The art and culture of Florence, San Gimignano, and Monteriggioni, and the wines of Chianti.
Florence boasts an artistic and cultural heritage of inestimable value. The imposing dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, designed by Brunelleschi, has become one of the symbols of the city, as has the adjacent bell tower realized by Giotto.
Palazzo Vecchio dominates the Piazza della Signoria, the administrative center of Florence. Right next door lies the Uffizi Gallery, the museum which contains works by all the most important artists of the Italian renaissance. A succession of museums, historic residences, and churches line the streets of Florence. This is where to find the Academia Gallery, the Spedale degli Innocenti'', and the Churches of Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Maria del Carmine and Orsanmichele'''.
Just on the outskirts of Florence, perched on the hillside overlooking the great Tuscan capital, lies the small town of Fiesole, home to the Bandini Museum and an impressive collection of artworks in terracotta by the Della Robbia brothers. The Badia of Fiesole, built on the site of an ancient acropolis, is more than worthy of visit. From the Gothic church with its fabulous Tuscan Romanesque façade visitors access a series of peaceful cloisters.
The Villa of Poggio a Caiano is, arguably, the most beautiful of the Medici Villas. Commissioned by Lorenzo il Magnifico, the building was inaugurated in 1480. The sumptuous rooms of the villa are adorned with masterpieces by artists such as Andrea del Sarto, Filippino Lippi, Pontormo and Alessandro Allori. The family chapel was designed by none other than the great Giorgio Vasari.
A few kilometers away lies the town of Vinci, an obligatory port of call for those wishing to pay homage to the undisputed genius of the Italian renaissance: Leonardo. In the 13th century Castle of the Counts Guidi, visitors can admire the instruments and machines invented by the Maestro. Travelling towards Tuscany's much loved Chianti region, we come to the old town of San Casciano Val di Pesa where to visit the Church of Santa Maria del Prato in which a crucifix by Simone Martini is conserved.
Rolling hills, lines of cypress trees, ancient farmsteads, and a patchwork of vineyards and olive groves characterise the countryside of the Val d'Elsa. This is where we find San Gimignano, the medieval town famous for its incredible number of towers, of which 13 remain intact.
Proceeding towards the coast we come to Volterra, a town founded by the Etruscans. The "balze" of Volterra, between the valleys of Elsa and Cecina, represent one of the largest alabaster deposits in Italy, and the semi-translucent stone has been quarried here for centuries. To this very day, the alabaster is crafted and sold in the little workshops and boutiques which line the streets of the historic center of Volterra. Right in the heart of the town there is the piazza dominated by the Palazzo dei Priori, a magnificent building dating back to the medieval era.
Monteriggioni is situated in the heart of the Crete Senesi. A fortified outpost constructed to protect the ancient Via Cassia/Francigena thoroughfare, Monteriggioni was mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy, in which he refers to the medieval stronghold as the "cerchia tonda".
Travelling along the Via Chiantigiana, visitors have the opportunity to explore any number of picturesque villages and hilltop towns all of which situated in the proximity of the ancient road. Castellina is one such town, after which comes Gaiole and nearby, the Badia di Coltibuono, where legend has it, the great wine producing tradition of the high Chianti was born. Here, what was once an 11th century monastery, now houses one of the region's most famous wineries. Travelling further in to Tuscan wine-making territory and the land of the Gallo Nero, we come to Greve where, each September, an important wine show is held.
