Destinations

	Name	Description
	AMALFI COAST	Breath-taking seascapes and chic resorts have made the Amalfi Coast an extremely popular destination. Fine accommodation possibilities exist in Positano, Praiano and Ravello and it is virtually impossible to have a less than memorable meal with delicious local seafood, fruit and produce in abundance. Shops are brimming with bargains in beachwear, fashion, ceramics, cameos and coral. Pompeii, Capri, Oplontis and Paestum all make interesting excursions.
	AREZZO and surroundings	The least well-known of Tuscan cities but increasingly popular thanks to Life is Beautiful which was filmed here. The medieval heart of the city is magnificently preserved and so dramatically illuminated at night as to seem a stage set. Art lovers come for the magnificent frescoes of Piero della Francesca in the Church of San Francesco. Arezzo is also a perfect base for exploring the rest of the Piero della Francesca Trail to Monterchi and Sansepolcro. Proximity to the famous designer outlets of Southern Tuscany keeps shoppers happy…as does the abundance of bargain-priced gold and jewelry. Antique hunters from all over Italy come for the monthly outdoor Antique Fairs but the galleries and shops are brimming with tresures at any time. Visits to the nearby Castle of Poppi and the Casentino countryside are a popular diversion. Hotels are intimate and boutique-style. There is an abundance of fine restaurants. For a more rustic interlude, there are charming agriturismi - working farms which host guests - in the surrounding countryside.
	CHIANTI VALLEY	Quite simply the most magnificent scenery in Italy. Endless rolling hills covered with vines, slopes festooned with silvery olive groves, cypress trees like sentinels. Dozens of castles and monasteries, as well as charming picture-postcard villages, compete for the visitor's attention. As does the good life of long lazy lunches under an arbor, wine tastings and aimless hikes in the countryside. The perfect counterpoint to a city-stay, two nights or more in the splendid lodgings available in the Chianti rejuvenate not only mind and body but also the soul! This is the Tuscany of your dreams...
	CORTONA and surroundings	Made famous by Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona is deserving of its reputation for charm and beauty. A day can easily be spent discovering its treasures. Nearby are the Lake of Trasimeno, the Umbrian towns of Perugia, Deruta and Assisi. Siena is less than an hour away. As well as a stunning in-town accommodation option, there are world-class country estate hotels in the surrounding area.
	FLORENCE and surroundings	Undoubtedly, this Queen of the Renaissance and art city supreme is the most popular destination in the region. No tour is complete without a two-night - and preferably three- or four-night stay. The museums are incomparable. Among them, the Accademia - where is housed Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizi - greatest storehouse of Renaissance art in the world and the Palazzo Pitti - where great art and sumptuous interiors combine. Each deserves a visit of several hours. Shopping is world-class with all major Italian designers represented and good bargains on leather and gold. Accommodations and restaurants are of uniformly high standard. For those wishing the proximity of Florence but a bit of remove from big city bustle, Artimino and Montespertoli both offer lovely accommodation possibilities.
	LAKE DISTRICT	The Grand Tourists - led by Caroline of Brunswick and the Bonapartes - may have initiated the vogue for holidays at Lago di Como but modern-day visitors are more apt to be following in the footsteps of George Clooney and Donatella Versace as they descend in droves upon this magnificent alpine wonderland of snow-capped mountains and fjords. From one of the world's finest hotels, the Villa d'Este, to delightfully charming pensioni, memorable accommodation possibilities abound. Great bargains on silk, one of the largest outlet malls in Europe, an outstanding golf course at Villa d'Este, the proximity of Switzerland (Lugano is just 30 minutes away), the art treasures of Villa Carlotta and the charm of Bellagio are all powerful draws. As many Tuscany travelers opt for the gateway of Milano Malpensa International Airport (MXP) just a short distance away, a stay at the lake is the perfect beginning or end of a holiday.
	LUCCA and surroundings	Lucca has been quietly rich and elegant for centuries - and quite happy to be off the traditional tourist path. Now the new darling of Tuscany aficionados, the City of Puccini offers an excellent cultural life, gastronomy of the highest order, elegant lodgings and a refined lifestyle. There is no shortage of magnificent sites to be seen including the Duomo di San Martino and one of the world’s best preserved 16th century city walls. For those wishing to immerse themselves in the Tuscan lifestyle, Lucca offers the most traditional version with caffes and piazzas brimming with Lucchesi enjoying the high life! The country villas in the surrounding hills are amongst the most beautiful in Italy including the spectacular Villa Torrigiani. Lucca is also an ideal base for visiting Pisa, the marble quarries of Carrara, the artists’ village of Pietrasanta and the spa of Montecatini - all within 30 minutes drive. Camaiore in the surrounding countryside hosts a charming accommodation option for those wishing proximity but in a rustic atmosphere.
	MONTEPULCIANO	Wine connoisseurs in search of the perfect Vino Nobile make their way to this charming hill-top town with the reverent air of pilgrims. With easy access to the superb - almost lunar - scenary of the clay hills of the Crete Senesi, the delightful Renaissance city of Pienza, the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo - where still can be heard the Gregorian chants of the Benedictine monks - the gorgeous frescoes of Sodoma and Signorelli at Monte Oliveto and the wine village of Montalcino - home of renowned Brunello - Montepulciano makes a convenient base. Despite great highway connections and easy driving conditions, this delightful walled town still preserves an off-the-beaten-track feel. Less touristic than many of the other art towns in the region, visitors to Montepulciano gain a truer picture of authentic Italian life.
	PIETRASANTA	Artists in search of inspiration have flocked to this picturesque village of stone-cutters for generations. The proximity of the breath-taking mountains and marble quarries of Carrara, the glittering seacoast of Versilia and the treasures of Pisa and Lucca all contribute to the magic of the place and make Pietrasanta an ideal base. Some truly exceptional accommodations, superb cuisine and world-class art galleries add to the attraction.
	PISA	They come in the thousands every day to view the world’s most famous tower but Pisa offers much, much more. At one time, amongst the richest ports in the world, vestiges of past wealth are everywhere. Notable sights include the splendid Piazza del Cavalieri, the Duomo and the magnificent Baptistery. As a base, Pisa affords easy connections with the Versila Coast, Pietrasanta, Carrara and Lucca.
	ROME	*Caput Mundi,! As center of the ancient world, seat of the Popes and treasure-trove of Renaissance and Baroque art, the Eternal City* certainly needs no introduction. With a convenient air gateway at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO), many Tuscany travelers will begin or end their holiday in Rome and - whether a first-time or multiple visitor - the art and beauty of this city beckon like a siren song. Particularly for self-drive holidays, a couple of days stay before the driving portion begins is highly recommendable. However, the vibrant cultural life of Rome, world-class hostelries and restaurants, superb shopping and endless touring possibilities will keep most visitors unsatisfied with anything less than a three-night stay.
	SAN GIMIGNANO	Within a short drive of the Chianti Country and offering the same magnificent setting and touring possibilities, San Gimignano can boast easy connections to Siena and Florence (both less than an hour away) and the tremendous charm of a perfectly-preserved medieval village. Invaded by the masses by day, when the last tour bus leaves and the village is virtually yours, it is easy to imagine you have stumbled into the 13th century. Rendered famous by Tea With Mussolini, San Gimignano does not disappoint for charm and atmosphere. Shopping is great - particularly for ceramics and olive wood. Restaurants are rustic and authentic. Lodgings are good quality and highly atmospheric.
	SIENA and surroundings	Just an hour from Florence yet a world apart, Siena is sophisticated and elegant. There are few places in the world with a more manifest sense of self than Siena. The Sienese simply adore their prosperous, well-tended town and it shows. Visitors come for the magnificent marble Duomo, the impressive Town Hall and the Sienese Masters in the Pinacoteca. But it is really atmosphere which is the major attraction. An evening spent dining al fresco on the central Piazza del Campo provides a life-long memory, Shopping is great - particularly for ceramics and antiques. Accommodations are excellent. In the nearby area, superb lodging options can be found at Borgo la Bagnaia, Monteriggioni, Montalcino and Castelnuovo Berardenga. Siena can also be a great base for excursions into the Chianti County to the North and the other-wordly beautiful Crete Senesi to the South.
	TUSCAN COAST	The beaches of Tuscany are amongst the most attractive in Europe. From the dramatic rocky cliffs and narrow coves of Porto Ercole and Punta Ala to the wide stretches of golden sand at Viareggio, there truly is something for every taste. The jet-set is well-catered for in renowned properties like the Pellicano and the Cala del Porto resorts while the latest project of celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, the Andana - a masterfully-restored lodge of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany outside of Castiglione della Pescaia - has the cognoscenti buzzing. Further north is the elegant Forte dei Marmi which - with its grand hotels and beautiful shops - is a perennial favorite of well-heeled Florentines. Naturists are catered for with seven nude beaches. The GLBT crowd flocks to Torre del Lago - dubbed the Italian Ibiza - where charming B&Bs and a vibrant nightlife are powerful draws. Sporting activists are catered for with horse-riding, tennis, golf and a wide range of water sports readily available all along the coast. Sailing enthusiasts truly enjoy the excursions out to the Tuscan Islands of Giannutri, Giglio and Monte Cristo available from several points along the coast.
	TUSCAN MAREMMA	Deep in the southernmost reaches of the region, this land of untamed marshlands and dramatic terrain is largely unknown to any but the most avid Tuscany explorers. However, with the advent of agriturismo , more and more intrepid travelers are dicovering the natural wonders of this area while enjoying simple rustic living and lodging on these working wine estates and farms. For the more sybartic, glamourous world-famous coastal resorts like Porto Ercole and Punta Ala never fail to enchant. Increasingly popular spa tourism also brings a steady stream of holiday-makers to the beautiful thermal spa town of Saturnia. With high quality accommodations, gourmet restaurants, Etruscan archaeological sites and the stunning towns of Pitigliano and Sorano - dramatically positioned atop shear-sided volcanic buttes - all nearby, the Maremma makes an ideal base for a delightful interlude.
	TUSCAN MUGELLO	This area of rolling hills, vineyards and picturesque valleys lies a few minutes to the Northeast of Florence but in atmosphere is truly a world away. More rustic, virtually unspoiled and less trafficked than just about anywhere in Tuscany, the Mugello was discovered by the Medici princes themselves. Lured by the beauty and serenity of this landscape, they built many summer retreats and hunting lodges here. While there are charming picturesque villages to explore and the proximity of Florence's attractions, the visitor to this area is usually content to stay put and enjoy the fine accommodations - usually converted historic lodges and villas - the hearty rustic cuisine and the simple small-town life.
	TUSCAN SPA TOWNS	The ancient Romans - and the Etruscans before them - discovered the benefit of soaking and bathing in the mineral-rich thermal waters of the hundreds of sources spread around volcanic Tuscany. Indeed, they coined the word SPA for the Latin words Salus Per Acquam or Health through Water. Modern-day Tuscans honor the tradition religiously in dozens of beautiful spa towns throughout the region. For elegance and a sedate ambience to rival Baden-Baden, the crowned heads and well-healed flock to Montecatini midway between Lucca and Florence. Nearby, in Monsummano, thermal bathing is combined with one of the most unique spa experiences anywhere - inhalation and heat treatments in the natural sauna of a stalagtite cave hundreds of feet underground. The Grotta Giusti was a favorite of Verdi and Garibaldi and today boasts a de luxe spa and hotel complex. Equally de luxe is the facilty at Saturnia in the southern area of Maremma. Nearby are the Cascate del Gorello where bathers soak in naturally-hewn limestone tubs through which crash the waterfalls of a thermal stream in a sort of natural jacuzzi! At San Casciano dei Bagni, a former Medici retreat has been converted into the magnificent state-of-the-art Fonteverde Spa and Hotel. For the best of both spa worlds, the Villa Undulna in Forte dei Marmi offer's Italy's only thermal sea water spa.
	VENICE	Simply the most unique city in the Western World, Venice offers romance, elegance, history, tradition and beauty all in equal measure. With increased international air service at Marco Polo International Airport (VCE), many Tuscany travelers may opt to make Venice a gateway for their holiday and - whether a first-time or multiple visitor - few can or should resist the temptation of a stay in the glorious Serenissima. New high-speed Eurostar train service connects Venice to Florence several times a day in just under 4 hours.
	VERSILIA COAST	Centered around the Art Nouveau jewel of Viareggio and an easy drive to the art treasures of Pisa, Carrara and Lucca, the Versilia Coast is enjoying renewed popularity as a resort destination. Lavish bathing establishments and grand hotels were established here at the turn of the century due to the then new vogue for therapeutic saltwater bathing, the warm waters, flat sandy beaches and mild weather conditions. After some decades of decline, in the late nineties, the major restoration of several important properties - including the chic Principe di Piemonte - spurred a return to popularity for this area. Spearheaded by the gay community's adoption of Torre del Lago as its own, the Versilia has now become trendy and fashionable.