Mediterranean
LUCCA: Lucca is a medieval gem founded in 180 BCE. Admire the Pisan Romanesque Church of San Michele in Foro, which stands on the site of the ancient Roman forum and whose exquisite colonnaded façade rivals that of Pisa’s cathedral. Pass the fabulous, tree-topped Guinigi Tower, one of several in Lucca built by the Guinigi family, rulers of the city in the 15th century, and reach the Piazza Amfiteatro, once the Roman amphitheater and today a charming elliptical square surrounded by sand-colored houses. Visit the chapel where the revered Santa Zita is interred, and tour the extraordinary Duomo di San Martino, a cathedral that holds the Volto Santo, a 13th-century wooden effigy believed by medieval pilgrims to have been carved by Christ’s follower Nicodemus at the time of the Crucifixion. SAN GIMIGNANO: This medieval town is one of the best preserved in Tuscany and boasts more than a dozen extraordinary towers, intact city walls, charming cobblestone streets lined with galleries and cafes, and an extraordinary view of the sun setting over the Tuscan hills. The preserved town center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No matter where you meander, hillside San Gimignano will exude a feudal atmosphere, much like it did at the height of its power and status. Nearby, you will pause at a winery, perhaps Fattoria di Montecchio, to sample a selection of Tuscan wines. SIENA: Be sure to visit the Siena Cathedral, the origins of which date to the 12th century, and enjoy lunch at a café on the Piazza del Campo in the shadow of the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an intriguing maze of quaint shops, sidewalk cafés,
gardens and small plazas. You’ll appreciate the city’s cathedral, which is Siena’s highest point and a stunning conglomeration of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Discover another religious landmark of note, the Basilica di San Domenico, a vast, austere Dominican church and convent containing many impressive works of art. SAN MINIATO: This enchanting little town has a connection to the Bonaparte family, and enjoy a delicious wine tasting at their former estate. Enjoy a walk around the historic city center, and because it sits so high up in the Tuscan hills you can admire beautiful panoramic views between Pisa and Florence. BOLGHERI: Bolgheri is a hillside village with a medieval atmosphere, cobbled streets and unique boutiques, where ancient Etruscans produced a variety of wines—a tradition that continues to this day at Guado al Melo estate. Go for a tasting, and you’ll learn its evocative name, which means “ford at the apple tree,” a reference to an ancient apple tree that marked a safe spot to cross the stream on the property. Browse quaint shops for Tuscan pottery, crystal and local wines, admiring how everything born from Tuscany seems imbued with unmistakable beauty and grace.
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