Archive for 'Events'

For the fifth year the Melodia del Vino festival is taking place in Tuscany. The festival aims to bring together Tuscan flavours, with the beauty of the surrounding landscape and good music. It is a cultural event which presents concerts in beautiful locations accompanied by delicious food and wine each year. As 2015 is the year of Archaeology in Tuscany, the festival also aims to tip its hat to this heritage as well this year which is why it is taking place at Rocca di Frassinello. This famous winery was designed by the internationally acclaimed architect, Renzo Piano and is the site of Etruscan archaeological discoveries.

Throughout the summer, there is no shortage of festivals in Tuscany – normally centred around food as all good festivals are – but there is one that stands out as just a little different. Vivamus festival, which takes place in the south of the region, is a festival that combines the Italian passion for food and fashion. Events take place in a variety of towns in the area from May through to August each year. The closing event takes place on the first of August 2015 in the picturesque town of Manciano. A three-hour drive from Florence and the bustle of that famous city, the quaint town of Manciano suddenly becomes a cultural hub of activity for the festival and will showcase what the Tuscan countryside has to offer tourists from music to fashion, history to cooking.

Siena Cathedral, or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, is a 13th century church in Siena, Tuscany. As it houses works by Donatello, Bernini, Michelangelo and Cimabue (among others) and is one of the main sights in the city, chances are that it is already on many itineraries of visitors to the city. However, if you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are making the trip there this summer, there is even more reason to visit the Cathedral.

Montalcino is a hill town in the south of Tuscany known for its famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino. One of its most distinctive features is the fortified castle that sits at the highest point of the town and overlooks everything below. Built on a pentagonal plan in 1361 and designed by the Sienese architects Mino Foresi and Domenico di Feo, the castle incorporates some of the pre-existing southern town walls (which date back as far as the 13th century), and other pre-existing structures including the keep of Santo Martini, the San Giovanni tower and an ancient basilica which now serves as its chapel. Find a villa with a pool in Siena nearby and spend a day experiencing this unique little town, its traditions and the wonderful Montalcino castle.

2015 is the Year of Archaeology in Tuscany. This basically means that for the next few months major and minor museums around Tuscany will be putting on special exhibits and organising special events in order to promote the archaeological heritage of the region. If you are a history fanatic, you may want to find yourself a luxury villa in the area and experience the celebration of archaeological discovery for yourself.

The event which opens the year's events schedule is an exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. Launched on March 14th and continuing through to June 21st, it is entitled “Power and Pathos - Bronze sculpture of the Hellenistic world.”