Tuscany Region
We visited the Tuscany Region and the wonderful towns. You can find everything you are looking for in this article from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to Piazza del Campo in Sienada, from wonderful Italian pasta to wines. The Tuscany Region and placesSiena, Pisa, San Gimignano Town are one of the most important places.
Siena
Siena, one of the cities that should be visited in the Tuscany region and one of the must-see cities , is almost as if it came out from the Middle Ages. The city, which is on the World Heritage List, resembles a movie set. Siena is located in the south of Florence, north of Rome. The cobblestones on its streets take you back to the past. It is a romantic city with preserved naturalness.
Piazza del Campo
We can start our trip with Piazza del Campo , the famous square of the city. This is the most touristic place in the city. As we mentioned at the beginning, it is possible to feel the medieval texture here.
The square was getting such a beautiful and glittering sunlight that the stones were warmed up. We were a little cold because it was a slight breeze, and the moment we came to this place made us very happy because of not only the texture but also the nice and warm feeling. Suddenly, we found ourselves sitting on the stones and watching around. For a long time my family and I didn’t want to leave.
Piazza del Campo Square
The sun-warmed paving stones was offering a great opportunity to relax. Be sure to lie down in the middle of the square and try to visualize the stories that are told to you around. As you think about the horse races in time, the time travel you take in your mind will give you a different pleasure.
A lovely sun has warmed the stones of Piazza del Campo Square and we lie down in the square to rest.
Duomo Cathedral attracts attention with its gothic architecture in the city. In the 13th century, Piazza del Campo Squarewas used as a market place. The world-famous horse racing Palio Festival is also held here. Again, there are leading cafes and restaurants around this square.
Palazzo Pubblico, that is, the public palace is located around the square. The palace, which also dates from the 13th century, is used as the city hall today. Palazzo Pubblico is in gothic architecture and there is a museum called Museo Civico in the same place. You can also climb the tower called Torre del Mangia here and watch the magnificent view of Siena.
Fonte Gaia Fountain
the Fonte Gaia Fountain is also located around the square. Tourists show great interest in this fountain, which is also often referred to as the “Cheerful Fountain” by the local people. For this reason, it is usual to always meet tourists waiting to take pictures in front of the fountain. We have not taken pictures here, but you may encounter a random fountain in the streets of Florence at any time. When you find a fountain to drink on the street, you will understand better what I mean.
Duomo Cathedral
We can open up a special parenthesis for cathedrals among the attractions in Toscano. In Siena, the Duomo Cathedral is also worth a visit. The place, also known as the Siena Cathedral, has a gothic architecture in the same way. You can see the works of famous artists in this cathedral.
Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral is also one of the known religious buildings. The front of this cathedral is quite magnificent with embossed sculptures. Another important place to visit from religious buildings is the Baptistery of St John. It is considered one of the important works of the Renaissance period.
For those who want to visit museums;
Those who want to visit the museum can start by visiting the Siena National Gallery. In this museum they can see the works of all the artists who lived in Siena. Another must-see museum is Santa Maria della Scala. This museum also has a fairly large context and was built as one of the oldest known hospitals.
We moved on the cultural tour with the Piccolomini Library after museums. It is said that you are only allowed to examine them architecturally. The Piccolomini Library , located inside the Siena cathedral, has a wonderful architecture. Its painted frescoes and decorative manuscripts are worth seeing.
The Palazzo Salimbeni, or Salimbeni Palace, is known to be the first bank established in the world. This is also a very exciting and interesting detail, no doubt. This place can be visited as a museum today. The Pinacoteca Nazionale Art Museum , which is also a museum, is among the museums worth seeing.
Also, it is worth to mention the basilicas in the Siena region. One of these basilicas, the Basilica of Santuario di Santa Caterina is a basilica consisting of frescoes where many religious buildings are included. Again, the Basilica of San Francesco is a basilica made according to the Egyptian cross design, with a simple exterior and an impressive gothic structure. In addition, the interior of the Basilica of San Domenica , located to the west of the city, is worth seeing. If you have spare time, don’t forget to check out this basilica.
The Medici castle in Siena, known as Fortezza Medicea , was built by the Duke of Cosimo. It also makes a name for itself with concerts and events organized in the summer months in addition to the historical importance of the castle.
Santa Maria dei Servi is a church that contains important works. The most famous fresco of the church is the 14th century fresco named “The Massacre of the Innocents”.
The Porta dei Pispini fountain , is a fountain on the east side of the city. Again, if you have spare time , I recommend you to take a look at this fountain.
Cuisine Culture in Siena
When it comes to the cuisine culture in Siena, the Tuscany region, of course, wines, pasta called pici, marzipan cookies and pizzas with exquisite sauce come to mind because itis located in the Tuscany region. What distinguishes the pici, which is a kind of pasta, from the others is that it is cut thicker and combined with special sauces from the Tuscany region. Parmesan cheese , which is put on a food as the final touch, also whet the appetite to taste. When you eatPici pasta, I recommend that you eat every flavor in it by feeling it on your palate.
Since the region of Tuscany is a truffle paradise, you can enjoy a pasta with truffles and pesto sauce. Of course, don’t forget to say a glass of wines made from the famous vineyards of the region.
Is it possible to come to Siena without trying his famous almond cookie “Ricciarelli“? Especially when you enter a small, cute shop that makes these cookies, the smell of these cookies will charm and fascinate you. If you wish, you should definitely try these cookies that leave a great taste in your mouth by drinking an expresso.
Finally, you can choose Via Banchi di Sopra street for shopping. You can find many shops here.
Pisa
The Tuscany Region and Pisa , one of its best-known cities, are also on the World Heritage List. Pisa is located in Piazza dei Miracoli in the city of Pisa. The tower is like the famous cathedrals in Siena and Florence.
Italy, Pisa Cathedral
Cathedral Pisa is not as famous as its tower, but it is Tuscany’s largest cathedral. It contains the graves of important people in history.
Piazza dei Miracoli, Square of Miracles
It would be great to start for Pisa with “Piazza dei Miracoli“, in other words “Square of Miracles“, because the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is exactly located here. If it were standing flat, maybe it wouldn’t attract as much attention, but the tower is leaned and the reason it is leaned is because the ground is soft. It was originally built as the bell tower of the Cathedral of Pisa.
We were really excited to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa in front of us in a huge area. After all, it was the must-see view and symbol of all travels. If you’re a traveler and haven’t seen Pisa, it was a tower that made you feel as if you hadn’t really traveled. it embedded our subconscious so much that we were happy to be there at that moment. We could now check off the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the to-do list before we died. We stayed there in that area for minutes. We rested on the grass and felt the free energy of that vast terrain.
Wondering what was going on around, we moved on our tour with these tiny wheeled bicycles. It was a really big area and such a bike tour felt great. I definitely recommend you to try it. We both had fun and toured the square without getting tired because it is a really big area.
There is also the Pisa Baptistery in the same square. It is one of the places to be seen with the tower and cathedral in the square. No matter how magnificent and ornate the exterior architecture is, the inside of the baptistery is quite unadourned and has begun to lean over time, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Pisa evokes a romantic feeling.
I also don’t know why, but Pisa has a romantic feeling. In fact, they don’t have a romantic image or story at all, but most people experience a romantic atmosphere. They make this moment even more magical with the glasses and wine they take out of their picnic bags. Maybe people feel more exuberant even as they realize their dreams and travel.
Of course, the same feelings surround us. It’s great to come out of the monotony of life and come here, and being able to say, ‘Here we are,’ gives us a strange peace. I think everyone should have a list of things to do and see before they die.
Baptistery Pisa
As you can see, this huge space makes you feel that you are breathing and that you are one here for the same purpose with people from all over the world. Here you can sit on the grass and eat the snacks you take out of your bag. You can also listen to music and relax.
We go back to Miracles Square after that and take another little tour and say goodbye to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
One of the places to visit in Pisa is the Camposanto Mausoleum. The mausoleum was built around the land that came here from Golgotha in the 4th Crusade. After visiting this place, you can go to the last Knights’ Square . The square was used as a political center for the city of Pisa in the Middle Ages. Today, it has become a point that people use to meet.
The Snopie Museum is one of the museums to visit in Pisa. Here you can see the preserved artifacts from the 14th and 15th centuries to the present day. Of course, this is not the only museum in Pisa. You can move on your cultural tour with the Opera Del Duomo Museum . The building of the museum, where you can see sculptures from the Middle Ages, is also quite magnificent.
Tuscany Region
San Gimignano Town
I have to describe the Tuscany region by mentioning the village of San Gimignano , which is connected to Siena in the Tuscany region, has Medieval architecture, is famous for its narrow streets and has a fascinating atmosphere. San Gimignano is a commune (municipality) in the Province of Siena in Tuscany, Italy. In fact, this commune is a very well-preserved medieval town surrounded by walls. From the moment you walk into this village, which has been added to the World Cultural Heritage by Unesco, its high towers and narrow streets will take you from where you are to the Middle Ages.
Normally this pile of stones doesn’t make me feel good, but when I came here, I felt like I’m walking around on a movie set, not in a town. Could I live here? I don’t think so. High walls, narrow roads and lots of stone structures are not among the places I can choose to live. So when we enter the town of San Gimignano, we feel like we are entering an artificial embankment environment rather than a town.
San Gimignano Town
We thought that these high towers were built for the defense of the city, but this is not the case. The main purpose of these towers is to show each other how rich aristocratic families are. The higher the tower, the more wealth it means.
The village of San Gimignano, Manhattan of the Middle Ages…
The village of San Gimignano is referred to as the “Manhattan of the Middle Ages” because of these high towers. Unfortunately, only 14 of these towers have survived to the present day. The highest of these towers is the “Torre Grossa” tower, which is 54 meters high. So it is difficult to climb the tower. But if you achieve to climb there, a wonderful view will be waiting for you.
The most important square in the village of San Gimignano is Piazza della Cisterna, which takes its name from the water well in the middle. Anyway, when you enter the village through the ancient entrance gate, you will see the square directly. Surrounded by cafes, stone buildings and high towers, this square is the most beautiful square in the village. You should definitely visit “Galeteria Dondoli“, which is located in the square and selected as the best ice cream maker in the world for four consecutive years, and taste a variety of ice cream varieties from tiramismulus to milk ice cream. I would like to say that the long queues in front of the ice cream shop should not scare you, but when we see very long queues, sometimes we stop trying. There is no rule that the most popular place is always the most delicious place. Whatever you want to experience during your trip, let yourself go with that flow.
“Collegiate Church“, which was once the cathedral of the city, the city’stown hall “Palazzo del Popolo“, the city museum “Museo Civico” and the “Torre Grossa“, the highest tower of the city mentioned above are located on the Duomo Square, the second square of the city. You should also definitely visit the San Gimignano 1300 museum, which is located near the Tower. The aim of the museum is to deal with the view of San Gimignano in 1300 in miniature form. Each work in the museum was made by famous artists. Apart from these, when you visit the “Church of Sant Agostino” and the “Museo della Tortura“, the museum of torture, you will complete your San Gimignano tour.
Be sure you will take great pictures in San Gimignano Town!
If you like to take photos, you should definitely go to San Gimignano Town prepared because you will want to take pictures of houses where you will ask yourself “Does anyone really live here?”, tiny balcony windows, and colorful flowers you will see on the edge of stone walls. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re on a movie set and hear music in your ear.
Unfortunately, today there is a bitter truth that the modern world offers us. Between similar houses, architectures and experiences, our eyes are sometimes looking for something different. I am sure that you will take beautiful photos in this town.
Tuscany Region
Food and Drink Culture at San Gimignano
Well, when it comes to the answer to the question of what is the food and beverage culture in San Gimignano, I will of course first talk about the famous Chianti or Vernaccia wines in San Gimignano. Here you can try wine in many wine houses and also get wine as a gift. Since wines are famous in the city, cheese and delicatessen products are emphasized. But apart from that, you can also choose pizza and pasta next to your wine. In addition, olive oil, cheese and delicatessen products are also famous, so you can take gifts from these products to yourself or your loved ones.
Tuscany Region and Lucca City
Lucca is an Italian city in the Tuscan administrative region of northern Italy. This place dates from the Renaissance period. Its walls are well preserved and famous. Already the city seems to have come out of an ancient period. It was also added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. Since the streets are closed to vehicle traffic, you can see that a large number of people use bicycles. Since the city is surrounded by walls, the center of the city is passed either through the gate or between the walls. In fact, this city, which is not preferred by most tourists, is worth seeing. It is also referred to as the “City of a Hundred Churches” due to the abundance of churches.
San Michele in Foro (chiesa di san michele in foro) Roman Catholic Basilica Church in Lucca City.
The highlight of this church is that it was originally designed to be dedicated to the Angel Michael. Due to the magnificence of the church, its details and its location, it is considered one of the most frequently visited touristic places in Lucca.
We wanted to get lost in the city of Lucca and wander the streets. Every street opens up to another street to be discovered. In addition, the relaxing greenery around the city walls takes away the tiredness of the whole journey. When we got hot, we had a chance to rest and cool off under a tree. That’s why the city of Lucca remained in our minds as a more relaxing city.
Other places you should see when you go to Lucca are as follows;
