Hidden Tuscany : discovering art, culture, and memories in a well-known region's unknown places

In Hidden Tuscany , acclaimed author John Keahey takes the reader into a part of Tuscany beyond the usual tourist destinations of Chianti, Florence, and Siena. The often overlooked western portion of Tuscany is rich with history, cuisine, and scenery begging to be explored, and Keahey encourages travelers to abandon itineraries and let the grooves in the road and the curves of the coast guide your journey instead. Follow Keahey as he turns off the autostrada and takes roads barely two lanes wide to discover fishing villages along the Tuscan sea. Then move inland into rolling foothills adorned with cherry orchards, ancient olive groves, and sweeping vineyards that produce wines that challenge Chianti's best. Here it is still possible to follow the paths of Romans, Crusaders, and pilgrims from throughout the western world who were eager to reach Rome. Hidden Tuscany provides intriguing images of places such as Livorno, a port city with canals; Pietrasanta, Tuscany's Citta d'Arte ; and Capraia, an island formed by volcanoes. Keahey engages with the inhabitants of these enchanting landscapes, whether sculptors who toil in marble studios or residents whose own memories and traditions illuminate major moments in world history. From coastal towns to vineyards farther inland to the Tuscan archipelago, Keahey reminds us that each village, city, and island has its own unique story to tell. For armchair travelers and vacation seekers alike, Hidden Tuscany brings a new side of this classic Italian region to life, and the result is mesmerizing. "Hidden Tuscany vividly displays the coastal areas of Tuscany, a territory often overlooked by visitors to Italy eager to see Chianti, Florence or Siena. Veteran journalist and Italophile John Keahey points out the keen distinctions that the western cities maintain: in food, lifestyle, and the way its artists are paving new directions in art that differ mightily from the Renaissance-rich interior. Keahey interviews sculptors and their artigiani, craftsmen and women who toil in the marble studios, eating their lunch in workers' clubs and cafes. From beach locales such as Viareggio, to Livorno (which has Venetian-style canals), modern Orbetello and the seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, Keahey reveals beaches rich in European visitors and magnificent medieval villages that rarely see outsiders. The larger, better-known Tuscan coastal city Pisa can even surprise a curious visitor with places of solitude. Keahey's previous books on Italy have always received widespread and complimentary review coverage--garnering praise for the depth of his research and his comprehensive analysis. Travelers instantly flock to books about Tuscany, and this one promotes towns and villages that are often missed by tourists, letting readers in on these 'secret' destinations. For armchair travelers or vacation seekers, Hidden Tuscany puts a very human face on the region in Keahey's discussion of food, history and language. And the result is mesmerizing"-- Provided by publisher A Travel Narrative Focusing On Tuscany's Lesser-known Western Coast Draws On Interviews With Artists To Profile Such Locales As The Beaches Of Viareggio, The Canals Of Livorno, Modern Orbetello And The Seven Islands Of The Tuscan Archipelago. 25,000 First Printing. Chronology Maps of Tuscany and environs A Starter Art and the City Working in Stone Versilia The Great Loop Sant'Anna di Stazzema The War Far from the Madding Crowd L'Arcipelago Toscano The Deep South Colli di Maremma Afterword.