Garfagnana, located between theApuan Alps the main part of the Apennines, is a rugged, mountainous area in the northwest corner of Tuscany north of Lucca. It is wilder and more isolated than the rolling hills and vineyards that make up the classic central Tuscan landscape, with winding mountain roads, gushing rivers and medieval towns perched on top of hills.  Castelnuovo, the capital of the region, is situated at an altitude of 277 metres in the heart of the green Garfagnana area, a territory that constitutes the northern part of the valley of the Serchio River, which runs between the mountain walls of the Apuan Alps and the Appenines. Many ancient outlying villages are beautifully situated and accessible on country paths through “green woodland”. A walk to these villages allows visitors to be in contact with nature and at the same time to discover the traditional daily rhythms of an agricultural people and to admire their rural architecture.

Grotta del Vento is a spectacular and interesting karst phenomenon. Here the weather conditions have constantly dug, carved and modeled the limestone rock, creating impressive natural sculptures, such as the Panie Massif, the enormous arch of Monte Forato or the stone waterfalls and crevices of the Vetricia Plateau.  Immersed in these awesome surroundings, the Grotta del Vento offers an exceptional variety of underground karst aspects ranging from living and shining stalactites and stalagmites, to little lakes, water courses, forms of erosion, mud formations and even perfectly-vertical shafts which can be visited with practical walkways.

Cave Tours

 The touristic route is divided into 3 parts, with aspects completely different from one another.

On the first part, the flattest, a great amount of limestone formations such as stalactites and stalagmites can be seen and most of them are still growing.

On the second part a descent is made into an area of the cave that is still expanding, without limestone formations, but with forms of erosion on the walls, a little underground river on the bottom and some unusual mud formations in the tunnel taken on the way back.

On the third part a shaft is visited, a perfectly vertical 90-metre shaft, which is climbed from the bottom to reach a final chamber at the top, followed by a short underground canyon.

The tour of all 3 parts, the third itinerary, lasts about 3 hours, but it’s possible to visit only the first part with the first itineraru, about one hour, or the first 2 parts with the second itineray of about 2 hours.

Custom Tuscan Itineraries will be designed specifically toward your interests.  Day trips can be designed for main cities or places off the beaten track.  Day to day planning includes sites, site histories, guides, times, miles, and parking information.  A great way to make your special vacation stress free and very informative.  You will return home feeling like you know Italy a little better.  Although, one can visit Italy many times and never run out of new experiences.  For more information contact Leslie at planningatour@gmail.com.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe. It is located in the Italian town of Pisa, one of the most visited European cities.  The Tower of Pisa stands at 60 meters and until 1990 was leaning at about a 10-degree angle.  Although it was designed to be perfectly vertical, it started to lean during construction.

The Square of Miracles

Tower of Pisa is more accurately referred to simply as the bell tower, or campanile.  The Pisa tower is one of the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex in Pisa, Italy, called Campo dei Miracoli or Piazza dei Miracoli, which means Field of Miracles.

The first building constructed at Campo dei Miracoli, Pisa, was the cathedral, or Duomo di Pisa, which rests on a white marble pavement and is an impressive example of Romanesque architecture.

The next building added was the baptistery just west of the dome.Then work on the campanile began. Before the work on the campanile was completed the cemetery, Campo Santo, was built.

Piazza dei Miracoli of Pisa is the most splendiferous assemblage of Romanesque architecture in Italy. Faced in gray-and-white striped marble and bristling with columns and arches, the cathedral, with its curiously Islamic dome and matching domed baptistery, rises from an emerald green lawn.

Flanking one side of the piazza, the camposanto, or cemetery, is a gracefully elongated cloister enclosing a burial ground with earth reputedly brought back during the Crusades from Golgotha, the hill where Jesus was crucified, so that noble Pisans could rest in holy ground.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the piazza’s crowning glory.

Although only a third as high as the Washington Monument, it was a miracle of medieval engineering, probably the tallest bell towers in Europe.  With 207 columns ranged around eight stories, Tower of Pisa looks like a massive wedding cake knocked precariously askew by a clumsy giant guest.

The construction of Tower of Pisa began in August 1173 and continued for about 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. Till today, the name of the architect is a mystery.  The leaning Tower of Pisa was designed as a circular bell tower that would stand 185 feet high. It is constructed of white marble.  The tower has eight stories, including the chamber for the bells.  The bottom story consists of 15 marble arches. Each of the next six stories contains 30 arches that surround the tower.

The final story is the bell chamber itself, which has 16 arches. There is a 297 step spiral staircase inside the tower leading to the top.  The top of the leaning tower of Pisa is about 17 feet off the vertical.  The tower is also slightly curved from the attempts by various architects to keep it from leaning more or falling over.  Many ideas have been suggested to straighten the Tower of Pisa, including taking it apart stone by stone and rebuilding it at a different location.  In the 1920s the foundations of the tower were injected with cement grouting that has stabilized the tower to some extent.

Until recent years tourists were not allowed to climb the staircase inside the tower, due to consolidation work.  But now the leaning Tower of Pisa is open again and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.

Italians love festivals and the ending of the old year and beginning of the New Year, Il Capodanno, is a great time to celebrate in Italy.

La Festa di San Silvestro – La Festa di San Silvestro is celebrated December 31 on New Year’s Eve. As with most Italian festivals, food plays a major role. Families and friends get together for a huge feast. The star of the dinner is lentils, symbolizing money and good fortune for the coming year. Traditionally, the dinner in many parts of Italy also includes a cotechino, a large spiced sausage, or a zampone, stuffed pig’s trotter. The pork symbolizes the richness of life in the coming year.

Fireworks and Dancing – Huge midnight fireworks displays celebrate the coming of the New Year. Most towns have public displays in a central square but private parties will also include firecrackers or sparklers, too, and will continue for a long time. Naples is known for having one of the best and biggest New Year’s fireworks displays in Italy. Some smaller towns build a bonfire in the central square where villagers will congregate into the early morning. If you’re near the coast, lake, or river you will hear boats and ships blowing their horns.  Dancing is also popular and many towns have public music and dancing before the fireworks. Rome, Milan, Bologna, Palermo and Naples put on huge popular outdoor shows with pop and rock bands. These events can sometimes be seen on television, too.

More New Year’s Eve Traditions in Italy – Guests of private or public parties are sometimes entertained with a game called “Tombola”, similar to Bingo.  The New Year is also celebrated with spumante or prosecco, Italian sparkling wine. New Years parties, whether public or private, will often last until sunrise in order to watch the first sunrise of the newborn year.  An old custom that is still followed in some places, especially in the south, is throwing your old things out the window to symbolize your readiness to accept the New Year. So, keep an eye out for falling objects if you’re walking around near midnight!

Oh, one more thing, don’t forget to wear your red underwear to ring in the New Year! They say it’ll bring you luck in the coming year.

A White Christmas in Tuscany!

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is so delightful…” if Sammy Cahn were in Tuscany today he would surely compose the same words he did back in 1945!  Tuscany can be covered with snow from north to south and east to west, at any altitude. Winter in Tuscany can be a great time to visit. Renting a villa is an amazing way to enjoy this season.  Snow in Tuscany is a pretty common phenomenon.  The spectacle is absolutely lovely, and in most cases the snow is quickly removed from city streets and sidewalks, and driving or walking in the city is safe.  There are winter sports and few tourists make visiting museums a great experience.  One can delight in bringing wood to the fireplace, preparing hot hearty soups, dressing with warm clothes and visiting winter markets.  The cold weather in Tuscany does not last long, but long enough to enjoy the winter season and the good sides of it.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to celebrate Christmas in Italy.  The Christmas season in Italy is traditionally celebrated December 24-January 6, or Christmas Eve through Epiphany. This follows the pagan season of celebrations that started with Saturnalia, a winter solstice festival, and ended with the Roman New Year, the Calends. However there are lots of Christmas things to see during December prior to Christmas, many starting on December 8, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.

Christmas decorations and trees are becoming more popular in Italy. Lights and decorations are often seen starting around December 8, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, or even the end of November. The main focus of decorations continues to be the presepe, Nativity scene or creche. Almost every church has a presepe and they are often found outdoors in a piazza or public area, too.   Although Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) and giving presents on Christmas are becoming more common, the main day for gift giving is Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men gave Baby Jesus their gifts. In Italy, La Befana, arrives in the night to fill children’s stockings with presents.

Traditionally, a meatless dinner is eaten on Christmas Eve with the family, followed by a living nativity scene and midnight mass. Traditional bonfires are often held on Christmas Eve in the main square of town, especially in mountain areas. Dinner on Christmas day is usually meat based.

Now close your eyes and imagine yourself enjoying a Christmas holiday in your own villa.  Buon Natale!

What could be more glorious than a Tuscan sunset at the amazing Villa al Boschiglia?  Not much!  The colors of soft light behind the rolling hills of Tuscany reminds one of Tuscany’s bounty of wine and fruits, not to mention the feelings of romance they evoke.  Tuscan sunsets never fail to amaze. That golden ball in the horizon eventually disappears through the Tuscan hills and leaves behind a sky of various shades from orange, purple, red, pink, and gold, eventually giving way to darkness and a night sky of millions of stars.  One can only hope to have the privilege of staying at this amazing villa and experiencing the ever changing colors of sunsets in Tuscany.  In the meantime, it is good to dream such dreams.

Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a limestone ridge south east of Florence and north of Rome.

Montepulciano is a major producer of food and drink. Renowned for its pork, cheese, “pici” pasta, lentils, and honey, it is known world-wide for its wine. Connoisseurs consider its Vino Nobile, which should not be confused with varietal wine merely made from the Montepulciano grape, one of Italy’s best. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a DOCG-rated wine, has been consumed since the Middle Ages.

You could spend a whole afternoon here wandering the small town’s medieval streets and taking advantage of the free wine, meat and cheese samples offered in the stores, but don’t miss the town’s smattering of lovely palaces and churches, either. Then again, if you do spend your whole time in a wine shop, you’re in good company: After Henry James left Montepulciano, he said he struggled to recall the details of the town… because he’d spent all his time drinking!

Pisa, a half-hour’s drive southwest of Lucca, reached the height of its dominance in the 11th to 13th centuries. Pisa is best known for the world famous Leaning Tower, but those who come here with their mind already made up that the Tower is the only thing to see may miss the rest of the architectural and artistic marvels of this beautiful city. Pisa has magnificent churches, palaces, streets and squares. The best way to visit Pisa is walking the streets, as the city center is very small. This way you can enjoy the sights and the atmosphere. Pisa would not be Pisa without the University. The city is animated by the students, who organize parties, shows, and cultural events, and fill the central street of the city at night. Come on the last Sunday of June to see the Gioco del Ponte, a series of battles staged in medieval costume every year since at least the 16th century.

Although Volterra remains a quiet, off-the-beaten-path town… it boasts medieval, winding streets and gorgeous views from its hilltop perch. Volterra’s roots date back to an 8th century B.C. Etruscan settlement; big parts of the defensive wall they built in the 4th century B.C. are still standing, as is the 3rd century B.C. gate into the city! But that’s not all for the ancient side of Volterra. Here, too, are remains of an ancient Roman amphitheatre and bathhouse, as well as the renowned Museo Etrusco Guarnacci, boasting numerous Etruscan finds from the area.

Siena is an historic city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. Unesco has declared the historic centre of Siena a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation’s most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice yearly.

There are many museums displaying artworks of Duccio Boninsegna, Iacopo della Quercia, Francesco di Giorgio and Beccafumi. Piazza del Campo, with Mangia Tower, is surely one of the most beautiful and exciting squares of Italy. The gorgeous Duomo (XII – XIII cent.), has a white marble facade with green and red marble inserts. The Palio is held the 2nd of July and 16th of August. Jockeys ride horses with no saddle for a few seconds race. These are exciting and much anticipated races.