Tuscany

Art and culture of Tuscany have characterized those of Italy and the western world: the region of Tuscany was the heart of Italian literature, here were born and lived the great poets Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio, just to name a few.

But the greatest splendor achieved by Tuscany was seen under the reign of the De Medici family, in the period that corresponds to the so-called Renaissance, a historical era characterized by a real cult of the arts that has invested the whole of Italy and that has seen the alternation of sublime artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael, Titian. A real temple and great testimony of the Renaissance (and not only) is the Uffizi Gallery, located in Florence, one of the most famous and important museums in the world.

Tuscany, like every region of Italy, has a great culinary tradition, based on preparations that have remained unchanged for years.

One of the typical foods of Tuscany is bread, strictly without salt. Its importance in Tuscan cuisine is demonstrated by the presence of recipes such as ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, which see it as the absolute protagonist.

Other protagonists of Tuscan cuisine are the meats, used for cold cuts and sausages, such as finocchiona or the famous lard of Colonnata, but also game and, of course, the famous Florentine steak.

When talking about food and flavours of Tuscany, we must mention its great wine production, which includes some of the best wines in the world: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, San Gimignano and Vinsanto.

Listing places and tours of Tuscany is a difficult task: the things to see are many and all beautiful.

Museums, churches and monuments are everywhere, just think of the beautiful cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with the beautiful dome of Brunelleschi, or the Tower of Pisa, whose inclination has made it famous throughout the world.

But in the beautiful Tuscany there are also a number of natural attractions, such as the lagoon of Orbetello and Val d'Orcia, which host nature reserves, and routes and itineraries that cross them. Among others, in Tuscany there is part of the Via Francigena.

The history of Tuscany is rich and important. This region was at the centre of the western world during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, glorious epochs that characterized the territory and its people to the point of giving life to traditional aspects that still survive today: just think of the famous Palio di Siena or the historical Florentine football.

The cult for traditions in Tuscany has continued over the years and other traditions have developed in the years to come, one of the most famous is the Carnival of Viareggio, one of the most important carnivals in Italy.