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EXCURSION SPOTS
Tuscany is very special to us and it is not without reason that the area is called the “Italian culture’s cradle” and “Italy’s paradise”. It is a region in central Italy with stunning scenery with pine- and cypress avenues, sunflower fields, vineyards, olive groves and medieval villages surrounded by old walls.
You will find a region full of experiences, art, culture and people with tongue in cheek. You will experience an exciting dining, world class wine, museums displaying irreplaceable art, colorful festivals, street markets, exclusive shopping and world class soccer games from the Italian league A.
Look forward to experiencing the art cities Florence, Siena, Pisa and San Gimignano right nearby.
The medieval village Lanciole is very centrally situated from all the popular excursion spots in the northern Tuscany. It only takes 45 min to drive to the nearest beach, 25 min to Montecatini Terme, 60 min to Pisa, 35 min to Lucca, 60 min to Florence, 90 min to Sienna and 50 to the skiing area Abetone. Tennis and shopping opportunities are located about 15-20 min away from the house by car. There is a golf course about 20 km away from the house. During the summer, there is pony riding only 10 min away from the house in the direction of Abetone. Public buses stop in front of the house 4 to 5 times a day; however, we recommend that you explore the area by car. It is a good idea to bring your own GPS.
Pisa
Pisa is world famous for its leaning tower, which leans about four meters to one side. The leaning tower of Pisa is on miracles Square where you will find dåbskapelltet, cathedral and the cemetery. You can still take the stairs up to the top, which is a fantastic site overlooking the white marble buildings and the city as a whole.
Montecatini Terme
25 min from the house is the fashinable spa-city Montecatin with a lot of shops, supermarkets, bars and restaurants.
Pescia
The house is situated 15 km Pescia in direction of the skiing area Abetone, in an area that is also called “The Italian Switerland” due to its magnificent nature. Pescia itself has many picturesque buildings and is only 8 km from the most used highway for tourism – highway A11 Florence-Pisa. The city has many beautiful buildings all from the time period starting in the 1300s to the Renaissance to Fascism.
The city also has a lot of great shops and cafes at reasonable prices. Every Saturday from 7am to 1pm there is a street market in the city with loads of cheap goods. Keep a close eye on your bags and purses to avoid being pick-pocketed, as there are many gypsies in the city these Saturdays.
Monday, many of the shops are either closed the entire day or half the day, so if you want to experience the shops in Pescia we recommend that you choose another day of the week.
At the bus station in Pescia, there is a beautiful house with really good ice cream and wonderful coffee.
At the bus station is also Les Griffen Outlet.
Lucca
Lucca is surrounded by a very impressive Defense Wall, dating back to the 1600s. It runs in a 4.1 km great circle and the wall and its cause is used today as a recreational area where people cycle, run and walks. Bicycles can be rented at several places in the city and it is wonderful to ride around on the broad defense walls.
Lucca has a rich shopping life with clothe, shoes and jewelry stores side by side. The city offers many beautiful and atmospheric cafes and sophisticated restaurants as Giglio and BUCA di Sant'Antonio.
Lucca also offers many musical experiences. In the summer you can enjoy concerts by big international names in the oval square, Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. The oval shape reflects that there previously was a Roman amphitheater. Composer Giacomo Puccini was born and raised in Lucca and in his birth home is a small museum of his life. If you are lucky, you may experience one of his operas in the city's magnificent opera house, Teatro del Giglio. In late July and early August is the Puccini festival held at the lake Ciuccoli, located 18 km from Lucca. At the tourist office in Pescia, they can tell about the cultural events taking place in Lucca, while you are in Tuscany.
A very nice old part of the city. You can bike on the wide walls of the city. We can really recommend it.
Sienna
Sienna is a beautiful medieval town with beautiful Gothic churches, palaces and charming winding streets.The Town hall is similar to the town hall in Copenhagen, but the architect Martin Nyrup did also inspire them, as he represented the town hall in Copenhagen. From the bell tower Torre del mangia you have a fantastic view over the city. Sienna is also known for its horse races taking place in early July and mid August. The race is in the middle of town by the great square Piazza del Campo. check the dates on www.ilpalio.org.
Florence
In Florence, you can experience the history and the enchanting atmosphere of the city in one of the good cafes or restaurants. Florence is a city with fantastic history and the town is known for its cultural treasures. Works by Michelangelo, Botticelli and many other great artists can be experienced on the city's fine museums. The city also offers some of Europe's best shopping opportunities. At the San Lorenzo Church, there is a huge market day where you can buy souvenirs and clothing and leather goods.
Well outside of Florence there is some large outlets, which include some well-known brands. The selection is large but the prices are still high, although given big discounts.
Other excursion spots that we recommend:
Cinque Terre: The 5 small fishing villages – must be experienced
San Gimignano: The city with the many towers
Golf in Tuscany
At the webpage www.federgolftoscana.it you can get an overview of the many opportunities there are to play golf in Tuscany.
Factory outlets
There are different interesting factory outlets with well-known brands in Tuscany. The best known outlet is probably The Mall which is about a 30 min drive from Florence in the middle of the beautiful Tuscan landscape. It has all the well-known brand-names including Gucci, Armani Jeans, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent, La Perla etc. which are gathered in beautiful stylish shops with doormen. The prices are seemingly lower than regular store prices, but it is still pricy. Opening hours are Monday to Sunday 10am to 7pm.
Via Europa 8, Leccio Regello, Firenze - Tel.: +39 055 865 7775
Festivals
Throughout the whole summer Tuscany offers many great well-visited and enjoyable festivals. We have tried a theater festival and a medieval festival in some of the bigger medieval cities and we can really recommend it. Ask at the tourist agency in Pescia which is located across from the big free parking lot, which is right between the central square of the city and the supermarket Esselunga.
Wine routes
Tuscany is first and foremost known for its Chianti district which has several thousand producers. A visit to a vineyard can be a great experience, but it does not guarantee a good bargain.
A trip to the beach
Viareggio, which is slightly northwest of Lucca is one of the beaches closes and with its broad beaches one of the most populærere beaches of Tuscany.