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- TUSCANY & UMBRIA FLORENCE, 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 Cowboy Country. 313 Pisa’s Sunken Treasure. .296 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.