Pisa - Massacciucoli (Giacomo Puccini's Lake / House Museum) and/or Lucca Tour

• first stop Pisa, where you will park in the middle of the famous "Field of Miracles."   This square is the site of Pisa's Duomo, Baptistery, Campo Santo and, of course, the Campanile, better known as the Leaning Tower.  If you decide to go into these places, it may take sometime, therefore you may have lunch here or at our next stop on the lake of Massacciucoli.

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•  Continue to Massaciuccoli where you may admire the surrounding lake and the Puccini's house.  If we are earlier enough we may visit the inside which is the Puccini's museum (a small fee) and/or have lunch first then go in afterwards.

Day Timetable
01/03 - 30/04  10:00/12:30 - 15:30/17:30
01/05 - 31/10  10:00/12:30 - 15:00/18:30
01/12 - 28/02  10:00/12:30 - 14:30/17:00
 

Closed:  Every mondays - Christmas - Month of November
Closing of ticket office half hour before
Duration of the visit:  20 minutes

• Once finished with the tour we will then adjourn to Lucca, which has one particularly stunning feature - the ancient ramparts that still circle the old city. The inhabitants built these brick walls in the 16^th century for defense.  Today, you may walk around the city on the wide shaded walkways atop the walls. If that doesn't tire you out, climb up the Torre Guinigi - the 130 ft. tower has an ancient oak tree on top!    Churches; San Michele in Foro and San Frediano, the cathedral San Martino, here inside you may see the Tomb of Ilaria del Carretto sculptural masterpiece, a marble sarcophagus by Jacopo della Quercia,1406-13.

The shopping street is via Fillungo, Palazzo and Torre Guinigi (14^th c.), the latter is one of the few still existing, plant with stone oaks, clan towers and the Piazza Anfiteatro.  On the ruins of the Roman amphitheater, churches and houses were built, which now form a beautiful oval square. The best ice-cream is found at the Gelateria Pinguino in Piazza Napoleone.

• Palazzo Comunale (town hall) stairway, small fee - worth the climb to enjoy the stunning views over the town and surrounding valleys. 

• Cathedral - 1630

• Piazza Grande - towns highest point - historical, political and religious centre of Montepulciano

• Palazzo Contucci - an extensive wine cellar hiding underneath!

• Santa Maria dei Servi

• One of the best parts about a visit to Pienza is taking a stroll around the town walls. where you can admire a spectacular view. 

• Cathedral - renaissance façade, the inside of the church is gothic

• Piazza Pio II - heart of Pienza

• Palazzo Borgia - home to the Museo Diocesano

• Chiesa di San Francesco 
 

• Palazzo Piccolomini - inside the building  is a beautiful square courtyard encircled by arcades on columns with Corinthian capitals

• Fortezza - you may climb to the top of the tower - fabulous view over the town and the valley. Then go downstairs and enjoy a tasting of Brunello.

• Piazza Garibaldi - Tourist Information Center and a map of the village

• Diocesan and Civic Museum - paintings from the Sienese School, 12^th c.

• Madonna del Soccorso (climbing up) - NB stained glass windows

• Continue down the hill to enjoy the beautiful little garden in Piazza Cavour at the bottom of the hill.  Begin the stroll up Via Mazzini to Piazza del Popolo, but take the long way by descending one of the stepped streets either to the left (down) or right (up) and walking a parallel street for a ways. This way you can enjoy the homes, gardens and orchards of the townspeople.

• Piazza del Popolo

• Museo Archeologico Mecenate  has made a small park out of the remains of its Roman amphitheater (entered from Via Crispi). Atop one of the amphitheater's curves, a 15^th-century convent with a double loggia has been converted into an archaeological museum housing remains from Etruscan.

• Medieval & Modern Art Museum situated in the palazzo Bruni. On display are some statues, coins, paintings, etc.   Every epoch of Aretine and imported artistry from the Middle Ages to the Macchiaioli is represented in the moderately large and interesting collections.  
 

• Badia - In 1565, Giorgio Vasari performed a High Renaissance architectural overhaul on the 13^th-century church.

• Santissima Annunziata - main attractions of this 14^th-century interior Renaissance church, designed by Bartolomeo della Gatta and Giuliano and Antonio da Sangallo the Elder.

• Piazza Grande is the most famous square which slopes to a great degree, is surrounded by medieval-looking buildings. It was here that Robert Benigni shot some scenes for his nomination film La Vita ' Bella - "Life is Beautiful".

• Casa di Vasari (Vasari's House) Giorgio Vasari bought this house in 1540.   There are works by Il Poppi, Alessandro Allori, Santi di Tito, and, of course, Giorgio himself. 

• Basilica di San Domenico, founded in 1275 and completed in the early 14^th century.  The interior has a single nave with a Crucifix by Cimabue.

• Duomo situated at the highest point in town, surrounded by the Parco il Prato with its 16^th-century Medici fortress ruins.    Need time to visit inside: stained-glass windows (1519-23) by the French immigrant Guillaume de Marcillat.  Gothic tombs throughout the church.  Fresco by Piero della Francesca. The large Cappella della Madonna del Conforto (Lady Chapel) preserves several della Robbia terra cottas and much more to see.   

•Museo del Duomo - small but worthy museum, hidden around the back side of Arezzo's Duomo -   three painted wooden crucifixes from the 12^th and 13^th centuries and a terra-cotta Annunciation (1434) by Bernardo Rossellino.

• Santa Maria della Pieve - Lombard Romanesque architecture, 12^th-century church.

• San Francesco - 14^th-century church, it is here, where you'll find one of the most important fresco cycles by  Piero della Francesca, artists of the Renaissance. Legend of the True Cross (1448-66) has drawn art-loving pilgrims from around the world for centuries.

• Palazzo dei Priori - Also known as Palazzo del Comune, houses the city hall, the building dates back to 1333 but has been rennovated many times.  At the back there is a bell-tower where one can climb up to admire the view over the town.

• Santa Maria Nuova church, 1554, is of a square ground-plan.  Built on the hillside, stands alone and is surrounded by greenery.   Unfortunately it is not in very good condition and is not open for sightseeing or inspection.

• Madonna del Calcinaio - only a few hundred meters away stands the church. It was built in 1484-1515 by Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439-1502) in connection with an alleged miracle-performing image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

• Cortona's Etruscan Walls - are incorporated into the medieval walls that surround its historic center.   Inside the walls, you can wander the narrow medieval streets of Cortona's historic center.  Near the walls, you'll often be rewarded with fantastic views of the valley below.

• Piazza della Republica - 13^th century town hall and clock tower are located here in the square.   Relax and enjoy the piazza life by sipping coffee or eating a gelato from one of the cafes.

• Duomo - Renaissance cathedral, built on the site of an Etruscan temple, 11^th century facade and  beautiful 16^th and 17^th century paintings inside.  It is very unusual to find a duomo on the edge of a town, rather than at its heart.  From here there is a view looking down the valleys.

• Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca - 13^th century Palazzo Pretorio, situated on  Piazza Signorelli. Besides good Etruscan artifacts, the museum holds Roman remains, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, 15^th century ivories, and a small Egyptian exhibit.  It's closed on Mondays.  If you are interested we may book ahead for a museum guide to take you around to some Etruscan tombs in the area.

• Museo Diocesano - this small museum, also closed on Mondays, holds outstanding art works and a decorated Roman sarcophagus.

• San Domenico - Near the public gardens, the church  has a completely intact 15^th century altar piece and works by Fra Angelico and Signorelli.

• San Francesco -  built in 1245, holds a Pietro di Cortona painting and the
remains of Signorelli.
 

• When you reach San Gimignano, you will find a small, walled medieval hill-top town, famous for its medieval architecture and especially its towers.  You will already have an idea of what to expect; the town is known for its wealth & Rich families competed in the erection of high towers, that served as lodging, protection, and also status symbols.

Of the town's 76 original towers, only about 15 remain. Stroll around the narrow cobbled streets, taking in the sights of the town: Sant'Agostino (Church of St. Augustine) with its Benozzo Gozzoli frescos, and the Collegiata, the main church, situated in Piazza del Duomo at the heart of the town.

Maybe have lunch here in one of the local canteens and enjoy a taste of the local white Vernaccia wine and some local cheese for an apetizer, beside having a little free time to do some shopping, you will surely be tempted by the local pottery and souvenirs.  Don't forget the gelato!    

• Next stop - Siena, just south of San Gimignano.    Here you will find the walls and gates surrounding a city center made up of narrow, winding streets and old buildings and palaces.

The city center is dominated by the Piazza del Campo, a large shell-shaped square where the civic life of Siena is focused, and where the "Palio delle Contrade", a biannual horse race, is held.  And don't miss the city's great cathedral, San Domenico church, dedicated to Santa Caterina, this cathedral is noted for its marble pavement and Gothic façade. 

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Sunflower field