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Adventure Guide: Tuscany & Umbria (Hunter Travel Guides) PDF

481 Pages·2005·9.67 MB·English
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Preview Adventure Guide: Tuscany & Umbria (Hunter Travel Guides)

Tuscany & Umbria Emma Jones HUNTER Adventure Guide to HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818 % 732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; fax 732-417-1744 www.hunterpublishing.com Ulysses Travel Publications 4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec Canada H2W 2M5 % 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax 514-843-9448 Windsor Books The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJ England % 01865-361122; fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-58843-399-4 © 2005 Hunter Publishing, Inc. Manufactured in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechan- ical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain ele- ments of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accu- racy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, mis- leading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Cover photo: On the Piazza della Vittoria, Montichiello, Italy (Terry Donnelly) Maps by Toni Carbone © 2005 Hunter Publishing, Inc. Index by Nancy Wolff 4 3 2 1 Contents Introduction 1 History 1 Geography 10 Climate 13 Flora & Fauna 13 Economy 14 Top Attractions 14 Travel Information 17 Tuscany 27 Florence 27 Getting Here 28 Getting Around Town 29 Information Sources 32 Sightseeing 33 The Historical Center 33 The Quarter of Santa Maria Novella 42 From San Lorenzo to Santa Croce 46 The Oltrano 52 Adventures 57 On Foot 57 On Wheels 60 On Water 61 On Horseback 62 Entertainment & Events 63 Cinema 63 Theater 63 Classical Music 65 Live Popular Music 65 The Big Events 66 Shopping 67 High Fashion 68 Affordable Fashion & Department Stores 69 Craft Workshops & Boutiques 70 Markets 71 Where to Eat 71 Santa Croce 73 Santa Maria Novella 74 Oltrano 75 North of the Center 76 South of the Center 77 Where to Stay 78 The Station & San Lorenzo Market Area 79 Historical Center: From the Duomo to San Marco 80 vi n Contents Historical Center: From Palazzo Strozzi to the Uffizi 81 Santa Croce 82 Oltrano 82 Youth Hostels 83 Camping 83 Outside of Florence 84 Fiesole 84 Sightseeing 85 Adventures On Foot 88 Adventures on Wheels 89 Where to Eat 90 Where to Stay 91 The Mugello 91 Information Sources 92 The Mugello Valley 92 Alto Mugello 98 Where to Eat 100 Where to Stay 101 Empolese Val d’Elsa 103 Le Terre del Rinascimento 104 Where to Eat 107 Where to Stay 108 Val d’Elsa 108 Sightseeing & Adventures in the Val d’Elsa 109 Where to Eat 110 Where to Stay 111 Prato 111 Sightseeing ~ The Historical Center 112 Adventures on Foot 115 Adventures on Wheels 116 Adventures on Horseback 116 Shopping 116 Where to Eat 117 Where to Stay 118 Excursions from Prato 118 Val di Bisenzio 118 Monte Albano 120 Pistoia 122 Getting Here & Around 122 Information Sources 122 Sightseeing in the Historical Center 122 Adventures 126 Where to Eat 127 Where to Stay 127 Excursions from Pistoia 127 Valdinievole 127 Pescia & the Svizzera Pesciatina 130 The Montagna Pistoiese 132 Contents n vii Chianti 134 Getting Here & Around 134 Information Sources 134 Sightseeing & Adventures 135 Where to Eat 137 Where to Stay 138 Siena & its Surroundings 141 Getting Here 141 Information Sources 142 Siena 143 Sightseeing 143 Adventures 150 On Foot 150 On Wheels 152 On Horseback 154 On Water 154 In the Air 155 Shopping 155 Where to Eat 155 Where to Stay 157 Entertainment & Events 159 Outside of Siena 160 San Gimignano & the Val d’Elsa 160 Getting Here & Around 160 Information Sources 161 Sightseeing 161 Adventures on Foot & on Wheels 166 Where to Eat 167 Where to Stay 168 The Crete 169 Getting Here & Around 169 Information Sources 170 Sightseeing & Adventures 170 Where to Eat 174 Pienza, the Val d’Orcia & Monte Amiata 174 Getting Here & Around 174 Information Sources 175 Sightseeing ~ Montalcino 175 Adventures ~ Montalcino 177 Sightseeing ~ Pienza 178 Adventures ~ Pienza 179 Sightseeing & Adventures ~ The Val d’Orcia 180 Where to Eat 185 Where to Stay 187 Montepulciano & the Val di Chiana 188 Getting Here & Around 188 Information Sources 189 Sightseeing ~ Montepulciano 189 Adventures on Foot 193 viii n Contents Adventures on Wheels 193 Sightseeing ~ Chianciano Terme 193 Adventures On Foot in Chianciano Terme 194 Adventures on Wheels in Chianciano Terme 194 Adventures on Horseback in the Val di Chiana 194 Sightseeing ~ Chiusi 194 Adventures on Foot in Chiusi 196 Adventures on Wheels in Chiusi 196 Adventures on Water in Chiusi 196 Adventures on Foot on Monte Cetona 196 Adventures on Wheels on Monte Cetona 197 Where to Eat 197 Where to Stay 197 Arezzo & Its Surroundings 201 Getting Here & Around 202 Information Sources 202 Arezzo 202 Sightseeing in the Upper Valdarno 202 The Montagna Fiorentina 204 Sightseeing in Arezzo 206 Adventures 210 Entertainment & Events 210 Where to Shop 211 Where to Eat 211 Where to Stay 213 Outside of Arezzo 214 The Casentino 214 Getting Here & Around 215 Information Sources 215 Sightseeing ~ North into the Foreste Casentinesi 215 Adventures on Foot 220 Adventures on Wheels 221 Adventures on Horseback 221 Adventures on Snow 222 Where to Eat 222 Where to Stay 223 Sansepolcro & the Valtiberina 224 Getting Here 224 Information Sources 224 Sightseeing 225 Adventures on Foot 226 Adventures on Horseback 226 Where to Eat 226 Where to Stay 227 Cortona & the Val di Chiana 228 Getting Here 228 Information Sources 229 Sightseeing ~ Walking Cortona 229 Contents n ix Adventures on Foot 231 Adventures on Wheels 231 Adventures on Horseback 231 Adventures in the Val di Chiana 232 Where to Shop 233 Where to Eat 233 Where to Stay 234 Lucca 237 Getting Here 237 Getting Around Town 238 Information Sources 239 Sightseeing 239 Adventures on Foot 243 Adventures on Wheels 244 Adventures on Horseback 245 Events & Entertainment 245 Where to Eat 246 Where to Stay 247 Outside of Lucca 248 The Versilia Coast 249 Getting Here & Around 249 Information Sources 250 Sightseeing & Adventures 250 Torre del Lago 250 Viareggio 251 Camiore 254 Pietrasanta 254 Forte dei Marmi 255 Vittoria Apuana 256 Where to Eat 256 Where to Stay 257 The Apuan Alps 258 Getting Here & Around 258 Information Sources 259 Sightseeing 259 Adventures on Foot 259 Adventures on Snow 263 La Garfagnana & the Valle del Serchio 263 Getting Here & Around 264 Information Sources 264 Valle del Serchio 264 The Garfagnana 266 Where to Eat 268 Where to Stay 269 Massa Carrara 270 Getting Here & Around 270 Information Sources 271 Sightseeing & Adventures 271 x n Contents Massa 272 Carrara 273 Where to Eat 275 Where to Stay 276 Lunigiana 276 Getting Here & Around 276 Information Sources 276 Sightseeing & Adventures 277 Where to Stay & Eat 283 Pisa 285 Getting There & Around 285 Information Sources 286 Sightseeing 286 Adventures 295 Events & Entertainment 299 Where to Shop 301 Where to Eat 301 Where to Stay 302 Outside of Pisa 303 Valdarno Inferiore 304 Getting Here & Around 304 Information Sources 304 Sightseeing 305 Castelfranco di Sotto & Santa Maria a Monte 305 Montopoli in Val d’Arno 305 Santa Croce sull’Arno 306 San Miniato 306 Adventures 307 Where to Stay 308 Volterra & the Colline Metallifere 308 Getting Here & Around 308 Information Sources 309 Sightseeing & Adventures 309 Where to Eat 316 Where to Stay 317 Livorno 317 Getting Here & Around 318 Information Sources 318 Adventures 319 Where to Eat 320 Where to Stay 321 The Costa degli Etruschi 322 Getting Here & Around 322 Information Sources 323 Sightseeing & Adventures 323 Where to Stay 329 The Tuscan Archipelago 330 Contents n xi Getting Here & Around 331 Information Sources 331 The Island of Elba 332 Sightseeing 332 Adventures 335 The Sister Islands 336 Capraia 336 Gorgona 337 Pianosa 338 Montecristo 338 What to Eat & Where 338 Where to Stay 339 Maremma & Grosseto 341 Information Sources 341 Grosseto & Its Coast 341 Getting Here & Around 341 Information Sources 342 Sightseeing & Adventures 342 The Grosseto Coast 342 Grosseto 343 Where to Eat 344 Where to Stay 344 Parco Naturale Regionale della Maremma 345 Getting Here & Around 345 Information Sources 345 Sightseeing 346 Adventures 346 Where to Stay 348 Costa d’Argento 348 Getting Here & Around 348 Information Sources 349 Sightseeing & Adventures 349 Orbetello 349 Monte Argentario 349 Giglio & Giannutri Islands 351 Ansedonia 352 Capalbio 352 Where to Stay 353 Where to Eat 353 The Southern Hilltowns 353 Getting Here & Around 353 Information Sources 353 Sightseeing 354 Manciano 354 Pitigliano 354 Sorano 355 Sovana 356 Saturnia 358

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