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Explore the Tuscany villages and all this wonderful region has to offer in Italy. This article discusses my itinerary to the charming villages of Tuscany, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Heading to Tuscany from Orvieto
Continuing our travel itinerary from beautiful Orvieto, Italy, we decided to drive instead of go by mass transport to the Tuscany Region. The roads were easy for us to navigate and going the same direction as the United States. We could stop and see small towns, family run wineries, and local shops. Tuscany really deserves several days to a week or so to visit. Due to our schedule limitations, we only had a day.
Tuscany Villages – Siena
One of our favorite stops was the city of Siena. Known as the city in central Italy’s Tuscany region, it is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century brick clock tower with magnificent views from its distinctive white crown.
Siena, Italy is known for its horse racing events, The Palio di Siena. Boasting centuries-old origins, Italy’s most famous horse race takes place twice a year in Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped square.
Tuscany Villages – Volterra
If time allows, we also enjoyed seeing the village of Volterra, Italy on our way to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Volterra is a small city with exterior walls and medieval frescoes with expansive views. Nearby are also the remains of the Etruscan Acropolis. Also, north of the town is the Teatro Romano or Roman Theater with its 19-tiered seating from the 1st century. At one time it could hold an audience of over 2,000 people.
Volterra is also known for its prison, Fortezza Medicea. I have included a link to Trip Advisor reviews on it here. We enjoyed walking the village, which was peaceful and minimal tourists during our visit.
Tuscany Villages – Pisa
I had planned to spend more time in Pisa, but after seeing the city there are much better places in short proximity that would be better to spend your time that have more charm. It feels more like a larger city with schools, traffic, and selling touristy trinkets to people on the street.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Last on our journey before returning our car was the Leaning Tower of Pisa at Cathedral Square. Outside of the main attraction, I would recommend just making a short stop in this location. The area was full of vendors selling touristy items, and it lacked the charm we found in the Tuscany region. Here are a few photos from Cathedral Square in Pisa, Italy. Next, we are headed further North to explore the Cinque Terre! Check out this post here.
