CULTURAL HERITAGE
Italy is the country with the greatest number in the world of sites mentioned in the list drawn up by UNESCO, entitled "The Heritage of Mankind", and the Italian region containing the greatest wealth of works of art is without a doubt Tuscany.
The edge of Italy rendered by man rich in art, culture and history, Tuscany is the region which provides living proof of 3000 years of history, where ancient trades are still carried out in the towns and villages.
All distances of the described art cities refer to Nozzano Castello:
Lucca - a 7 km:
Lucca is the only city in Tuscany never conquered by the powerful Medici family of Florence and has kept until today a particular character, tied to its story, traditions and customs.
Lucca is one of the most attractive Tuscan art cities, not as rich as Florence in museums, but with a very charming atmosphere, due to the big walls dating back to the 16th century, entirely intact, that enclose in a ring of 4,2 km the whole old city.
Under Bourbon rule these 12 meters high and 20 meters large middle age defending walls were adapted to a "public walk" and planed with the trees that still grace them today.
Nowadays bikers, runners, walkers and young and old people find relax here at every hour of the day. The lovely old city centre, closed to car traffic, with its marble churches dating back to the 12th century seems to be a happy island with a lot of elegant boutiques, restaurants and "trattorie", monuments and "piazzas", among the others the Roman Amphitheatre.
On Saturdays and Sundays the whole city is animated by hundreds of people who come from the surrounding countryside to shop, to meet each other or to visit the Antique Fair (look "Things to do").
In summer and until the end of October visitors can enjoy many shows such as the Summer Festival, with the performance of the most famous national and international singers.
Lucca is situated in a vast valley, enclosed between several hills and mountains and close to the sea. So it is rich of water and has a favourable climate for all families of plants. That's the reason why in the 16th and 17th century the rich Lucchesian silk producers and drapers started to build big villas in the countryside with huge parks, importing plants and trees from all over the world. Some of these Villas with their vast parks, surrounded by kilometres of stony walls, are still open today to visitors. They are all located in the surrounding hills, and visitors may complement this tour with a panoramic excursion amongst olive groves and vineyards, possibly tasting vine and olive oil with "bruschettas" in one of the old farmhouses.
For further information, please visit www.luccaturismo.it and our page dedicated to "Things to do".
Pisa - 15 km:
A wonderful country road leads from Nozzano Castello to Pisa (15 km), to one of the most famous tourist attractions of Italy: the Miracle Square with the Leaning Tower, the Dome and the Baptistery, all built in the 13th century, the Golden Age of Pisa.
Thousands of visitors from all over the world visit this unique complex of monuments every day and admire the fine Italian Renaissance masterpieces.
Firenze - 70 km:
You should dedicate at least one day of your staying in Lucca to one of the most beautiful cities of the world: the Renaissance Florence. There is a regular bus and/or train service (nearly every hour) which connects Lucca to Florence.
The ride takes 1 ¼ hour and costs about € 4,5 p.p. Otherwise you can drive along the highway for one hour.
Volterra - 70 km:
This ancient Etruscan village, located on top of a big hill overlooking the sea and the surrounding green hills with olive groves and rows of cypress trees, dates back to 3000 years ago. Your historical tour can begin with the Etruscan museum, the visit to the Roman Amphitheatre and at last to the Middle Age walls and buildings, which still characterize the town image.
Volterra is known since the Roman times for its caves of alabaster. In several shops and laboratories of the centre you will see the artisans at work, using the same methods of their Roman ancestors. A good opportunity to buy some elegant and everlasting souvenir ...
Italy is the country with the greatest number in the world of sites mentioned in the list drawn up by UNESCO, entitled "The Heritage of Mankind", and the Italian region containing the greatest wealth of works of art is without a doubt Tuscany.
The edge of Italy rendered by man rich in art, culture and history, Tuscany is the region which provides living proof of 3000 years of history, where ancient trades are still carried out in the towns and villages.
All distances of the described art cities refer to Nozzano Castello:
Lucca - a 7 km:
Lucca is the only city in Tuscany never conquered by the powerful Medici family of Florence and has kept until today a particular character, tied to its story, traditions and customs.
Lucca is one of the most attractive Tuscan art cities, not as rich as Florence in museums, but with a very charming atmosphere, due to the big walls dating back to the 16th century, entirely intact, that enclose in a ring of 4,2 km the whole old city.
Under Bourbon rule these 12 meters high and 20 meters large middle age defending walls were adapted to a "public walk" and planed with the trees that still grace them today.
Nowadays bikers, runners, walkers and young and old people find relax here at every hour of the day. The lovely old city centre, closed to car traffic, with its marble churches dating back to the 12th century seems to be a happy island with a lot of elegant boutiques, restaurants and "trattorie", monuments and "piazzas", among the others the Roman Amphitheatre.
On Saturdays and Sundays the whole city is animated by hundreds of people who come from the surrounding countryside to shop, to meet each other or to visit the Antique Fair (look "Things to do").
In summer and until the end of October visitors can enjoy many shows such as the Summer Festival, with the performance of the most famous national and international singers.
Lucca is situated in a vast valley, enclosed between several hills and mountains and close to the sea. So it is rich of water and has a favourable climate for all families of plants. That's the reason why in the 16th and 17th century the rich Lucchesian silk producers and drapers started to build big villas in the countryside with huge parks, importing plants and trees from all over the world. Some of these Villas with their vast parks, surrounded by kilometres of stony walls, are still open today to visitors. They are all located in the surrounding hills, and visitors may complement this tour with a panoramic excursion amongst olive groves and vineyards, possibly tasting vine and olive oil with "bruschettas" in one of the old farmhouses.
For further information, please visit www.luccaturismo.it and our page dedicated to "Things to do".
Pisa - 15 km:
A wonderful country road leads from Nozzano Castello to Pisa (15 km), to one of the most famous tourist attractions of Italy: the Miracle Square with the Leaning Tower, the Dome and the Baptistery, all built in the 13th century, the Golden Age of Pisa.
Thousands of visitors from all over the world visit this unique complex of monuments every day and admire the fine Italian Renaissance masterpieces.
Firenze - 70 km:
You should dedicate at least one day of your staying in Lucca to one of the most beautiful cities of the world: the Renaissance Florence. There is a regular bus and/or train service (nearly every hour) which connects Lucca to Florence.
The ride takes 1 ¼ hour and costs about € 4,5 p.p. Otherwise you can drive along the highway for one hour.
Volterra - 70 km:
This ancient Etruscan village, located on top of a big hill overlooking the sea and the surrounding green hills with olive groves and rows of cypress trees, dates back to 3000 years ago. Your historical tour can begin with the Etruscan museum, the visit to the Roman Amphitheatre and at last to the Middle Age walls and buildings, which still characterize the town image.
Volterra is known since the Roman times for its caves of alabaster. In several shops and laboratories of the centre you will see the artisans at work, using the same methods of their Roman ancestors. A good opportunity to buy some elegant and everlasting souvenir ...
