Hotels in Tuscany, Italy

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Tuscany

To many people, Tuscany is the romantic epitomy of Italy - the land of rolling hills, medieval castles, villas and vineyards, not to mention the epicentre of the Rennaissance.

It was here that the rebirth of the arts flourished in a way not seen since and Tuscany’s cities, notably Florence, Siena and Pisa, were the force behind the flowering of this creative eruption.

The end result is that Tuscany is unrivalled as a cradle of all-time art, with more World heritage sites than any other place on earth. Truly an amazing feat for a region less than 23,000 sq km in size.

One can find examples of every age and style: from the Etruscan civilization (Fiesole, Chiusi, Volterra, Populonia) to Roman monuments and ruins; from the Romanesque architecture to the impressive Gothic cathedrals, and, of course, to the exceptional artistic explosion of the Renaissance.

Our selection of boutique hotels in Tuscany and romantic hotels in Tuscany highlight this beauty and help make any stay here even more special.

The one drawback to all this is the mass tourism it brings with it and the accompanying commercialism. But hidden away throughout Tuscany are some beautiful little towns where the character still remains true to itself, notably Volterra and Massa Marítima.

Gastronomy The main characteristic of Tuscan cooking is its healthy balance. Being Mediterranean in flavour and style, ingredients such as Olive oil, pasta, fish and first choice meat take pride of place. These are basic ingredients that are simply cooked and retain their original goodness and freshness.

History Though Tuscany goes back to the Bronze Age - its name is taken from the Etruscan civilization, which settled in the area around 1000 BC - this former grand duchy is indelibly linked to the Medicis, who ruled it until 1737, and the renaissance they helped foster from the 14th century onwards.

It was the works of Dante, one of Tuscany’s most famous sons, Petrach and Boccaccio that helped kick start this unparalleled movement of art and intellectual energy

By the 18th century Tuscany had passed into the hands of the Lorenas, who reigned until 1859. A clever and liberal family, they further enhanced Tuscany’s position as one of the countries richest regions. It remained a centre of culture and politics and Florence was even the seat of Government for five years before Rome took over the mantle in 1870. Despite this, its special place in Italian history and culture remains as strong as ever.

Culture Florence has preserved its masterpieces and great works of architecture over the centuries. The most important collection of paintings in the world is offered by the Uffizi Gallery; visitors can enter the very interesting Designs and Print Room; the collection of self-portraits.

Great paintings can be seen in the Gallery of Palazzo Pitti, with Tiziano’s and Raffaello’s masterpieces.

Florence also has the Museum of the Costume and the Museum of the Carriages; the beautiful Italian gardens can be admired in the Giardino di Boboli. In the Museum of the Opera del Duomo the famous "Pietà" by Michelangelo can be admired. Then, there are the Museum of the Bargello, St. Mark’s Museum, the Academy Gallery and the Ethnologic Museum Stibbert. Pisa, an ancient Roman naval base and maritime republic, has the Museum of the Sinopie, which holds the preparatory drawings for the frescoes, and the National Museum of St. Matteo.

Siena is a well-preserved medieval city; make the most of the Civic Museum, which houses the Histories of Alexander III, the Museum of the Opera Metropolitana and the Pinacoteca Nazionale, with Senese painting. Tradition and art are strong everywhere: in Arezzo the Gallery and the Medieval and Modern Museum can be visited.

Activities In addition to art, Tuscany offers outstanding nature sceneries, such as the National Park of the Argentario and the Isola of Elba

In Siena there is the beautiful Piazza del Campo. In Florence there are the fifteenth-century shops on the Ponte Vecchio. Pisa has the Campo dei Miracoli, with the famous Leaning Tower.