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PontederaSituated between Pisa and Florence, Pontedera is just off the highway but in a quiet location. It has easy access to the sights of northern Tuscany, like Viareggio, Livorno, Vinci (birthplace of Leonardo), San Miniato, Lucca, and of course Florence. It's just ten minutes from the Mediterranean beaches from here. Pontedera has long been a commercial center. Built on the confluence of the Era River and the Arno, it became a manufacturing and artisanal town, moving goods along the rivers. It takes its name from Ponte dell'Era - bridge on the Era - which was built in 1099. For years it was the only crossing point to go from Florence to Pisa. The bridge is still figured on the city seal. The oldest building in town is the Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso, built in 1272. Inside are some fresco fragments and spiritual sculptures. The Palazzo Pretoria was constructed in the early 1600s. It was the seat of the grand dukes but now is home to the courthouse. The clock tower was built to toll out the times of the market day. Elegant Villa Crastan is a classically-styled villa set into a garden. It is home to the library and contains some prized paintings. Most of the villas and palaces of Pontedera were built in the late 1800s. The town is known for its civic sculptures. Piazza Garibaldi offers a sculpture walk of carvings in stone, but all throughout the town are public arts projects. La Via della Seta has a colorful contemporary installation with nine works. The most famous attraction in Pontedera, though, is a zippy one - the Piaggio Museum. Dedicated to the manufacturer of the famous Vespa motor scooter, it displays a variety of Vespas from its infancy to the present. Some are decked out in wild designs, and one is autographed by artist Salvador Dali. Other Piaggio products are also displayed, like the 3-wheeled "truck" called ape, and there is a bookshop with clothes, gadgets and accessories bearing the brand name. A river park offers a glimpse of the Arno's natural beauty and river boat tours let you take a 6-kilometer course to see the birds and wildlife. Pontedera offers a variety of restaurants, both in town and scattered about the countryside. There are coffee bars, pastry shops and grocery stores in town. Other towns in the area: Agliana, Anghiari, Arezzo, Asciano, Badia a Ruoti, Badia Agnano, Bagni di Lucca, Bagno a Ripoli, Barberino di Mugello, Barberino Val d'Elsa, Bietina, San Giustino Valdarno, Bucine, Buonconvento, Calci, Calenzano, Campo nell'Elba, Camucia di Cortona, Carrara, Casciana Terme, Cascina, Casole d'Elsa, Castel San Gimignano, Castelfiorentino, Castelfranco di Sopra, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castiglione Fibocchi, Castiglion Fiorentino, Castiglioncello, Certaldo, Cetona, Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cinigiano, Civitella in Val di Chiana, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Cortona, Dicomano, Dudda, Empoli, Fabbrica di Peccioli, Figline Valdarno, Florence, Foiano della Chiana, Follonica, Fonteblanda, Fornacette, Forte dei Marmi, Gaiole in Chianti, Gambassi Terme, Gavoranno, Ghizzano, Giuncugnano, Grassina, Greve in Chianti, Grosseto, Iesa Palazzo, Impruneta, Isola del Giglio, Lamporecchio, Laterina , Livorno, Loro Ciuffenna, Lucca, Lucignano, Lucolena, Marciano della Chiana, Marina di Grosseto, Empoli, Masotti, Massa, Massa e Cozzile, Moggiona, Molazzana, Monsummano Terme, Montaione, Montalcino, Monte San Savino, Montecatini Terme, Montefollonico, Montelopio, Montepulciano, Monterchi, Monteriggioni, Monteroni d'Arbia, Montespertoli, Montevarchi, Monteverdi Marittimo, Monticchiello di Pienza, Monticiano, Montisi, Nievole, Orbetello, Panzano in Chianti, Pari, Pergine Valdarno, Pian di Sco', Pienza, Pietrasanta, Pievasciata, Pieve Fosciana, Pisa, Pistoia, Pitigliano, Poggibonsi, Policiano, Ponsacco, Pontassieve, Ponte a Elsa, Ponte a Moriano, Poppi, Porciano di Lamporecchio, Porciano di Stia, Porto Ercole, Pozzo della Chiana, Prato, Puntone, Radda in Chianti, Radicofani, Rapolano Terme, Reggello, Rignano sull'Arno, Rigomagno, Rigutino, Riparbella, Ponte a Moriano, Rosignano Solvay, Rufina, San Baronto, San Casciano dei Bagni, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, San Donato in Poggio, San Gimignano, San Giuliano Terme, San Giustino Valdarno, San Miniato, San Quirico d'Orcia, Sansepolcro, Sarteano, Saturnia, Scandicci, Scarlino, Segromigno in Monte, Seravezza, Serre di Rapolano, Sesto Fiorentino, Sieci, Siena, Sinalunga, Sorano, Staggia Senese, Subbiano, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Terontola, Terranuova Bracciolini, Tirrenia, Torre del Lago Puccini, Torrita di Siena, Trequanda, Uliveto Terme, Vagliagli, Vecchiano, Venturina, Viareggio, Vicchio, Vinci, Volterra |
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