Sep 1, 2009, 13:35 GMT
Volterra, Italy - For most people Tuscany means Florence and Sienna, followed perhaps by that imposing 'medieval Manhattan' of San Gimignano and the alluring Puccini metropolis of Lucca.
However, some travellers will prefer to give towns and cities a wide berth in favour of a calmer panorama of rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and rows of cyprus trees. There is no shortage of charming and attractive smaller places so in other words, it doesn't have to be Florence.
One fascinating alternative is the old Etruscan and medieval settlement of Volterra south-west of Florence. The approach gives visitors an idea of the contrasts awaiting. The little fortified town surrounded by ancient walls stands incongruously aloof and forbidding amid pleasant surroundings.
Yet behind the massive defences everyday Italian life bustles around the Piazza del Priori as usual. While the cappuchinos are being served there is time to take in the many windows with their shiny white alabaster figures - a characteristic feature of this plateau town.
Most of Tuscany was shaped by the late medieval period yet in Volterra the Etruscans have left an indelible mark. Many settlements in the region have also not harvested the fruits of the land but made a name for themselves by utilising other natural resources. Volterra's museum, which is devoted to both the Etruscans and alabaster mining, chronicles a classic example.
Colle di Val d'Elsa is a town of 20,000 souls located above the valley of the river Elsa. The old quarter with its well-preserved medieval centre lies like a mighty ship on an outcrop of whinstone. The main attraction here is the Via delle Volte, an underground street of nooks and cellars which runs along the old city walls for around 100 metres. It has been gradually covered-in over the years by houses and shops.
The skill of Volterra's masons in forming alabaster is matched locally by the masterful use of crystal. In Colle di Val d'Elsa craftsmen still carry on this time-honoured tradition and can be seen applying the finishing touches to the precious glass. The Museo del Cristallo showcases crystal creations by the experts.
Not all the towns hereabouts have chiselled out their reputation from hard material. South of Sienna lies the Orcia Valley and the 5,000-inhabitant settlement of Montalcino with its fortress and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
The most attractive way to approach Montaalcino is from the east via the picturesque route from Chiancino Terme and Montepulciano. By the way, Montalcino is best known, particularly in the United States, for its prize red wines: A price tag of 20 or 30 euros (28 to 42 dollars) is not unusual for a Brunello.
Close to the southern tip of the Toscana is Pitigliano with its grottoes. The houses are packed closely together like sardines and all alleys and streets lead either to the Piazza Garibaldi, the Orsini Palace, which dates back to the 13th century, or the handsome cathedral with its baroque facade. Travellers are usually keen to see the reconstructed 'ghetto' of Pitigliano, also known 'Little Jerusalem.' The compact synagogue and a museum bear witness to the town's rich Jewish religious and cultural heritage.
The Etruscans carved their burial places deep into the rocks which tower above the Pitigliono yet these works pale into insignificance compared with the sunken paths to be seen in neighbouring Sovano and Sorano.
Tourists can follow in the footsteps of this ancient people along the 'vie cave' - deep walkways carved out of the rock which stretch for several kilometres at a stretch. The Etruscan people were assimilated by the Romans many centuries ago and the reason for fashioning these strange cave paths has been lost with the passage of time.
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