The Tuscan Coast – City of Viareggio Area
Driving down the coas to Viareggio, you are confronted with a bizarre mix of the past and present – (some striking liberty and historical style buildings that make you think of fabulous1920’s and 30’s resorts – that somehow landed on the promenade of a present day beach resort town – a bit like a wealthy old socialite with her diamante earrings tanning on a singles club beach ….it really is a mix of cocktails and candy – historic art galleries, and beach shops, great reataurants and fast food all in the mix.
Viareggio was originally built as a port to the city of Lucca, but is now most famous for its “Carnevale di Viareggio” which dates back to 1873.
This is the most famous and spectacular carnival in Tuscany … it takes place over the whole month from the end of January to the begining of March with 5 days of masquerade processions of floats and entertainment – 4 on sundays and one on a Tuesday.
There seemed to be hundreds of beach clubs, resorts, hotels and restaurants all in a seemingly endless line hugging the beach. For some reason it made me think of an Italian version of Atlantic city in the US. I can see its attraction to local families who want a seaside vacation and where there is a lot of entertainment options for the kids, surf and plenty of shopping , but If I went again it would be to see the Floats at the carnival
San Miniato, Certaldo, Vinci, San Gimignano & Monteriggioni
Tuscany’s strikingly unique hilly landscape region, with its palette of constantly changing colours of rolling vineyards, olive, cypress and pine tree formations, dotted with historical cities, towns and castles all steeped in history and culture, has inspired and tormented artists, artisans, engineers and scholars for centuries.
Tuscan food and wine is the lifeblood of the region, making Tuscany a powerfully seductive place, and one of the most desirable destinations in the world – it immerses you head first into this world of worlds, and it won’t be long before you realize that what you are tasting is so much more than just skin deep.
You will come across seemingly endless varieties of pasta, cheeses, sauces, breads, meats, oils, vinegars, vegetables and wines …each with a story of their own and unique to that area.
The most famous wine of the region is Chianti, which dates back to the 13th Century. Chianti is not the name of a variety of grape like Merlot Or Cabernet Sauvignon, but is a wine made from a mixture of grape varieties …the most dominant
being Sangiovese – other varieties mixed in are generally Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano.
Uniquely from the select Chianti area within Tuscany … the initial consumer perception of Chianti Wine is that it came in a squat bottle with a straw basket covering, and although those can traditionally still be found, it is no longer the norm at all.
Not many places in this world inspire the soul and ignite passion and creativity as much as Tuscany
Over the years the Chianti wine mixtures have varied and in more recent times some winemakers in the Chianti area introduced other varieties like the french Merlot and Cabernet and with a few of these unique blends the ‘super Chiantis” emerged, but as they did not conform to the regulations they were not labeled as Chiantis …but being from this region they were well received by critics and consumers and are now notably known as the “Super Tuscans”.
To really appreciate good food and wine you cannot rush a meal – you need to take your time to look, smell and slowly savour every bite and sip…and to really appreciate Tuscany you need to approach every town and village in the same way – each has a mountain of stories to tell and to truly feel and appreciate it all, you need you need to take in bit by bit.
For that very reason … this road trip was centred on a few towns between Pisa, Florence and Siena only – namely …Monteriggioni, San Miniato, Certaldo, Vinci and San Gimignano.
MONTERIGGIONI – this small perfectly preserved medieval fortified village with cobbled streets and watchtowers, is situated within the Chianti Region and is about 20 km from Siena.
It is said to be the inspiration for the Assassins Creed saga, and started off as a castle and then later was extended to include the watchtowers.
There is a recently added elevated walkway that allows you to walk around a section of the walls, which really pulls you into the history of the place, as you get the feeling of manning the wall to protect the town from invaders … this becomes even more real when you enter the interactive Armory Museum and try on some of the armour and get to swing a medieval sword.
There are a few restaurants and shops in the village, and for steak lovers – the Steak Fliorentine at Ristorante Il Fuedo is fantastic and a fitting meal for a medieval fortified town.
The Monteriggioni Medieval festival held in July is one of the most popular festivals in Tuscany, the town dresses up in medieval finery and there are games, food stalls and falconry displays.
SAN MINIATO is a very picturesque hilltop medieval town in the province of Pisa that is basically situated halfway between Pisa and Florence, and is visible from the highway that runs between the cities. The area between Florence and Pisa is quite developed so Its a great spot to stop for a break, and take a step back in time if you are travelling between the two cities.
Artists love this town …The Church of San Domenico contains Frescoes and Oaintings by the 15th – 18th century Florentine School, and there are a few Palaces in the town as well as the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art, which contains work by numerous artists from the Tuscan School.
The old part of the town is at the top of the hill and its where you will want to head to – if you intend staying overnight the Miravalle Palace “Art” Hotel is ideal situated in the heart of the old town, right under the tower of Frederick. It has over 150 masterpieces spread throughout the hotel. It is an ideal location to explore Tuscany as there are many activities in the area ranging from cooking classes on farms, to Vespa tours and language and painting classes.
The Bell Tower of Frederick is the most prominent landmark and overlooks the valley. It was destroyed by the germans in WW II to stop the allies using it as a lookout tower, but was reconstructed in 1958.
During the last few weeks of Nov San Miniato hosts a festival devoted to the white Truffle, which is harvested in the area around the city. The white truffle is more highly valued than the black truffle found in Umbria and Marche.
San Miniato is also known for its production of leather and leather products with many tanneries in the area turning raw hides into leather using strict traditional methods which has made Tuscan Leather known throughout the world for its excellence in quality.
CERTALDO is one of my favourite timeless medieval Tuscan towns …to me this town is more picturesque and photogenic than many others and worth going to if you can manage to fit it into your schedule. It is well known as the hometown of the renaissance poet Giovanni Boccaccio, but also dates back to the Etruscan and Roman times as numerous archaeological finds have been discovered in the area.
It is a bit more off the beaten track and not off a major highway linking larger cities, and is situated about 35km SW of the centre of Florence. You can get to Certaldo by train from Florence, Pisa and Sienna.
The town has an upper “Certaldo Alto”, and a lower area “Certaldo Basso” – the upper area of the town has limited vehicle access but there is a cable car “Certaldo Funicular” that takes you to the upper part of the town from the railway station.
Almost every town has some or other unique festival throughout the year
The interesting thing about this town is that it doesn’t have a main piazza, unlike most Tuscan towns, and so developed itself along the road system, one of the main ones being Via Boccaccio – This road serves as a stage for many historical reenactments, and markets – in June the town hosts the famed Dinner with Mr Boccaccio… a medieval dinner that is set up in the streets.
However the largest festival in Certaldo is the week long Mercantia – held in July – its an incredible Street Art festival that hosts over 80 shows a day all within hidden courtyards and secret gardens – events can range from contemporary dance troupes performing along ancient vertical walls, to puppet shows or creatures on stilts walking through the town etc … its impossible to attend all and each year is different.
The Palazzo Pretorio is one of the landmarks in town and sits at the intersection of the 2 main thoroughfares of town life. The facade is decorated with numerous coats of arms, many sculptured by master craftsmen in ceramics .. the della Robbia from Florence.
In contrast to the colourful arts – the Church of St Jacopo and St Filippo is quite unusual and has a dark and somewhat eerie side, as is quietly dominated by the skeleton of the Nun..the Blessed Giulia —who is displayed in her coffin in the Church … wearing her 14th century Nun Habit – her empty eye sockets staring up at you.
Apparently she became unwillingly famous after saving a child from a burning building, and after that had herself retired to live the remaining of her life in a small dark cell within the church to escape the fame and attention- it is said that the aroma of fresh flowers was often apparent at the small opening of her windowless cell
VINCI.. The hometown and birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci. This town is situated on a hill about 40 km west of Florence and is a fitting way to immerse yourself into Leonardo’s world of both artist and genius, as everything in the town is seemingly dedicated to him.
Looking around this tiny treasure of a town and going to the house where he was born and grew up it was quietly inspiring .. because if this genius of a person could originate from such humble beginnings then there is hope for humanity and it makes you realize that you must never be afraid to dream and that there are no limits to the creative mind.
The Museo Leonardino in town hosts a collection of models built from his original designs – you only fully realize the scope of his genius when you see the eclectic and diverse range of his imagination and talent – from paintings to designs of futuristic flying machines, cranes, hydraulic and textile machines are just some of many.
The Biblioteca Leonardiana is close to the museum and is no ordinary library, as it is dedicated entirely to Leonardo da Vinci. Here you will find and study copies of his original drawings, sketches, notes and manuscripts as well as his peculiar reverse writings.
The gift shop I went into was a cut above the regular tourist traps and sold some unique items like wooden model kits of his creations – things that I didn’t really spot openly elsewhere – like in the markets in Florence … so worth a stop for a souvenir with a difference.
SAN GIMIGNANO – this medieval Manhattan, also known as the Town of Towers is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lies roughly about halfway between Florence and Siena.
This walled Medieval town situated in the stunning Sienese countryside can be see from a distance and to this day forms an unforgettable skyline with its tall towers – around 14 still stand, but there were originally around 72. The tallest of them is the Torre Del Podesta which is 54 m high. You would think that these towers were built for fortification or military purposes but they originated as a result of competing families, each wanting to build a taller and more impressive home.
There is much to see and do in this town, from the towers to the Cathedral, Churches and Museums with unbelievably beautiful Frescoes. There are 8 entrances through the surrounding walls into the town and there are many options for accommodation from hotels to guest houses in the surrounding area.
You will find a good selection of shops and restaurants in town quite a few selling leather goods and ceramics unique to this area. Florence is really the place to buy leather goods but having said that, if you spot something special you might not have time to hunt it down or find it in Florence.
Cured Wild Boar meat is very popular and in many food shops you will be greeted by a stuffed wild boar near the entrance. Saffron products are also sold in quite a few places as Saffron cultivation, harvest and products play an important role in the local economy.
For wine lovers – Vernaccia is the famous local white wine, produced only in these hills …the characteristic elements of this wine is its light yellow almost golden colour, its refined smell, dry taste and slightly bitter aftertaste – it has an alcohol content of around 11%.
You cant visit the town without stopping for a treat at the award winning Gelatoria Dondoli – there is generally quite a line up but its well worth the wait.
You could spend an eternity exploring and visiting the many unique areas within Tuscany, and many people find themselves wanting to come back for more and more, and because there is so much to see and do, you really need to take the time to plan your trip properly, and its well worth getting a more enriched experience from a local guide and looking into one or two of the endless variety of short local excursions – from organized cooking classes, to wine and cheese tasting, take art classes or a vespa tours etc ..there is something for everyone.
