Page 8 - AAA Findlay Automobile Club – AAA Now! – January/February 2017

TRAVE
Tuscany: Wealth of History, Rich in Wine
By Dorothy Crouch
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Traversing Tuscany’s unique landscape invites comparisons to romantic stories of falling in love with this rich, flavorful region and engaging in a love affair with life’s simplest, yet most fulfilling pleasures. Comprising mountainside villages, a dreamlike countryside and the Italian Riviera coastline, Tuscany affords something for everyone. Of the world’s
more than 1,000 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Tuscany boasts seven of the 50 located in Italy. The Tuscan people take great pride in their heritage and, while they maintain a tight grasp on the traditional characteristics that define their culture, their goal is to preserve these qualities for future generations.
Home to artistic savants, such as the great Michelangelo and modern designers Gucci and Ferragamo, Florence is known for cultivating some of the world’s most lauded artists. The city produced many of the creative minds that defined the Renaissance period. Boasting works produced from the 14th through 19th centuries, Florence’s Uffizi Gallery displays Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and “Primavera,” da Vinci’s “Adoration of the Magi” and “Annunciation,” Michelangelo’s “Doni Tondo,” Raphael’s “Madonna del Cardellino,” and Caravaggio’s “Medusa.”
The city’s Piazza del Duomo is a testament to the incomparable architectural legacy that has grown over hundreds of years. The Cathedral of Santa
Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry of San Giovanni, Crypt of Santa Reparata and Opera are some of the city's impressive attractions. Built over the course of two centuries, this site was designed by master artisans, using intricate patterns. Created by Arnolfo di Cambrio, Santa Maria del Fiore measures more than 500 feet long and almost 300 feet wide, with a height of approximately 300 feet, allowing it to claim the title as the world’s third largest church. Through its 1412 dedication to the Virgin of the Flower, Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral also nods to the symbol of Florence – the lily.
South of Florence sits Siena, a province rich
in history and, as the region that includes the town of Chianti, winemaking. Siena’s Piazza del Campo, known as il Campo by locals, is a medieval masterpiece of exquisitely crafted buildings, which
boast intricate brick designs, dramatic arches and house restaurants, souvenir shops and gelaterias. Serving as the centerpiece of il Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico stands as a 13th-century masterpiece. Originally built to house Siena’s nine lords, the building is now home to Museo Civico and boasts medieval frescoes and architecture. Within Siena’s hills lies Monteriggioni, a medieval village boasting
a lush landscape. The town’s walls, built in the 13th century, include many enormous square towers. Built to defend the Sienese from the Florentines, these structures were once likened to the giants of hell by Dante.
Traveling through the Tuscan city of Lucca, visitors notice Renaissance-era
villas, which once served
as country residences and
relocated to Milan. Now a museum, the space houses some of the composer’s personal affects such as furniture, awards, letters and a few of Puccini’s compositions.
The region’s long history of viticulture, dating back to 8th century B.C. Etruscan settlers, easily satiates palates of the food and wine-pairing crowd. Stroll through piazzas and medieval streets, while admiring Italian architectural wonders. Relax while sampling the region’s best wines, which complement delicious cuisine at small family-run trattorias, for the ultimate taste of Tuscany.
Contact you AAA Findlay Automobile Club travel agent to book your amazing trip to Tuscany.
holiday homes for nobility. Cloistered villages grace hilltops, as corresponding roads wind lazily up to
one side and cypress trees greet visitors, outlining the journey ahead. In the old town, see beyond the 16th-century boundary walls and explore Lucca, which is also the birthplace of Puccini. The composer’s Corte San Lorenzo building served as his home until he was 22 years of age, when he
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