The series of fortified villages, with which the valley is studded, bear witness to its long-standing srategic role as the most important route, over the Passo della Cisa, between the Po Valley and the Tyrrhenian coast.

The terraces, clearly visible on the steep slopes of the hills, attest to the fact that, in the past, the Lunigiana was much more intensely cultivated. Although olives and viness are grown up to a height of 600 metres, the area is largely forested, with chestnut trees alternating with Turkey oaks and mixed woods. Also the upper Serchio Valley, usually known as Garfagnana, bears the clearly visible signs of mans attempts over the cenuries to model the rugged natural landscape and obtain spaces suitable for agriculture. The terraces, built with earthen banks and , provided cultivated land on the mountain slopes, creating clearings in the woods. Here, too, there are ruins of the fortresses that defended the strategic position, evidence of a constant struggle for the political control of the region.

Trek & Bike Tours & Agriturismo in Tuscany & Garfagnana

Garfagnana holiday accommodation, Tuscany

Originally posted 2008-11-07 16:00:37.

A charming hilly town in the east of Tuscany, Arezzo boasts ancient origins. It was one of the greatest etruscan “Lucumonie” succesively it became a Roman town having a strategic position. It was an important centre for economic activities and for its oustanding monuments , such as the Amphitheatre with numerous ruins. Famous for its foundries and the artistic manufactures of red-painted vases (the so called coral vases) which spread all over the Roman world. In the Middle Age, Arezzo was a free city-state where the Ghibellina supporters often prevail in an atmosphere of friction with nearby Florence. After the rout of Campaldino (1289) its fortunes were low and apart from a brief period under the Tartari, it definetely yielded to Florentine domination (1384) and became part of Medicean Granducato. Arezzo is set on a hill above the plain made up of the floods from Arno river. In the upper part of the town you can find the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Medici Fortress, from which the main streets branch off towards the lower part as far as the gates. The upper part of the town maintains its medieval aspect even if we can find later architectonic monuments.

Originally posted 2008-11-04 14:00:23.

While marble plays the leading role in the economy of the slopes of the Apuan Alps facing the Tyrrhenian Sea, there are, however, extensive woods of beech, chestnut and fir surrounding towns and villages of notable artistic and historical importance such as Seravezza, which, in its oldest part, has an intersting series of aristocratic Villas and medieval churches, and Stazzema, on a hill offering splendid views, with, just before the village, the notable Romanesque church of Santa Maria Assunta.

The villages of Pomezzano, with its work shops where, using time honered techniques, master smiths forge scultors tools, and Pruno, where every year in December the local people take part in a fascinating creche with human figures. Proceding towards the heart of the Apuan Alps along routes of outstanding natural beauty, visitors may then cross the mountains and descend into Garfagnana.

The road passing through Galleria del Cipollaio was also known as Via d’Arni because it constituted the first link with this valley, in the 19th century an important marble producing area.

Dominated by Monte Corchia, the road climbs up, with Pania della Croche on the right and on the left in the distance, Monte Altissimo, rent open up to its summit by quarries.

Beyond the Cipolliao tunnel, built under the pass of that name and 1125 metres in length, its particularly interesting to descend the barren limestone valley of the Turrite Secca.

The tiny stone built hamlet of Isola Santa is what remains of the original village, which was submerged by construction of a reservoir serving hydroelectric power to the station of Torrite.

Every ten years, when the resevoir is emptied (the next time is expected to be 2014), the runied houses of the old village emerge.

Originally posted 2009-02-13 16:42:35.

Every time I write about Tuscany Italy, my heart and my whole body for that matter experiences an intense feeling of calmness. I know exactly that this feeling comes from the relaxed atmosphere that this part of Italy near Florence gives off. I have found a perfect balance of enjoying the fascinating city of Florence and its cultural activities at the same time I refurbish energy by either doing a farm holiday or staying in a luxury villa in the countryside of Tuscany.

Wallow in Luxury in Tuscany Italy

The words ‘luxury’ and ‘farm’ might scare you away, firstly because everyone associates luxury with expensive and farm with very little comfort. Let me tell you of some fantastic places where I have been and you will see how this is much more gratifying than staying at a hotel in the city centre.

The Fattoria il Lago farmhouse is found about 40 kilometres north-east of Florence, just outside the small town of Dicomano, hidden away in the olive tree covered Tuscan hillsides. The extensive property houses three areas which are referred to as villages, each having apartment accommodations and an entirely different landscape to admire. The main lodging building is called La Villa and has a pleasurable view of the Dicomano Valley. Just a short walk away you find Lago village with its corresponding pool accompanied by a beautiful garden. The third area is the most quaint sleeping quarters called Macerato, embedded among all the hues of green possible. This kind of vacation rental is as comfortable and reposeful as the luxury villas, only that you are sharing a common ground with other tourists. When you get your Tuscany car rental, you should ask for a good map and maybe even ask them if they can give more explicit directions towards Dicomano being as the farmhouse is found off other country roads. Usually any holiday home in Tuscany offers the option of giving full directions when booking and also being picked up at nearby train or bus stations. You just have to let them know beforehand.

The 11th c. medieval monastery of San Lorenzo a Linari in Sovicille, south of Siena is one of those vacation rental places in Tuscany where you can have it all and still have your own breathing space, having your freedom from stress. This magnificent lodging is individual apartments tempting you with Tuscany tours such as viewing the hillside and mountains seated in a four-wheel drive vehicle, horse-back riding or an aerial view from a hot-air balloon. And if you do not want to miss out on the lovely beaches, there are excursions to the Mediterranean seashore, too.

Staying in Tuscany in the Chiantii area in the luxury villa estate called Villa de Dievole near the old town of Vagliali. As all villas used to belong to the Italian noble class, the exclusiveness and privacy is incomparable. The decoration in many has been respected in the restoration process, therefore you are living among many centuries of history. This 16th century villa has rooms and suites with a private guesthouse, too.

Without overtaxing one’s strength, your Tuscany Italy holiday tours can be choked full of emotions and peacefulness.

Chianti Balloons – Tuscany Hot Air Balloon Ride, Italy

Chianti Balloons offers the unique experience of a Tuscany hot air balloon ride or flight in Italy.

hot air balloon tuscany

Hot air balloon rides and ballooning in Tuscany Italy.

Holiday villas Farm Holiday accommodation Tuscany

Restored farmhouse in Tuscany near Florence Arezzo and Siena, in the chianti tuscan countryside.

Originally posted 2009-02-12 11:00:00.

Porto-Vecchio remained for a long time the bad loved of the towns founded by the Genoeses.
The Saint Georges Office built it in 1539 in order to close its island line of defense. Despite a splendid panorama, the site remained unhealthy, surrounded by marshes which exhaled their putrid breath and their swarms of anopheles.

The paludism decimated a first wave of settlers, then a second, settled in 1546. The occupying forces put there under house arrest some Corsican, that they had before despoiled of their lands. We can easily imagine these new inhabitants which were full of drive, for they were named volunteers. In 1564, Sampiero Corso seized the city and entered into an alliance with the Barbary Coasts . The Genoeses called the Spanish for help, who, in autumn, recaptured Porto-Vecchio.

The town hardly known a new expansion until the draining of the marshes by the american troops in 1944.
It remained for a long time a stopping place for the shepherds, and the place of salt and cork production.
Porto-Vecchio has now become the island’s third city; its film library in particular has made it a lively year-round cultural destination.

Set against the backdrop of the Cerbicales and Lavezzi islands.

Originally posted 2008-11-04 15:38:48.

Pontremoli is believed to have been first settled around a thousand years before Christ.

It was known in Roman times as Apua. The commune later became an independent municipality in 1226 thanks to Federico II who charters the free municipality, partly because of its mountainous situation. This situation in the valley of the Magra also made Pontremoli a target for numerous conquests from rival Italian and foreign lords. Pontremoli was controlled by various aristocratic families, including the Malaspina (in 1319) and the Antelminelli (in 1322). The conflict between the rival Guelfi and Ghibellini factions in the early fourteenth century resulted in the construction of the Great Bell Tower (Il Campanone) to separate the rival camps. During these Medieval times Pontremoli was often visited by pilgrims travelling from Canterbury to Rome.

In 1331 Pontremoli was sold by John I of Bohemia to Mastino II della Scala (Lord of Verona). Pontremoli was later taken over by the Visconti of Milan in 1339. In 1404 the ownership of Pontremoli once again changed hands as it was seized by the Fieschi family of Genoa. However, by 1433 Pontremoli was again under the control of the Milanese. In 1495 Pontremoli was sacked by the troops of Charles VIII of France, during this time Pontremoli was a territory owned by the House of Sforza, who were the new Dukes of Milan.

Pontremoli was a French territory from 1508 until 1522 as several northern Italian areas were conquered. In 1526, Pontremoli was captured by Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire. Pontremoli was controlled by Spain until 1647, when it was bought by the Republic of Genoa. Three years later, Pontremoli was made part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. It stayed as such (with the exception of a period of French control from 1805 to 1814) until Italian unification in the nineteenth century.

With the Leopoldine reforms, Pontremoli became an autonomous community (whilst still part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany) in 1777. In 1778, it officially became a City. The area was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1834. In November 1847 Pontremoli was (along with Fivizzano) occupied by the Duke of Modena, due to a dispute over trade routes.

Originally posted 2010-03-31 14:01:35.

An important resource for this region has always been agriculture, specialised in cereals and in the exploitation of large chestnut forests. The area around Casola is still undeveloped and is superb walking country with stunning views over the surrounding valleys. The first settlements date from the Bronze Age when small villages were inhabited by tribes of Ligurian stock . During the Iron Age these villages grew and agriculture became more extensive.

The famous Statue Stele, mysterious stone statues representing stylized human bodies, come from this period. Not until the late Middle Ages did Casola develop as a little town and, to its misfortune, it attracted the interest of the surrounding towns. Casola has been little modified since the XV century; it still retains its characteristic fan shape, which starts from the tower and widens downhill towards the valley. Two doors, the Porta Soprana (Higher Door) and Porta Sottana (Lower Door) delimit the old town, while the tower is Casola’s hub and symbol. The tower was erected in the Middle Ages; it was part of a stronghold and later, in 1745, was transformed in a bell tower. Palazzo Lombardelli, an elegant Renaissance palace, was built in 1544 by the Lombardelli family, one of the richest and most powerful in the region.

Today Casola is a small friendly place with a selection of shops including an excellent butcher and greengrocer, a bank, bar, and even a small petrol station and post office. There is a small (very small) market on Friday – not the one in the pictures which is the Fiera del Cucu. For more information click here. About a mile beyond Casola is little Pieve San Lorenzo where there is a train station for direct trains to Lucca and Pisa. There is also a good restaurant, Il Borghetto, whose owner speaks good English. The area around Casola is wonderful unspoiled countryside with high chestnut-covered hills dotted with ancient villages. A significant portion of the region belongs to the Apuane Park and is characterised by untouched countryside and green hills. Many paths cross this region, leading to little villages and ancient ruined castles; among these latter, the Malaspina castle and the Groppo San Pietro castle. Sightseeing on the Ligurian Riviera and in southern Tuscany.

The Levanto area is the perfect base for exploring and enjoying the delights of the Ligurian Riviera. The most obvious is a day (at least) exploring the colourful fishing villages of the Cinque Terre with their breathtaking coastal walks. Just to the north are several resort towns which repay a visit. The elegant little town of Chiavari has an incredibly beautiful cathederal whilst Portofino has a completely different charm. The ancient port city of Genoa has undergone a huge programme of restoration. The fabulous Palazzo Ducale has been restored to its former glory and the Old Port has been transformed and now includes the famous aquarium which attracts over one million visitors per year. La Spezia and Lerici (where Shelley and Byron lived) are just to the south and also deserve a visit. The south of Tuscany offers a completely different sightseeing experience. Here the sightseeing emphais is one art and architecture. The most famous sight, and one that you must not miss is of course the Duomo at Florence where you can climb to the very top of Brunelleschi’s 15th century dome – and don’t miss Ghiberti’s bronze doors of the baptistery. Another sight not to be missed is the Campo in Siena where the Palio is run. San Gimignano on the other hand has a different feel. Small, quiet and very old San Gimignano, still guarded by its ancient towers, should be seen at leisure. Make time to see the figures of the Virgin Annunciate and the Angel Gabriel carved by Jacopo della Quercia in 1421.

Originally posted 2008-11-24 09:13:11.

The chief town of the area is Castlenouvo di Garfagnana, at the meeting point of a road across the Apennines and one over the Apuan Alps. Nearby is Barga, with its old quarter huddled on top of a spur overlooking the valley; this preserves its medieval layout, with narrow streets and steep stairways opening into small piazzas. On the top of the hill stands the Duomo in a position commanding a splendid panoramic view; it was built in four stages, from the 9th to the 16th and 17th centuries.

Originally posted 2008-11-07 16:22:26.

In the fifties, comedies were revived. Hollywood movies returned to the market as well.

In the sixties the Italian movies really began to flourish, and they become extremely popular both at home and abroad. Fellini made La Dolce Vita (1960) and Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, and Guilietta Masina became international stars. Pasolini, Bertolucci, the Taviani brothers and Scola all became famous as film makers.

Television caused a true crisis in movies during the seventies. During the eighties and nineties new talents emerged, but the competition from television remained strong. People reverted to old movies again and to Hollywood productions. La vita è bella by Benigni won a number of Oscars in 1999 and the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival.

Originally posted 2008-11-04 14:50:30.

Colonnata is an old village located on a rocky spur carefully placed at the feet of the Apuan Alps, near Carrara famous in the entire world for its “lardo”, …

Pontremoli is a well-preserved medieval town in a scenic setting. Above the town is a restored castle with a museum of prehistoric stele statues.

Originally posted 2008-11-04 16:08:23.