Surrounding

Loro CiuffennaThe borough of Loro Ciuffenna is situated on the "Seven Bridges " road, at the foot of the right hand slope of the rocky bulk of the Pratomagno. The peaks of the mountain have varied since 1200 to 1594 mt. of altitude and they form as a shell, of which Loro is the pearl. Numerous courses of water run from the mountain peaks into the Arno: the most important is the Ciuffenna, that crosses Loro river. Depending  of the season it flows impetuous in deep ravines, or it flows calm with a small rivulet.The purity of these waters was famous in the Middle Ages. Along the Ciuffenna the mills once used  abounded for the grinding of  chestnuts and  wheat abounded. Only two of the original nineteen mills are still standing today. One is under the modern bridge of Loro, which have wooden propeller blades and grindstones, of different weight for the wheat and for the chestnuts. The characteristic plants in the zone are the chestnut tree, the olive trees and the grapevine. In the woods you can easily encounter  wild boars, hares and squirrels. The urban conglomeration of Loro Ciuffenna seems to have its origins in an ancient past. This is in fact its urban structure. Its name derives from the Latin " laurus " (laurel); in 1862 the name of the stream that crosses was added: Ciuffenna, from etruscan " cerfenna ", the buck once a Roman military town, it was given by Henry VI to the Guidi. Later in  1306 it passed to the Florentine Republic permanently. Occupied in 1799 by the French, it later became Italian community in the 1859. In Loro you can visit the church of the Arcipretura, already mentioned in the XIII century, the suburb of Middle Ages, the roman bridge, the 1604 Basilica and the Pieve of Gropina. A splendid Romanesque church, one of the most famous and beautiful of the Valdarno, which  was built in the XI century, but on a preceding church. Loro Ciuffenna is situated about 40 kms from Florence, 30 from Arezzo and 50 from Siena. It is in a privileged zone for the art, the history and the culture.

FlorenceFor many years Florence has been the cradle of culture and art: many of the most famous artists of the Renaissance were born there and thanks to them thousands of tourists choose Florence for their holidays.
Florence signifies abundance or wealth; during the middle-age, thanks to the Medici family, became an important economic, cultural and artistic city. The artistic patrimony of Florence is among the most important of the world. Famous museums (Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Museum, Museum of the Bargello, Archaeological Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Opera del Duomo). The famous academies (Academy of the Bran, Academy of Cimento, Colombaria Academy). Large parks and gardens (Park of the Cascine, Garden of Boboli, Garden of the Iris). The monuments in Florence constitute an artistic complex among the most important of the world: the Baptistry (with the gold doors by the Ghiberti and Andrea Pisano), the Fortezza da Basso, the Giotto Bell Tower, the Innocenti Hospital. Important churches like the Dome (or Santa Maria del Fiore) with the immense cupola by the Brunelleschi and the bell tower by Giotto, The Pietà by Michelangelo, the Santa Croce church, in which we found the rip of Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Alfieri, Foscolo and Rossini, the San Lorenzo church, the Santa Maria Novella church. Florence is rich of great work and wonderful palaces like the Palazzo Vecchio, the loggia by Orcagna, the Spedale degli Innocenti of Brunelleschi, the Palazzi Medici, the Pitti Palace and the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio with the double row of small old shops, from the 1500 exclusive rights of the orafi. The splendid squares like Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazza Della Signoria, Piazza Della Libertà, Piazza Dell'Indipendenza, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazzale Michelangelo. The historical houses of Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Guidi.
Visitors are enchanted by the Italian city's many tourist attractions, churches, cathedrals and town squares. The Dome cathedral is just one of many wonderful tourist attractions to visit in the city that Italians call 'Firenze'. Among the many works of art that can be found in Florence, is Michelangelo's most famous statue called 'David'. Art and architecture from the Renaissance period can be found throughout the city.
The lily was chosen to be the symbol of Florence in the second half of the XII century.. The Florentine lily on the gonfalon was originally white on a red background; it was changed to red on a white background by the Guelfi in 1266, as a sign of victory over the Ghibellini. Mythology tells that the lily was born from drop of milk that feels from Giunone' s breast while she was feeding Ercole. The lily therefore signifies purity and chastity. Florence is not only art and museums. The enjoying in Florence never finishes: Theatres, Cinemas, disco clubs, pubs become animated life for all the night If you decide to pass one evening by drinking a beer in historical center of Florence will be able to find very much pubs and birrery. The principal zones are surely Santa Croce square, Santa Maria Novella square and the zone of the Dome.The pubs quickly become animated life after dining; the night buildings receive young people of one each part of the world.You will be able moreover to taste made aperitifs with rule of art or to taste a good coffee in one of the very famous places of the city in many the bars and coffee bars located in any Florence.

ArezzoArezzo was founded by the Etruscans. It may have been one of the twelve most important Etruscan cities, the so called Dodecapolis; the famous Chimera of Arezzo, now in Florence, was found here. As Arretium it was a flourishing city in the days of the Roman Empire, well-known in particular for its pottery manufactures (Arezzo ware, bucchero).
During the Middle Ages, much of its earlier architecture was dismantled to reuse the stones for fortifications. Arezzo was an independent city-state from the 11th century until 1384, when it was incorporated into the Tuscan State of Florence Beautiful city set on a hill in eastern Tuscany, Arezzo is a city rich in art, the visitor has the opportunity to admire the Basilica di San Francesco the extraordinary cycle of frescoes of the Legend of the True Cross painted by Piero della Francesca and the Church of San Domenico , Made a beautiful cross by Cimabue.
Every first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday, Piazza Grande and the streets around it are home to the Antiques Fair, one of the largest exhibitions of antiques and important at the national level. Certainly not lacking major events and festivals in Arezzo : In the months of June and September, the city comes alive with the most heartfelt celebration of the city, the Giostra del Saracino, a spectacular horse race that has its roots in the Middle Ages.