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| You say Pisa and you think Leaning Tower, and under the shadow of that world-famous Tower there are 25 centuries of history and glory, that you can discover with us. Galileo's birthplace is the town that dominated the Mediterranean See in the Middle Ages, a huge university campus among romanesque churches and medieval towers, all along the Arno river. Don't hesitate to let you lead around the streets and squares of this enchanting city,also out of the crowded Cathedral Square. Pisa is not alone in an area that offers splendid rolling hills, villas and castles doting this gorgeous Tuscan landscape: another town dominates it from the top of a higher hill, Volterra, still showing its severe Etruscan aspect, still protected by stonewalls that the Etruscans built 23 centuries ago. Let's come and visit Galileo's and Bocelli's native area, helped by an insider, your TOSCANA INSIEME Guide. |
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TOURS
 THE PIAZZA DEI MIRACOLI
Even though you may have already visited Piazza dei Miracoli, this does not mean you truly know it, surprising even the most hardened traveller. The architectural masterpieces including the Cathedral, Baptistry and Churchyard found in an open green area can be quite astounding, however, with the aid of a TOSCANA INSIEME guide, you follow unique artistic anthology. The Sinopia and Opera del Duomo Museums still bear witness to work that risked disappearing, such as the leaning tower (in reality a bell tower), saved by the last pitch-reducing intervention.
MARITIME REPUBLIC PISA
(Full Day)
This tour can offer more than the Piazza del Duomo, showing the profound and building ties Pisa has had the past with the sea, via the Arno and its canals. Going from Piazza dei Cavalieri to the oldest part of the city, near tha characteristic food market, arriving at the Medici dockyeard. On the Arno's shores you can see the small, yet imposing, building dedicated to Santa Maria della Spina, to be seen before moving onto the Porta a Mare Citadel with a Guelf Tower, a dominating feature of the city's west side.
UNIVERSITY PISA AN SAN MATTEO NATIONAL MUSEUM
The city is deeply attached to it's prestigious University, as can be seen by crossing Piazza dei Cavalieri, where the Scuola Superiore Normale, the Scuola S. Anna an the Unuversity are situated in the Piazza dela Sapienza, near the Domus Galileiana. The San Marco Museum containing five centuries of Pisan art and sculpture is well worth a visit.
PISA'S OUTSKIRTS
Including a tour of Monte Pisano, at the Arno's mouth, the Romanesque Church of San Pietro a Grado. Steeped in art and religion (St. Peter arrived here from Palestine), the Calci Chartrhouse, 17th century jewellery and small medieval centre of Vicopisano.
SAN MINIATO
Residential town o the Imperial Vicar, it still boasts a Frederick II tower, which dominates the Arno valley and the area beneath tha Cathedral, leading towards interesting Renaissance buildings, via a lawn and stairway. The town stretches along many suburban hilltops, with churches from different monastic orders, one side San Francesco and on the other San Domenico; Bonaparte House (Napoleon's ancestors) and Countess Matilde di Canossa's house (born in the 12th century) can also be seen.
VOLTERRA, ETRUSCANS, TOWERS AND ALABASTER
Hafl Day
Before arriving, a brief stopover at the Balze, with it's breathtaking view. Located within the circular town walls the centre includes Piazza dei Priori, the Cathedral and the Baptitery, to then proceed into the maze of narrow roads and alleyways, amidst churches and ancient towers, discovering numerous alabaster laboratories and finally arriving at the roman theatre.
Full Day
To the above-quoted tour, we add an afternoon trip to the Guarnacci Museum (completely dedicated to Etruscans an their art) the Alabaster Museum is closed by, as is the Picture Gallery containing Rosso Fiorentino's famous Deposition, ending with Fermi's spectacular Park (also an archeological area) next to the imposing Rocca (now a prison).
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