Monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
By TuscanyVillages at July 6, 2011 | 1:29 pm | 0 Comment
The 14th century Monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, well-known for its medieval frescoes by the artists Luca Signorelli and Il Sodoma, is an excellent excursion from Siena.
Massa
By TuscanyVillages at July 6, 2011 | 12:46 pm | 0 Comment
Massa Carrara’s lesser known neighbour, Massa is the administrative center of the province of Massa-Carrara. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, Massa was the capital of the independent duchy of Massa and Carrara ruled by the Malaspina and the Cybo-Malaspina families. Many buildings remain from this important period of Massa’s history.
Cortona
By TuscanyVillages at June 23, 2010 | 4:35 pm | 0 Comment
Cortona was known as the quintessential Tuscan hill town well before Frances Mayes’ book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun, placed it on the map for many tourists. With commanding views of the countryside and works by Renaissance masters, including the native painter Luca Signorelli, Cortona continues to enchant visitors with its rustic charm.
Lucca
By TuscanyVillages at June 17, 2010 | 10:56 pm | 0 Comment
Lucca’s well preserved Renaissance buildings and walls are a testament to the long periods of peace in the city’s past. Founded as an Etruscan city, Lucca became a successful independent republic in the Middle Ages.
Carrara
By TuscanyVillages at June 5, 2010 | 12:41 pm | 0 Comment
Carrara is the home of one of the world’s most famous marble quarries, located in the foothills of the Apuane Alps dominating the town center.
Florence (Firenze)
By TuscanyVillages at May 31, 2010 | 6:01 pm | 0 Comment
Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance and the undisputed art capital of Italy, offers a wealth of world-class art and architecture like no other city. With so much history to discover, the following is a list of some of the top artistic sites to help you begin planning your trip to Florence.
Vinci
By TuscanyVillages at May 31, 2010 | 11:28 am | 0 Comment
Known today as the birthplace of the master Renaissance artist, scientist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, the town’s museum and the house of Leonardo’s birth attracts many visitors every year.
Pisa
By TuscanyVillages at May 25, 2010 | 11:59 pm | 0 Comment
From the 11th to the 13th centuries, Pisa was a major maritime Republic, competing with the likes of Venice, Genoa and Amalfi. The city began to decline after a defeat by rival Genoa in 1284, and it never quite recovered its medieval glory.
Arezzo
By TuscanyVillages at May 25, 2010 | 2:53 pm | 0 Comment
Originally one of the most important Etruscan cities, and later a flourishing Roman city, today Arezzo is the capital of the province of Arezzo in Tuscany. While the city was heavily bombed during World War II, a visit to the birthplace of the Renaissance poet Petrarch offers both architectural and artistic highlights.
