UNIQUE SMALL TUSCAN VILLAGES

• Caroline’s Toscana
• 19/12/2022

UNIQUE SMALL TUSCAN VILLAGES

Cities of art such as Florence, Pisa and Siena are a must visit place for a tourist who wants to know Tuscany; but the deepest secrets of this region are kept in the heart of this beautuful territory.

The province of Pisa is an area full of villages to discover, flavours, scents of the countryside and views to enjoy at any time of year. Those who love medieval atmospheres absolutely cannot miss these little jewels kept among the rolling Tuscan hills!

Here is our selection of villages to visit:

VICOPISANO:

Vicopisano is a medieval jewel nestled at the foot of the Pisan mountains but still high on a promontory offering beautiful views over the Arno plain. The city is interesting to discover: the history of the "Grand Duchy of Tuscany" and the battles between Pisa and Florence.

As in San Gimignano, there are many medieval towers that corresponded to the entrances of the village. The fortress that stands on the village was built by Filippo Brunelleschi. It was intended to serve as a fortress with security towers, connecting walls and a drawbridge. Because of these features, it is considered one of the most valuable products of Florentine military architecture of the first half of the 15th century.

The fortress can be visited every second Sunday of the month from December to March or every weekend from 25 March to the end of November.

LARI:

The small village of Lari has Etruscan origins and lies in the heart of the hills of the province of Pisa. The centre of the town is dominated by the Castello dei Vicari, in this medieval building almost a third of the territory of the province of Pisa was administered for more than four centuries.

The castle consists of the Palazzo delle Carceri with panoramic terrace, the Palazzo dei Cancellieri and the Palazzo dei Vicari. Today, the castle is run by a cultural association that strives to preserve the place through guided tours and events. The press has named the castle one of the ten most beautiful places in Italy to celebrate a civil wedding.

In Lari we also find the family run pasta factory Martelli, which produces pasta in a traditional and artisanal way. Slow processing is their motto: it takes "only" fifty hours to dry the spaghetti, which is then rigorously packed by hand.

CASALE MARITTIMO:

Casale Marittimo is perhaps one of the smallest villages in the province of Pisa,situated on a hill surrounded by the countryside near the Etruscan coast.
Why visit Casale Marittimo? Because the stone streets that climb towards the city center lead to terraces from which unique views open up.

In fact, on a clear day you can admire all the islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Here too there are medieval buildings such as the Castle, the House of Camarlingo and the Rocca Palace.
We are located along the wine route and therefore a visit is a must to taste local wines and taste the most traditional foods in the tranquility of the countryside overlooking the sea.

LAJATICO:

Lajatico is the birthplace of Andrea Bocelli and it is thanks to him that this small village is famous all over the world. One day a year, in the summer, more than ten thousand people of different nationalities flock here to see the singer's show.

The "Teatro del Silenzio" is nothing other than a natural amphitheatre, nestled in the greenery of the surrounding hills. Every year, the installations used for the scenography of the show remain in the area, which can be freely visited every day!

Caroline's Toscana offers a selection of holiday homes located in these beautiful Tuscan villages. The location is therefore ideal as you can experience culture and sea surrounded by the most important cultural cities of Tuscany (Lucca, Costa degli Etruschi,Volterra…)!