Everybody knows that Tuscany is one of the most inspiring, beautiful rural areas in Europe.
The rolling hills, diagonal sloping vineyards, clear skies and spectacular light are just a few of the elements that take your breath away while traveling throughout this province in northern Italy. Its no wonder that artists in Florence, Pisa and other northern Italian cities re-defined images of perfection and beauty during the Renaissance, when they were surrounded by the natural wonder that is the Tuscan countryside. However, most people traveling through Tuscany normally stop in the major cities that house the largest concentration of famous museums, architecture and seats of culture. However, once you leave the large cities, there is a wealth of smaller towns that once seen redefine your image of Tuscany. The benefits of cheap Italian transportation means that most towns within 2 hours of Florence can be reached by bus or train for €5-7. And when you consider that some bowls of gelato in Florence cost €5, paying the same for a day trip out to the country is a steal.
For the more adventurous, it is incredibly easy to buy a bus ticket and head out into the hills. Make sure that you know if there is a bus back to the city that afternoon (nearly every town within an hour of Florence has at least 5 buses heading back into the city, even on Sundays), and then just hop off the bus at a small town that appeals to you. The air is so much clearer, and although there is rarely much to ‘do’ in the smaller country towns, the hills and vineyards make for spectacular photos. Also, the food in smaller rural restaurants is often far better than food in the city and costs half as much. Towns I can personally recommend are Greve in Chianti, Borgo San Lorenzo and Poggibonsi.
For visitors who are less sure about just jumping off a bus in the middle of nowhere, my absolute highest recommendation is to take a day trip out to Lucca. Located around an hour away from Florence by train, and half an hour from Pisa, Lucca is a small but significant jewel in the Tuscan crown. The train from Florence costs €5 and run frequently seven days a week. Lucca is nestled in among a chain of large, majestic hills (which visitors from flatter locales may call full-on mountains) and is mostly contained within the old medieval city walls.
Lucca was first settled by Tuscan tribes, then occupied by the Romans. The traces of the Roman amphitheater can still be seen in the centre of town, now a picturesque circle of houses around the ‘Piazza del Amfiteatro’. The city then followed the path of many Italian cities and was thrown back and forth between various monarchs and aristocrats, and by the 17th century was the largest city-state after Venice and controlled over 70 ‘districts’ in the region. This ended in the 19th century when it was handed over to Napoleon’s sister.
The amount of change and turmoil undertaken in the small city is very clear to see, as there are an astonishing number of beautiful Romanesque/gothic churches in a very small area, as powerful families attempted to out-weigh their counterparts. The Duomo in Lucca is the most beautiful with its façade of colonnades, but the Church of San Michele in Foro and the Basilica di Santi Frediano are also well-worth a look.
The main street is lined with modern fashion shops, but once you turn off into some of the smaller shadowed streets, silence sets in. But the centre of the city is very like the small streets of Siena, Florence or Pisa. It is the city wall that sets Lucca apart. At the base of the city walls are pastures of grass (previously used for grazing livestock when the entire population lived within the walls) where children kick a football around, families meet up to eat and talk and teenagers lie on top of each other whispering sweet Italian nothings.
Around the top of the wall is a tree-lined bicycle path where people walk with their children, and elderly men circle around the 5-kilometer perimeter. The views offered around the city wall are astonishing…the mountains loom up on every side of the city, making you feel like Lucca is a little bubble in the Tuscan countryside, a town set apart from the rest of the world somehow. At dusk, the setting sun colors the mountains in deep reds and purples, a sight that even manages to rival Michelangelo’s ‘David’ or the ‘Mona Lisa’. On the side of the city opposite the train station is Piazza Santa Maria, where there are several shops to rent bikes. The rental fee is only €2,50 per hour, which is more than enough to enjoy a refreshing ride around the edge of the wall, taking in the fresh air and the brilliant scenery.
If you find that Lucca is somewhere that you want to stay overnight or for a few days, there are quite a few hotels, and Hostel San Frediano is a Hostelling International sight in the centre of the town.
There are also several state museums in Lucca, including the home of the opera-composer and Lucca-native Pucini. In July/August, there is an opera festival celebrating Pucini featuring outdoor performances and fairs.
So if you feel like you’ve only seen the largest cities on your trip through northern Italy, I highly recommend train/busing it out into the country. Transportation is cheap and easily accessible in Italy, making it simple to explore the guilded-edges of Tuscan culture and countryside. For more information on train times, visit www.trenitalia.it
Photo of Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in Lucca, Italy,originally posted by RedGlow82
Topic: General Travel |
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Tags: Florence, Tuscany
About the author
Thom is a 21 year-old English citizen living abroad in Italy, but spent many years in the US where his parents live. He has been an avid writer since the early days of school, and is definitely addicted to travel. He is currently studying Fine Arts and Art History.
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