Immerse yourself in the architecture, history and art of Tuscany, and experience the Renaissance again.

Tuscany is hailed as the birth place of Renaissance, where the arts are paramount. The cities of art – Florence, Siena, Lucca and Pisa are home to some of the world’s most beautiful artwork and architecture. Surrounded by the hills, mountains and winelands of rural Tuscany, they make for a wonderful getaway.

 Florence is famed for stunning examples of Renaissance art and architecture, and is best seen on foot as driving not only requires a permit, but due to Florence’s layout, is very confusing. Make sure you visit the Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as The Duomo, which still holds the record for the largest brick and mortar dome in the world, 600 years after its completion. Take a stroll on the Piazza della Signoria and see Ammanati’s stunning Fountain of Neptune, a masterpiece of marble architecture. Visit the Uffizi and the Bargello museum to see beautiful examples of works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticello and other Renaissance artists.

Siena is an architect’s dream due to its Gothic and Renaissance buildings and landmarks. Siena’s cathedral started being built in the 12th Century, though remains unfinished due to financial complications. The east wall and transept were completed and can be climbed by tourists via an internal staircase. The Piazzo del Campo is another architectural highlight and houses the Palazzo Pubblico, one of Siena’s most famous museums and home to some of Ambrogio Lorenzetti's most famous works.

With its Renaissance-era city walls still firmly in place – though the city has since expanded beyond them – Lucca is perfectly poised to help you get to the heart of the Renaissance. Lucca is home to some exciting and intimate festivals, including the Lucca Summer Festival, which has seen the likes of Eric Clapton, Placebo and Santana, and Lucca’s comic and games festival which is the largest of its kind in Italy.

Pisa, probably best known for its Leaning Tower, is not to be missed. The birthplace of the world famous opera singer Andrea Bocelli and home to the oldest university botanical gardens in Europe, Pisa is full of history and beauty. The Leaning Tower, or Torre Pedente as it’s known locally, was originally conceived as the cathedral’s bell tower, however, due to the subsidence – a problem that was rectified in 2001 – it has stayed as a solitary tower, and is now Pisa’s most well-known landmark.

So, if Tuscany and the Renaissance have made your soul sing, then Italy holidays are the perfect way to see some of the Renaissance’s glorious sights. Visit the Kuoni website for further details and to book.

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