The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany

by James Bentley, Hugh Palmer (Photographer)

Stand at the edge of a Tuscan hill village and gaze across one of the most extraordinarily rich and varied landscapes in Europe. There are vineyards producing the finest wine, and miles of wild mountain scenery; almost any view will take in other villages, clustering around the upper reaches of some hill, or the russet roofs of a fortified town deep in a valley.Here are thirty-six villages and towns from all over Tuscany, chosen both for their intrinsic beauty and for the part they have played in Tuscan history and culture. The book opens with those communities clustered around the great towns of Lucca and Florence. As we move south through the Chianti region to the valley of the Orcia, we discover the unique characteristics of each area. Here is the small town of Pienza, once called the “pearl of the Renaissance” for its unique concentration of palaces and churches. Here too is San Gimignano, where the medieval towers loom over the town’s squares and streets.

Genres: Travel, Photography, Italy, Nonfiction, Coffee Table Books

215 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 1995

About the author

Travel writer James Bentley was born (1937-2000) in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK.

Bentley had a varied career as teacher, academic, historian and Anglican clergyman. He was Vicar of Oldham, Lancashire, Conduct and Senior Chaplain at Eton College, Windsor, and Maurice Reckitt Research Fellow in Christian Social Thought at the University of Sussex.

He died on December 26, 2000 in Saumur, France

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impeccable photographs of well-chosen Tuscan villages, and plenty of lesser-known art treasures.

The English text is technically correct, but sounds a bit unnatural in places as if literally translated from Italian, which surprised me as the author is English.

This loses a star for the font size, which is often far too small for a coffee-table book.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the library after having read the one on villages of the South. This coffee table style book did not match up in quality of photos nor information. the emphasis is on religious art and not life in the villages.

[Katya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book shows its age. Published in the mid-90s, it's all too easy to see the leaps and bounds photography has made since then in this lovely coffee-table tome. The oversized, page-size pictures look low-res and dull to a reader who's used to high-def, ultra-bright shiny photography of the 21st century.

However, the book still manages to bring to attention the gorgeous villages of Tuscany that lay off the beaten path. At this point, it's more useful as a travel guide than a coffee table book. Although it does focus rather heavily on religious art and architecture, that's what Italy is known for, after all. I do wish the writer and photographer had focused rather more on the everyday town/village life moreso than religious iconography, but I still found it to be an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

[Karl H · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical point shot picture.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful imagery

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful armchair travel guide to a glorious region in Italy. It makes one want to board a plane immediately to drink in the architecture, the people and, let's not forget, the vino.

[Marianne Kirwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for my mom for Christmas. She loved it ... the pictures are beautiful and she is researching for a future adventure. It sure makes you want to plan that adventure quickly.

[S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

düşük kalitede fotoğraflar beni hayal kırıklığına uğratsa da toskana bölgesi kasabaları için rehber alınabilecek bir kitap.

[Andrea Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos were breathtaking.