1) Florence

The capitol of the Tuscany region, Florence is one of the top destinations in all of Italy. U.S. News Travel rated the city based on the value, food offerings, atmosphere, and overall experience and awarded Florence a five out of five in all categories. There is a rich architectural history in Firenze, but there is so much more to do and see than just pretty buildings. While in Florence, be sure to check out the Duomo, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Boboli Gardens—don’t forget all of the local shops and restaurants as well!

Florence, Tuscany, Italy by Chris Yunker

2) Siena

Scoring just behind Florence in the best places to visit in Tuscany is the city of Siena. The U.S. News Travel report gave it an overall score of 4.6 having scored a five in value and a 4.5 in each food offerings and atmosphere. When visiting Siena you will get a whole different experience than in a city such as Florence as it is the quintessential example of the Gothic era, as can be seen when taking in the sites of the area’s buildings and architecture. Some of the major attractions you won’t want to miss out on include: the Piazza del Campo, the Torre del Mangia, Museale di Santa Maria della Scala, and the Siena Cathedral.

Siena, Tuscany, Italy by Lars Magne Sunnanå

3) Cinque Terre

For the more adventurous and outdoorsy visitors, a trip to Cinque Terre is a must. It is not just one town, but rather a group of towns that lie along high cliffs that overlooks the Liguarian Sea. This beautiful pairing of villages has been protected from mass development as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a national park. Once you secure one of the beautiful Tuscany villas in the area be sure to come here to experience the hiking, beaches, and boat tours.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy by Richard Kelland

No matter where you choose to spend your Tuscany vacation—whether you are experiencing just one city or the entire region—be sure to take full advantage of the wonderful sites, delicious food, and rich culture of one of Italy’s most popular regions.

Stephen Craig is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @SCraigSEO.

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The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation’s most visited tourist destination, especially during Palio di Siena. The best known place is Piazza del Campo.

Siena, together with the cities of Pisa and Florence, creates triangle of the most visited cities in Tuscany. There are lots of travel agencies that organise trips for tourists to those three cities. The best option how to get there is probably via plane to airport Galileo Galilei in Pisa.

What to see in Siena

• The Piazza del Campo, piazza at the centre of the city, where Palio di Siena takes place twice a year
• The Palazzo Pubblico, Siena’s City Hall with Torre di Mangia tower, from whose top you can see a beautiful panorama of the countryside of Siena.
• The Duomo, Siena’s magnificent black and white Italian Romanesque cathedral including the Libreria Piccolomini, Baptistery, and an attached Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.
• The Pinacoteca, full of Sienese painting from the city’s Medieval heyday.
• The Palazzo Salimbeni, built in 1472, is the world headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the major banking corporation which has a hand in much of the economic and cultural life of the city.
• The house where St. Catherine of Siena was born is just a few blocks from the duomo. This 14th century mystic is one of the principal patron saints of Italy.

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Twenty days prior to the July 2nd race, a total of 10 contestants will be draw to compete in the first event of the year. The remaining 7 contestants will participate in the second event on August 16th; along with the top three contestants from the July race. Three days before each race, the contestants are assigned the horse that they will be running in the race.

The Palio di Siena is considered to be one of the most famous and historic of festivals in the whole of Italy which takes place every year in the Piazza del Campo square; a fan shaped earthen race track. The actual festivities of the event start on June 29th and will continue on until August 13th of each year.

Horse race, Palio di Siena, Tuscany, Italy by Janus Kinase

On race day, there is a special mass held in Siena where the contestants and their horses are blessed before the start of the competition. Trial runs are held until around 3 in the afternoon; after which a procession makes its way throughout the historic town center of Siena. The procession ends at the Piazza del Campo just in time for the 4:30 official start time of the Palio di Siena competition.

The race is composed of three laps around the Piazza del Campo which is roughly 1,000 meters in all. The winner wins a victory flag for their neighborhood known as the palio. It is a huge honor to win the Palio di Siena.

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