Florence & Tuscany 11
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Florence & Tuscany
Northwestern Tuscany (p247) Florence # (p62)
Eastern Tuscany (p294) Central Coast & Siena & Central Elba (p217) Tuscany (p137)
Southern Tuscany (p195)
Nicola Williams, Virginia Maxwell PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD
Welcome to Tuscany . . . . 4 FLORENCE...... 62 Volterra ...... 175 Florence & Tuscany map. . .. 6 Val d’Orcia...... 179 Tuscany’s Top 15...... 8 SIENA & CENTRAL Montalcino ...... 180 Need to Know...... 16 TUSCANY...... 137 Pienza...... 184 Montepulciano. . . . . 187 First Time Tuscany. . . . . 18 Siena ...... 140 Chiusi...... 193 What’s New...... 20 Chianti...... 156 If You Like ...... 22 Greve in Chianti...... 156 SOUTHERN Badia a Passignano. . . . 158 Month by Month. . . . . 25 TUSCANY...... 195 Itineraries ...... 29 San Casciano in Val di Pesa...... 162 Accommodation. . . . . 36 Alta Maremma . . . . . 198 Castellina in Chianti . . . . 163 Massa Marittima . . . . . 198 Getting Around...... 38 Radda in Chianti...... 164 Monte Amiata...... 202 Eat & Drink Gaiole in Chianti...... 165 Like a Local...... 41 Vetulonia...... 203 San Gimignano. . . . . 167 Activities...... 48 Città del Tufo ...... 204 Monteriggioni...... 174 Pitigliano...... 204 Family Travel...... 56 Regions at a Glance. . . . 59 PAOLO TROVO/SHUTTERSTOCK© BILL PERRY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
DELICATESSEN, PITIGLIANO P204 TRAVELKIWIS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
CHIUSI P193 Contents
UNDERSTAND
Sovana...... 207 Suvereto ...... 232 History...... 318 Sorano...... 208 Golfo di Baratti...... 233 The Tuscan Bassa Maremma. . . . . 209 Tuscan Archipelago. . . . 234 Way of Life...... 329 Grosseto ...... 212 Elba...... 234 The Tuscan Table . . . . 333 Parco Regionale della Giglio, Gorgona Maremma ...... 213 & Pianosa ...... 246 Tuscany on Page & Screen . . . . . 341 Orbetello...... 215 Capraia...... 246 Monte Argentario. . . . . 215 Art & Architecture. . . . 344 NORTHWESTERN CENTRAL COAST TUSCANY...... 247 & ELBA...... 217 Pisa...... 250 Livorno...... 220 Lucca...... 261 SURVIVAL Etruscan Coast. . . . . 227 Pistoia ...... 270 GUIDE Castiglioncello ...... 227 San Miniato...... 277 Directory A–Z...... 358 Bolgheri...... 228 Apuane Alps & San Vincenzo ...... 229 Garfagnana...... 279 Transport...... 364 Castelnuovo di Garfagnana...... 279 Language...... 369 Barga ...... 281 Index...... 377 Bagni di Lucca ...... 283 Carrara...... 284 Versilian Coast...... 286 SPECIAL Pietrasanta...... 287 FEATURES Viareggio...... 289 Lazy Days in Florence . . .112 Lunigiana...... 292 Wine Tour of Chianti. . 160 Pontremoli...... 292 Medieval Masterpieces ...... 171 EASTERN Exploring the TUSCANY...... 294 Val d’Orcia...... 182 Arezzo...... 295 Etruscan Wine & Sansepolcro ...... 303 Oil Road...... 230 Casentino Valley. . . . . 307 Lazy Days in Elba. . . . 242 Poppi ...... 307 Why Pisa Leans . . . . . 254 Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. . . . . 309 Via Francigena . . . . . 290 Val di Chiana...... 313 Magnificent Cortona...... 313 Monasteries ...... 305 Go Slow in the Valle del Casentino. . . 310 Tuscan Artists...... 349 STAINED-GLASS WINDOW, BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA Tuscan Architecture. . . 352 NOVELLA P88 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 29
Itineraries É
#• Lucca É #• Florence
San #• Pisa Miniato #• É CHIANTI É Bargino #•
É É #• É Greve in Chianti
Badia a Passignano #• É É
San Gimignano #•
É É É
Volterra #•
#• Siena
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
10 DAYS Only the Best
This road trip takes in a classic Tuscan mix of world-class art, medieval architecture, gorgeous countryside and outstanding food and wine. Devote three days to exploring Renaissance Florence. Visit the Uffizi and stroll the Arno riverbanks. Day two, discover opulent Medici chapels, extraordinary frescoes and Michelangelo’s David in San Marco and San Lorenzo. Last day, lose yourself in the Oltrarno’s ancient web of lanes laced with artists’ workshops or head into off-the-tourist-radar San Frediano. Day four, go slow in 16th-century walled Lucca. Rent a bicycle to cruise along en- chanting cobbled streets and graceful, butter-coloured piazzas. On day five, head to Pisa early to climb the Leaning Tower, then hit the eastbound road to Chianti with a lunch break in foodie-town San Miniato. Use an agriturismo (farm stay) around Greve in Chianti or elsewhere in Chianti as a base for three days, and explore the magically preserved medieval town of San Gimignano, artistic enclave Volterra and Antinori wine cellars in Bargino and Badia a Passignano. End in Gothic Siena for two days of breathlessly beautiful piazzas, churches, museums and restaurants. 30
San Gimignano #• PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN
Siena #•
É
É It
Crete É
i nerar #• Senesi
Abbazia di É É É Montepulciano
#• San Galgano É #• Montalcino #• Val Pienza Val di d Orcia i es Chiana
É
É Abbazia di #• Sant'Antimo
Bagni San #• Filippo
1 WEEK The Heart of Tuscany
For those in the region for a limited time, this itinerary through central Tuscany more than lives up to the Tuscan dream of gently rolling hills, medieval towns, Renaissance splendour and some very fine wine indeed. Start in Siena, historical rival to Florence. A walking tour is the perfect prelude to the splendid Gothic symphony of this iconic Tuscan city. Gravitate towards the duomo and Museo Civico to explore each in greater depth. Break with a caffè on a pavement terrace on famously sloping Piazza del Campo. Continue your city exploration: Siena’s delightful- ly intact centro storico (historic centre) is a Unesco World Heritage Site for good reason. On day two (or three if Siena begs you to linger), motor southeast through the rounded hills and cypress alleys of Crete Senesi to Unesco-loved Pienza, a stroke of Renaissance architectural genius that, with a couple of lovely sleeping and eating options in and around town, is a brilliant base for exploring this tasty neck of the Tuscan woods. Or meander 15km east to blockbuster wine town Montepulciano in the gourmet Val di Chiana and use that as a base. Spend the next three days pandering to your culture- hungry soul and appetite for world-class wine and food: in the Val d’Orcia, tour vine- yards around Montalcino, savour the serene beauty of Abbazia di Sant’Antimo, wander through the ruined Cistercian abbey of San Galgano and soak in hot cascades at Bagni San Filippo. In Montepulciano, sink your teeth into a feisty slab of local Chi- anina beef, slicked in fragrant olive oil and accompanied by a glass of Brunello di Mon- talcino or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (two of Italy’s greatest wines). End your sojourn in this idyllic area by looping back along scenic secondary roads to romantic San Gimignano, home to medieval tower houses, a lavishly frescoed duomo and cutting-edge contemporary art. Dine on pasta dishes scented with locally grown saffron, drink the town’s golden-hued Vernaccia wine and, whatever you do, don’t miss out on the superb saffron-and-Vernaccia sorbet by former gelato world champion, Sergio Dondoli. 31 FABIANO’S_PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK © PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN It i nerar i es BUFFY1982/SHUTTERSTOCK © Top: Piazza del Campo (p141), Siena Bottom: Sacro Eremo e Monastero di Camaldoli (p312), Tuscany 32
•# Pratovecchio•# Camaldoli Florence •#