During the Lombard reign (6th –8th century) Lucca was the capital of Tuscany or, more strictly speaking, the seat of its duke. The town’s golden era was from the 11th to the 14th century when it was an independent city-state, with an influential banking community and silk trade.
Le Cinque Terre (the five villages) is beautifully located on the eastern side of the Italian Riviera, on the Tuscan border. The villages balance on the top of coastal cliffs and afford a fantastic sea view. The five villages are: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and has been a cultural centre since the early Middle Ages. If you travel to Tuscany, you really should pay Florence a visit at some point: Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi Gallery, the churches Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce, Palazzo Pitti and its exhibitions, the cathedral with Brunelleschi’s vault and Giotto’s bell tower...
