Close your eyes. Picture yourself in Italy. Beautiful rolling hills, charming hilltop towns, fabulous art and architecture and vineyards and olive groves dotting the landscape — you’re in Tuscany! If you want to visit an area with seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, history that dates back to the bronze age and home of one of the most famous wine regions of the world, then GetAway Travel is ready to accommodate you. Florence is the jewel of Tuscany, but don’t limit yourself to Florence, there’s adventures waiting throughout the region.

Vibrant city centers, amazing churches

Pitigliano is nicknamed “Little Jerusalem.” Here tile roofed buildings have been erected on layers of red volcanic “tufa” stone. Jews were able to live here in peace until about 1622. There are underground tunnels and caves beneath the city. Some of the rooms and passages have been in use since Etruscan times.

The pedestrian-friendly compact city center offers great shopping with artisanal boutiques and dining options. The Fountain of Seven Spouts in the main piazza is a fountain with seven animal heads as the water spouts The spouts are centered in the middle of five arches made of tufa stone.

The Museum of Jewish Culture, next to the Pitigliano Synagogue documents the history of the Jewish settlers while the Etruscan Legacy Museum gives an overview of the area and its beginnings.

Pienza is a lovely Renaissance town perched high on a hill. It was created by Bernard Rossellino with attention to the smallest detail. The main buildings and monuments are all along one main street, and it is recognized as one of the first examples of urban planning. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site for that reason. It is also considered the capital of pecorino cheese.

The influential Medici family is responsible for many of the amazing Renaissance buildings in Montepulciano. This hilltop town is where you can sample the famous Nobile di Montepulciano wine made from the Sangiovese grapes that grow in the surrounding hills.

The large square in the heart of town is Piazza Grande and it is the only real flat area in the town. The cathedral, town hall and Palazzo Contucci are here.The Palazzo Contucci was home to the Contucci family and it sits atop their large wine cellars. The family is responsible for making Nobile di Montepulciano a world-wide name. There are lots of wine cellars and wine bars, but De Ricci Wine Cellar, or the Cantina de Ricci is the place to go. Often referred to as the most beautiful wine cellar in the world, it is worth a visit even if you don’t drink wine. The cellars are actually wide tunnels and underground chambers. Rows and rows of oak barrels line long aisles. The Fontecorrino Cellar is a new addition that combines technology and wine production. There is a large terrace and exhibition hall and, of course, a tasting room that the culmination of the guided tours complete with local cheeses and snacks.

Another great wine cellar is in the Medici Fortress. The Consortia Del Vino Nobile de Montepulciano has a glass floor and you can see fortress archeological discoveries through the floor.

At the foot of the hill of Montepulciano is the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biago. It is the perfect Renaissance church with a dome and spire rising above the cypress trees at the bottom of the hill. Made from gold-colored travertine it was designed by Antonio Sangallo whose work was heavily influenced by the design of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

Chianti, that leaning tower, Tuscany’s second largest city

 Smack dab in the middle of Tuscany is the Chianti region. Roughly, its the hilly area between Florence and Siena. Chianti is produced in Pisa, Arezzo, Florence, Pistoia, Prato and Siena. “Visiting” Chianti means drinking a glass of wine, produced under strict rules, that embodies the spirit of the area. A fresh, rounded, medium-body wine, Chianti must contain at least 70% Sangiovese grapes. The grapes, as well as olives, grow well in the hilly area. Chianti Classico must have 80% Sangiovese grapes. It has a tad more acidity than Chianti.

Vineyards, wine cellars and wine bars stand ready to help you “visit” Chianti while you are in Tuscany.

Tuscany’s second largest city is Siena. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the principal square in the city is the Piazza del Campo and it is considered one of the finest medieval squares in Europe.

The Duomo di Siena or Siena Cathedral is a stunning example of Romanesque Gothic architecture. Carve out a big chunk of your time to see it because it is actually seven different sites, including the Oratory of San Bernardino which is a religious art museum about a 10 minute walk from the duomo.

The exterior of the cathedral is remarkable with light and dark striped marble which continues on the columns inside. Every bit of the interior is covered with some sort of decoration or sculpture.

There are works of art by Donatello, Michelangelo with frescoes covering the main altar, a star-studded domed ceiling and a floor decorated with in-laid marble mosaics.

A library off the nave was built for Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini who later became Pope Pius II. Every inch of the library is covered in highly detailed paintings relating to his life. The Porto del Cielo or Gate of Heaven is an area in the rafters which gives you a birds-eye view of the cathedral interior as well as sculptures, the mosaic window and other creative features you can’t see from the floor.

There’s a museum in the cathedral with illuminated manuscripts, silks and other fabrics, and jewelry. The cathedral’s crypt, which was discovered about 20 years ago, has amazingly colorful frescoes dating back to the late part of the 13th century.

Pisa is that unique town with an iconic landmark that has been featured in hundreds and hundreds of pictures, movies, postcards and memes. Even so, the actual sight of the gravity-defying tower is pretty amazing.

The tower is located in the Piazza dei Miracoli or Square of Miracles. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can climb the tower, which is an elaborate example of architecture. The Pisa Cathedral nearby has a facade of different hues of marble and at times it seems to glow.

Lucca and San Gimignano, towns close by, also have some interesting towers. The Torre Guinigi tower in Lucca has trees growing from it and San Gimignano has 14 medieval towers. The town originally had 72, all built by patriarch families to display their wealth.

If picture-perfect Tuscany is on your bucket list, the advisors at GetAway Travel will help you with a picture-perfect adventure. You can reach us at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel