Italy's Beauty There is so much beauty for which art lovers and people like you and me turn to Italy for the models, that we sometimes loose sight of the universality of Italian artistic production. There is scarcely a department of art work in which Italy did not excel the world in history.

Tuscany

Tuscany is a region on the western coast of Italy, just north of Lazio (where Rome is located). It is a region well known for its beauty, both when it comes to nature as well as art. The capital of the region is Florence, or Firenze as it is called in Italian, a few hours’ drive from Rome.

Tuscany has a wonderful landscape, full of hills, fields and rivers. In addition, there is the long coast line with its beaches and caves. There are over 100 protected natural reserves in Tuscany, with their very special beauty. Many people like bicycling along the fields or trekking in the mountains. There is plenty of opportunities for these kind of activities, with marked paths and quiet roads.

The cuisine of Tuscany is also world famous, including its delicious wines. Who has not heard of Florentine steak with white beans? The Ribollita soup is also a very popular dish, often with great variations. The name literally means re-boiled, and was originally a means of finishing up left-overs. Full of different vegetables, beans and bread it is a real comfort food during cold winter days. Most women have their own way of preparing this soup.

There are six World Heritage Sites in Tuscany, including four historical city centers (Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza), the square by the Cathedral of Pisa, as well as Val d’Orcia (a region in Tuscany). This is probably one reason why this region is a main destination for tourists from all over the world.

The beauty of Florence is in its architecture. The huge Gothic cathedral, Il Duomo, was begun in 1296, consecrated in 1436, and holds 20,000 people. You can even climb up into the dome, there are 463 steps. If not, just admiring the beauty of Brunelleschi’s dome from inside is fine too. It is a masterpiece of architecture, delightfully built with different colored marbles.

The Old Bridge (il Ponte Vecchio) is a view you see on many pictures and paintings from Florence. It stretches across the Arno river, and was built in 1345. From the bridge you have a really nice view of Florence and the river, and on the bridge there are still many little shops which sell jewelry and gold.

If you are interested in art, do not miss a visit to the Uffizi galleries when in Florence, where the world’s most important collection of Rennaissance art can be found. Here, you will find the art of Michelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, among others.

A visit to Tuscany would not be complete without seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tower started to lean already during construction, in the 12th century, due to a poor foundation. Work on the tower was left for over a hundred years, and when resumed they decided to recompensate the tilt by making one side of the tower a bit taller. This means that the tower is not only leaning, it is also curved. There are almost 300 steps leading to the top of the tower.

Tuscany is full of things to see and experience for every kind of taste and personality. The people are friendly, the food and wine fantastic, the beauty of the landscape famous- what more could you wish for a vacation?