The summer is a great time to visit the historic and lovely area of Tuscany. There are a number of beautiful sites, wonderful restaurants, and interesting historic monuments and the like to do, see, and eat at. The following is a look at the top five things to do in Tuscany in the summer:
1. The leaning tower of Pisa. This is one of the sites that you don’t want to miss. This is a bell tower in Pisa that was constructed in 1173. Due to poor laying of the foundation, the tower leans, fairly significantly. In 1990 some restoration was done to it, and helped it lead less, about 3.99 degrees, whereas it used to lean about 5.5 degrees. At times the question of whether or not to correct the tilt has come into question, but it has been decided not to because of the tourist attraction, and subsequent economic help that the lean has created for the area.
2. Taste wine in Chianti: Tuscany is famous world wide for the wines that are made from grapes grown there. Tuscany is full of beautiful vineyards and fields. One of the most world-famous wines that are grown here is the Chianti wine. You can travel through the region of Chianti and taste and see the operations for many fine wines. If Chianti does not provide enough vineyards for your taste, you can always visit the areas known for growing the grapes for the rich red wines of the Montalcino vineyards. The hills in Montepulciano are the highest in the area and afford a lovely view of southern Tuscany.
3. Visit medieval Siena: Siena is one of the richest towns in medieval architecture, and treasures. It is Italy’s greatest medieval town, boasting very few changes to the original structures and layout of the area. If you visit, be sure to take the time to walk through the narrow maze of streets and alleyways at the Piazza del Campo. Enjoy the history, and culture, and maybe enough a lunch or dinner in one of the little bistros in the Piazza del Campo.
4. See some Roma amphitheaters in Lucca: The city of Lucca is old, dating back to 180 BC. It was built on top of a Roman colony, and offers many sites for toursists to visit to learn of the rich history and culture, including the Roman amphitheatre and many churches and piazzas. In addition, there are several historic and medieval buildings. Take in the city, enjoy the view, the history, and the culture while having coffee in a sidewalk café.
5. Pinocchio Park: This is a fantastic thing to do in Tuscany if you have children with you. It is a wonderful park celebrating the Tuscan writer Carlo Collodi, who wrote the story of Pinocchio. The village Collodi lived in is now named after him, and offers a park full of activities such as building and sculpting, literary classes, puppet making, workshops, and more. It is very cultural and natural, not theme park like.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to