Sightseeing in Tuscany

Tuscany is well known for its wine as well as being the birthplace of the Renaissance movement. This makes it a fantastic place to visit and in this article we will look at several places to visit in Tuscany, Italy.

Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region and will make a great starting point for you, but there are also many places you will want to visit outside of Florence.

Getting to some of the best place to visit in Tuscany is very easy to do. You can rent a car and drive yourself, or hire a driver to do it for you. You can also take the train to various areas including Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca.

1. Many people are familiar with the leaning Tower of Pisa. Pisa is located in central Italy, 50 miles from Florence, and the bell tower really is leaning and is a sight to behold. It is just 1hr from Florence by train.

2. The greatest medieval town in Italy to see is Siena. As is true with many places to visit in Tuscany you can enjoy the culture by walking through alleyways and narrow streets. You can also climb the massive Torre del Mangia bell tower and get a stunning view of Siena and the Piazza del Campo below. With a population of 250,000 will find that people here are extremely friendly.

3. The most popular place to taste wine is Chianti, which is very well known for its world-famous red wines. You can enjoy some spectacular scenery in Chianti while visiting vineyards and taking in some of the spectacular hilltop views.

4. Another popular place to visit to Tuscany is Lucca. Here you will find many churches and other medieval buildings that are simply amazing. The Roman amphitheater is located in Lucca and is over in 1900 years old. The town centre is completely enclosed by a brick wall built in the 16th century and you can take a walk along the top of the wall, which stretches 4km. Lucca is considered to have some the best food in the Tuscany region especially the tortelli lucchese. Tortelli lucchese is bright yellow pasta, stuffed with seasoned meat and topped with a heavily meat-laden ragù that is very rich in flavor.

5. San Gimignano is a wonderful place to visit while in Tuscany. It is set on a hill over 300m high and dates back to the 10th century. San Gimignano originally had 72 tower houses, some which were as high as 50m. In their day, the towers were a symbol of wealth and there are now only 14 towers in total.

6. Another place in Tuscany that is worth a mention is Fiesole. If you are in Florence and pressed for time you can make a quick trip there as it is just 5 miles outside of Florence. You can take a local bus and enjoy the great views.

7. Last, but most definitely not least is Florence. You probably want to spend at least 3 days savouring the sights of this wonderful city. There are lots of things to see and do and you should be sure not to miss the Uffizi. The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and most famous in the world. Because of how popular it is you can wait up to 5 hours to get in so it is best to reserve a ticket in advance.

About the Author:

Suzanne Morrison is the author of the Ultimate Guide to Florence. Visit her website to learn more about the Florence and Tuscany sights and to take a virtual tour of Florence and Tuscany.

Sightseeing in Montecatini Italy

Are you planning on going sightseeing in Montecatini, Italy? There are actually a few different places in Italy with the name Montecatini, so before you plan your sightseeing make sure that you are researching the right Montecatini!

Montecatini Terme is one of the most famous health resorts in Italy and is a lovely town with its own thermal springs and beautiful gardens. It is located in the province of Pistoia in Tuscany and is the most well known Montecatini. Over 2 million tourists visit Montecatini Terme every year.

Montecatini Alto which means "upper Montecatini" is an amazing hilltop village with panoramic views overlooking Montecatini Terme. You can get to Montecatini Alto by a finicular railway.

Finally Montecatini Val di Cecina is a hill town situated about 100km from Pisa and near to Volterra. It was a very prosperous town in the middle ages with lots of copper mines. These have now been turned into a museum. The town is very pleasant for sightseeing with lots of towers, little piazzas and medieval buildings.

Sightseeing in the Tuscan Archipelago by Bike

Bicycle Tours - Italy's Tuscan Archipelago
by Luc Lacasse

The Tuscan Archipelago is actually a string of seven islands, including Capraia, Gorgona, Giglio, Montecristo, Pianosa, Giannutri and Elba all located on the west coast of Italy.

Elba is the largest in the string with a population of about 38,000 people and easily accessible by ferry. It is a very busy touristy location not far off the Tuscan coast with a cooler climate than central Italy, but with all the same dramatic volcanic cliffs, rugged landscapes and sandy beaches. With a small data base of rental rooms and a large vacationing population, especially in the peak European holiday season, it is a must to plan ahead and avoid the panic of not finding suitable accommodation.

On these islands bicycle tours, Italy style typically takes you to the less trafficked west side of Elba Island with climbs through the central volcanic mountains with the option of challenging the peak of Monte Pomone for the more aggressive riders. Pizza’s made in volcano heated ovens are one of the key rewards for all your physical efforts.

The coastal areas offer a range of aquatic diversions from scuba diving and sailing to catching a few rays on the beautiful beaches, a great change from saddle sores and strained muscles acquired climbing the interior mountains on your bicycle tour. Italy is definitely not for the weak hearted!

There are also opportunities for horseback riding in the interior although I’m not sure that helps the rear. Guides are ready to take you on climbing expeditions or on challenging hikes if you decide to park your bike for a day.

Elba is large enough to offer some challenging rides for a number of days, with the advantage of more mild summer temperature than that found on the mainland. But after that if your agenda is not to sit and enjoy the beautiful weather and extended sandy beaches you may want to expand your geography to explore other bicycle tours of Italy on the mainland, maybe the Dolomite Mountains or Sicily a larger volcanic island further south.

Luc Lacasse is an avid cyclist with 10 years of racing motocross and mountain biking under his belt. He is the author behind myWheelsAndMore.com a website designed to share his knowledge gained as a bicycle enthusiast and mechanical engineering student.

Museums and Galleries of Florence

Florence is simply heaven for culture and history lovers. The city is packed full of museums and art galleries - enough to keep even the most avid art enthusiasts engrossed for a few weeks!

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular museums in Florence and a must for those who like paintings. It was originally designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1559 for Cosimo I de' Medici as offices of the government judiciary. The Uffizi is home to the finest collection of Renaissance paintings in the world and boasts around 1700 paintings and 300 sculptures, as well as a number of tapestries and some furniture and ceramics. There are 45 rooms containing works from famous artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Titian and Rubens.

The Vasari Corridor connects the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti and runs through the Uffizi and over the Ponte Vecchio to the other side of the River Arno. It is over 1km long and contains paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries as well as a famous collection of artist’s self-portraits. The corridor can only be visited as part of a special tour known as Percorso del Principe, starting at the Palazzo Vecchio. Tours can be booked by phoning + 39 0552654321.

The Galleria Dell’ Accademia was founded in 1784 and hosts a collection of sculptures and paintings. One of the most important works on display at the museum is David by Michelangelo (completed around 1504), which was transferred from the Piazza della Signoria in 1873. There are also other works by Michelangelo, including the Four Prisoners. Paintings on display in the museum date back to the 3rd and 4th centuries, as well as 15th and 16th centuries. There are paintings by Fra' Bartolomeo, Andrea del Sarto and Perugino from the early part of the 16th century.

You might also enjoy a visit to the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, which houses works that were originally part of the Duomo. Exhibits include tools that were used to build the Duomo, the original Baptistry doors, Donatello’s wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene and the unfinished Pieta by Michelangelo. It will only take about an hour to go through the museum since it is relatively small.

The Palazzo Pitti is a magnificent building housing many smaller galleries and museums and is the entrance to the Boboli Gardens.

• The Galleria Palatina (Palatine Gallery) is on the first floor of the Palazzo Pitti. It contains a fine collection of over 1000 paintings from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, including works by Titian, Raphael, Rubens, Pietro da Cortona and Correggio. The ticket includes entry to the lavish Royal Apartments, consisting of 14 sumptuous rooms that were home to the Medici, Lorraine and Savoy families.
• The Galleria d’Arte Moderna (Gallery of Modern Art) holds paintings dating from 1784 to 1924. The Dukes of Lorraine, who formerly inhabited the rooms in the museum, originally collected many of the paintings to decorate the Palazzo Pitti. The 30 rooms house paintings from neo-classicism to the 20th century and include both works by Tuscan painters and foreign artists.
• The recently renovated Galleria del Costume (Costume Gallery) is on the ground
  floor of the Palazzo Meridiana and contains exhibits showing the changing fashions
  from the 16th to the 20th centuries. This is the only museum of fashion in Italy and
  contains over 6000 items including accessories and theatre costumes.
• The Museo degli Argenti (Museum of Silver) is on the ground floor of the Palazzo Pitti in rooms that were formerly used by the Medici as their summer apartments. The collection includes a wide range of silver objects as well as ivory, glassware, clocks, crystal, amber and carpets. The former staterooms in this museum are decorated with 17th century Frescoes.
• The Museo delle Porcellane (Porcelain museum) is located in the Casino del Cavaliere and can be accessed via the Rose garden at the top of the Boboli gardens. The collection of porcelain comprises mainly of tableware belonging to the royal families that ruled Tuscany, and includes many gifts from European rulers and pieces that were made for the grand ducal court.

The Bargello Museum is housed in an ancient civic palace and is home to many famous sculptures, including works such as Bachus and by Michelangelo and David by Donatello. As well as sculptures you’ll find a number of other collections including renaissance jewellery, enamels and ivories, Venetian glass and Islamic Bronzes. The building itself is three stories high and was built in 1255. It was once the home of Bargello, the Captain of Justice and then later became a prison before it was turned into a museum in 1865.

The Medici Chapels is a small museum with two main rooms: the Princes' Chapel and the Medici Tombs. The Princes' Chapel is covered with a huge dome designed by Buontalenti and contains six tombs of Grand Dukes. The tombs have elaborate designs in green and red marble. The Medici Tombs contain Michelangelo's spectacular statues Night, Day, Dawn and Dusk. Although the Medici Chapels are attached to the San Lorenzo Basilica, the entrance to the museum is from the other side in Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini.

The History of Science Museum in Florence provides an opportunity for visitors with an interest in science to see a collection of about 5,000 original scientific instruments divided into the Medici and the Lorenese collection. Some of the items on show are original Galilean instruments, including telescopes and lenses. There is a hall devoted to showing the origins and historical development of the microscope. Another section shows electrostatic and electromagnetic instruments from the eighteenth century.

It is a very good idea to buy tickets for museums in advance, especially in the peak season. The lines for tickets in Florence can be extremely long. It is better to have the ticket in advance then to be disappointed when you get there. You can Reserve your Uffizi Tickets Here

The Top Sights in Florence

There are many places to visit in Florence, but here are some of the top sites which you don't want to miss on your next trip!

The Ponte Vecchio, or “Old Bridge” was built in 1345. This is the most famous and most frequently photographed bridge in Florence and the only one that wasn’t destroyed in World War II. The bridge itself houses many goldsmiths, jeweller’s shops and medieval workshops that overhang the bridge. The best time to view the bridge is at sunset, followed by a walk along the bridge after dusk, when the lights on the bridge reflect on the River Arno and everything seems almost magical.

The magnificent cathedral or Duomo is the most distinctive feature of Florence’s skyline and is the result of years of work over six centuries. The building was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio at the end of the 13th century and is located in the north end of the Piazza della Signoria. If you’re feeling fit you may want to climb the 463 steps into the dome or the 414 steps up to the adjacent bell tower to take in a fantastic view of the city.

The Piazza della Signoria is a lively square with many restaurants, bars and ice cream shops and is a must to see. The square has been the political centre of Florence for centuries and is dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio with a copy of the statue of David by Michelangelo in front of the palace. The entrance to the Uffizi Gallery is just off the square. Right next to the Piazza della Signoria is the promenade Via dei Calzaiuoli, a lively shopping street, connecting with the Duomo of Florence – a popular place in the evenings with locals and visitors alike. During the summer visitors can go on a romantic carriage ride through Florence, beginning in Piazza della Signoria.

The Palazzo Vecchio, or Old Palace is an impressive building, built by Arnolfo di Cambio during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is the main complex in the Piazza della Signoria and is so called to distinguish itself from the Palazzo Pitti, the “new” palace.Inside the Palazzo Vecchio lies the Room of the Lilies, Elenora di Toledo's Rooms and the inner courtyard with the Putto Fountain and Michelangelo's statue The Victory. Even if you don’t have time to visit Palazzo Vecchio, it is worthwhile going into the inner courtyard to see the Putto Fountain.

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular museums in Florence and a must for those who like paintings. It was originally designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1559 for Cosimo I de' Medici as offices of the government judiciary. The Uffizi is home to the finest collection of Renaissance paintings in the world and boasts around 1700 paintings and 300 sculptures, as well as a number of tapestries and some furniture and ceramics. There are 45 rooms containing works from famous artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Titian and Rubens.

Pisa Sightseeing

Synonymous with Pisa is the magnificent Leaning Tower, however there is far more to this western Tuscan city than just this.

From its position on the shore of the Arno, Pisa was a dominant city in the western Mediterranean from the 11th to the 13th centuries.

The sea and its powerful navy was the source of Pisa’s strength but the sea also brought with it trading links with Spain and North Africa which in turn led to cultural and scientific advances. As a result, the Pisa of today is still full of the historic monuments and buildings from this golden time, offering authentic wonders to the tourist.

No matter how you intend on exploring the city, be it by foot or by local tour bus, a good way to begin is by visiting a tourist information office. There are several throughout Pisa - outside the main railway station, not far from the Leaning Tower on Via Cammeo and throughout the centre of the city.

Situated to the northwest of the city is the Piazza dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) within which lie four imposing yet beautiful white marble Romanesque buildings. Together the Pisa Cathedral with its Baptistery, Campanile and Campo Santo form one of the worlds most famous groups of buildings and a must see on any trip to Pisa.





The most famous of the buildings is the Campanile, more commonly known as the Leaning Tower. The construction of this magnificent bell tower began in 1173 and continued for two hundred years during which time there were significant interruptions. It is known that the tower was originally intended to be vertical, however, the tower started to incline during the protracted construction. Even without the inclination that has captured the world’s attention; the tower would still be one of Europe’s most remarkable bell towers.

Vineyards in Tuscany

Tuscany is a major wine-producing region in Italy and well known for its vineyards and world famous wines. Chianti is probably the most well known type of Italian wine, and comes from the Chianti region, which runs south of Florence towards Siena.

There are seven different wine zones in Chianti. The best wine comes from the Classico area, which starts just north of Siena and runs most of the way up to Florence. Other areas include Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Rufina, Montalbano and Colline Pisane.

Many of the vineyards throughout Tuscany offer wine tasting and will also sell wine direct to the public. If you are travelling through the area, just look out for signs saying “vendita diretta”.

If you wish to visit the wine regions of Tuscany as part of an organised tour, you can find out more about vineyards and order free brochures for Tuscany Cooking schools and winery tours here

Lucca Sightseeing

Lucca, the capital of the Province of Lucchesia is a town rich in tradition and culture and was once a colony of ancient Rome.

It has a unique town centre that is completely enclosed by a massive brick wall dating back to the 16th century. A good way to find your way around Lucca is to follow the 4km path around the top of the city wall.

The town has plenty of churches, monuments and the gardens to visit - enough to keep you busy for a day. In the centre of town, just to the east of the main Piazza Napoleone, on Piazza San Martino you’ll find the splendid cathedral of San Martino, dating from the 11th century.





In the Piazza San Michele you’ll find the impressive Church of San Michele in Foro - probably the most photographed church in Lucca. It has a huge Romanesque style marble façade, with 5 rows of elaborately carved marble columns, all of which are different from one another. Inside the church you’ll find an interesting collection of artwork from the 12th-15th centuries.

At Via di Poggio, you’ll find Casa di Puccini, the 15th century home of the composer Giacomo Puccini. This is now a school of music with a small museum, featuring the Steinway piano on which he composed his last opera Turandot.

At the end of the street in Via Galli Tassi is the seventeenth-century Palazzo Mansi, home to Lucca's National Picture Gallery. Inside there are some splendid tapestries, frescoes, and other decorations, as well as artwork by Agnolo Bronzino, Domenico Beccafumi and Luca Giordano.

For the best views of the city, head to the 130 foot high Torre Guinigi and climb to the top for beautiful views of the rooftops of Lucca.

A Florence Hills Tour

Italy, a veritable treasure chest of culture and heritage - with its food, wine, culture and history, is always on the top of a European tour list. A tour to Italy wouldn't be complete without a visit to Florence. This city is in the heart of Tuscany and is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. It is a place that is famous for its abundance of fine art and architecture and in the modern day, its fashion and leather goods.

If you're feeling a little tired after days of sightseeing and visiting museums in Florence, a Florence hills excursion can be a great way to relax and wind down. With a great ambience and an aura of solitude the hills of Florence are very popular and ideal for those who wish to take a break from the city.

If you only have a few hours to spare and don't want to venture too far from Florence, then a trip to the town of Fiesole is highly recommended. Fiesole is set amongst the hills, just 5 miles from Florence. It makes a pleasant half-day trip from the city and you'll be rewarded with wonderful views of Florence. You can get there by bus from the centre of Florence in around 20 minutes.

If you're feeling more energetic or have a little more time to spare you can walk from the centre of Florence to Fiesole in around 2 hours. Once in Fiesole you can easily spend a few hours wandering round, taking in the breathtaking views of Florence and the valley below. Sights include a Roman Amphitheatre and baths dating from 1 BC, the Duomo and a number of small museums.

If you have a full day to spare there are many tour companies that can organise day trips by bus, walking tours or biking trips. Alternatively you can hire a car and use a map to discover the delights of the Tuscan countryside for yourself.

A guided walking tour of the Florence hills will provide you with an insider's view of Florence & Tuscany - you can discover the hidden treasures, legends and stories and gain a much more intimate experience of the region of Tuscany. A walk through the Florence hills is invigorating and you can soak up the beauty of the surroundings as you breathe in the fresh air and bask in the warm sun. You'll also find plenty of photo opportunities as you pass by churches, castles, hill top towns and villages, olive trees and vineyards

If you're reasonably fit and have cycling experience you may want to take a Florence Hills Excursion by bike. There are many tour companies that offer guided biking expeditions of the area. With these tours you will cover more ground than the walking tours and you will see many of the different terrains and landscapes that the Florence hills have to offer. Be sure to find out as much information as possible about the cycling route before you go, as many excursions of the Florence hills by bike can be tough because of the steep climbs that you have to make.

If you want to make the most of the peace and quiet and spend a few more days enjoying the countryside you may want to book a stay in one of the many bed and breakfasts, hotels or villas in the Tuscan hills. Hiring a car will allow you to venture just that little bit further afield and visit some of the beautiful Tuscan hill towns such as San Gimignano, Colle Val D'Elsa and Monteriggioni.

Regardless of how much time you have to spend there, an excursion to the hills surrounding Florence will give you a taste of the Tuscan countryside that will help to make your trip just that little bit more special.

Volterra Sightseeing

The Etruscan city of Volterra is situated on a high plateau and thought by many to be one of Tuscany's best hill towns, a place where you capture the real Italian hill town experience. Here you’ll find a small, but rich array of ruins and architecture from different historical periods.

The ruins of the Etruscan walls mark the perimeter of the Parco Archeologico, a garden that occupies the highest point in the city, offering views over the surrounding countryside.

At one end of the Parco Archeologico you’ll find the old Etruscan gate to the city, next to a fortress built by Lorenzo the Magnificent. At the opposite end of the park is Piazza Martiri della Libertà, the best place to take in views of the Cecina Valley.

From the park, take a stroll to Piazza dei Priori and you’ll find one of the finest medieval town squares in Italy. The Square is dominated by the oldest town hall in Tuscany, the Palazzo dei Priori. This dates back to 1208 and is said to have been the model for the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

At the other end of the square is the Porcellino tower, built in the 13^th century and named after the pig, which is carved at its base.

A short walk away in the Piazza San Giovanni you’ll find Volterra’s Duomo, open daily.

You’ll usually find that the streets of Volterra are deserted, especially compared to nearby hill towns such as San Gimignano. If you want to linger a little longer than a day, you’ll also find that it offers a very good choice of hotels and restaurants. If you decide to eat out here don’t forget to try the local specialty of salami or pasta made with wild boar.

Be sure to save some time to sit and relax in Volterra and savour its memories and its history – a memory you are unlikely to forget.

Florence Sightseeing

Overflowing with art, history and culture, Florence is a city that’s very difficult to do justice to in a single day. A visit to the Uffizi museum alone could easily eat a day or two into any itinerary.

If you’re lucky enough to visit the city of Florence for the first time, but unfortunate enough to have only a single day to savour the delights of this Florence, you will need to ensure that you have a plan.

So let me be your tour guide for the day and take you on a whistle stop walking tour of the sights and sounds of Florence. I can’t promise you the Uffizi in a day, but hopefully at the end of the tour you’ll feel like you’ve seen the best of the city. Your only problem will be deciding when to come back for more!

The first thing you’ll need to do before you start your tour is get yourself a map of the city. The centre of Florence is relatively compact, so the best way to see it, without missing a thing is by foot. If you don’t have a map or a guidebook and you’re not the type that enjoys aimless wandering, make your first stop of the day one of the tourist offices where you can pick up a free map of Florence.

Starting off in the main Piazza, you’ll easily spot the famous Duomo, with its magnificent terracotta coloured cupola. If you are there early enough to avoid the crowds and feel you can face the 463 steps I’d recommend starting off your tour with a climb up into the dome for a spectacular view of the city. The Duomo is probably the most distinctive feature of Florence’s skyline and is the result of years of work spanning six centuries.

Once you’ve taken in the view, catch your breath with a leisurely stroll around the streets surrounding the Duomo, and then take a walk to the nearby Piazza della Signoria. Here you’ll find a unique outdoor gallery of sculptures, including Neptune’s Fountain and a copy of the famous Statue of David. You’ll also find the Palazzo Vecchio (the Old Palace) here. This was built in the early 14th century and is still used today for its original purpose, as a Town Hall.

Just beside the Palazzo you’ll find the Uffizi museum, with its unrivalled collection of Renaissance art. If you’re an art lover, you don’t want to miss the Uffizi, but it’s not something that can be easily covered in a short 2-hour visit!





Alongside the Uffizi you’ll find the River Arno, with its many bridges. If you take a right turn you’ll arrive at the Ponte Vecchio, the famed bridge that houses a multitude of goldsmiths and jewellery shops, with its medieval workshops overhanging the bridge. The bridge itself was built in 1345 and is the only bridge on the Arno that wasn’t destroyed in World War II.

Once you’ve crossed the bridge, you’ll arrive in the area called Oltrano, which literally means “Over the Arno”. Here you’ll find the Palazzo Pitti – a large 16th century palace. The palace was originally home to the Medici family who ruled Florence almost continuously between 1434 and 1743 and it now houses several important museums and galleries.

You may want to finish your day by taking a relaxing stroll in the Boboli gardens, which can be accessed through the Palazzo Pitti. These gardens were laid out in 1550 for the Medici a year after they bought the Palazzo Pitti and were opened to the public in 1766. Many parts of the gardens give stunning vistas over Florence and make a welcome retreat after a day of walking round the city.


If you have the time, it’s worth returning to view the Ponte Vecchio at sunset, followed by a walk along the bridge after dusk, when the lights on the bridge reflect on the River Arno and everything seems almost magical.

Finally, don’t forget to take a well earned break from your sightseeing – stop for lunch or a drink in a pavement café, take some time to soak up the atmosphere and do a spot of people watching.

Sightseeing in Siena

The Piazza Del Campo (see the photo below) is quiet, the early morning sun slowly lighting the storefronts and medieval palaces that line the fan shaped plaza. The piazza, the heart of Siena is best known as the location of Polio, a horse race run twice a year, in July and August, for the glory of the 17 districts that make up the city. This is a city that is well worth exploring.





While you vacation in Siena Italy, you will see that this city is built for walking and the city is circular. None of Siena’s streets, many with dancing fountains, are level, and the city sprawls on a series of hills, surrounded be luscious vistas of the Tuscan countryside. Most of the predominantly Gothic homes and buildings that line the narrow streets bear the reddish brown hues known as burnt Siena. Each dwelling’s exterior must be maintained in colors regulated by the city. The shutters may only be painted grey, green, or Terra di Siena red; facades must be ocher, pink, brick red, or marble white.

The people of Siena, a city founded by Roman emperor Augustus, are warm and friendly, quick to answer a stranger’s question. Otherwise, they calmly go about their business, stopping to chat with friends as if they were the only ones standing in the center of ancient streets. They speak in low voices in a language many believe is the purest form of Italian. A vacation to this part of Italy can be a real treat for travelers looking for authentic art, food, music and architecture.

Today, while traveling in Siena Italy for vacation, you will see that it’s one of the rare beauties of Europe, a medieval city that stubbornly exists within the confines of a modern world. Most homes display one of 17 flags, each distinguished by a different color and animal design and signifying one of Siena’s 17 districts. Each district is actually a small city hidden inside a larger one.

Siena is also one of the richest cities in Italy. Restaurants are crowded year-round and the shops are filled with wonders from oak barrel-aged wine to fine silverware and furniture to exotic meats and cheeses.

There’s virtually no crime, and other than traffic and crowd control, the police seem to have little to do. The population is among Italy’s best educated, and a first rate medical school draws students worldwide. For a true Italian travel experience, a vacation to Siena Italy can be a magical.