CONTENTS

LIST OF MAPS vii

1 THE BEST OF FLORENCE, TUSCANY & UMBRIA 1

1 The Best Tuscan & Umbrian 8 The Best Etruscan Sights ...... 9 Experiences...... 1 9 The Best Luxury Hotels...... 10 2 The Best Hill Towns ...... 2 10 The Best Moderately Priced 3 The Best Festivals ...... 3 Hotels ...... 11 4 The Greatest Artistic 11 Florence’s Best Rooms with Masterpieces ...... 4 a View ...... 12 5 The Best Offbeat Sights 12 The Best Countryside Retreats. . . . .13 & Experiences...... 6 13 The Best Restaurants in Town . . . . .14 6 The Best Wines & Vineyards ...... 7 14 The Best Trattorie in Town...... 15 7 The Best Museums...... 8 15 The Best Countryside Trattorie . . . .16

2 FLORENCE, TUSCANY & UMBRIA IN DEPTH 18

1 Florence, Tuscany & 4 Tuscany & Umbria in Umbria Today...... 18 Popular Culture ...... 36 2 Looking Back at Florence, 5 Eating & Drinking in Florence, Tuscany & Umbria...... 20 Tuscany & Umbria...... 38 Guelph or Ghibelline? ...... 23 Good Year or Bad? ...... 41 3 Florence, Tuscany & Umbria’s Art & Architecture...... 28

3 PLANNINGCOPYRIGHTED YOUR TRIP TO TUSCANY MATERIAL & UMBRIA 45

1 When to Go...... 45 What Things Cost in Florence ...... 62 Calendar of Events ...... 46 5 Health ...... 63 2 Entry Requirements ...... 53 6 Safety ...... 64 3 Getting There & Getting 7 Specialized Travel Resources ...... 64 Around ...... 54 8 Sustainable Tourism...... 66 4 Money & Costs...... 60 iv General Resources for 10 Staying Connected...... 71 Green Travel...... 67 11 Tips on Accommodations ...... 72 9 Special-Interest Trips and Escorted General-Interest Tours...... 68

4 SUGGESTED ITINERARIES 76

1 The Regions in Brief ...... 76 4 Tuscany & Umbria for Families. . . . .83 2 Tuscany in 1 Week ...... 79 5 Tuscany & Umbria for 3 Tuscany & Umbria in Wine Lovers...... 85 2 Weeks...... 81

5 SETTLING INTO FLORENCE: BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE 87

1 Essentials ...... 87 3 Where to Dine ...... 116 The Red & the Black ...... 92 Family-Friendly Restaurants...... 121 The Neighborhoods in Brief ...... 93 A Big Step Above Ice Cream: Fast Facts: Florence...... 97 Florentine Gelato ...... 124 2 Where to Stay...... 100 Panem et Cultura ...... 127 Cook Like a True Tuscan...... 131

6 EXPLORING FLORENCE 133 CONTENTS TUSCANY & UMBRIA FLORENCE, 1 Seeing the Sights ...... 133 Michelangelo: The Making of a The Best Times to Sightsee ...... 137 Renaissance Master...... 161 A Man & His Dome...... 140 2 Shopping ...... 176 Around Piazza Della Signoria ...... 142 3 Florence After Dark ...... 182 Reserving Tickets for the Uffizi Cafe Culture...... 184 & Other Museums...... 145 4 A Side Trip to Fiesole: How to See the Uffizi ...... 146 A Perfect Summer Escape...... 186 The “New” Uffizi ...... 147 A Countryside Stroll in the City . . . . .187 The Master’s Doodles...... 157

7 THE CHIANTI, SIENA & THE WESTERN HILL TOWNS 190

1 Wine Tasting in the Chianti...... 190 4 Volterra: City of Alabaster...... 238 2 Siena: A Taste of the Tuscan In Search of Alabaster...... 241 Middle Ages ...... 205 5 Massa Marittima: An Siena’s Cumulative Tickets ...... 212 Overlooked Gem ...... 246 3 San Gimignano: The Medieval Manhattan...... 229 8 LUCCA & NORTHWESTERN TUSCANY 252 v

1 Prato & the Virgin Mary’s Pinocchio’s Park ...... 270 Girdle...... 252 4 Lucca & Its Mighty Medieval Italy’s Best Biscotti & Tuscany’s Walls...... 270 Top Theater ...... 257 Walking the Walls...... 275

2 Pistoia: Where Romanesque The Patron Saint of Ladies-in- FLORENCE,UMBRIA & TUSCANY Meets Renaissance...... 259 Waiting ...... 278 3 Montecatini Terme & 5 North of Lucca: The Garfagnana Monsummano Terme: & the Lunigiana ...... 283 Spas & Saunas ...... 266

9 PISA, TUSCANY’S COAST & THE MAREMMA 286

1 The Valdarno...... 286 3 Livorno: A Busy Port City 2 Pisa & Its Tipsy Tower...... 288 with Great Seafood ...... 300 Pisa’s Perpendicularly 4 Elba: Tuscany’s Island Resort. . . . . 305 Challenged Tower...... 292 5 The Maremma: Tuscany’s Pisa’s Sunken Treasure...... 296 Cowboy Country...... 313 CONTENTS 10 SOUTHERN TUSCANY 316

1 Montalcino: Home of the Underground Tunnels & Mighty Brunello...... 318 Noble Wine ...... 334 Sampling the Vino ...... 320 A Famous Spa Town En Route 2 Pienza: The Ideal to Chiusi ...... 338 Renaissance City ...... 325 4 Chiusi: In the Footsteps of 3 Montepulciano & Its the Etruscans ...... 339 Noble Wine ...... 330

11 AREZZO & NORTHEASTERN TUSCANY 344

1 Arezzo: Where Life Is 3 Cortona: Land of the Beautiful ...... 346 Tuscan Sun ...... 359 2 Sansepolcro: Artistic Treasures 4 The Western Valdichiana: off the Beaten Path ...... 354 Exploring the Chiana Valley . . . . . 367

12 PERUGIA, ASSISI & NORTHERN UMBRIA 370

1 Perugia: Capital of Umbria 2 Assisi: An Artistic Pilgrimage. . . . . 385 & Quaint Hill Town ...... 370 The Genius of Giotto ...... 392 Calling All Chocoholics! ...... 374 3 Gubbio: Town of Festivals ...... 400 Perugia’s Medieval Pompeii ...... 377 vi 13 SPOLETO & SOUTHERN UMBRIA 410

1 Spoleto & the Spoleto 3 Orvieto: Etruscan Ruins & Festival ...... 410 Fine White Wine ...... 424 2 Todi: A Taste of the Orvieto’s Liquid Gold ...... 429 Middle Ages ...... 420 Tunnels in the Tufa ...... 431 Mad Monks & Christmas A Cappuccino Break ...... 435 Carols: Fra’ Jacopone ...... 422

14 FAST FACTS 437

1 Fast Facts: Florence, Tuscany 2 Airline, Hotel & Car-Rental & Umbria ...... 437 Websites...... 441

15 USEFUL TERMS & PHRASES 443

1 Basic Italian Vocabulary ...... 443 3 Architectural & Art Terms...... 450 2 Italian Menu Terms...... 445

INDEX 455 CONTENTS TUSCANY & UMBRIA FLORENCE, LIST OF MAPS

Tuscany & Umbria ...... 77 Massa Marittima ...... 247 Tuscany in 1 Week ...... 80 Pistoia ...... 261 Tuscany & Umbria in 2 Weeks: Lucca ...... 271 Week 2 ...... 82 Pisa ...... 289 Tuscany & Umbria for Families Elba ...... 307 & Wine Lovers ...... 84 Portoferraio ...... 309 Florence ...... 89 Pienza ...... 327 Where to Stay in Florence ...... 102 Montepulciano ...... 331 Where to Dine in Florence ...... 118 Arezzo ...... 347 What to See & Do in Florence . . . .134 Cortona ...... 361 The Uffizi ...... 138 Perugia ...... 371 The Chianti Region ...... 191 Assisi ...... 387 Central Siena ...... 207 Gubbio ...... 401 Siena ...... 208 Spoleto ...... 411 San Gimignano ...... 231 Orvieto ...... 425 Volterra ...... 239