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There are many places one can go on holiday in Italy, but few are as celebrated as Tuscany. Beloved for its slow pace of life, bucolic countryside scenery, and its outstanding cuisine, it’s easy to see why so many people have this place on their bucket list.
If you have decided to make this year the one when you will finally spend time in this spectacular region, here are four highlights that should make it onto your travel itinerary…
1) Chill out at a pastoral hotel/villa in the countryside
If there is one thing that Tuscany is famous for, it is the sublime beauty of its countryside. Gently rolling hills draped with fields, farms, and small thickets will lay out before you every morning when you step outside your accommodation.
Many of these luxurious villas in Tuscany are constructed from restored farmhouses, lending them an air of authenticity that will make your holiday here an atmospheric one. These developments are also close to some of the best golf courses in Italy, and with many small Italian towns close by as well, there will be plenty to do for anybody in your travel party.
2) Exploring the city of Florence
Florence is the most significant city in the region of Tuscany, for it contains a number of significant cultural and historical attractions. The most notable of these is the Galleria dell’Accademia, which is home to Michelangelo’s David, one of the most famous sculptures in the world.
Another major sight is the Duomo, a massive cathedral that is almost six hundred years old. It is well known for its dome, which was the largest in the world prior to the modern era, as well as for its many paintings and frescoes.
3) Go on a wine crawl of Tuscany’s best vineyards
The quality of the soil in Tuscany is among the best in all of Italy. This makes for some high-quality grapes, and there are no shortages of vineyard operators that have taken advantage of this fact over the generations.
Antinori Chianti Classico is a great place to start, as it is only located 20 kilometers from Florence. One of the oldest farms in continuous operation in Tuscany, they have been harvesting grapes and making wine since 1385.
Another great option is Castello di Nipozzano, as it is housed in a refurbished castle that had been used to defend Florence for over a millennia. The vintages in the property’s wine cellar go back as far as 1864, so if you are prepared to spend some serious cash, you can go home with a truly prestigious bottle of vino.
4) Check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa
A visit to Tuscany wouldn’t be complete without visiting most precariously set tower. In the small city of Pisa, the engineers behind the planning and construction of a marble & stone tower completed over six hundred years ago forgot to account for the soft soil on one side of it.
This created a lean as great as six degrees, but stabilization efforts brought it back to four degrees in recent years. Even so, it still has a noticeable tilt that does its nickname justice. Join the crowds of tourists creating goofy forced perspective pictures, or simply admire humankind’s ability to turn a mistake into something remarkable from a distance.
The post The four unmissable highlights of Tuscany appeared first on Pommie Travels.
Source: pommietravels.com