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Museum
and House of Leonardo da Vinci
In the piazza in front of the Castle of the Conti Guidi in
Vinci, known as the "castle of the Nave" you will
find the museum of Leonardo da Vinci, and outside, the enormous
wooden sculpture by Mario Cerioli, which was inspired by Leonardo's
L'Uomo di Vinci Vetruviano (man of Vinci). Inside you
will fine a ceramic Madonna and Bambino by Giovanni della
Robbia.
The museum is particularly interesting for the detailed models
made from Leonardo's designs.
About 3 kms from Vinci in Anchiano, the house where Leonardo
was born nestles into a landscape that has changed little
since he lived there as a child. |
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Collodi
& Pinocchio
Collodi is famous for having given the pen name to Carlo
Lorenzini, author of the Adventures of Pinocchio, the most
printed book after the Bible and Koran. Today Collodi is
interesting for three things: the medieval village, the
Villa and Garzoni Garden, and Pinocchio's Park - Three completely
different itineraries that share the harmony with the Tuscan
landscape, and that carry you into another world of fables
and fantasy.
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The
Padule of Fucecchio
The flatlands of Fucecchio, a rich repository of nature
and history, preserves traces of the fascinating lives and
activities of two great families of the area, the Medici
and Lorena. The Medicean bridge of Cappiano, farm estates
of Capannone, and the huge drying barns for tabacco which
was grown in the area, to name a few, and the Francigena,
the ancient road taken by knights on their way from Northern
Europe to Rome. The Padule for centuries has provided raw
materials such as sarello, sala and gaggia,
grasses which are still used today by the artisans of the
area to make the characteristic Tuscan straw seats, and
to bind the bases of bottles of Chianti.
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The
Padule is also used by 100s of species of bird, as a
pitstop on the migration path from the Tyrrhenian Coast
to the hinterland of Italy. During the year it is possible
to see over 190 species of birds, among which at least
70 build their nests here. The most important breeding
colony of herons of central Italy is found here on the
Padule. |
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Festivals
Mid-June: Palio delle Contrade a Fucecchio
July: Pistoia Blues Music Festival - International blues
musicians in Pistoia
July 25: Giostra dell’Orso - Jousting in Pistoia
July & August: Palio of Siena - famous horse races around
the main square Siena
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