The Surrounds

POMARANCE

The area of Pomarance is immersed in nature, especially idyllic oak and chestnut forests, from the village which extends along the slopes of the hill and from Soffioni Boraciferi which is in the area. In modern times, these have been exploited, creating the modern Geothermoelectric Centres in the area of Larderello. Well linked to the Etruscan coast and to the inland areas such as Florence, Siena and the Chianti region, it is located amid nature and is the ideal location for quiet and relaxing holidays

PISA

Always a maritime city, it has been one of the most important naval centres in Italy, and we must remember that it was part of the Maritime Republic. Among the mandatory tourist highlights, there is the famous Leaning Tower, the Baptistry, but also the Church of St Frediano, the Guelph Tower and the Cathedral of St Peter the Apostle. Distance: 1 hour

FIRENZE

It is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and is recognised throughout the world as one of the cradles of art and architecture, with its numerous historic buildings, monuments and rich museums (including the Uffizi Gallery, the Palatina Gallery, the Bargello and the museums of Palazzo Pitti), it is renowned as one of the most beautiful and important cities in the world. Florence is located in a picturesque setting, at the centre of a type of amphitheatre, surrounded on three sides by the hills of Careggi (to the north), Fiesole (to the north-east) Settignano (to the east), Arcetri, Poggio Imperiale and Bellosguardo (to the south). The plain upon which the city is built is crossed by the Arno (the city itself is split between upper Valdarno and lower Valdarno) and of smaller waterways such as the Mugnone, the Terzolle and the River Greve. Distance: 1hr 15 mins

VOLTERRA

The city, famous for the extraction and work on alabaster, preserves a notable historical centre of Etruscan origins (the Porta all’Arco remains from this era) with Roman ruins and mediaeval buildings, such as the Cathedral and the Palazzo dei Priori on the piazza of the same name, the central nervous system of the area. The name is obviously of Etruscan origins and was subsequently adapted to the Latin volaterrae. Of note is the presence of the suffix vel which is particularly Etruscan and means height. Distance: 35 minutes.

LIVORNO

Located along the Ligurian Sea coast, Livorno is one of the most important Italian ports, both as a commercial stopover as well as tourist one, it is an industrial centre with national importance and, of all the Tuscan cities, it is usually held as the youngest, even though the area has historical monuments from times long passed, and which have survived the massive bombardment of the Second World War. Distance: 1 hour and a quarter.

SAN GIMIGNANO

For the characteristic mediaeval architecture of its historical centre, it has been declared by UNESCO as world heritage listed. The site of San Gimignano, despite some redevelopment in the nineteenth and twentieth century, is more or less intact in its twelfth and thirteenth century style and is one of the best examples in Europe of urban organisation at the communal age. Distance: 45 minutes.

ETRUSCAN COAST
The Etruscan Coast includes the entire continental shore of the province of Livorno, from south to north, taking in the areas of Piombino, San Vincenzo, Castagneto Carducci, Bibbona, Cecina, Rosignano Marittimo and Livorno. It is called the Etruscan Coast for its numerous Etruscan necropolises, present mainly between the Gulf of Baratti and Populonia, which was originally the only Etruscan city along the coastal strip; the name extended to include the hinterland of the province of Livorno, in large part corresponding with Maremma of Livorno (the old Maremma of Pisa). Distance: 1 hour.