What to do and see in Province of Pisa, Tuscany: The Best Castles

The Castello dei Vicari is situated on a hill that was inhabited from ancient times. The first document relating to its existence dates back to 1043 when a plot of land belonging to the Castle of Lari was sold for a sword. It was the site of the Pisan captaincy between the 12th and 14 th centuries, but came to prominence after it was captured by Florence in the 15th century and became the site of a Vicariate overseen by Florence. Despite the many alterations, modifications and overlaps that were made to the fortress, visitors can still see in its present aspect the many ways that it was used: as a fortress, prison, home of the Vicar with his "family" and court. To name only the most important ones, since the most observant and enquiring visitors will not miss the more ancient archaeological traces and the other less apparent aspects which are just as important and contribute to making the Castle of Lari a rare if not unique example of its kind in Tuscany and beyond. The museum route inside the Castello dei Vicari (the Castle of the Vicars) has a new layout creating a whole new visit in which technology is combined with an illustrated and educational system that takes you on a discovery of a fortress that was the centre of control in Medici Tuscany and home to a Florentine vicariate for over four centuries. The users take the lead and decide what they want to take a closer look at and how to interact with the numerous multimedia applications along the route through the use of multi-touch tablets, multimedia educational games, holographic figures in period costume and multiple projections. A story and a journey of discovery suited to even very young children thanks to the short films and dedicated applications.