casentino, crossed by the upper section of the Arno and Tiber Rivers.

The celebrated "Chiantishire" offers not only good wine, but healthy olive oil and beautiful mansions in the rolling country.

Florence is also a city for souvenir hunting, needless to say. But good bargains can be found anywhere. Siena is famous for its medieval architecture, the Palio and its beautiful churches. Pienza, Cortona, Volterra and San Gimignano are all well preserved small medieval towns. Finally, one should not miss Pisa, with its Leaning Tower, and nearby Lucca and Pistoia.

As for handicrafts they may find ceramics, wrought iron, leather goods and raffia works.