The Residence is the ideal place for a holiday in Tuscany Etruscan Coast. It is within easy reach of most of the important cities of art and folklore in the region.
Chianti
is a highly renowned hilly region, located between Florence and Siena to the west of the river Arno. It is a famous wine-growing region where wine is produced and enjoyed world-wide. This area is characterised by rolling green hills that offer beautiful countryside with vineyards, olive groves and patches of forest of rare beauty. There are many small villages and farms thus making it a very popular tourist destination (also due to its proximity to the beautiful cities of Florence and Siena). It is worth visiting Greve in Chianti, Panzano and Castellina in Chianti.
Pienza
is a small town in the Tuscan province of Siena, which is located on a hill overlooking the valley of the river Orcia. Originally it was called “Castle Corsignano” and later was changed to Pienza by Pope Pius II Piccolomini (Pienza means city of Pius.) During the fifteenth century, under the wishes of Pope Pius II Piccolomini, the main buildings and the Cathedral were built. The whole village is very pretty and a very pleasant place to visit, especially the Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum and the Palazzo Piccolomini. You can also visit the Park Artistico and the Natural and Cultural Park of Val d’Orcia.
Bolgheri
is located in the comune of Castagneto Carducci, a few kilometres north-west of the capital and lies in the Province of Livorno in Italy, on the foothills of the Colline Metallifere, south of Bibbona.The quaint village grew around the medieval castle (extensively remodelled over the centuries) that is located on a small hill that can be reached via the scenic Viale dei Cipressi, a 5 kilometre stretch that begins in the valley, on the via Aurelia, just before the eighteenth century Oratorio di San Guido – made famous by the poems of Giosuè Carducci in the poem Davanti a San Guido (1874). In addition, in the middle of the village there is the cemetery where his grandmother was buried. Not far from the village, on a hill located at about 400 metres above sea level, lies the ancient fortified centre of Castiglioncello di Bolgheri, with the church of San Bernardo.
San Gimignano
is a medieval village in the province of Siena, located on a hill over the Val d’Elsa. It was originally the site of an Etruscan village, but its greatest development occurred in the medieval period when there was a thriving artistic activity of which the works can still be seen today. This town had the honour of hosting the famous poet Dante Alighieri, Ambassador of the Guelph League in Tuscany. San Gimignano has retained almost intact its fourteenth century structure and is characterised by the presence of 15 magnificent towers, from the beautiful Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Cisterna. You can admire the Palazzo del Podesta, the Town Hall, the Church of St. Augustine and the pentagonal fortress demolished by the Medici in the sixteenth century. San Gimignano is also famous for its wine: Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Viareggio
is a town in the province of Lucca, which is located on the coast of Versilia, a famous tourist region that is located between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apuan Alps. It is one of the most popular seaside resorts in Tuscany and many establishments have retained their original characteristics. The town is renowned for its carnival that is celebrated with a procession of beautiful floats and masked parades.
Firenze
is the capital of the Tuscany region and is famous worldwide for its priceless art treasures. In this city lived formidable artists such as Giotto, Masaccio, Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo. Their works are collected in many museums in the city. There are beautiful buildings such as the Cathedral, the Baptistery, Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and famous museums such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery.
Siena
is one of the main towns of Tuscany and is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has beautiful monuments and works of art from some of the greatest artists that have ever existed. It is well worth paying a visit to Piazza del Campo where the famous horse race (Palio) takes place and a short distance from that is the Duomo di Siena.