Pisa

Though no longer a port, Pisa was at one time one of the ‘rulers' of the Mediterranean; the city had its golden age during the eleventh and twelfth centuries when it was an important maritime republic.

The architectural style known as Pisan Romanesque, much seen throughout Tuscany , was born during these times and the wonderful sculptures of (father and son) Nicola and Giovanni Pisano are some of the finest mediaeval works in Italy .

The river Arno flows pretty much through the middle of Pisa . The airport and the railway station are to the south of the river, with the bulk of the 'sights' being on the north side. The city is a lively and interesting one that is worthy of greater examination.

The Campo dei Miracoli and leaning tower are clearly an absolute must, but do try and make time to explore the rest of the city.    

Lucca

The most wonderful small town; its famous walls enclose a place that can be wandered or pedalled with ease yet remains full of secrets.

One of Italy 's finest mediaeval treasures, the centre is relatively unspoilt and is sprinkled with palazzi, towers and almost countless splendid churches. The surrounding hills produce some excellent wines and arguably the finest olive oil anywhere.

Florence

The capital of the region of Tuscany, has a population of around half a million inhabitants, spreads on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It is a city which bustles with industry and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. The motorway A11 to the sea joins it to Prato , Pistoia , Montecatini, Lucca , Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea .

Viareggio

One of the first seaside resorts in Europe and is still enormously popular today, both with Italians and foreign visitors, particularly those in the yachting community. The coastal strip of Versilia (from Forte dei Marmi to the north and Torre del Lago Puccini in the south) has over twenty kilometres of beaches with countless ‘bagni' (bathing establishments), nature parks, pine woods, natural lakes and some splendid countryside.

Puccini Festival,Torre del Lago
This festival is held annually at the open-air theatre, just a stone's throw from the Villa Mausoleum where Giacomo Puccini lived, worked and is buried.  

Garfagnana and Villa Reale di Marlia

The Garfagnana, is an environmentally intact valley north of Lucca , full of nature, history and gorgeous villages.

At Marlia, just north of Lucca , you can visit the park of Villa Reale which belonged to the Napoleon Bonaparte's sister and then to the King of Italy . Its park is considered the most elegantly designed Italian style garden/park in our region.

Carrara Marble Quarries
Visit Carrara center and its interesting " Marble Museum " containing documents, models and pieces showing how the technology of quarrying the marble has changed in the last 2000 years.

Marina di Massa

This town is bustling and close to visit Pietrasanta, or Lunigiana, with its ethnographic museum and the Lizzatura, a reenactment of how they got the marble down from the quarries

The Centre of the Earth
Equipped with comfortable shoes and a jumper you could take off for a brief journey to the centre of the Earth, to the discovery of the Grotta del vento (Cave of the wind). Three itineraries of differing length to get to know the magic hidden in the underground of the Municipality of Vergemoli , in the province of Lucca .