Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of sightseeing you can do in Italy? Beautiful
architecture, historical monuments, statues and sculptures, churches and cathedrals? Well,
we are here to help. In this video we will be covering the 14 must-sees that you can
visit while in Tuscany, whether you are staying
for a month or a week, you will be able to fit these
in your itinerary! Before we get into it, let's make sure we
all know what part of Italy we will be discussing today. You may have heard that Tuscany is
‘a nation within a nation.’ This is not only
because Tuscany is the regional capital of Florence and hosts around 3.8 million
inhabitants, but we also have to consider the amount of things it is famous for, like
the fact that it is thought that Tuscany is exactly
where Italian Renaissance commenced. Or that it is
well-known for its delicious and high-quality wines as well as nature and landscapes that
include unbelievable sunflower fields, green fields, beautiful vineyards and much more.
So, if that sounds like your cup of tea, stick
around as we dive into the 14 best places to visit in
Tuscany!
Before we go to #1, make sure to hit that subscribe button for more videos like this
one. And now the first place to see in Tuscany...
Neptune Statue (Florence)
Let’s start with the Neptune Statue. Picture this: you’re wandering around the centre
of Florence, maybe you go for a stroll around
Palazzo Vecchio, and you notice an elegant statue of Neptune which would be impossible
for you to miss out on, by the way. This sculpture is in the centre of a fountain designed
by the Renaissance artist Baccio Bandinelli from the year of 1560 to 1574; however, the
job was assigned to Bartolomeo Ammannati after Bandinelli’s death. It was created
in celebration of the marriage of the second Grand
Duke of Tuscany Francesco de' Medici and Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. As Neptune
is the God of all waters, they decided to depict him in the centre of the fountain to
also highlight the fact that Italy had fresh clean
water available in the city!
Cathedral of Santa Maria del fiore (Florence)
Next up we have the Cathedral of Santa Maria del fiore, also known as the Florence
Cathedral; this is what a lot of people think of first when mentioning Florence. This elegant
and breath-taking cathedral was built in a Gothic style by the Italian architect Arnolfo
di Cambio at the end of the 13th century. It
took around a hundred years of construction and
several architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi and Emilio De Fabris to finalize. We
recommend admiring the cathedral’s exterior design but also make sure to take a walk
inside to fully experience the beauty of this masterpiece. It is also a part of the UNESCO
World Heritage Site and is the biggest brick cathedral ever to have been built.
The leaning tower of Pisa
Okay, we have all seen some amazingly creative photos of tourists leaning against the Pisa
tower or holding it or pushing it or blowing it; we have all been there, but do we know
the history of Pisa or why on earth it’s not
standing up straight?! Well, the answer to that is
simple. The construction just did not go as planned. A poor and unstable foundation
resulted in this gorgeous bell tower to tilt 4 degrees during the construction period in
the 12th century. And we don’t even know who
to blame as the building's exact architect is
unknown. Who would have thought that a very unorganised project would turn into an iconic
tourist attraction?
San Gimignano
Moving on to a more stable and not-so-tilted must-see. The historic centre of San
Gimignano is for the ones out there who enjoy long walks in nature with a little touch of
history as well. This Italian town is full of green rolling hills and terracotta rooftops,
suggesting a true and authentic Italian vacation. In the heart of the city you will be able
to explore medieval architecture such as Duomo
di San Gimignano or Cathedral of San Gimignano, which was originally built in the
10th century! This Renaissance style cathedral is full of paintings by famous artists today,
so make sure to explore it fully and immerse yourself into the member of the UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Val d'orcia
This Tuscan nature preserve seems too good to be true. The magical Val d'Orcia or
Valdorcia is a 600 square kilometre landscape stretching from the South of the Italian city
Siena to Monte Amiata, an ancient volcano also known as Amiata Mountain; it can be
spotted clearly on sunny days even from as far as 80 kilometres. In the year of 2004,
Val d'Orcia was also added to the list of UNESCO’s
World Heritage Sites. This incredible location has been featured in many films such
as the Italian classic 8½ by Federico Fellini as well as the 1996 Anthony Minghella film
The English Patient!
Piazza del campo (Siena)
Now let’s talk about the city of Siena. Here you will be able to find one of the greatest
medieval squares, Piazza del campo. This 13th century piazza has a brick pavement
divided into nine different parts which can be clearly seen when looking from above. These
sections are thought to be a nod to the rule of Noveschi, Italian for The Nine, which was
an oligarchy ruling the city of Siena in 13th-14th
centuries. This piazza is a must-see when visiting Tuscany, especially from the bell
tower in order to experience the full view.
Volterra
Another exceptional town in the southwest of Florence is known as Volterra. It is known
for its Medieval, Roman and Etruscan architecture
at the same time. The list of sightseeing ideas is endless, there is something for everyone!
Let’s start from the Volterra Cathedral which is a Roman Catholic church built in
the 9th century. However, it was destroyed in the
year of 1114 and rebuilt in dedication to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. We also
recommend visiting Teatro romano di Volterra which was discovered after the 1950s
archaeological excavations but dates back to the 1st century BC. This Roman theatre
has the power to transport you through time without
a time-machine. You might also want to take a stroll through the Piazza dei Priori
where you can also admire the Palazzo dei Priori,
or maybe even visit the Etruscan tombs or the Medicean Fortress. We could go on forever,
but let’s move on to Ponte Vecchio.
Ponte Vecchio (Florence)
Ponte Vecchio, located in beautiful Florence, means Old Bridge in Italian. It is a medieval
arch-bridge built using stone which goes over the river Arno. Unfortunately, the exact date
of its construction is unknown, however, we do know that this beautiful 30-metre bridge
has been swept away multiple times by heavy floods.
It was also the only bridge over this river in Florence until the year of 1218. Ponte
Vecchio suggests a beautifully colorful and characteristic view for pictures, so don’t
forget your cameras, or phones!
Lucca
Next we have this medieval city going by the name of Lucca, which is the capital of the
province of Lucca. This central Italian town offers squares, palaces, museums, churches,
and much more to visit! But one of the things it is most known for is its Renaissance-era
city walls as they have remained intact since its
creation. It acted as a surrounding gate for the
city. You might recognize it from Episode 3, Season 17 of the British motoring TV
programme Top Gear.
Montepulciano
Now moving onto another hilly town of southern Tuscany, Montepulciano. It is one of the
most popular wine producers in the whole of Italy; you may have heard of red wines
Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. You can even book a tour around
some vineyards and immerse yourself in the beauty of winemaking. Apart from vineyards
and grapes, you can also admire some great architecture such as Palazzo Comunale, the
City Hall, the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral built at the end of the 16th century or a
Baroque church called Santa Lucia designed by a famous Italian architect Flaminio del
Turco.
Arezzo
We’re getting closer to the end of our list but stick around to discover more about Arezzo,
which was believed to be one of the 12 most important Etruscan cities. The reason this
might be true is the fact that it is the home for many Etruscan remains, such as the Etruscan
Hill of the Sun necropolis which is a graveyard with large, specially designed tombs. Arezzo
is also where the two famous bronzes known as Chimera of Arezzo and the Minerva were
found; they were discovered in the 16th century but date back to the 4th and 5th centuries
BC. And here’s a little fun fact; the iconic Roberto Benigni film Life Is Beautiful (La
vita è bella) was shot in Arezzo in 1997.
Populonia
Another very important medieval hill-town of Italy that helped us discover the Etruscans
is this commune of Populonia. It dates back to
the 9th century BC and like Arezzo, is one of
the 12 most important Etruscan towns that has a harbour, as it’s a coastal commune.
An Italian doctor and archaeologist called Isidoro
Falchi discovered one of the main Etruscan Necropolises here. This beautiful Italian
town hosts guests at their Archaeological Park
where you can see Etruscan tombs on a tour and travel through history. It's quite a hike,
so remember to stay hydrated while on your crazy
adventure!
Uffizi (Florence)
If you are an art-lover, Uffizi should be your number one destination when visiting
Florence. This gallery is the home to some of the biggest
and greatest Italian artists’ works such as:
Botticelli's Birth of Venus, The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo's Holy
Family and the High Renaissance, Rembrandt Portraits, and much more! However, it
preserves works by foreign painters and sculptors as well. You might be surprised to
discover that everything you see in the Uffizi gallery is a collection that belongs to the
Medici family, a political dynasty from 15th century Italy. Also note that, last minute
tickets are very hard to find so we recommend pre-planning
your visit!
Viareggio
And we have reached our final destination; this is Viareggio. A coastal city, which is
breathtakingly beautiful with its blue skies and crystal clear water. Apart from it being
one of the most magical sea resorts to spend all
your days layed out in the sun of warm Italy, it is
also famous for its annual carnival, which has been a tradition since the year of 1873
and is held over an entire month. The Burlamacco
is a mascot of this carnival as well as Viareggio itself. It’s a clown-like character that
symbolizes the Italian ‘commedia dell'arte’ characters.
At this carnival you will enjoy one of the most colorful parades of all, which is full
of floats, flowers and other characters like Burlamacco.
This is definitely something that you have to
experience at least once in your lifetime! So, don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself
in the festivities of this coastal town.
We are now approaching the end of our video. We really hope we inspired you to visit
Tuscany and experience the never-ending opportunities it offers. Let us know down below
which attraction or town you are most excited to visit and why? Thank you for watching!