Brief itinerary in Tuscany
Short route in Versilia
(Siena, Viareggio and the surrounding area, Pistoia) from 23 August to 2 September
Forner of Ferny and Rita.
In July, I and my wife Rita had done a week's holiday resort at Alassio, with the usual life of the beach, and wanted to do something, we decide to go in Versilia Viareggio-based to make some bath and visit Siena and elsewhere locations that had not yet seen.
We start on the internet travel arrangements (low budget), research of hotels, restaurants, events, etc.., We find a hotel in Viareggio 3 stars and two stars in Siena.
On 23 August at 6.30 departure from Turin to Siena with the Eurostar, change at Florence Rifreddo (total cost EUR 41 a head).
We arrive around noon in Siena and, given that it was raining and that the station is about 2.5 kilometers from the city center where you will find the hotel give us a taxi (8 euros).
We arrive at the Cannon gold (2 stars, 75 euros a night), the hotel is situated in the historical center, just a short walk from Piazza del Campo, in a building of the thirteenth century (one of the owners was quoted by Dante in The Divine Comedy), used as a hotel for nearly two centuries, then called Locanda delle Armi d'Inghilterra, spacious and comfortable rooms (bathroom, satellite television etc.), pity the lack of lift and the stairs rather steep, we we were on the second floor.
We decide to go for lunch, find a buffet restaurant (Nannini), price 12 euro, food at will (satisfactory).
Finally stops raining, the sun returns, go to Piazza del Campo, passing through Via Montanini, Via Banchi di Sotto, all footpaths, narrow, very lively, full of historic buildings, but also to stores, we see the Palazzo Salimbeni, home Monte dei Paschi and Saracini Chigi, seat of the academy of music notes (rich program of concerts and afternoon evening), we also in Via di Città, where we admire the Loggia of Mercanzia come to Piazza del Campo
The square, built in the period 1293-1349 is the heart of the city, site of the Palio and the medieval capital punishment, you meet the most important, the square is very lively, in the shape of a shell, the head is higher than the famous Fonte Gaia, made by Jacopo della Quercia, note that the panels depicting the Virgin and the Virtues are reproductions, the originals can be seen in the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala.
At the south side outside, opposite the Fountain, is the Palazzo Pubblico, the Torre del Mangia and the Cappella di Piazza (year 1376), inside the Palazzo Pubblico, the Civic Museum (5 euros), which is worth a visit to admire the works of Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, the outside of the square are bars and restaurants with outdoor seating, always very busy.
We head to Piazza Duomo where we admire the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption, in white marble, Roman-Gothic style, we put ourselves in a queue to enter, entrance fee € 6, but agrees to the cumulative 10 euro which includes baptistery and museum.
The interior is truly impressive, the works of art do not count, the magnificent pulpit carved by Nicola Pisano, the great marble floor, divided into 56 panels representing scenes of salvation and revelation, which worked on achieving the greatest artists the time (even Donatello), a visit just a little 'careful care not less than two hours, be noted that is only visible in August and September, in other periods is covered.
Let then the Baptistery of San Giovanni, in white marble, in the beautiful baptismal font, the hexagonal shape of Jacopo della Quercia and the walls painted by one of the greatest painters of the time, the Vecchietta
At about 20.30 dinner at the restaurant Grotta Santa Caterina da Bagoga, located in a characteristic street of Siena, the interior is decorated in a characteristic way, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, we order dishes to the tastes of ' ancient Sienese cuisine: crostini with chicken livers, Pici with Aglioni (fresh pasta made by hand, with tomato, olive oil and garlic cooked), Ribollita, Tacchino made with a recipe of 700 (gallo mixed with Indian spices and red wine), a taste of Peposo (chianina stew with pepper and red wine), rice cake with berries, and another taste of sweet, with about 40 euros in two with 2 glasses of wine
We do have a trip and we stop in Piazza del Campo motivated, then finally go to sleep.
August 24:
Cut back in Piazza Duomo to visit the Hospital of St. Maria della Scala (4 euro), opposite the cathedral, where we admire the beautiful frescoes on the walls, which date back to four hundred, by Domenico Di Bartolo and Lorenzo Vecchietta and other painters of the Sienese school, depicting scenes of the hospital (not miss)
Then we move to a full tour of the city, we visit the Gothic church of origin of S. Agostino (1260), the Church of St. Jerome, and Santa Maria dei Servi, with the remains of the two hundred el'affresco frescoes attributed to Pietro Lorenzetti, and the church of S. Spirit that dates back to the Renaissance, of course, always move in the narrow pedestrian streets with beautiful buildings, a brief visit to the shrine by Catherine, with a beautiful portal, and the church of San Domenico, with masterpieces by Sodoma, finally visited the National Art Gallery, visit essential to have a historical picture of Sienese painting of the time, we can see it all, although in the end we were the guardians quickly.
Around 21 we go to another restaurant the Hosteria il Carroccio, we were a little 'tired, we were limited to Pici al sugo, Ribollita, all'etrusca duck, dessert, all very refined, with a cost of 36 euros in two .
We finish the evening on the floor of sedendoci Piazza del Campo.
August 25-27: stay in Viareggio, beautiful seaside resort city, a vast sandy beach, gentle slope to sea with a long (and note) walk parallel to the sea, with Art Nouveau buildings, full of shops, open till midnight there are 7 cinemas, conference cycles coffee prince (we attended the last with Franco Ferrarotti), possibility to make trips by bike, easy on the bike path side of the promenade (many charterers) and the two large pine trees, east and west, opened a library, reading room with newspapers and magazines and internet (only in the morning), a museum and an art gallery, also good public transport services, ability to reach Pisa and Lucca in about 30 minutes train (by bus it takes more), for fans of the opera with good connections to Torre del Lago Puccini Festival, and seaside resorts across Versilia.
Hotel Dolly is a three star, edited, just a few meters from the sea and the center, an internet point available, but you can only use while standing, cuisine, the only incident that the owner expects to evening customers, we that pulling a little 'late we did feel a bit guilty.