Tuscany provides the backdrop to the genius and creativity that was the Italian Renaissance. One of the twenty regions of Italy, Tuscany is comprised of ten provinces of which Florence is the capital seat. The region boasts a great variety in its geography dotted with its lovely hill towns, coastal resorts, vineyards, olive groves, marble quarries and even winter ski resorts.

Tuscany is the heart and soul of Italy where the five senses are piqued.

Visitors' sense of taste comes alive with the local hearty dishes, like the sumptuous bistecca Fiorentina washed down by the finest Chianti wines. Visiting the countryside and stopping at a local winery, a favorite day outing, visitors can sample wines and the oil from the freshly-harvested olives. Flavors and scents, of these local products, continue to haunt visitors even long after departing from this magical region.

Museums, monuments and Churches overflow with Renaissance masterpieces. UNESCO rated that 60% of the world's art treasures are in Italy; with 40% of those treasures in Florence alone! Florence is also the birthplace of the Italian Opera, where still today, outdoor summer festivals offer live operatic performances. Walking the streets of these jewels of Tuscany: Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano... one can reach out and touch the massive stones of the medieval towers and Renaissance palaces.