Tuscany

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. Tuscany was named after the Etruskans, who were called `Tusci' by the Romans. The kingdom was eventually divided into independent dukedoms and, from 1531, the Medici ruled, a family of businessmen and bankers. Capital of Tuscany is Florence, a city of art and joie de vivre and past home of important artists and sculptors such as Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, plus the writers Dante and Boccaccio, not to mention the scientist, Galileo Galilei. Lucca, one of Tuscany's most important historical towns, rises from the lower reaches of the Serchio river, on a former swamp. Dating from the Middle Ages, it is surrounded by a massive 4.2 kilometre long brick wall which helped the town retain its independence, and also protected it from the floodwaters of the Serchio. The precarious imperfection of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa is in stark contrast to the grandiose palaces and religious buildings of the Medici family and the natural contours of the hills and mountains of this European nirvana complete the connection between art and nature. Tuscany satisfies all the senses!

DVD. 7 Days. 52 Minutes. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and at the end of the 14th Century was ruled by a few leading families who not only financed churches but also competed in building magnificent palaces. Of these, the Medici family proved to be the most powerful. It is a city of art and joie de vivre and past home of important artists and sculptors such as Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, plus the writers Dante and Boccaccio, not to mention the scientist, Galileo Galilei. The most modern of the Tuscany spas was built in the valley below Montecatini Alto which can be reached on a rack-railway which climbs to the top of the mountain through orchards and fields. Lucca, one of Tuscany's most important historical towns, rises from the lower reaches of the Serchio river, on a former swamp. Dating from the Middle Ages, it is surrounded by a massive brick wall which helped the town retain its independence and also protected it from the floodwaters of the Serchio. The precarious imperfection of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is in stark contrast to the grandiose palaces and religious buildings of the Medici family and the natural contours of the hills. The Cathedral, Baptisterium and Campanile form a unique, grandiose harmony and display the liberal mindedness of those who were in power during their construction. Olive groves and vineyards line the gentle hilly landscape around the picturesque Vinci. The birthplace of Leonardo is a simple farmhouse above the square in which only a modest bust portrays this universal genius. Surrounded by the cities of Florence, Siena, and Pisa, Certaldo is a Middle Age village built of red brick and was the birthplace of the author, Giovanni Boccaccio. The heart of Tuscany lies around the provincial capital of Siena, a Gothic city of great artistry.The entire structure, its squares and streets, most of the residential quarter and noble palaces, the cathedral and the church, date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. History and culture combined with the beauty of nature?Tuscany has it all!

DVD. Cities of the World. 60 Minutes. This Central Italian region is known as sunny Tuscany. There is a myriad of books and films propagating its landscape and beautiful cities. There are rustic, old houses hiding among the hills, the vineyards, the pine-groves, the olive gardens, where one can buy good wine, olive oil, honey and fine cheese. Tuscany is the birthplace of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Petrarca, Puccini and many other famous artists. The medieval cities: Florence, Siena, Pisa, Arezzo, Cortona, and San Gimignano all reflect the spirit of Renaissance. The palaces, squares, statues, and Museums all make the most famous region of Italy a center for the arts.

PBS Home Video. The finest of Tuscany - the food, wine, people, places and heritage all uncovered in a tour of Italy's northern heartland. Join food critic and author John Guerrasio as he travels the magnificent countryside from the Chianti region to the finest of Florence - the cathedral, the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio as well as the celebrated vineyards and tiny towns of Greve and Panzan. Along the way stop in San Gimignano, Siena, Val d'Orcia, Pitigliano, and Montalcino. Stumble upon fascinating fresco art and architecture and take in the mouthwatering wines, cheeses and local cuisine that made this city so famous! Bonus: Exclusive sneak peek inside the town of Pienze - a tiny treasure that's one of Italy's best-kept secrets! 40 minutes.

DVD. Globe Trekker. Tuscany is the heartland of Italy and as the birthplace of the Renaissance has contributed much to the cultural and political development of Europe. Home to some of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its incredible landscapes and beautiful women have inspired the world's greatest artists. Traveler Ian Wright starts his journey in the stunning city of Florence, before heading north to the small town of Carrara. After some wine tasting in Chianti he takes the train to the wonderful city of Siena before ending his journey in Pisa, home to the famous Leaning Tower. Along the way... $_$_START_LIST ? Come face to face with priceless works of art like Michelangelo's David. ? Pick olives to make award winning oil. ? Witness the Palio - a hair-raising horse race that attracts the entire city. ? Visit the island of Elba - the place of Napoleon's exile. ? Experience the Gioco del Ponte in Pisa - a heart- stopping competition of strength. $_$_END_LIST

PBS Home Video. The finest of Tuscany - the food, wine, people, places and heritage all uncovered in a tour of Italy's northern heartland. Join food critic and author John Guerrasio as he travels the magnificent countryside from the Chianti region to the finest of Florence - the cathedral, the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio as well as the celebrated vineyards and tiny towns of Greve and Panzan. Along the way stop in San Gimignano, Siena, Val d'Orcia, Pitigliano, and Montalcino. Stumble upon fascinating fresco art and architecture and take in the mouthwatering wines, cheeses and local cuisine that made this city so famous! Bonus: Exclusive sneak peek inside the town of Pienze - a tiny treasure that's one of Italy's best-kept secrets! 40 minutes.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. In Italy's Tuscany, Florence is a city of art, culture, churches, grand squares and palaces. At the end of the 14th century, an elite handful of families ruled the city, most notably the Medici, whose highly ostentatious mausoleum was built in the Capelle Medicee. Pope Eugene the Fourth bequeathed the Dominican orders the ruined Monastery of San Marco and Cosimo De Medici financed the renovation of the site. The main part of the monastery is still inhabited by monks, who pay due deference to its many valuable paintings and works of art. Wih pride, and perhaps delusions of grandeur, the people of Florence demonstrated their supremacy over all the other towns of the region and the city has thus succeeded in being a combination of beauty, fortitude and religious belief in which art and culture are today united in magnificent finality.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. From almost any direction, the town of Lucca, in Italy's Tuscany, satisfies the eye with a variety of picturesque motifs and striking impressions, such as its wonderful works of art and splendid architecture, including its famous and imposing city wall. During the Middle Ages this atmospheric town owed both its prosperity and fame to the manufacture of silk and a variety of other sought after clothing materials. Full of character and charm, the diverse architecture and artistic decoration of many of its houses are reminders of a wealthy and glorious past. For several centuries the beautiful Piazza Del Mercato has been the town's market place. Originally a Roman Amphitheatre, during the Middle Ages its foundation walls formed part of the dwellings of the bourgeoisie. Lucca's city wall is 12 metres high and the most famous in Tuscany. For its four-kilometre length, approximately six million bricks were used. Lucca is a fascinating treasure trove of the life and culture of Tuscany.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Firenze is today's capital of Tuscany, a city of art and joie de vivre. In the heart of the city is the Piazza San Giovanni with its Duomo, Campanile and Battistero. After the cathedrals of Rome, Milan and London, that of Santa Maria Del Fiore is the fourth largest in the Christian world. Over the northern gate is a relief that is a masterpiece of Early Renaissance relief work. The 3-sided cathedral was designed to symbolise a Latin crucifix. The main body of the cathedral is 153 metres long and 23 metres tall but in comparison with its huge dimensions, its interior is somewhat bare. In the adjoining Cathedral Museum there is a fascinating collection of pulpits that were designed for special occasions by the most prominent artists of the day. The Firenze Academy has altered the face of European culture and at the beginning of the 15th century the young Cosimo De Medici became a follower of PLATON`S doctrine and philosophy. 463 steps within the Academy's two-tiered dome lead to a superb view that extends over the length and breadth of the old city. With its impressive 107 metre high dome, the Battistero is a stunning building and its Laterna, that was completed in 1572, is a masterpiece created by Brunellechi. The Piazza San Giovanni exudes a powerful ambience and even today it is still possible to feel the remarkable artistry of its historic past.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Surrounded by the magnificent and captivating hills of Tuscan Crete are the rooftops and towers of Pienza, a small town with 2,500 inhabitants. The town's history is indelibly associated with Pope Pius The Second who had a unique and resounding influence on what was also his birthplace. The head of the Roman Catholic Church decided to transform his home village into a perfect town of the Renaissance. The cathedral's interior walls are covered with several beautiful paintings created by numerous master artists of SIENA one of whom was Lorenzo Di Pietro who is also known as `Il Vecchietta'. In order to intensify the light within the cathedral, and following the wishes of the Pope, the walls were originally bereft of paintings. Despite numerous renovations instigated by Pius The Second, the character of the majority of the town's houses, streets and old alleyways has been retained to the present day. The ?Street of Love", VIA DELL AMORE, or ?The Road of Kisses", contains more than a little romance. Unfortunately, little remains of the old castle of Corsignano that, prior to the Pope's construction programme, was once located in the centre of the town. The death of Pius The Second in August 1464 brought with it the sudden end of Pienza?s golden years. Although the Pope's architectural ideals for the town were never fully realized he successfully transformed his home town forever.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. A visit to Italy's city of Pisa taking in its most notable historic sights. Starting at the Piazza Di Miracoli, the square in which the Leaning Tower is located, the architectural splendour of the Cathedral and the Baptisterium are in fascinating contrast with the Camposanto Cemetery, classic art, frescos and sculpture living alongside the engaging simplicity and reverent calm of a graveyard. Although the decorative splendour, symmetry and generous dimensions of the Palazzo De Cavalieri are a feast to the eye, it is the startling and precarious imperfection of the Leaning Tower that dominates the interest of this Renaissance city.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Surrounded by a double wall that dates back to medieval times and amid the gentle undulating hills of Tuscany is the town of San Gimignano with its striking15 towers that were built by competing aristocratic families. The towers were considered to be of great prestige and also provided a means of defence. Competition to construct the tallest tower became increasingly fierce until a special decree curtailed the mindless indulgence of the local aristocracy. The town's prosperity came to a sudden end and in 1348 the plague killed thousands of its inhabitants. Located next to the cathedral, the Palazzo Del Comune contains numerous works of art. Since it was built at the end of the 13th century it has been extended many times. Frescos adorned with several of the town's historic symbols decorate the walls of a tranquil inner courtyard. The 14th century was a prosperous time for many of the townsfolk. At a height of 54 metres, even today the Communal Palace's Torre Grossa rises above each one of the town's further towers. For several centuries San Gimignano's towers have been a prominent part of the town's noble silhouette amid the captivating landscape of Tuscany.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Medieval walls surround Siena, the most beautiful city in Tuscany. It is also proudly referred to as the `Italian metropolis of the Gothic period'. Throughout the centuries, historic squares, palaces and churches have created Siena's unique character. Traditional buildings that date back to the Middle Ages and numerous romantic, picturesque features have turned the Piazza Il Campo into one of Italy's most beautiful squares. As in Rome, the she-wolf is Siena's landmark and there are many historical connections between the two cities. It is likely that during Etruscan and Roman times a town or colony had already been established in Siena. Under the so called `Council of Nine,' a town government that consisted of nine wealthy merchants, Siena experienced much prosperity at the beginning of the 14th century and plans were drawn up to complete the construction of the cathedral. Siena is a city of art that overflows with history, charm and a lively medieval atmosphere where Italian Gothic style is very much alive!

DVD. Naxos Scenic Musical Journeys. 60 Minutes. The Places Tuscany (Toscana) draws its modern name from the ancient kingdom of Etruria and its inhabitants, the Etruscans, whose early history is inextricably entangled with the rise to power of Rome. The region stretches from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea and includes, among its nine provinces, Pisa, Siena and Lucca. The Music The music chosen for this tour of Tuscany is largely Italian, ranging from the sixteenth-century Milanese lutenist Francesco Canova da Milano to the Venetian Vivaldi, the Genoese-born violinist Paganini and the opera composers Donizetti, Verdi, Catalani and Puccini. Place is also found for appropriate music by the Italian-trained Gluck and from Mozart's Italian opera Don Giovanni.

DVD. Back Roads of Europe. 23 Minutes. The hills here are amazingly beautiful. The cities, in earlier centuries, developed into true fortresses. Today they provide a look at life then and life now.

DVD. Tuscany & the Renaissance, Florence, Leonard da Vinci, Michaelangelo, the Medicis, Siena and the Palio. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Galileo, Lucca and Puccini, the Tuscan countryside, hill towns, Umbria, the green heart of Italy, Orvieto and the Etruscans, Perugia, Skoleto, Gubbio, Francis of Assisi, Lake Trasimeno and Hannibal, and more. 54 minutes "The Hilgendorf brothers are unique iin the world of travel videos....This is one of those rare tapes one wishes were twice its length" - Seattle Times. "The magnificence of Italy's Tuscany and Umbria regions is clearly revealed in this scenic voyage to numerous Italian hill towns where 'artwork and monuments' abound." - Booklist.

VHS. Tuscany & the Renaissance, Florence, Leonard da Vinci, Michaelangelo, the Medicis, Siena and the Palio. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Galileo, Lucca and Puccini, the Tuscan countryside, hill towns, Umbria, the green heart of Italy, Orvieto and the Etruscans, Perugia, Skoleto, Gubbio, Francis of Assisi, Lake Trasimeno and Hannibal, and more. 54 minutes "...This is one of those rare tapes one wishes were twice its length." - Seattle Times, 8/20/00. "The magnificence of Italy's Tuscany and Umbria regions is clearly revealed in this scenic voyage to numerous Italian hill towns where 'artwork and monuments' abound." - Booklist, 5/1/2000.

DVD. Young travelers from Alberta become immersed in Florentine history and culture.On a bike trip to the wine region they meet a fellow backpacker who has decided to live and work in the city.A night at one of Europe's hottest outdoor clubs Experience the rush of traveling the world for the first time with a crew of international back-packers, ages 16 - 22 on their quest for adventure, romance and the perfect moment. A variety of hosts from around the globe and the young people they hook up with on location are relentless in their pursuit of fun (and don't forget that culture, mate!) American girls explore Rome, Brits take on Thailand and things get wild when the Aussie's arrive in Copenhagen. Five continents, Unlimited Adventure. Take the alternate route, dude.