TOURING
Lucca
Lucca is a walled city on the Serchio River, a 25 minute drive from Le Tre Case. Known for the well-preserved Renaissance walls encircling its historic city center and its cobblestone streets, it is a delightful and expansive mix of ancient and modern influences. Broad, tree-lined pathways along the tops of these massive 16th- and 17th-century ramparts are popular for strolling and cycling. There is extensive shopping of every kind, a wide open piazzas for sipping espresso. Looking for a particularly enticing dining experience? Try Ristorante All'Olivo, located in a restored house with a series of intimate dining rooms.
Pietrasanta
Pietrasanta is a town and commune near the coast, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about 32 kilometres north of Pisa. The Pietrasanta Marina, with golden sand and luxurious equipment, is considered one of the best beaches of Italy. The area, like most of Tuscany, has long enjoyed the patronage of artists. Pietrasanta grew to importance during the 15th century, mainly due to its connection with marble. Michelangelo was the first sculptor to recognize the beauty of the local stone. The Museo dei Bozzetti is a remarkable, changing exhibition of maquettes (right), artists' scale models for great works. A must see!
Forte Dei Marmi
Known colloquially as the "Saint-Tropez of Italy," Forte dei Marmi is a seaside town about a 45 minute drive on the Autostrada from Orbicciano. It is renowned for its beaches and luxurious shopping and bustles with the "Smart Set" throughout high season. The Pontile is a long pier offering views of both the Tyrrhenian Sea and the city. Located at the start of the pier is Pesce Baracca, a don't-miss seafood restaurant where diners select entrées from the day's catch. Sculptures dot the town center, and nearby, the 18th-century Lorenese Fort houses the Museum of Satire and Caricature, with its collection of political cartoons.
Pisa
A leisurely 45 minute drive from Orbicciano, Pisa is best known for its iconic Leaning Tower. Already tilting when it was completed in 1372, the 56m white-marble cylinder is the bell tower of the Romanesque, striped-marble cathedral that rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Also in the piazza is the the Caposanto Monumentale cemetery, and the Baptistry, whose renowned acoustics are demonstrated by amateur singers daily.
Florence
A two-hour drive from Le Tre Case is Florence, the Tuscan capital. Home to masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, it is also a center of European fashion. Start with a tour of the Duomo, known for its terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi. Visit the Galleria dell'Accademia, to see Michelangelo’s “David.” Don't miss the Uffizi Gallery, which exhibits works by Botticelli’s and da Vinci. Then finish with art altogether more contemporary: Museo Gucci in The Gucci Garden.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre is a string of centuries-old coastal villages on the Italian Riviera, easily accessed with an affordable ItaliaRail day pass. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties. (Try our favorite, Torre Aurora in Monterosso Al Mare. Cliffside hiking trails link the villages and offer sweeping sea vistas (and rigorous hikes!)...but beware, rock slides have left some of them impassable, so plan ahead.
