Tuscany Region People & Culture

Firenze, it's amazing museums during the day, and such an exciting nightlife! Just hang around on the plaza's and find some people making music, they'll probably show you the clubs to go! For the museums, buy your tickets a couple days before going, you'll get inside quicker! Otherwise, be patient!

I've never been for the horse race, but the main piaza is amazing and you'll never want to leave. The people were very nice, the food was wonderful everywhere and there was a cute little flower shop that sold us all of their white flowers for my best friend's bouquet. My husband climbed the tower and got some amazing shots - definitely worth a visit if you're in Tuscany.

lovely small village with friendly people. Great beach 9 km from the village, reacheble renting a bicicle or by bus.

Make sure to make a reservation if you want to climb the tower! They only allow 40 people up at a time every half hour. Make sure you are ready for a work out as well. With well over 300 steps on the massive circular staircase, you will need stamina!

go and try the best ice cream in the world. The shop brags about it. It s at the marketplace. If you are done with this icecream try the one of the shop right on the other side of the court. Some people find it s even better... 

The art and culture of millenarian times in one place

Yes, gelato in ALL of Italy a must. Florence is a beautiful city swith so much art, culture and architecture to see. Everything is very close to walk to. Suggest staying on Nationale near the train station. Very close to everything, convenient to and from the station, and there is a great open market for souvenirs just around the block. A must see! Make sure you take time aside to just people watch.

Florence is one of the cultural capitals of the world. It is a magical place of art and history. Most of the city's lovely churches are very well documented, but one rare treasure is St Mark's Anglican Church (Via Maggio 18). Easy to overlook from the outside, it houses an ornate and hauntingly beautiful chapel. The church is part of an old Medici Palace that was once owned by Machiavelli and later renovated in the neo-renaissance style.
Concerto Classico offers classical concerts and full-length operas here, but be sure to book ahead! www.concertoclassico.info

La Residenza del Proconsolo Booking online allowed me to avail of a discount of nearly 75% on the standard room rate, for an amazing room, on the front of this 15th Century house. My window looked out on Il Duomo!

Yes, it can be noisy, as in any city centre, but once you keep the windows closed, and your air conditioning on for the hotter days, the sounds of the city should not distrub you.

Roberto and his staff were charming, friendly, informative and genuinely interested in ensuring their guests had a fabulous trip to Florence. In particular, his recommendation of places to eat were superb - and very reasonably priced in comparison to tourist eateries.

The house is located a few minutes walk from the Santa Maria Novelli train station, and all the major attractions seemed to be just around the corner!

One of the bonuses of the room, was a wonderful jacuzzi bath, to ease away the aches and pains of a day spent walking around the sights and sounds of Florence.

Breakfast is served in your room - a novel touch for anybody who is more used to staying in larger hotels. However, I found this to be a wonderful personal touch. And the coffee was divine!

All rooms are en-suite and most are non-smoking. My room not only had a jacuzzi bath, but a four poster bed, mini-bar, air-con, tv, telephone and a fireplace you could nearly stand into!

If you like your accommodation glitzy and new, and bright, this is not the place for you. However, if you want to experience a little bit of history and culture, and meet some wonderful people, then you couldn't choose a better spot.

Would not be suitable for wheelchair access.

The cultural and historical impact of Florence (or Firenze ) is overwhelming. Close up, however, the city is one of Italy's most atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small late-medieval centre that contributed so much to the artistic and political development of Europe. Its striking buildings, formidable galleries and treasure-crammed churches attest to the Florentine love of display. Even long after it had set on the political and economic horizon, Florence upheld its elegant appearance: its skyline, all russet rooftops and lofty domes, is indeed picturesque.

Firenze, it's amazing museums during the day, and such an exciting nightlife! Just hang around on the plaza's and find some people making music, they'll probably show you the clubs to go! For the museums, buy your tickets a couple days before going, you'll get inside quicker! Otherwise, be patient!

There is an awakening sort of dream-like imagery as you walk about the old town area of Firenze at night. There's an awe of diversity of tourists and true Florentines disguised in the mixture as well. There's music, people talking everywhere, pictures being flashed where ever you go, and historical points of reference as unobtrusive as tree branches.

One moment you'll find yourself on a street where Dante was married, the next moment, you'll walk by the Bapistry whose doors were proclaimed by Michelangelo himself as being "the gates of paradise."

Gelato stands everywhere and those sitting in the outdoors people watching you! Window shopping is abound and history shopping sometimes can be done in the same vision.

Try to stay here for at least 4 nights.

For the music lovers: a world-class harpist, Andrea Piazza, lives in San Gimignano, and can often be found playing in the museum courtyard. Hearing him play there inspired me to learn to play the harp. You won't see this advertised anywhere; just be on the lookout, sit down for a while and listen. In the harp world, Andrea is a star so this is a rare opportunity to hear a concert for free, in the most romantic spot in Italy.

go and sit in a square for some galato while horny crazed cats get the better of each other in the midday heat while an elderly lady tries to part them with her broom.the sound of screching cats and angry italian lady ..music..and very humourous too

Events: International Crafts Fair (April-May), Antiques Biennial, Music in May, Opera and Theatre Seasons, Fashion shows, Festival dei Popoli (December). Folkloristic are: Calcio in Costume (July) and Scoppio del Carro (Easter).

One of the most beautiful places i went to, and i want to go back there. The shopping is fantastic as is the lovely architecture. You can get your caricature drawn by one of the many artists along the street, take photos of 'David', and also walk the infamous bridge laden with shops of gold - once the shops of butchers meat!! There are many designer stores and many crepe stands, but don't forget to leave without picking up a real piece of genuine leather garment from florence! Don't miss also the 'Space Discoteca' night club!! Don't worry if you hurt yourself in Florence, hospital help is great in florence (if you can speak italian- although all doctors speak english)

Archo Rossi (Red Arch) is a decent hostel in Florence, not far from the train station. Staff friendliness is generally okay, though varies, and there's no A/C. But free breakfast and free Internet so overall it was decent. I was very happy with the experience, but my biggest source of joy was that I was going by hop-on-hop-off bus (Busabout) and their accomodation at Florence is a horrendously far campsite that required a fifteen minute hike just to get to the bus stop!

Market hall
Beneath fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and meat etc. you can get simple dishes and a glass of drinkable red wine for a fat lot less money then outside the hall in the bars and restaurants. Enjoy ;)

Florence is a fantastic city to walk. I love the bridge that is filled with jewellers selling all kinds of gold silver creations. I found a pair of very unusual ear-rings in 21 carat gold at such a reasonable price. The Medici gardens are beautiful as well, and of course the galleries, although there is a lot of interesting art around the city itself such as sculptures in sqaures - look out for the Medusa - brilliant.

Ristorante Lobs Via Faenza, 75/77r - 50100 Firenze
Telefono: 055-212478
A fish restaurant in  caraibic style  situated in San Lorenzo. Specialities of main courses, first courses very tasty (spaghetti Nettuno style with a mix of shellfishes and molluschs, spaghetti with lobster, risotto with crab),  dish  of mixed grilled fishes, oysters and Champagne, plateau of steamed shellfishes or seafood you can taste in two, lobsters, crayfishes in a relaxed ambience and beautiful wooden room, coloured and bright as the sea. excellent desserts of  Dolci Dolcezze , special crème brulée made by the chef, and a fine selection of white and red wines.

Be sure to stop by Cinque Terre on the way to Pisa because you can just fly by and not notice these really cool little towns on the way. Great beaches and really picturesque places to walk/ take pictures or whatever.

The art and culture of millenarian times in one place

firenze is superb! You really have to visit it once in your life. All the art and the little streets, just marvellous!

The best views of the city are to be had from the Boboli gardens. Spend at least a half a day here to enjoy the views. Don't miss the rose garden. The views from the top of the Duomo are also well worth the steps.

I had the best Italian food ever in Forte dei Marmi. Don't go to the tourist traps though. If you go down some of the sidestreets in town and try out a local restaurant that even looks a bit shabby, you will get the best food ever; and the prices are much more reasonable too.

History

[edit] Ancient and medieval city
Autumn in Lucca
Autumn in Lucca

Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical center preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro.

Frediano, an Irish monk, was bishop of Lucca in the early 5th century.[1] At one point, Lucca was plundered by Odoacer, the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the 6th century, when Narses besieged it for several months in 553. Under the Lombards, it was the seat of a duke who minted his own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca (or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved by Nicodemus, arrived in 742. It became prosperous through the silk trade that began in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzantium. During the 10-11th centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudal margravate of Tuscany, more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor.

After the death of Matilda of Tuscany, the city began to constitute itself an independent commune, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante spent some of his exile in Lucca.

In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph capitano del popolo (captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio, Castracani defeated Florence's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli's third famous book on political rule.

In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy, and after 1628 as an oligarchy, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice and Genoa, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789.[2].

[edit] Republic of Lucca
Palazzo Pfanner, garden view.
Palazzo Pfanner, garden view.

Lucca was the second largest Italian city state (after Venice) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries. In 1805, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi in charge as "Queen of Etruria". This affair is commemorated in the famous first sentence of Tolstoy's War and Peace:

"Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of the Bonapartes.(...) And what do you think of this latest comedy, the coronation at Milan, the comedy of the people of Genoa and Lucca laying their petitions [to be annexed to France] before Monsieur Bonaparte, and Monsieur Bonaparte sitting on a throne and granting the petitions of the nations?" (spoken by a thoroughly anti-Bonapartist Russian aristocrat, soon after the news reached St. Petersburg).

After 1815 it became a Bourbon-Parma duchy, then part of Tuscany in 1847 and finally part of the Italian State.

[edit] Frazioni

The municipal territory of Lucca includes eighty-one “fractions”: Antraccoli, Aquilea, Arancio, Arliano, Arsina, Balbano, Cappella, Carignano, Castagnori, Castiglioncello, Cerasomma, Chiatri, Ciciana, Deccio di Brancoli, Fagnano, Farneta, Gattaiola, Gignano di Brancoli, Maggiano, Massa Pisana, Mastiano, Meati, Monte San Quirico, Montuolo, Mutigliano, Mugnano, Nave, Nozzano, Nozzano San Pietro, Nozzano Vecchia, Ombreglio di Brancoli, Palmata, Piaggione, Piazza di Brancoli, Piazzano, Picciorana, Pieve di Brancoli, Pieve Santo Stefano, Ponte a Moriano, Ponte del Giglio, Ponte San Pietro, Pontetetto, Saltocchio, San Cassiano a Vico, San Cassano di Moriano, San Concordio di Moriano, San Donato, San Filippo, San Gimignano, San Giusto di Brancoli, San Lorenzo a Vaccoli, San Lorenzo di Moriano, San Macario in monte, San Macario in piano, San Michele di Moriano, San Michele in Escheto, San Pancazio, San Pietro a Vico, San Quirico in Moriano, San Vito, Sant'Alessio, Sant'Angelo in Campo, Sant'Ilario di Brancoli, Santa Maria a Colle, Santa Maria del Giudice, Santissima Annunziata, Santo Stefano di Moriano, Sesto di Moriano, Sorbano del Giudice, Sorbano del Vescovo, Stabbiano, Tempagnano di Lunata, Torre, Torre alla Maddalena, Torre Alta, Tramonte, Tramonte di Brancoli, Vallebuia, Vecoli, Vicopelago, Vinchiana.

[edit] Main sights
Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008)
Piazza Anfiteatro
Piazza Anfiteatro

The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.

The Academy of Sciences (1584) is the most famous of several academies and libraries.

The Casa di Puccini is open to the public. At nearby Torre del Lago there is a Puccini opera festival every year in July/August. Puccini had a house there.

There are many richly built medieval basilica-form churches in Lucca with rich arcaded facades and campaniles, a few as old as the 8th century.

* Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
* Piazzale Verdi
* Piazza Napoleone
* Piazza San Michele

A close up of the front facade of the San Michele in Foro.
A close up of the front facade of the San Michele in Foro.

* Duomo di San Martino (St Martin's Cathedral)
* The Ducal Palace (The original project was begun by Bartolomeo Ammannati in 1577–1582, and continued by Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century.)
* The ancient Roman amphitheatre
* Church of San Michele in Foro
* Basilica di San Frediano
* Torre delle ore ("The Clock Tower")
* Casa and Torre Guinigi
* Museo Nazionale Guinigi
* Museo e Pinacoteca Nazionale
* Orto Botanico Comunale di Lucca, a botanical garden dating from 1820
* Palazzo Pfanner
* Church of San Giorgio in the locality of Brancoli, built in the late 12th century. It has a nave and two aisles with a single apse, and a bell tower in Lombard-Romanesque style ranked amongst the most beautiful in northern Italy. The interior houses a massive ambo (1194) with four columns mounted on notable sculptures of lions. Also having notable medieval decoration is the octagonal baptismal font. The altar is supported by six small columns with human figures
* Passeggiata Mura Urbane (which is a street all over the city on the bastions, and which pass from these balconies: Santa Croce, San Frediano, San Martino, San Pietro/Battisti, San Salvatore, La Libertà/Cairoli, San Regolo, San Colombano, Santa Maria, San Paolino/Catalani, and San Donato; also pass over these gates: Porta San Donato, Porta Santa Maria, Porta San Jocopo, Porta Elisa, Porta San Pietro, and Porta Sant' Anna.)
* The fortified city is surround by these street: Piazzale Boccherini, Viale Lazzaro Papi, Viale Carlo Del Prete, Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, Via Batoni, Viale Agostino Marti, Viale G. Marconi, Piazza Don A. Mei, Viale Pacini, Viale Giusti, Piazza Curtatone, Piazzale Ricasoli, Viale Ricasoli, Piazza Risorgimento and Viale Giosuè Carducci from outside.

[edit] Culture

Lucca is the birthplace of composers Giacomo Puccini (La bohème and Madama Butterfly), Francesco Geminiani, Gioseffo Guami, Luigi Boccherini, and Alfredo Catalani. It is also the birthplace of Bruno Menconi and artist Benedetto Brandimarte.

Lucca annually hosts the Lucca Summer Festival. The 2006 edition saw Eric Clapton, Placebo, Massive Attack, Roger Waters, Tracy Chapman and Santana play live in the Piazza Napoleone.

Lucca also hosts the annual Lucca Comics and Games festival, Italy's largest festival for comics and related subjects.