Fodor's Florence & Tuscany: with Assisi & the Best of Umbria

by Fodor's Travel Publications

Overview

Whether you want to tour Brunelleschi's Dome, marvel at artwork in the Galleria degli Uffizi, or explore charming hill towns, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Florence and Tuscany are here to help! Fodor’s Florence and Tuscany guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos.

Fodor’s Florence and Tuscany travel guide includes:

• AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do
• MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time
• MORE THAN 35 DETAILED MAPS and a FREE PULL-OUT MAP to help you navigate confidently
• COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!
• HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, wineries, and more
• PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “What to Eat and Drink,” “10 Best Museums in Florence,” “10 Best Vineyards and Wine Tasting Experiences,” “Free Things to Do in Florence,” and more
• TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money
• HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, and more
• SPECIAL FEATURES on “Who’s Who in Renaissance Art,” “The Duomo,” “Santa Croce,” “The Pleasures of Tuscan Wine,” Piazza del Campo,” “The Goodness of Tuscan Food,” and “Assissi’s Basilica di San Francesco.”
• LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems
• ITALIAN LANGUAGE PRIMER with useful words and essential phrases
• UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Florence, Tuscany, Chianti, Siena, Pisa, Arezzo, Umbria, and more.

Planning on visiting other destinations in Italy? Check out Fodor’s Essential Italy, Fodor’s Amalfi Coast, Capri & Naples, Fodor's Rome, and Fodor’s Venice.

*Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.

ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640975378
Publisher:	Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	11/15/2022
Series:	Full-color Travel Guide
Edition description:	15th ed.
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	510,909
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel advice for every stage of a traveler's trip. We hire local writers who know their destinations better than anyone else, allowing us to provide the best travel recommendations for all tastes and budgets in over 7,500 worldwide destinations. Our books make it possible for every trip to be a trip of a lifetime.

Table of Contents

1 Experience Florence and Tuscany 7

24 Ultimate Experiences 8

What's Where 18

Best Hilltop Villages in Tuscany and Umbria 20

Free Things to Do in Florence 22

What to Eat and Drink 24

10 Best Museums in Florence 26

What to Read and Watch Before Your Trip 28

Florence and Tuscany Today 30

2 Travel Smart 39

Know Before You Go 40

Getting Here and Around 42

Essentials 50

Helpful Italian Phrases 58

Great Itineraries 60

Tours and Events 62

Contacts 63

3 Florence 65

Welcome to Florence 66

Eating and Drinking

Well in Florence 68

Planning 71

Around the Duomo 75

San Lorenzo 98

Santa Maria Novella 109

Santa Croce 119

The Oltrarno 131

Side Trips from Florence 142

4 Pisa, Lucca, and Northwest Tuscany 145

Welcome to Pisa, Lucca, and Northwest Tuscany 146

Planning 149

Montelupo 150

Empoli 152

Vinci 154

San Miniato 154

Pisa 162

Prato 168

Pistoia 170

Montecatini Terme 173

Lucca 174

San Marcello Pistoiese 183

Abetone 184

Bagni di Lucca 185

Barga 186

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana 187

Livorno 188

Viareggio 190

Forte dei Marmi 192

Carrara 193

5 Chianti, Siena, and Central Tuscany 195

Welcome to Chianti, Siena, and Central Tuscany 196

Planning 199

Chianti 201

Siena 221

Monteriggioni 235

Colle di Val d'Elsa 236

San Gimignano 238

Volterra 244

6 Arezzo, Cortona, and Eastern Tuscany 249

Welcome to Arezzo, Cortona, and Eastern Tuscany 250

Planning 253

Arezzo 254

Cortona 260

Sansepolcro 263

Parco Nazionale Casentino 264

Sacro Eremo e Monastero di Camaldoli 264

Santuario della Verna 265

7 Southern Tuscany 267

Welcome to Southern Tuscany 268

Planning 271

Chiusi 272

Chianciano Terme 274

Montepulciano 276

Pienza 279

San Quirico d'Orcia 281

Bagno Vignoni 282

Montalcino 282

Abbazia di Sant'Antimo 284

Buonconvento 284

Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore 285

Asciano 286

Monte Amiata 286

Sorano 287

Pitigliano 288

Sovana 290

Saturnia 291

Parco Naturale della Maremma 292

Monte Argentario 293

Massa Marittima 294

Abbazia di San Galgano 295

Giglio 296

Elba 297

Capraia 300

8 Umbria and the Marches 301

Welcome to Umbria and the Marches 302

Eating and Drinking Well in Umbria and the Marches 304

Planning 306

Perugia 308

Assisi 315

Guhbio 322

Deruta 324

Spello 325

Montefalco 326

Spoleto 327

The Valnerina 333

Todi 334

Orvieto 336

Urbino 338

Loreto 340

Ascoli Piceno 341

Index 343

About Our Writers 352

Maps

Central Italy 61

Around the Duomo 76-77

San Lorenzo 100-101

Santa Maria Novella 110-111

Santa Croce 120-121

The Oltrarno 132-133

Side Trips from Florence 143

Towns West of Florence 153

Pisa 163

Lucca 175

The Garfagnana and the Northwest Coast 184

Chianti 203

Siena 224

Hill Towns West of Siena 236

San Gimignano 239

Volterra 245

Arezzo 255

Cortona 261

Val d'Orcia and the Crete 273

The Maremma and the Tuscan Islands 289

Northern Umbria 309

Perugia 311

Assisi 316

Southern Umbria 329

Spoleto 332

The Marches 339

Who's Who in Renaissance Art 33

The Duomo 84

Santa Croce 123

Simply Perfect 155

Grape Escapes 211

Piazza del Campa 226

Assisi's Basilica San Francisco 319

Editorial Reviews

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“The Fodor’s guides are notable for their ratings of sights, restaurants, shops, accommodations and attractions.” – Chicago Tribune

“In terms of comprehensiveness of coverage, the very accessible format, and the enthusiastic tone, this series remains one of the best on the market.” – Booklist

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“Fodor’s can help you plan the perfect adventure.” – Arizona Republic

From the Publisher