Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

If you have an interest in the history of Tuscany’s mining industry that extracted tonnes of copper, iron, lead and silver, especially during the highly demanding Renaissance era, then you'd love a tour of some museums that display more detailed information on nearby mine sites here!

Visitors wishing to stay around one of these exciting tourist attractions have plenty of holiday villas and other comfortable rental accommodation available to them in and around the towns of Castelnuovo, Montecatini, Seravezza, Levigliani and Massa Marittima to name but a few.



There are some spectacular mining museums in Montecatini in Val di Cecina and an archaeological mining museum in San Silvestro which provides a detailed account of mining activities that took place here throughout the Middle Ages until only a few decades ago. They give the tourists an insight into the life of a lowly paid miner and the dangers they faced in their day to day work.

If you want to try something different on your next holiday to Tuscany then why not book a few tours to explore the depths of the elaborate cave systems that exist here? Visit some in Sovana in Grosetto province or a collection of huge caves in the Apuan Alps in Lucca province. Why not choose from a great selection of holiday rentals with great reviews in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana where there are plenty of excellent eateries and tourist attractions nearby.

Begin the day with a trip to the exciting ‘Citta del Tufo’ park in Sovana where tourists will see pathways cut deep into the soft volcanic rock called tufo that dates back to Etruscan times.

It is believed that they were used as both a drainage system and a site where religious rites took place. There are many Etruscan tombs here, religious symbols carved into the rock and there’s even a temple housing a tomb of what would have been a rich and powerful Etruscan person. Visit the nearby Tomba del Sileno which is the only circular tomb here. It was discovered in 1963 fully intact along with funerary items and urns that were left there too.

Try something new with a tour around some of Tuscany’s most interesting caves! There are 1,597 caves in total and many are open for public exploration, namely in towns like Bagni di Lucca, Montecatini and Castell‘Azzara. There is plenty of superb luxury villas in Montecatini to choose from that would be perfect for relaxing in after a long and exciting day of underground exploration!

Beside the town of Bagni di Lucca, there are two unusual thermal caves that are heated by the geothermal activity that goes on under the earth here. They're called Grotta Grande and Grotta Paolina. Grotta Paolina (named after Napoleon’s sister), is the smaller cave and has an unusual temperature inside.

The air is warmest around stomach height and colder around the head and feet! It has perfect conditions to help ailments such as poor circulation, stress and rheumatism. The caves are open between March and January in the mornings and the entry fee is €16.50 for Grotta Paolina and €14.50 for Grotta Grande.

If you like what you see when you explore Tuscany’s magnificent cities and tourists attractions then why not see all the delights just waiting for you in underground Tuscany? There are 1,597 caves in this region and many of them are available for touring around.

Enjoy trips to cave systems in Monte Corchia in Lucca province, Massa Marittima and Cetona. Visitors will have no trouble finding a great selection of lovely holiday rentals in Cetona town for example.

Start a day of adventure with a visit to the Monte Corchia cave system in the Apuan Alps which includes over sixty kilometres of galleries, tunnels and caves that run 1200 metres into the earth!

Tourists will learn all about the five million year old history of this beautiful place as well as enjoying a tour around part of the system. Admire natural rock formations like stalagmites, stalactites and the beautifully formed clusters of cave pearls which all form in limestone caves over thousands of years.

There are over fifty three areas in Tuscany that contain curious cave networks, underground tunnels, passages and underground lakes that is sure to add significantly to the prospect of adventure on your next holiday here!

There are 1,597 discovered caves here as well as over 270 kilometres of natural underground passageways. Tourists wishing to base some or all of their holiday stay near to some of this exciting places could stay a beautiful holiday villa in areas like Garfagnana, Montecatini, Versilia or anywhere close to the Apuan Alps.


An example of one such extensive cave system in Tuscany is a spring that rises in the Apuan Alps within the Monte Corchia cave system. This is the most elaborate cave system in Italy, with over sixty kilometres of passages and caves that also includes ‘Paolo Roversi’, a cave that is 1,249 metres deep, making it the deepest in Italy.

Visitors can learn about the five million year old geological history of this fascinating place and much more! Other caves have visitor information centres that sometimes provide tour guides to lead you through it and teach you about the chemistry, geology and biology of these formations as well as some fascinating information on rare flora and fauna that thrive in those dark conditions.