DK Eyewitness - DK Eyewitness Top 10 Florence and Tuscany: 2020 (Pocket Travel Guide)

Clockwise from top: Sorano, Pisas Leaning Tower, the Tuscan countryside, Florences Pitti Palace, Michelangelos David, Viareggios Carnevale, Montepulcianos Palazzo Bucelli.

Florences Piazza della Signoria as the morning sun hits the Palazzo Vecchio. A distant ridge dotted with cypress trees. A sizzling Chianina steak fresh from the flame grill. It is for these moments, and many more, that travellers have been visiting Tuscany for centuries. With Eyewitness Top 10 Florence & Tuscany, its yours to explore.

At its heart sits Florence, city of the Renaissance and buzzing home to modern style icons like Gucci and Ferragamo. Here youll discover many of the worlds great paintings and sculptures, including those in the masterpiece-packed Uffizi, Accademia and Pitti Palace. In the shadow of Brunelleschis iconic Duomo dome are cobblestoned streets upon which Dante and Michelangelo walked.

Beyond the Florence city limits are hill towns like San Gimignano, with stone towers and twisting alleys barely changed since the 1300s. Siena is a treasure-trove of paintings left by the trailblazers of Western art, while Pisa has the worlds most photographed bit of botched architecture in one of Italys most photogenic piazzas. The sublime landscapes of the Chianti and Val dOrcia regions change dramatically with the passing of the seasons.

Whether youre coming for a weekend or a week, our Top 10 guide brings together the best of everything that Florence and Tuscany have to offer, from the hip, contemporary restaurants of San Frediano in Florence to the winelands of Montepulciano and Montalcino. The guide has useful tips throughout, from seeking out whats free to avoiding the crowds, plus ten easy-to-follow itineraries designed to tie together a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring photography and detailed maps, and youve got the essential pocket-sized travel companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Florence and Tuscany.

Exploring Florence and Tuscany

With its world-famous art cities, exquisite medieval hill towns and iconic vine- and olive-clad hills, Tuscany has so much to see that it can be difficult to decide where to start. These itineraries are designed to make planning your trip easy, concentrating on the places that no one should miss.

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Two Days in Florence

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Day 1

Morning

Begin with the splendid with its minuscule jewellery shops.

Florences Ponte Vecchio still has shops on it, as was common in the Middle Ages.

Afternoon

Visit the , being sure to admire Botticellis La Primavera and Birth of Venus.

Day 2

Morning

Head to .

Afternoon

Pay homage to Michelangelos David at the , for splendid views and a marble medieval horoscope.

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Seven Days in Tuscany

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Day 1 and 2

Follow the two-day Florence itinerary.

Day 3

Arrive in .

Day 4

Begin at Luccas Duomo, housing the Volto Santo. Next, walk around the towns ramparts before heading to the Piazza del Mercato, which still retains the form of the Roman amphitheatre that preceded it. Then drive south to , for its medieval towers and formidably crenellated private and civic buildings. Visit the Collegiata with its 14th-century frescoes by Bartolo di Fredi. Pick up an ice cream at Piazza della Cisternas Gelateria di Piazza (Gelateria Dondoli).

San Gimignano, with its imposing medieval towers, is one of Tuscanys most evocative hill towns.

Day 5

Tour the .

The beautiful Tuscan countryside is dotted with iconic cypress trees.

Day 6

Explore .

Day 7

Spend the morning in , with its Etruscan museum and tombs and medieval alleyways. Be sure to visit the Museo Diocesano for Fra Angelicos Annunciation before driving back to Florence.

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Top 10 Florence and Tuscany Highlights

Marble faade and campanile of the Duomo

Top 10 Florence and Tuscany Highlights

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THE UFFIZI, FLORENCE

This museum is the ultimate Renaissance primer, from Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo to Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and beyond. This historic progression is only fitting, as the building, originally the uffizi (offices) of the ruling Medici family, was designed by Giorgio Vasari, who wrote the worlds first art history text. Some 1,700 works are on display, with another 1,400 in storage. These galleries shelter an abundance of masterpieces that demand a visit of at least three or four hours.

NEED TO KNOW

Piazzale degli Uffizi 6 (off Piazza della Signoria) 055 294 883 (reservations) www.uffizi.it Open 8:15am6:50pm TueSun (last entry 45 min before closing); closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec Adm

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• Take a break at the outdoor caf at the end of the west wing galleries, above the Loggia de Lanzi.
• The queue to enter can last hours. Booking ahead or online in order to jump the queue is worth the small fee.
• The Uffizi is undergoing major expansion and exhibits are likely to change location. Inquire at the gallery or check online for an update.