Trails....

Exciting places to visit and things you won't want to miss. A few of the features were written for a Mining Comapny (now About) site; to return to See Tuscany from them simply click on the back button of your browser.

• From Gothic to Renaissance: Ghiberti won the competition to do the Baptistery doors. So Brunelleschi changed the world of art.
• Sant'Ambrogio: One of Florence's oldest oldest and most interesting churches.
• San Lorenzo: One of Florence's oldest neighborhoods combines art, spirituality and commerce most effectively.
• Monte Oliveto Maggiore: A beautiful monastery with spectacular frescos of the Life of Saint Benedict in the cloisters, and much more.
• Trekking Urbano: Siena has organized several beautiful day hikes through the prettier and less known parts of town. A fascinating concept that one could also export elsewhere.
• A Tu per Tu con il Grande Blu: Genova's Acquarium is the largest in Europe.
• Le Dolomiti: Thoughts, photos, and links to some excellent trip-planning resources.
• Lucca: A quick overiview of Tuscany's least-known jewel.
• San Silvestro: A delightful ghost town in the Maremma, with a fascinating minerary park.
• Tuscan Beaches: Ideas for escaping the summer heat.
• Vincigliata: Sir John Temple Leader's Romantic garden overlooking Florence.
• Carnevale: Viareggio celebrates with parades, and Venice with costume balls. You won't want to miss either.
• Rent a Boat in Baratti: It's much easier to reach Populonia's coves and inlets by sea.
• Vallombrosa: The shady valley in the mountains above Florence, where people go to escape the summer heat.
• Grinazane Cavour: It looks like something out of a fairy tale, but it's not. Near Alba, in Piemonte.
• The Artisan's Quarter: An idea of what you may find as you explore the Oltrarno
• Christ's Passion: For centuries now, the townspeople of Grassina have re-evoked the Crucifixion on the night of Good Friday.
• Il Museo Ratti: A fascinating recap of the history of wine, just outside of Alba, in Piemonte.
• Siena's Palio: A bruising three-lap bareback horse race around the town square; on July 2 and August 16.
• Pisa's Gioco del Ponte: The last Sunday in June; the city's neighborhoods compete over the bridge in the heart of town. Beautiful.
• Lago Santo: A wonderful place for a cookout.
• Winefests: with the fall harvests comes reason to celebrate.
• Truffle Fairs: Romantic fall weekends with the food of the gods.
• San Galgano: A Tuscan Marvel, and Italy's most beautiful Gothic church.
• Florence with the kids: Armor, costumes, fossils & more!
• San Pietro in Lamosa: An astonishingly pretty, and fascinating Romanesque church on the shores of Lake Iseo, just west of Brescia.