La Porta di Mignana

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Florence, capital of Tuscany, is home to many masterpieces of art and Renaissance architecture. One of the most famous sites is the Duomo, the cathedral with the dome made of tiles designed by Brunelleschi, and Giotto's bell tower. The Galleria dell'Accademia exposes the sculpture of Michelangelo's David, while the Uffizi Gallery hosts The birth of Venus by Botticelli and The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci. But visiting Florence also means wandering in its tiny lanes to discover an unforgettable atmosphere.

Famous for the widely known Leaning Tower, Pisa boasts an ancient history, which reached its peak during the Maritime Republics, a period that transformed its city center into a treasure chest of artistic interest. Wandering around these streets also means moving between mythic university headquarters, whose importance has not faded over the centuries.

https://www.visittuscany.com/it/localita/pisa/​

http://www.firenzeturismo.it/

Volterra is a town of an unmistakably medieval look, where you can still enjoy the atmosphere of an ancient village. Its authenticity is protected by its isolation, which has limited the development of the centre in the industrial age, protecting the city from speculation. In Volterra history has left its mark with continuity from the Etruscan period until the nineteenth century. Moreover, you can let yourself be charmed by the workshops of local craftsmen working alabaster.

With its group of towers that are drawn on the horizon, San Gimignano is one of the most iconic sites of the whole Tuscany. From every part of the world there is someone who dreams of reaching this ancient town to enjoy the experience of visiting a perfect picture-postcard medieval vilalge. A Unesco heritage site since 1990, San Gimignano, also known as the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages", owes its fame to the incredible amount of towers that stand out on its roofs.

https://www.comune.volterra.pi.it/turismo​

https://www.sangimignano.com/​

Lucca is the only city-state in the region that has retained its independence until 1847. Its unique historical circumstance has made it a kind of beautiful fortress island, preserving a veritable kaleidoscope of the best that can be found in an ancient Tuscan city. Lucca is medieval in the inside but  it hosts places of interest from all periods of history. The city is called the “city of 100 churches” for the large number of worship places found there.

Siena is seen shining from far away, perfect in its medieval balance. The three hills on which it sits stand out in a landscape that is rural and idyllic. Siena, unchanged for centuries, is today in good measure as it appeared in 1300, and the conservation of its architectural heritage, medieval, unique and consistent is one of the main reasons to visit this beautiful city.

https://www.discovertuscany.com/it/siena/informazioni-turistiche/

​http://www.turismo.lucca.it/​

Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo, is located in the heart of Tuscany, on the slopes of Montalbano, a mountain ridge that has been land of the Etruscans and then a Roman "castrum". The main characters of the surrounding landscape are olive trees and vineyards, to which the tourist itinerary "Strada dell'olio e del vino del Montalbano" has been dedicated.

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Vinci is located in the lower Valdarno, 40 km far from Florence, and close to the major Tuscan cities of art: Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena.

The protected area of the Montalbano is 16.000 hectares -wide and, from the North of the town, it reaches Montecatini Terme and Florence. The territory is hilly, with vineyards close to the valley, olive groves on higher areas and, on the top,  woods of chestnut trees.

The area is particularly suitable for walks and excursions, plunged into the greenery, with archaeological sites and ancient woods like the oak trees of Pietramarina. Don't miss the opportunity of getting to the top of Montalbano. On the ridge, you will find an amazing view: on one side the valley of the Arno, and on the other, the Pistoiese Fiorentino up to the Apennines.

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The exhibition, created in 1935 in the Castle of Conti Guidi, consists of many models of machines inspired by Leonardo's drawings. The new arrangement made in 1986 shows the various models accompanied by descriptive cards, and a room with audio-visual contents has been added. The museum includes also a separate section in "Palazzina Uzielli", which has a multimedia lab, a room for students, and rooms for exhibitions.

The first Ideal Museum in the world was founded in Vinci in October 1993: it is dedicated to the unique genius of Leonardo, to his art, his land, and its timeliness. In a place of great beauty, the museum houses over 400 works and objects: from archaeology to environmental finds, from paintings to sculptures and fountains, from machine models and eingeneering, to the data bank consisting of the paintings and the drawings by Leonardo and the works of contemporary art inspired by the great Renaissance Master.
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The house believed to be the birthplace of Leonardo is located at Anchiano, a village not far from the centre of Vinci, on a pleasant hill among olive trees. It is an interesting example of rustic architecture, restored in 1986, and inside you will find information on Leonardo biography, as well as his hologram.

The holm oak of Faltognano is a monumental tree located in Faltognano, a fraction of Vinci. It is right in front of the church of Santa Maria Assunta, erected in the 12th century.
It has a circumference of 4.60 m, is 11 m tall, and has an age of about 300 years.

Included in the list of monumental trees of Tuscany, the Leccio di Faltognano received in 2007 an Award from the Italian Touring Club. Feature of its location is also a panoramic terrace from which you can admire the beautiful landscape.
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