A Slice of Tuscany
Italy, Sept 2009
If Tuscany was a slice of pizza, the base would be the rolling hills covered in vineyards and fields of sunflowers. The crust would be the tall Cyprus trees and rustic farmhouses with terracotta tiled roofs and my three favourite toppings would be Florence, Siena and San Gimignano!
this David doesnt mind having his photo taken
Located on the North West coast of Italy and almost the same shape as a pizza-slice, Tuscany is known the world over for its art, scenery and wine. It also has an incredible six UNESCO protected sites and not surprisingly they include my three favourite toppings - Florence, Siena and San Gimignano.
Tuscany’s capital Florence, or Firenze to the locals, is overflowing with sculptures. The most famous is Michelangelo’s statue of David and even if you don’t “do” art galleries, a visit to the Accademia is a must if only to pop in and say hello. The skill required to carve his perfect 17ft body from a single block of marble is incredible and it is guaranteed that you will leave a little besotted.
By comparison, the replica that stands outside the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio won’t take your breath away in quite the same way but it does stand on the exact spot the original stood for 369 years and this David doesn’t mind having his photo taken. The square and loggia outside the Palazzo has an eclectic collection of statues on display including the iron cast of Perseus holding the head of Medusa. The story goes that Cellini miscalculated how much metal he required and, in order to finish the sculpture, he had to melt everything he could lay his hands on including his pots and pans.
Adjacent to the Palazzo is the Uffizi Gallery, which used to be magistrates’ offices but now houses the city’s famous art museum. At the end of this long narrow piazza lies the River Arno and a great view of the Ponte Vecchio. As you head towards the bridge you will follow the route that Cosimo de Medici, the ruler of the time, walked every day as he commuted to and from work – except his feet didn’t touch the ground.
Cosimo had an invisible corridor built from Palazzo Vecchio, through the top floors of the Uffizi and the buildings that run down the side of the river and across the left hand side of the Ponte Vecchio to his new home, Palazzo Pitti. Originally the city’s butchers were located on this bridge and the river provided the perfect place to dispose of the animal carcasses but about the same time as the creator, Vasari completed his corridor, the butchers were replaced by more aesthetically pleasing gold merchants!
Even today the majority of the shops on the bridge sell jewellery although there is an occasional shop selling leather gloves or souvenirs. At night, heavy shutters turn the shops into wooden safes but when open you can look through the narrow interior and enjoy a framed view of the river and its numerous bridges.
All the bridges along the Arno were bombed as the Germans retreated at the end of World War II. Thankfully Ponte Vecchio was saved and only the buildings at either end of the bridge were destroyed which explains the more modern architecture. The best time to see the bridge is as the sun is setting and the three storey buildings glow as bright as the gold in the shop windows.
Florence is a very low rise city with only Palazzo Vecchio and the Duomo rising above the terracotta roofs. The Duomo is an incredible building of green, pink and white marble. The matching octagonal building in front of the cathedral is the Baptistry where until the end of the 19th century all Catholic Florentines were baptised before being allowed to enter the cathedral.
you wont be able to stop taking photographs of the Ponte Vecchio
Although the city is perfect for walking around there is one place that’s worth taking an open-decked bus tour to reach. The panoramic views from Piazzale Michelangiola across Florence to the hills on the horizon are outstanding. From this vantage point you can see the remains of the city’s walls and gates and you won’t be able to stop taking photographs of the Ponte Vecchio. In fact, the scenery is so outstanding it will make you want to head into the countryside and explore the famous wine regions of Chianti and San Gimignano.
San Gimignano’s history dates back to 3rd century BC but it was during the Renaissance period that the city prospered due to its location on a medieval pilgrimage route from Rome to Canterbury known as Via Francigena. You can spot this very unique town miles away and not just because it sits on a hill. From a distance San Gimignano’s famous towers resemble factory chimneys although more realistically they are medieval skyscrapers. The tower houses were built by the town’s wealthy families who escaped into their mini fortresses during times of siege and war. At one time there were 72 high rise houses but now only 14 remain.
The pedestrianised town has two sets of walls and the main entrance is Porta San Giovanni. Once through the gate, a cobbled street will take you past shops selling ceramic pottery painted with yellow sunflowers and delicatessens displaying olive oil, local cheese and the local delicacy - wild boar.
Some of the deli’s offer wine tasting and its worth trying the local white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano and the delicious desert wine, Vino Santo, although this treat is best enjoyed with a biscotti for dunking. There are also several restaurants which offer breathtaking views of the famous Tuscan countryside from their rear windows and, should you get the chance, you must try the local Pecorino cheese drizzled with honey or have it in a spinach salad with pears and pinenuts!
After a steep climb you will pass through the inner gate and arrive in the Piazzza della Cisterna, appropriately named after the water well in the middle, where there are a couple of coffee shops where you can watch the world go by. However, unless you need a coffee fix, head straight to the Pluripremiata Gelateria and join the queue. This famous ice cream shop was part of the team that won the World Gelato championship for the last four years and after you have made the impossible decision of which one to try (recommended is the mango and the raspberry & rosemary) sit on the steps of the cisterna and admire the buildings that surround this medieval square.
Just off this square sits Piazza Duomo where you will find the town hall and the Collegiate church, which although doesn’t look much from the outside has amazing colourful frescos that cover the interior and are well worth paying to see. From here you can walk up the steep slope to the right of the church to the remains of the 14th century fortress, La Rocca, where you can take postcard perfect photos of the towers and the spectacular view.
resemble factory chimneys although more realistically they are medieval skyscrapers
From San Gimignano it’s a short, scenic drive to Siena and in early September the fields are filled with dried sunflowers awaiting harvest and vineyards with plump black grapes. Siena is also a medieval hilltop town but on a much larger scale sitting on three hills. The town centre is also totally pedestrianised and there are several car parks around the outskirts including one, Santa Caterina, located next to a series of escalators that transport you up the steep hill and leaves you with only a short stroll to the cathedral.
A map is highly recommended in order to properly explore Siena but if you are short of time the two main places to visit are The Duomo and the town square, Piazza del Campo. Building of the Cathedral started in 1215 and the main building is striped black and white and the entrance façade is covered in beautiful carvings which are worth admiring before going inside. The striped theme is continued on the columns and interior walls but it is the collection of marble mosaics that cover the entire floor that will hold your attention. The colourful frescos in the Piccolomini Library that sits off to the left hand side of the nave are also stunning.
From here it is a short stroll to Piazza del Campo, located on the side of a hill which explains its unusual shape and gradient. The best way to enjoy this enormous shell shaped piazza is to either sit at one of the numerous cafes which look down on the Palazzo Publico or, better still, exit the square behind the fountain and grab a slice of delicious pizza from the takeaway shop on Via di Citta and then join the tourists and locals sitting or lying on Siena's red bricked heart.
Sitting in the middle of the piazza it’s hard to imagine what it must be like during the famous horse race, Il Palio, which takes place on the 2 July and 16 August each year. Each race involves bare back riders representing ten of Siena’s 17 different districts, or Contrade, circling the piazza three times. The pageants and celebrations that surround the races attract visitors from all over the world but this is definitely not a show put on for the benefit of tourists. It is a traditional event whose origins date back to 1590 and the politics, rivalry and competition between each of the Contrade is as fierce today as it was then.
Florence, San Gimignano and Siena are three entirely different towns but each are filled with stories, history and drama that will excite your taste buds. There are of course many other toppings you could put on your own slice of Tuscany such as Pisa or Pienza and Lucca or Montepulciano but whichever you choose you will leave feeling full and immensely satisfied.