Coastalbeat.com

When most people think of Tuscany, they automatically think of Florence with its impressive Duomo and abundant art, romantic strolls on the Ponte Vecchio and never-ending lines in front of the Uffizi Gallery. Truth is, there is more to Tuscany than the city of Florence. The region, best seen by car, has a lot more to offer: a genuinely gorgeous countryside, wine producing hills, medieval towns and villages looking down at you from the high rocks where they were built, and many more beautiful Duomos, churches and bell towers.



My journey into Tuscany started with a quick visit to one of my favorite Italian landmarks: the leaning tower of Pisa. Originally built as the bell tower of the Pisa cathedral, the tower started leaning to the Southeast shortly after the beginning of construction in 1173, mainly because of poorly led foundations and brittle soil. Today it leans at a 5.5 degree angle, more than enough to make it look as if it were about to tip over. Famous all over the world, the Tower attracts millions of tourists each year: arriving in the spectacular piazza Campo dei Miracoli you can see them all taking pictures while “holding the Tower up”. The feeble attempts of the local police to keep the tourists off the grass are generally ineffective and you can see dozens of eager tourists holding up the tower at any given time. For a small fee one can climb the tower and enjoy the view from the top – however, make sure that you have plenty of time to dedicate to your visit because they only let a certain number of tourists up at the same time due to the tower’s balance and leaning problems. Also worth a visit is the Baptistery, a beautiful marble building on the side of the cathedral. Located only a few steps away from the tower it is accessible with the same cumulative ticket you use to visit the Duomo and climb the tower.



If you are tired of visiting cities and waiting in line to enter famous churches and museums, it’s the right time to take a leisurely and relaxing drive through the enchanting hills of the Chianti. The Chiantigiana, a winding road that connects Florence to Siena, is the best route to take if you want to make the most out of your trip. As you ascend and descend the gently rolling hills of the Chianti, you’ll encounter charming medieval villages and more wineries than you would ever imagine. Take your time and stop as many times as you want: every small town will be full of pleasant surprises, great local red wines and interesting bits of history. The beautifully preserved Castle of Verrazzano, built in the 1100s and home to Giovanni da Verrazzano (in whose honor the famous bridge in New York was named after), has been producing wine for almost one thousand years and to this day one can try their red along with a piece of local cheese and some freshly baked bread.



At the end of the Chiantigiana road you’ll find Siena, Florence’s historical archrival, a town so peculiar and charming it’s a must-see for anyone who happens to be in Tuscany. Where Florence is all open spaces and grandiosity, Siena is more compact and simple, with narrow streets and imposing medieval buildings. Famous around the world for its Palio, a bareback horse race that originated in the 1200s, the town is well-known for the bizarre looking square where the race takes place: the Piazza del Campo. With its unique design and architecture, shaped like a half moon, the square looks like an immense stone half shell and it’s the perfect spot to take a nice afternoon stroll and eat some good gelato. Only a few hundred yards away from the square, up a steep narrow alley, you’ll find the Duomo, a building even more unique than the square. In the 1400s, the Sienese decided to upgrade their cathedral and transform it into a church so big it would make St. Peter’s in Rome look small. Unfortunately, after erecting the first colonnade the town was hit by the Black Plague which decimated the population and put an end to the grandiose project. To this day, the colonnade is there, springing from one side of the old cathedral, as a reminder of what Siena could have become if it weren’t for the horrible epidemic.

To say that my five-day trip to Tuscany was too short would be an understatement. There are so many other towns and villages that are worth seeing in this beautiful region, each very different from the others, each carrying its own traditions and unique history, one could spend months lazily exploring a place no one ever wants to leave.