Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
Florence & Tuscany
Travel writers tend to deploy the word 'idyllic' far too often,
devaluing it in the process. But here in Tuscany, it really does apply.
Living History
Tuscany has been enticing visitors ever since the Etruscans arrived here to party and de-
cided to stay. The Romans came to stock their grain silos, Christians came to walk the
stages of a medieval pilgrimage route, Napolean came to plunder art and British aristocrats
came to complete their Grand Tour. Once here, these and many other visitors swiftly fell in-
to the local swing of things, partaking of the food and wine with gusto, admiring the di-
verse landscapes and soaking up the region's incredibly rich historical and cultural herit-
age. You're sure to enjoy following in their footsteps.
An Artistic Powerhouse
Then there's the art. And oh, what art! The Etruscans indulged their fondness for a classy
send-off with exquisite funerary objects that are still being excavated to this day, and the
Romans, always partial to puffing up their own importance, left their usual legacy of monu-
mental sculptures. But it was during the medieval and Renaissance periods that Tuscany
really hit its artistic stride, with painters, sculptors and architects creating the masterpieces
that now entice visitors into churches, museums and galleries across the region.
Sensational Slow Food
The local obsession with food and wine trumps every other regional characteristic, and then
some. Three of Italy's greatest wines - Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepul-
ciano and Vernaccia di San Gimignano - are produced here, and gastronomic gems such as
bistecca alla fiorentina
(chargrilled T-bone steak),
cacciucco
(Livornese fish stew) and
pici
con ragù di cinghiale
(hand-rolled pasta with wild-boar sauce) are just some of the region's
signature dishes. Tour here and you'll develop a true understanding of what Slow Food is,
and how truly delectable locally sourced and simply prepared Tuscan cuisine can be.
