Returning to Tuscany

Walls of San Gimignano

Piazzo del Campo in Siena

Ponte Vecchio in Florence

Statue of David by Michelangelo at Galleria dell'Accademia

View of Pitigliano

Tuscany is a region in Central Italy with an area of about 8,900 square miles and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (Firenze). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and has been home to many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contains well-known museums such as the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. Tuscany produces  wines and olive oil. Having a strong linguistic and cultural identity, it is sometimes considered "a nation within a nation".

Tuscany is traditionally a popular destination in Italy and the main tourist destinations by number of tourist arrivals are Florence, Pisa, and Montecatini Terme.

Seven Tuscan localities have been designated World Heritage sites: the historic center of Florence (1982); the Cathedral square of Pisa (1987); the historical centre of San Gimignano (1990); the historical centre of Siena (1995); the historical centre of Pienza  (1996); the Val d'Orcia (2004), and the Medici Villas and Gardens (2013). Tuscany has over 120 protected nature reserves, making Tuscany and its capital Florence popular tourist destinations that attract millions of tourists every year. In 2012, the city of Florence was the world's 89th most visited city, with over 1.834 million arrivals.

I have been to Tuscany three times before, but visited some places I had not been and returned to others. This trip I visited San Gimignano,  Montecatini Terme, Monte San Sevino, Chianti, and Ferrara for the first time. I also returned to Florence, Siena, Pitigliano, Venice (not really in Tuscany but always worth a visit)

More details to follow in new posts. Stay tuned...