Wonderful Tuscany
Tuscany is, without doubt, the protagonist of the world’s most renowned panoramas. Visiting Tuscany means experiencing history and emerging oneself in the harmonious beauty of nature, surrounded by the age-old presence of man. Casentino is a magical valley, just a few kilometres from Florence, Siena, Cortona and Arezzo, which contains the unspoilt natural beauty of the Casentino Forest National Park.
In it you will find; the spirituality and mysticism of sacred places such as La Verna and Camaldoli, where you can feel the breath of divine life; some of the most beautiful castles, churches and villages in Italy, which enable you to experience history; and the chance to go shopping for local artisan and gastronomic products or for high end fashion items.
FIRENZE
FIRENZE
Florence, as well as being the capital of Tuscany, is universally known as one of the birthplaces of art and architecture, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Arriving in Florence, the glowing landscape that surrounds the city invites you to travel through its hills, to discover wonderful places full of history and tradition.
‘Casentino’, ‘Val di Chiana’ and ‘Senese’ are some of the most characteristic valleys that surround Florence and this itinerary will lead you to discover their neighbourhoods.
POPPI
POPPI
Poppi ‘is’ Tuscany - “ Pupium agri Clusentini caput” is written on Vasari’s fresco in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. It is an alternate Tuscany: Casentino, land of castles and Romanesque churches, Dante inspired places and Della Robbia terracotta reliefs, where the imprint of medieval times remains ever strong.
In the ‘giglio’ (the Florentine symbol) area of Tuscany there is Florentine geometric, harmonious and Renaissance elegance, however, in these parts, where the river Arno runs through the passage between the Apennine Mountains, near the border with Romagna, everything is more sombre, feudal, forest filled and mysterious.
AREZZO
AREZZO
Arezzo is the capital, and episcopal seat, of the province of Arezzo in the region of Tuscany. Its most successful period was in the 11th century when the municipal institutions rose up to stop the power of the count-bishops. At the end of the 14th century, falling prey to the venture capitalists, it was permanently incorporated into the Florentine state (1384). Between the two dates, the city had a successful period of wars against Florence and Siena.
The city of Arezzo (‘Arretium’) was initially an important Etruscan settlement located in the area between the church, cathedral and fortress, it then became a Roman town with an inhabited area stretching out towards the plains, expanding the original walls. It is the Etruscan-Roman walls that encircled the city, which now run along via Garibaldi, that pay testimony to this period of history.
CORTONA
CORTONA
Cortona is a small but attractive traditional Tuscan town in the province of Arezzo, located on an imposing hill with a view over Lake Trasimeno. Its Cyclopean walls reveal the town’s Etruscan origins. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria. There are many things to see there; in addition to the ‘Duomo’, there are beautiful churches such as ‘Santa Maria’ and the ‘Oratorio di San Francesco’, passing through the historic square of ‘Piazza della Repubblica’ you can visit ‘Palazzo comunale’ and then ‘Palazzo Casali’ in ‘Piazza Signorelli’.
SIENA
SIENA
The city is universally renowned for its artistic heritage and for the substantial stylistic unity of its medieval urban architecture, not least for its famous ‘Palio’; the historic centre has indeed been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As soon as you set foot in this beautiful city, the first thing you’ll see is ‘Piazza del Campo’, which still today holds the famous ‘Palio’ twice a year, and also contains ‘Palazzo Pubblico’ and the ‘Torre del Mangia’ tower.
