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Italia magazine Tuscany 2018 - Special
Italia! is the award-winning magazine for everyone who has a passion for Italy. Each month, you¹ll find a wide variety of beautifully photographed and intelligently written articles to inspire and inform you. Covering every aspect of Italian life, from travel, holidays and property to food, wine and culture, we bring Italy closer to English-speaking readers across the world.
i denne utgaven
welcome!
Welcome to the latest edition of the Italia! Tuscany Guide from the publishers of Italia! magazine – 132 pages of expert travel inspiration, advice and itineraries to help make the most of your next trip to this much-loved region of Italy. Steeped in culture and with a rich heritage, Tuscany offers a mouthwatering wealth of destinations: discover tranquil corners away from the tourist trail, and explore familiar city hotspots like Florence and Siena with fresh eyes. In colour-coded sections, you’ll find recommendations for where to stay and eat, weekend city breaks, serene country getaways, top attractions, as well as our guides to Tuscany’s favourite gardens, festivals, beauty spots, food and wine. As always, we hope you’ll find plenty here to inspire you, and when you’re back home, why not drop us…
calendar of festivals
THE CAVALCADE OF THE MAGI ACROSS TUSCANY JANUARY 6 January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany and in Florence the celebration involves a grand parade in magnificent costumes that symbolises the arrival of the Three Wise Men. More than 500 participants join in the celebration – knights, soldiers, ladies and lords, drummers, flag-throwers and a live nativity including farm animals, all march down the streets among thousands of onlookers, as children attend in the hope of receiving treats from La Befana. CARNIVAL IN VIAREGGIO VIAREGGIO FEBRUARY-MARCH Taking place over an entire month with five days of processions, this carnival occurs during daylight hours, when parades draw thousands of visitors of all ages, with everybody in costume. With booming music playing, masked groups of dancers and highly-artistic floats compete against each other in a carnival…
top 10 beauty spots
1 BAGNO VIGNONI HOT SPRINGS, VAL D’ORCIA While traditional towns may have a main town square in their centre, in Bagno Vignoni it is simply a huge thermal pool. Although this one can not be used, just steps away is the Parco dei Mulini for those who wish to take a dip in the thermal waters. Bagno Vignoni became a halting and refreshment point in Etruscan times for the numerous pilgrims on their way to Rome, when it was used both for personal hygiene and curing illnesses. A stunning beauty spot, the water is heated from underneath by the Earth’s crust. 2 MICHELANGELO’S DAVID, FLORENCE The most famous statue in the world, no trip to Florence would be complete without a visit to see this iconic figure. Standing at an amazing 17 foot…
tuscany’s top 10 gardens
1 GIARDINO DI BOBOLI Piazza Pitti, Florence ☎ +39 055 238 8786 www.museumsinflorence.com The area behind the Pitti Palace is the setting for the stunning Boboli Gardens. Designed for the Medici there are several hectares of park, with the original garden being created for Duke Cosimo and his wife Eleonora of Toledo in 1550, and becoming Florence’s most admired gardens. The natural amphitheatre and the rest of the gardens were developed over the next 100 years and they are full of stunning vistas, beautiful sculptures and exquisite fountains. Entry to the Silver Museum and all its glittering prizes is included in the price of the gardens’ tour. 2 VILLA TORRIGIANI DI CAMIGLIANO Via del Gomberaio 3, Camigliano, Capannori, Lucca ☎ +39 0583 928041 www.villeepalazzilucchesi.it Situated in the hamlet of Camigliano, the villa and its gardens are magnificently appointed by…
48 hours in… lunigiana
The Lunigiana – literally, ‘land of the moon’ – takes its name from the ancient Etruscan settlement of Luni, which prospered and became an important centre during Roman times. Despite repeated sackings, first by the Barbarians and later by the Normans and then the Saracens, remnants of the old town, which was constructed almost entirely from the local Carrara marble, survived – albeit not altogether intact – and are still being excavated. It is claimed that the name Luni refers to the moon, the beauty of which is enhanced when framed against the jagged backdrop of the white-peaked Apuan Alps and the towering Apennines. Others in the area claim that the area was once populated by a sect of moon worshippers. There’s no evidence to support this claim, however, it…
48 hours in… bagni di lucca
For so many who arrive at Pisa airport, it is the honeypots of Siena and Florence, and the juicy vineyards of Chianti that lure them southwards. Not for me though. I was heading in the opposite direction to the Val di Lima in the lesser-travelled area of northern Tuscany known as the Garfagnana. Living and working in the Georgian elegance of Bath in the southwest of England, I was particularly interested to be making this journey to the small town of Bagni di Lucca tucked away in the northern hills of Tuscany. I had heard a little about its thermal springs and links with other spa towns in Europe and was keen to find out more about its history and the modern-day legacy. NORTH TO LUCCA Heading north from Pisa airport we…
