Dotted across the ancient Tuscan landscape of rolling hills, olive groves and towering cypress trees, sit some of the greatest country houses of Italy. Here, Professor Carlo Cresti and the photographer Massimo Listri present buildings by such noted masters as Sangallo, Buontalenti and Peruzzi.

Excerpt from Villas of Florence and Tuscany About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Newly retired and looking for more than a vacation, John and Nancy Petralia intrepidly pack a few suitcases and head to the "perfect" Italian city for a year. Within days their dream becomes a nightmare. After residing in two Italian cities, negotiating the roads and health care, discovering art, friends, food and customs, the Petralias learn more than they anticipate -- about Italy, themselves, what it means to be American, and what's important in life.

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Preeminent Florentine photographer Massimo Listri uncovers the great public as well as private Tuscan treasures in this unprecedented, oversize, and deluxe volume. Celebrating Tuscany's renowned art and architecture, elegance, and charm, this unique volume unveils the finest Tuscan gems, both the famous as well as the hidden. Photographer Massimo Listri's unique access affords this resplendent publication of Tuscany's great treasures, including the architecture, art, and artistry of its frescoes, churches, palazzi, and gardens, as well as previously unseen private residence interiors, chapels, villas, and estates. This oversize and deluxe volume features stunning gatefolds and showcases four hundred sumptuous color and large-format photographs. From Florence to its surrounding areas, such as San Gimignano, Arezzo, Pisa, Siena, Montepulciano, Chianti, Lucca, and Pistoia, this book culls from Listri's rich vault of visually stunning and historically noteworthy material to create a privileged journey through which Tuscany is at once marvelously displayed. Tuscany is a superb piece of art to be enjoyed by both Italian art and culture connoisseurs as well as those discovering the region for the first time.