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TUSCANY imparts a charm and splendor all its own. Comprising ten alluring provinces, the region invites exploration of all it has to offer, whether you are in pursuit of extraordinary art and architecture, or fine wine and cuisine. It's yours to discover wherever you choose to roam. Celebrated for its pastoral landscape, the vast Tuscan countryside is a patchwork of rolling hills marked by sprawling vineyards and lush olive groves.Waves of sunflowers, poppies and ancient stone walls paint a rustic tapestry of a sepia-tinted terrain swathed in warm Italian sun. Yet no measure of this broad view is marred by the age-old Cyprus trees which fleck and line this familiar and enduring landscape. But the real allure lies in the ancient towns. Sleepy remote villages tempt you to wander narrow, cobbled streets, while medieval hamlets challenge exploration of residual castle fortifications, some replete with their ancient towering ramparts. Here and there, chapel steeples reach high above villages, and the occasional Gothic cathedral rises majestically to greet the sky. Flowing amidst this panoramic splendor is the ever-gentle Arno, as it winds its way from Florence to Pisa in pursuit of the Ligurian Sea. Having been the backdrop of Master painters throughout the ages, this ageless land is sure to prove rousing. If you find yourself in search of culture, Tuscany is sure to enchant. The legacy of this wondrous region lies in its art and history, which spans the work of the early Etruscans all the way to the height of its Golden Age, an era which produced the likes of Michelangelo, da Vinci and the de Medicis.Tuscany is also notable for producing writers, scientists, architects, musicians and artists, all of whom have placed their stamp on the world, as evidenced by the experiments of Galileo, the grandeur of a Puccini opera, and the literary world of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. From the Etruscan theater and Roman baths at Fiesole, to the Gothic architecture of Siena, and the innumerable sites of Florence, every excursion reveals a glimpse of history. With every destination a treasure, Tuscany is your land of journeys.
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