Photography-ready Tuscany

Ever since the Etruscans dropped by to party, they decided that they were going to stay, as Tuscany grabbed them all too easily. The Romans stocked their grain silos here and Christians walked their stages of the medieval pilgrimage route. Florence’s historic churches and monuments were a key stop for British aristocrats on 19th-century Grand Tours and this remained so. At sundown when the River Arno turns pink, whether you like things old-fashioned or boutique chic, this handsome city will oblige happily. The art. Oh, the art, The Etruscans indulged their fondness for classy sent off with exquisite funerary objects, and the Romans, always partial to forcing their own importance upon others, left their usual legacy of monumental sculptures. But it was during the medieval and Renaissance periods that Tuscany really struck gold, with painters, sculptors and architects creating world-class masterpieces. Stored and safeguarded today in churches, museums and galleries all over the region, art in Tuscany is truly unmatched. Edgy street art in Florence and countryside sculpture parks bring the art scene right up to the 21st century.

Capital of Tuscany, the historic heart, the birthplace of the renaissance. Florence is romantic, enchanting, utterly irresistible, and of course, picturesque. If you want to capture a complete view of Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo is a great spot to photograph the city and its most famous bridge. The architecture of Florence is unique, and every detail seems to blend perfectly if you zoom in from certain angles. We are used to seeing the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in its entirety but if you stand far away enough and you own a good zoom lens, you can focus on certain parts of the building, which creates a slightly different photograph.

Tuscany’s Powerful, San Gimignano. San Gimignano is the epitome of a Tuscan hill town. About 25 miles from both Florence and Siena, it’s the region’s glamour girl: Visually striking and perfectly preserved, it gets all the wide-eyed attention from passing tour buses. Doors often say a lot about a town. And most of the doors in San Gimignano are worth capturing taking you back to medieval times. Most doors make you wonder how many people have entered and exited through them. This hill town is known for its 13 sky-high towers, which are as impressive in real life as they are in photographs. Even if climbing up the tallest of them might not be easy, your efforts will be rewarded by an incredible view of the town from above, and of the surrounding landscapes and valleys

Situated atop three hills, Siena qualifies as Italy’s ultimate “hill town.” Its thriving historic center, with movie-set lanes cascading every which way, offers Italy’s best out-of- reality city experience. For those who dream of a Fiat-free Italy, Siena is a haven. Pedestrians own the old center of town, as the only drivers allowed are residents and cabbies. While visiting, you should nurse a drink on the main square, then wander narrow streets, still studded with iron rings to tie horses to. While nearby Florence has the blockbuster museums, Siena has an easy-to-enjoy soul of Courtyard’s sport flower-decked wells, alleys that end up to a rooftop view, and colorful flags of neighborhood pride flutter everywhere. Even with all the tourists, a strong local spirit pervades happily.

There are many viewpoints in Siena but this one really stands out. From the Torre del Mangia you can admire the entire city, the rooftops as well as wide-angle cityscape shots. The entrance of the Santuario di Santa Caterina is a great spot for a photo because the arches and columns create the perfect frame and invite you in to see more. Siena is a hilltop town, right? So you will need to be prepared to climb to get where you want to go. But as the city is built this way, it creates different layers when you photograph it and adds a different sense of perspective. The steep streets will offer many viewpoints and photography opportunities so take them!

Pienza is a small town situated in the Val d’Orcia, in the southern part of Tuscany. It’s just 15 kilometers from Montepulciano and about 50 kilometers away from Siena. The name comes from Pope Pius II, who was born here, and it means the city of Pius. Enea Silvio Piccolomini elected Pope Pius II in 1458, wanted to transform his birthplace. The construction of Pienza started around 1459 on top of the ancient hamlet and took about four years, creating a harmonious fifteenth-century town. The untimely death of Pope Pius II put a stop to the urban reorganization of the new city, which has remained practically unchanged over the centuries.

The Landscapes of Val d, Orcia are not a let-down, 21-minute drive from Pienza. The rolling hills of the Val d’Orcia are absolutely what you would expect. After seeing these perfect landscapes in films such as Gladiator or The English Patient, you would think you might be disappointed in real life, but actually- not at all, maybe even better in person. Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta, AKA Chapel Vitaleta. This little chapel doesn’t have a bad side. Framed between two rows of cypress trees and surrounded by the typical Tuscan countryside, it looks particularly wonderful at sunrise and sunset.