Tuscany must see places (Part 3)

Tuscany must see places (Part 3)

Lucca

Lucca is located on a plain at the foot of the Apuan Alps. In some ways Lucca is like many of the other famous Tuscan towns with piazza’s, cathedrals and towers. However one of the things that make Lucca stand out from all the others is its Renaissance era city walls. These have remained intact while most other Tuscan towns have used theirs to expand the city. They have been maintained and turned into a park that surrounds the old inner city. The top of the walls have become an area where you can stroll or ride a bike and there is grass and trees all along the walls. Shaded benches that line the main walkway are provided for just looking at the view.

Cortona

Cortona is the very definition of a hill town and has barely a single level street in the whole of the town. It is perched on the top of a hill about 600 meters above sea level. This commanding position over the valley offers wonderful views of the surrounding valley and even as far as Lake Trasimeno. The Girifalco Fortress at the highest point on the hill has undergone many changes and is only partly is open to the public, but the views from the top are a must see.

San Lorenzo, Florence

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the largest churches of Florence. Brunelleschi, Donatello and Michelangelo all contributed to the construction and adornment. However it was never completed as planned with the exterior still rough-hewn. It was due to have been covered with a façade designed by Michelangelo but this never happened. It is located at the centre of the city’s main market district. Its other claim to fame is that it was the Medici family church and is therefore the burial place of all the principal family members, from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III

Piano Grande

The Piano Grande is an extraordinary upland situated above Norcia. It is the most impressive feature of the Sibillini Mountains which are part of the Apennine chain. It is an extraordinary prairie ringed by barren mountains and stretching out uninterrupted by trees or hedges for many miles. It is attractive during the winter months but is best seen during late spring and early summer when it’s ablaze with wild flowers of every description. The diverse source of plants explodes into a sea of red, yellow, blue and purple that has to be seen.