CENTRAL ITALY
TUSCANY (TOSCANA)
Tuscany, like fine wine, has been some time in the making ...with its enchanted landscapes and rolling hills covered with bright yellow fields of sunflowers, olive groves, and grapevines, hill towns, monuments, and art, Tuscany is the Italian region in every visitor's dreams.  Its capital city, Florence, is the heart of the Italian Renaissance.  By the high Middle Ages, the cities of Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Lucca, and especially Florence had become wealthy because of textile manufacturing, trade, banking, and agriculture.  There were many wars between the city states to conquer territory and power.  Gradually, Florence came to overshadow and conquer all other cities in the region.  After several experiments with representative government, Florence was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy aristocrats, among whom the Medici family became dominant in the fifteenth century.  Under the patronage of these wealthy families, the arts and literature flourished as nowhere else in Europe; this period is known as the Renaissance, the rebirth after the Middle Ages.  Florence was the city of such writers as Dante, Petrarch, and Macchiavelli, and artists and engineers such as Botticelli, Giotto, Brunelleschi (who built the magnificent dome on the church of Santa Maria dei Fiori, the a.k.a., the Duomo), Alberti, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.  Because of its dominance in literature, the Florentine language became the literary language of the Italian region and is the language of Italy today.  Lorenzo de' Medici, who ruled Florence in the late fifteenth century was perhaps the greatest patron of the arts in the history of the West.

Today, Tuscany is a major cultural center, with museums, galleries and churches full of great sculptures, paintings and frescoes and magnificent monuments built by the greatest masters of all time.  Tuscany attracts millions of tourists each year.  From the Etruscans to the Romans to the Renaissance, Tuscany is possibly the greatest repository of art in the world, from extraordinary paintings and sculpture to frescoes and architectural masterpieces.

There is a lot to see and do in this region; the difficulty is really where to start. Certainly most should start with Florence, then continue on to Siena and Pisa. The roll call of citte di arte, cities of art, is daunting: Arezzo, Cortona, San Gimignano and Lucca are all striking. The more you come to know the region, the more extraordinary Tuscany appears.

The Etruscans, who inhabited Tuscany before the Romans, had a reputation for being great eaters and wine drinkers.   The tradition holds strong up to today.  Gourmets and wine buffs  descend on Tuscany to enjoy the simple yet wonderful cuisine and wine.  To oenophiles, Chianti, a dry red wine,  may well be synonymous with Tuscany.   Above all, Tuscany produces red wine and, contrary to common thought, this wine is made from the Sangiovese grape.  Brunello di Montalcino manages ably to retain the crown of `Italy's most expensive wine'.  The white wines of Tuscany are far less important than the reds.  Produced predominantly from the workaday Trebbiano grape, a notable exception is Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a wine with a touch of effervescence.  Vin Santo,  the famous after-dinner wine, is also seeing a renewed commitment to quality.  Tuscan cooking today is characterized by simple food, not covered in heavy sauces. Cooking is done with olive oil — used as salad dressing, poured over bread, and in soups and stews. Beans are a staple. Sage, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram are popular herbs. The farmland produces olive oil and wine, wheat, and fruits. Chickens, ducks, rabbits, cows, and pigs are raised in small estates. The vegetables grown here include artichokes, asparagus, spinach, beans, and peas; and, a great number of wild mushrooms, including porcini and morels, are found.   The famous Florentine T-bone steak, the bistecca alla Fiorentina, made from meat of Chianina cattle (native to the plains of Val di Chiana) are legendary.

Tuscany is known for its landscapes and its artistic legacy. Six Tuscan localities have been UNESCO protected sites: the historical center of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, and Pienza, the square of the Cathedral of Pisa, and the Val d'Orcia.

UMBRIA
One of Italy's smallest regions, Umbria lies in the shadow of its more illustrious neighbor, Tuscany. It lies just east of Florence. The many Umbrian hills and mountains cast long dark shadows over river valleys which are already darkened by lush chestnut groves and elm forests. This landlocked region's overwhelmingly medieval character harkens one back to the mysticism and mysteries of the Dark Ages.

Perhaps self-imposed modesty is an inbred trait here. That would explain the relative obscurity of this beautiful region, a land whose rolling hills are dotted with castles, fortresses and watchtowers, whose well-preserved hill towns produce world-renowned handmade ceramics (Deruta), whose many monasteries were founded by a host of local saints, whose valleys are laced with countless gleaming rivers and host Italy's largest lake (Lake Trasimeno).
One thing everyone remembers about Umbria is its wonderful little hill towns – Montefalco, Spoleto, Orvieto, Todi, Gubbio and Spello – just to name a few.  One of the larger hills cities is its capital, Perugia, renowned for its art and Perugina chocolates! The University of Perugia is one of the oldest universities in Italy.  It boasts a large number of both Italian and foreign students who fill the city with life.  Olive oil and wine production flourish here, in a more modest sense than Tuscany, but nonetheless high in quality and enjoyment.  

THE MARCHES  (LE MARCHE) 

Travelers who want the best of central Italy are now heading for Le Marche, the third region, alongside Tuscany and Umbria,  that makes up the area. It is pronounced "lay markay", is plural (Le Marche) and is sometimes translated into English as "The Marches". The region lies on the eastern side of central Italy, between the Adriatic Sea and the high Apennine mountains, and much of it remains unspoiled by the ravages of mass tourism. True, the Adriatic coast has been a mecca for "sun n' sand" vacationers for decades; but few venture far from the beaches.  Inland, perhaps more so than anywhere else in central Italy, you will find places where time really has stood still.  Many visitors who come to Le Marche are looking for a taste of the "real" Italy, unsullied by mass tourism, yet welcoming to foreigners - if that's what you want, you won't be disappointed.  

Here culture comes in easily digestible proportions but quality, as in Urbino, is often of the very best.  This jewel of a Renaissance city, one of the region's principal towns, remains little changed from the days when Duke Federico of Montefeltro set up his celebrated court here in the second half of the 15th century.  The administrative capital of Le Marche is Ancona, a city with less obvious attractions for the tourist.  Give it time, however, and you may find you enjoy the salty charm of this bustling sea port. It's also one of Italy's principal ferry ports with boats to Croatia, Greece and Turkey. 
Whether you want to admire masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, trek across wild uncharted mountains or hunt out the best of the catch in a Mediterranean fishing port, Le Marche has enough to keep you busy for a vacation and beyond.  

As with any rural diet, much use is made of food gathered from the wild; funghi, game, nuts, field herbs and the area's greatest culinary treasure, truffles, are important ingredients in Le Marche's cuisine.  Official statistics claim that
Marchigiani eat more meat than any other Italians.  In many country areas going out to a restaurant is basically an excuse to fuel up on enormous platters of charcoal-grilled meats,  grigliata mista di carne. Relief, however, is on hand along the Adriatic coast with some of the peninsula's best fish. The region's unique pasta dish is vincisgrassi, a rich baked lasagna without the usual tomatoes. Urbino is also famous for passatelli, strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg cooked in broth. Apart from the ever-present meat grilled alle brace, on embers, delicious piccione ripieno (stuffed pigeons) and coniglio in finocchio (rabbit cooked with fennel)  are a Marche speciality.  In some areas, stewed snails (lumache) occasionally creep on to the menu. By the coast, particularly around Ancona, try brodetto, fish stew which must be made with 13 species of fish, no more, no less.

LAZIO (LATIUM)
In the heart of Italy and along the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, is the center of the Italian political life, thanks to the presence of the government and Parliament.  It is also the center of Catholicism, and a favorite destination of tourism due to  the innumerable landmarks of the Roman civilization and, along the Northern Tuscan border, of the Etruscan civilization.  More than half of the population of the whole region lives in or around Rome.

Rome is, of course, the principal tourist destination in Lazio.  Most of the region's other sights can be managed as daytrips from the city, but if you're interested in a slightly different experience, consider staying for longer in one of Lazio's other provinces. As well as Rome itself, the Province of Rome boasts popular tourist destinations like Frascati and Tivoli.

Viterbo, to the north, preserves the richest cultural and archaeological heritage in Italy.  It is the best preserved medieval city in Lazio. The region is scattered with Etruscan necropolises, medieval villages, castles and splendid Renaissance villas.   The ancient Romans were very aware of the concept of well-being.  Lazio's volcanic origin led to the formation of a wealth of thermal baths, with the most famous in Viterbo, Tivoli and Fiuggi, one of the most important hydrotherapeutic centers in Italy.  The Etruscan cities of Tarquinia, Cerveteri, and Tuscania, and their incredible necropolises are not to be missed.  East of Rome you will find the splendid Tivoli, which was the preferred thermal spring of the ancient Romans. Tivoli boasts the impressive ruins of Hadrian's Villa and the Renaissnace residence of Villa d'Este, its grounds full of fountains run completely by gravity.  Cuisine in Rome and Lazio is among the most renowned in Italy and is mainly based on products from the land.  There are three fundamental elements:  olive oil, cheese, and wine.  Vegetables are used abundantly.  Artichokes are typical of the region and are prepared alla Romana or fried alla Giudia.  Starters include the famous bruschette, toasted bread slices seasoned with a variety of ingredients, including more than tomatoes and basil:  mushrooms, artichokes, peppers, olives, and cheese.  Pasta dishes include the famous amatriciana (tomato sauce and pancetta, a wonderfully flavorful bacon), carbonara (egg, bacon, and parmesan cheese) and classic gnocchi. Lazio's coastline is interesting and varied, composed of long beaches and beautiful reefs.  Did you know that Rome has a beach?  Ostia, less than 1 hour west of Rome center, is Rome's most popular beach and is always crowded. 

ABRUZZO
This is a hilly and mountainous region, just a few hours east of Rome, wedged between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. Abruzzo's regional capital is L'Aquila, and a third of the Abruzzo is made up of national parks and nature reserves which offer varied hiking trails.  Like the territory,  Abruzzo’s traditional cuisine is rustic, comprising of much lamb and mutton.  About midway between Rome and the Adriatic Coast lies the remains of Alba Fucens, a Roman site built to be a sort of half-way city for visitors and troops on the way to the coast.

MOLISE
The Molise region is the second smallest region in Italy after the northern alpine region, Aosta.  Molise has yet to be discovered, so it's a region worth visiting before tourist hordes descend. The Molise is sometimes referred to as "between the mountains and the sea" as the small region contains both a little seacoast and a mountainous center.  Situated south of Abruzzo, The Molise is noted for its cheeses, its regional cuisine and its rural atmosphere.