An enchanting land blessed by the genius of Man and Nature, and sometimes by the combined efforts of the both
TUSCANY
Tuscany
is one of the best known Italian regions and its importance not only
comes from the gastronomical and natural heritage it have given us but
also because it is the cradle of Italian language, our culture and
native land of great artists of all kind.The Tuscan territory is not completely homogeneous. On the contrary it can change completely from a place to another. The countryside near Grosseto and Florence is a poetry of sweet hills, yards of scented vines, green meadows, medieval villages and solitary fortresses. Sienese ground has got such a univocal and characteristic color that its clay land give the name to the "burnt sienna" color.
Tuscany is a place to visit throughout the year. Its beauty and the hospitality it offers can widely satisfy the most demanding requests. If you think about a holiday in Tuscany imagine to relax immersed into the thermal waters of Chainciano Terme or San Casciano (near Siena) or with some friends tasting a succulent Florentine steak with a glass of Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino after a healthy ride in the Tuscan countryside on a horseback.
TUSCANY - countryside: copyright by www.bgphotographyandvideo.com
ART AND CULTURE
The first inhabitants of this land were the Etruscans and most of our knowledge regarding their civilization comes from archaeological findings discovered in the whole region, across the Apennines and in the surrounding areas.
The Romans subdued the land in the mid-4th century B.C. and after the decline of the Roman Empire the area became a Lombard territory. Eventually it became part of the papacy kingdom causing many conflicts between the state and church and their supporters: the Guelph (pro-papal) and Ghibelline (pro-imperial).
During the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance, Tuscany became one of the most important center for the arts and of learning; the local spoken language became the literary language of the Country thanks to masters such as Dante Alighieri ("The Divine Commedy"), Petrarch (the father of the Italian sonnet), and Boccaccio. Their masterpieces deeply branded the Italian literature as much as the world one and they are still considered great works to be taught to youngsters.
Important schools of architecture, painting and sculpture were developed since the 11th century in many cities such as Florence, Arezzo, Pisa and Siena and under the Medici family Tuscany became in 1570 a powerful political and economic duchy.
The Tuscan glorious past is still tangible in its buildings scattered all over the region ,in the small medieval villages such as San Gimignano (the town of towers) and in the traditional festivals and the folkloristic celebrations.
Despite the changes brought by the industrial revolution, Tuscany in its whole has strongly struggled to keep alive its identity.
Craftsmen skills are still handed on from father to son so that, in addition to the local Tuscan handicrafts (as for example the beautiful jewelry made of quartz or amethyst ) the working craft communities exploited their skills to create a more accessible and fruitful local industry such as jewelry making on the outskirts of Arezzo, shoes and fabrics around Prato, the famous pieces of furniture in Poggibonsi and the precious and well known marble works from Carrara.
THINGS TO DO
A part from relaxing days completely immersed into Nature every single Tuscan town offer you a seat of festivals, fairs, tournaments, shows. Real recalls from the past can be relished in Arezzo during La giostra del Saracino (the Saracino Tournament), the famous Palio di Siena in the homonymous city, the game "Calcio in Costume" in the Santa Croce square in Florence and the San Giminiano event "Santa Fina's Knights".