Top Cities Worth Visiting in Tuscany

English: Il Duomo, in Florenece, Italy seen at night from Michelangelo's Piazza. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By []Giovanni Balboni

When you think of Tuscany you often think of rolling, sunburnt landscapes and it sometimes seems hard to believe that there are many cities that are worth seeing too. Here we have suggested four of the best to explore while you are there, although you would need a long holiday to see them all. However, in Tuscany, villa accommodation will allow you to do just that - and at your leisure.

Agriturismo Holidays in Italy

Il Mulino Degli Elfi (Photo credit: diroussel)Property panorama (Photo credit: Daniel Pertovt)


By Fiona Tankard


For some people, the perfect holiday might be summarized as follows: arrive at the airport, check into a luxury hotel, spend the rest of the time at the pool or the beach with the latest bestseller. That may be a good way to unwind and indulge in a bit of unstructured, do-nothing time, but it has always seemed to me to be a bit of a waste, especially when you are a foreign country. Not that I am advocating racing around museums or culturally worthy sights, especially when the weather is hot and you are faced with queues and cross children, but maybe there is a way to have the best of both worlds.
In Italy, one way to experience an authentic taste of the country, its cooking and its way of life is to book yourself into an agriturismo. This roughly translates as a 'farm holiday', but the type of holiday accommodation you find can vary from the simple and rustic to a level of sophistication that's on a par with any five-star hotel.

Chianciano Terme Italy

Image via WikipediaBy: Hannah Rollmaker
The city of Chianciano Terme is located in the region of Tuscany in Italy. The city lies in the Province of Siena and it can be found about 90 kilometers southeast of Florence. It is also 50 kilometers southeast of Siena. The city of Chianciano Terme is situated between the Val d’Orcia and the Valdichiana. Near to Chianciano Terme you will find the municipalities of Sarteano, Chiusi, Pienza and Montepulciano.
When you look at various archeological records you will find that this city is able to trace its history back to the 5th Century BC. At this point you will find that Etruscans who arrived here had built a temple which was dedicated to the God of Good Health. This temple was located close to the Silene springs. Today you will find the newer section of Chianciano Terme – this is the Terme section – lies here. As the news of the curative powers of the waters of Chianciano Terme became well known in the Roman times many Roman villas began to be built in the area near these thermal baths.


It is a known historical fact that Horace who was the leading Roman Lyric Poet during the time of Augustus came to Chianciano Terme on the advice of his physician. He arrived here around the 1st Century BC. After he returned back to Rome he spread the news about the city and its curative waters. While you will find historical accounts about the city of Chianciano Terme there is little physical archeological evidence to be found. However by the 12th and the 13th Centuries the city of Chianciano Terme came under the rule of the Manenti Counts who were the Lords of Sarteano.


Due to its position near the Via Francigena which is the main medieval connection from Rome to France you will see the development of the city. As a result of this development Chianciano Terme reached a degree of judicial autonomy by 1287. At this point the city established it own statutes. In the 14th Century there was a dispute between the city states of Siena and Orvieto about possession of Chianciano Terme. The dispute was settled when Siena won control over the city.


Today you will find a city which provides its visitors with the various facilities they require. Among the various places that you can visit while you are here you will find it quite pleasant to see the Civic Archeological Museum of the Waters. In this museum you will find artifacts which were excavated from various sites around the city. Another interesting place that you should think about visiting in Chianciano Terme is that of The Museum of Art. Here you will see many works of art on display which has been done by artistes like Tiepolo, René Magritte, Guercino and Renato Guttuso.


So you see there are some interesting aspects about Chianciano Terme that you will need to investigate in person. For this reason and to have a lovely holiday in a part of Italy which you have never come to before is a great reason to see what you can find in the city of Chianciano Terme.


Author Resource:-> Find your next ChiancianoTerme hotel here: http://www.hotelsrgo.com/Italy/ChiancianoTerme.html

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