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    Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook)
    Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook)
    Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook380 pages2 hours

    Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Insight Guides

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    About this ebook

    Berlitz Pocket Guides: iconic style, a bestselling brand, this is the quintessential pocket-sized travel guide to Tuscany and Umbria, and now comes with a bi-lingual dictionary



    Plan your trip, plan perfect days and discover how to get around - this pocket-sized guide with new bi-lingual dictionary is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do and see in Tuscany and Umbria, from top attractions like the Duomo and Uffizi Gallery in Florence, to hidden gems, including the hill village of Todi and medieval Gubbio. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating region.



    -Compact, concise and packed with essential information, this is an iconic on-the-move companion when you're exploring Tuscany and Umbria

    -Covers Top Ten Attractions, including Pisa's iconic Leaning Tower, the towers of San Gimignano and spiritual Assisi and Perfect Tour itinerary suggestions

    -Nifty new bi-lingual dictionary section makes this the perfect portable package for short trip travellers

    -Includes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture

    -Handy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around

    -Essential practical information on everything from Eating Out to Getting Around

    -Inspirational colour photography throughout

    -Sharp design and colour-coded sections make for an engaging reading experience



    About Berlitz: Berlitz draws on years of travel and language expertise to bring you a wide range of travel and language products, including travel guides, maps, phrase books, language-learning courses, dictionaries and kids' language products.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateNov 1, 2018
    ISBN9781785731594
    Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Insight Guides

    Insight Guides wherever possible uses local experts who provide insider know-how and share their love and knowledge of the destination.

    Read more from Insight Guides

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      Book preview

      Berlitz Pocket Guide Tuscany and Umbria (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides

      How To Use This E-Book

      Getting Around the e-Book

      This Pocket Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration and planning advice for your visit to Tuscany & Umbria, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

      The guide begins with our selection of Top 10 Attractions, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan unmissable experiences. The Introduction and History chapters paint a vivid cultural portrait of Tuscany & Umbria, and the Where to Go chapter gives a complete guide to all the sights worth visiting. You will find ideas for activities in the What to Do section, while the Eating Out chapter describes the local cuisine and gives listings of the best restaurants. The Travel Tips offer practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, there are carefully selected hotel listings.

      In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

      Maps

      All key attractions and sights in Tuscany & Umbria are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

      Images

      You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Tuscany & Umbria. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

      About Berlitz Pocket Guides

      The Berlitz story began in 1877 when Maximilian Berlitz devised his revolutionary method of language learning. More than 130 years later, Berlitz is a household name, famed not only for language schools but also as a provider of best-selling language and travel guides.

      Our wide-ranging travel products – printed travel guides and phrase books, as well as apps and ebooks – offer all the information you need for a perfect trip, and are regularly updated by our team of expert local authors. Their practical emphasis means they are perfect for use on the ground. Wherever you’re going – whether it’s on a short break, the trip of a lifetime, a cruise or a business trip – we offer the ideal guide for your needs.

      Our Berlitz Pocket Guides are the perfect choice if you need reliable, concise information in a handy format. We provide amazing value for money – these guides may be small, but they are packed with information. No wonder they have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.

      © 2018 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

      Table of Contents

      Tuscany and Umbria’s Top 10 Attractions

      Top Attraction #1

      Top Attraction #2

      Top Attraction #3

      Top Attraction #4

      Top Attraction #5

      Top Attraction #6

      Top Attraction #7

      Top Attraction #8

      Top Attraction #9

      Top Attraction #10

      A Perfect Tour of Northern Tuscany

      Introduction

      Treasures of Tuscany and Umbria

      Into Modernity

      A Brief History

      The Roman Period

      Christianity and Medieval Clashes

      The Renaissance

      From Unification to World War II

      Recent Developments

      Historical Landmarks

      Where To Go

      Florence

      Piazza del Duomo

      Piazza della Signoria

      Galleria degli Uffizi

      Around Piazza della Repubblica

      The Bargello and Santa Croce

      Santa Maria Novella to the Accademia

      Across the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno

      Around Florence

      Fiesole

      The Mugello

      Chianti

      The Road to Lucca

      Prato

      Pistoia

      Montecatini Terme

      Lucca

      The Garfagnana

      Pisa and the Coast

      Pisa

      The Versilia

      Livorno

      Elba

      The Maremma

      Siena and Around

      Siena

      Il Campo

      The Duomo and Art Gallery

      Val d’Elsa

      San Gimignano

      Volterra

      Southern Tuscany

      Monte Oliveto Maggiore

      Montalcino

      Pienza

      Montepulciano

      Tufa Towns

      Arezzo and Eastern Tuscany

      Arezzo

      Monterchi and Sansepolcro

      Cortona and Lago di Trasimeno

      Into Umbria

      Perugia

      Gubbio

      Assisi

      Todi and Spoleto

      Orvieto

      What To Do

      Shopping

      Florentine Favourites

      Other Regional Crafts

      Antiques and Flea Markets

      Weekly Markets

      Sports and Outdoor Activities

      Entertainment

      Music and the Performing Arts

      Nightlife

      Children’s Tuscany and Umbria

      Calendar of Events

      Eating Out

      Where to Eat

      What to Eat

      Bars, Caffès and Gelaterie

      Beverages

      Wine

      Reading the Menu

      To Help You Order…

      …And Read the Menu

      Restaurants

      Florence

      Rest of Tuscany

      Arezzo

      Cortona

      Lucca

      Montepulciano

      Pienza

      Pisa

      Pistoia

      Prato

      San Gimignano

      Siena

      Volterra

      Umbria

      Assisi

      Gubbio

      Orvieto

      Perugia

      Spoleto

      Todi

      A–Z Travel Tips

      A

      Accommodation

      Airports

      B

      Bicycle Hire

      Budgeting for Your Trip

      C

      Camping

      Car Hire

      Climate

      Clothing

      Crime and Safety

      D

      Driving

      E

      Electricity

      Embassies and Consulates

      Emergencies

      G

      Getting There

      Guides and Tours

      H

      Health and Medical Care

      I

      Internet

      L

      LGBTQ Travellers

      M

      Maps

      Media

      Money

      O

      Opening Hours

      P

      Police

      Post Offices

      Public Holidays

      T

      Telephones

      Time Zones

      Tipping

      Toilets

      Tourist Information

      Transport

      V

      Visas and Entry Requirements

      W

      Websites

      Y

      Youth Hostels

      Recommended Hotels

      Florence

      Rest of Tuscany

      Arezzo

      Cortona

      Fiesole

      Lucca

      Montepulciano

      Pisa

      Prato

      San Gimignano

      Siena

      Volterra

      Umbria

      Assisi

      Gubbio

      Orvieto

      Perugia

      Spoleto

      Dictionary

      English–Italian

      Italian–English

      Tuscany and Umbria’s Top 10 Attractions

      Top Attraction #1

      Steve MacDonald/Apa Publications

      Chianti

      Vineyards cloak the fertile hills between Florence and Siena. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #2

      iStock

      Duomo, Florence

      The cathedral is one of the best-known symbols of the city. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #3

      iStock

      Leaning Tower of Pisa

      The famous monument is the centrepiece of one of the most breathtaking piazzas in Italy. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #4

      iStock

      Piazza del Campo, Siena

      Its Torre di Mangia offers incredible views of the city. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #5

      iStock

      The Maremma

      Tuscany’s southern coastline has many pretty beaches and resorts. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #6

      Corbis

      Uffizi Gallery, Florence

      An almost dizzying collection of the Italian Renaissance’s most revered paintings. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #7

      iStock

      San Gimignano

      A collection of beautifully preserved medieval towers gives this hill town a stunning skyline. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #8

      Shutterstock

      The Garfagnana

      This mountainous area in the north is popular with hikers, climbers and canoeists. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #9

      iStock

      Assisi

      The birthplace of St Francis is one of Italy’s most spiritual sites. For more information, click here.

      Top Attraction #10

      iStock

      Orvieto’s Duomo

      The city’s massive cathedral is spectacular both inside and out. For more information, click here.

      A Perfect Tour of Northern Tuscany

      Day 1

      Historic towns

      Drive west to Lucca on the A11, stopping at Pistoia for a stroll around its medieval alleyways and coffee in the central piazza. Continue on to Montecantini Terme and indulge in a spa treatment before lunch. Arrive in Lucca in time to seek out a traditional restaurant for some fine Tuscan cooking.

      Day 2

      Lucca

      Hire a bicycle and ride along the top of the Renaissance walls then explore inside the walls starting from Piazza Napoleone – all the main sights are only a few minutes from here. Join the shoppers on Via Fillungo for some top-end retail therapy.

      Day 3

      Pisa

      Continue along the A11 to the A12 for Pisa. Your first stop has to be Campo dei Meracoli, the green space graced by the Leaning Tower and the Duomo. From the Campo walk south passing through the most evocative part of the old city towards the river. Ideally book a hotel with a roof terrace overlooking the River Arno, and take an early evening riverside stroll before dinner.

      Day 4–5

      Viareggio

      Enjoy breakfast on the roof terrace before travelling north on the SS1 to the seaside resort of Viareggio. The town’s streets that run from the elegant beachside boulevard have plenty of hotels, pizzerias and shops. Take the chance to rejuvenate on the beach for a while.

      Day 6

      San Gimignano

      Continue south on the SS1 skirting round. Take the SR68 west to Volterra, host to some splendid medieval buildings. From Volterra head to San Gimignano, perched on the hill in the distance. Park outside the walls and wonder the unspoiled streets seeking out the Collegiate and Palazzo Comunale. Stop over to appreciate this lovely town when the day-trippers have departed.

      Day 7

      Siena – Il Campo

      Leave San Gimignano heading for Poggibonsi. Get on the Superstrada Firenze-Siena towards Italy’s most perfect medieval city, Siena. In Siena first go to Il Campo and find a café where you can admire the buildings before visiting them. Next explore the sprawl of narrow streets near Il Campo, and find a bar for pre-dinner drinks.

      Day 8

      Siena – Duomo

      Set aside the morning to visit Siena’s magnificent cathedral. Don’t overlook the cathedral’s museum and climbing the steep stairway to a lookout with splendid views. After lunch take in Siena’s many other sights, do a spot of shopping, and call in for ice cream at one of the city’s best gelateria, La Vecchia Latteria (San Pietro 10).

      Day 9

      Chianti Country

      The last day slowly meanders through Chianti Country. Leave Siena on the Chiantigiana road, calling in at Badia a Coltibuono, Radda, Greve and various wine estates dotted along the way (easy on the wine tasting if driving). Arrive in Florence in time for an evening meal.

      Introduction

      Visitors to Tuscany and Umbria will soon notice that the inhabitants believe they live in the most ideal place in the world. The Florentines think of themselves as residents of one of the most prosperous cities in Italy, as caretakers of the greatest repository of art treasures in the Western world, and as speakers of the purest form of Italian. Elsewhere in Tuscany, you will meet people convinced they live in some of Europe’s loveliest towns and villages, in Italy’s most beautiful and bountiful region, produce some of the world’s finest wines, and enjoy one of the most equable climates.

      Then there are the Umbrians. They will have you convinced in no time that their landscapes of rolling hills and gentle valleys are imbued with a special spiritual quality. After all, St Francis, who may well be the world’s most popular saint and who is in fact the patron saint of Italy, wandered this terrain and lived and died in the lovely, hill-clinging town of Assisi.

      It would be difficult to argue with any of these claims. Florentines have indeed prospered since their merchants and trade guilds came of age in the Middle Ages. They do indeed have in their midst the greatest works of Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Donatello and other masters of the Renaissance (which, of course, took root here). They can rightfully claim that their dialect evolved into modern-day Italian, under the influence of Dante and other Florentine writers. And the rest of Tuscany is truly beautiful, its wines are sublime, its climate is agreeable and its medieval towns, crowning many a hilltop, fulfil just about any traveller’s notions of what a European village should look like.

      As for Umbria – well, take yourself to Assisi, wander its medieval streets, admire the Giotto frescoes in the basilica dedicated to St Francis, and look out across the valley to the golden hills in the distance. You will then appreciate why people say the region is blessed with a spiritual aura.

      Their integral role in the history of the land that would become Italy and their continued glorification of art, food, history and alluring landscapes make Tuscany and Umbria two of the most appealing regions of the entire peninsula.

      Treasures of Tuscany and Umbria

      What first strikes any traveller about Tuscany and Umbria is how attractive the landscapes are. The cypresses, olive trees and vineyards, the hilltops crowned with tile-roofed houses and proud towers, the tilled soil that glows amber in the slanting sun: these are the backdrops of the Renaissance paintings you have seen in galleries around the world, and you will see the same scenes unfolding before your eyes as you travel the roads of these regions. The landscapes inspired the paintings, and the paintings in turn prepare you for what you will encounter.

      Sunflowers in the Siena countryside

      Steve MacDonald/Apa Publications

      Given the regions’ representation in countless works of art, a traveller’s perceptions of Tuscany and Umbria are usually of countryside punctuated now and then by medieval towns and of cities rising from fields and vineyards. In

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