A SUMMER IN TUSCANY

A DREAM DESTINATION, BETTER THAN YOU IMAGINED

Gentle sceneries of rolling hills, cereal fields and vineyards, medieval villages, wealthy cities, the best antique art, unique flavours ... It is not surprising that the Tuscany has been a film set on numerous occasions and is one of the favourite areas to do a long-term trip. A region that, when you walk through it, you realize that it is just as you imagined it, or even better.

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SIENA

Siena is another of the important cities of the Tuscany, with a well-preserved medieval historic center declared as a World Heritage Site.It currently looks a lot like it was between the 12th and 15th centuries, with a Gothic appearance that stands out in monuments such as the Piazza del Campo or the Cathedral, which museum is home to the famous Madonna made by Duccio di Buoninsegna. Other places of interest are Palazzo Pubblico, Palazzo Salimbeni, Palazzo Piccolomini and Fortezza Medicia.

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Pisa

Pisa is widely known for its unique 58.36 meters high leaning tower, from the 12th century, but in the city there are many more monuments of interest. In the walled Piazza dei Miracoli, declared a World Heritage Site, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Campo Santo, masterpieces of medieval architecture, stand out as well. Lucca is another beautiful city in Tuscany that preserves its medieval walls practically unaltered, since they were not attacked. Its old town is also a trip to the Middle Ages. Here we find the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, the Cathedral of San Martín, the Church of San Miguel in Foro, the Clock Tower or the

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San Gimignano

Beyond the big cities, the Tuscany invites you to explore its landscapes of rolling hills, cereal fields and vineyards and to stop in some of its villages, which are really charming. In the province of Siena, San Gimignano seduces with its slender medieval towers, which offer good views of the Tuscan countryside and are the most representative of its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site.

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Montepulciano

Other villages that are worth visiting in Tuscany are Montepulciano and its medieval and Renaissance combination, which stands out for its Duomo or Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Town Hall and the nearby sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio, Monterrigioni with its almost perfect circular enclosure and its fourteen towers; Pienza, which is the smallest Renaissance city in the world, Montefioralle, typically medieval, and Montalcino with its picturesque walls and its Fortress, known as the Rock.

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Volterra

Volterra is a town in the province of Pisa and is a benchmark in the region as a witness to the passage of the various Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance periods. It stands over a hill, surrounded by an Etruscan wall and surrounded by a very suggestive landscape. Visit also the narrow streets, the tower houses, the Porta all'Arco, the remains of the necropolis, the Cathedral and the Piazza dei Priori.

<strong>La Toscana Patrimonio Natural</strong>

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TUSCAN NATURAL HERITAGE

The characteristic landscape of Tuscany is represented by rolling hills with cypresses, cereal fields and vineyards. The Orcia Valley, a wide valley in the province of Siena with sweet and cultivated hills stands out, as well as the Chianti Valley and its long wine tradition. But the Tuscan area, which extends from the north in the Tyrrhenian Sea to the central Apennines, is home to other less known, but very interesting and varied natural spaces, beaches such as Versilia, islands such as Elba or Capraia, the Baratti Gulf and the Orbetello Lagoon.

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TRADITIONS AND FESTIVITIES IN THE TUSCANY

In Tuscany, many cultural, religious and folkloric festivities are held throughout the year, which are the perfect excuse to travel to the region and learn about the way of life and customs of its inhabitants. The highlights are the Carnival of Viareggio, the Scoppio del Caro on Easter Sunday in Florence, the Calcio in Costumbre (a sort of football match with medieval clothes) in Florence, the Palio de Siena or the Justa del Sarraceno in Arezzo.

<strong>Gastronomía de La Toscana</strong>

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TUSCAN GASTRONOMY

The Tuscan gastronomy is based in simplicity, quality and tradition, using ingredients such as bread, vegetables, cheese, olive oil, vegetables, meat, mushrooms and fruit. While in Italy, pasta is present in many foods, the Tuscany offers many other dishes that are worth trying, such as crostini di fegatini (liver toast), ribollita (white bean soup, cabbage and tomato), pappardelle (wide noodles), panzanella (bread wet with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, basil, vinegar salt and pepper) and Florentine steak or cacciucco (fish soup typical of Livorno). As for the desserts, try cantucci of Prato (biscuits or almond cookies that are taken with wine); castagnaccio or pattona, made with chestnut flour, pine nuts, walnuts, raisins, orange peel and rosemary; the biscottini of Prato; or the copate, a Siena typical nougat. There is nothing better to drink than a good wine from the region, such as those from Chianti, Brunello or Maremma.

<strong>La Toscana donde dormir</strong>

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WHERE TO SLEEP IN TUSCANY

Beautiful landscapes, historical cities, medieval villages, Renaissance works, popular gastronomy... this is the Tuscany, just as you imagine it. Rusticae has two charming hotels so you can enjoy this special territory to the fullest and rest in very special places. Borgo Pignano is a 18th century Italian villa in the province of Pisa, near Volterra and San Gimignano, with breathtaking views. And Palazzetto Rosso is housed in a magnificent 13th century palace in the historic center of Siena, with a mixture of antiques and modern design.

Also Rusticae