Archive for 'Concerts & Festivals'

For avid cycling enthusiasts contemplating a Tuscan getaway, mark your calendars for a truly exceptional experience this fall – L'Eroica. Autumn is already the ideal time to come to Tuscany in order to enjoy outdoor pursuits as the landscape of famous rolling green hills of the region is even lovelier when dressed in fall colours – making for especially scenic surroundings to admire on your adventures – and the milder weather after the hot summer is more conducive to enjoying outdoor pursuits comfortably.

L’Eroica, meanwhile, takes place on the first Sunday of October each year in the enchanting province of Siena and is an annual non-competitive cycling event that celebrates vintage cycling culture. Participants immerse themselves in the nostalgia of the past by riding vintage bicycles, adorned in accessories and clothing from pre-1987. Combining the thrill of cycling with a vintage flair amidst the captivating Tuscan landscapes, L'Eroica is a distinct and captivating event. And, certainly, cycling fans who book a vacation rental in Siena at the beginning of October won’t want to miss it!

Vinci, the birthplace of beloved the Renaissance Master, Leonardo da Vinci, is an exceptionally beautiful and picturesque part of Tuscany. Surrounded by lush forests, vineyards, olive groves, and rolling hills that are often swathed in atmospheric fog early in the morning, the town is made up of charming old stone buildings topped by terracotta tiled roofs and overlooked by a fairytale castle (which plays host to a Leonardo Museum) and the church of Santa Croce, with its pretty campanile.

Those who browse our Tuscany Villas and find a villa in Vinci, however, who really want to lean into the fantasy and fairytale vibes of the city should plan their visit for the end of July, when the Festa dell'Unicorno will be taking place. Dedicated to fantasy culture, this annual event sees those picturesque streets become even more unreal with the addition of elves, angels, demons, orcs, dragons, dinosaurs, pirates, and famous characters from popular shows and movies and books wandering about. 

Livorno is home to another Venice, the Venezia Nuova, or New Venice of Tuscany. A stunning coastal town in Tuscany, this gem of a place features a series less-famous but undeniably lovely canals of its own.

Throughout the year, there is plenty to recommend the town for a vacation in one of our Tuscany Villas but there are a few annual events that make time staying a villa in Livorno and exploring the city all the more appealing. One of the most exciting of these events takes place each August and sees the canals made yet more lovely with music, performances, street art, light shows, markets, and more. The Effetto Venezia, or Venetian Effect, is an event with an almost 40 year tradition and is a thrilling and colourful festival that makes Livorno into one giant work of art and party.

Tuscany is well-known for her rich culinary heritage and scene and, as a result, is home to an endless list of local and famous food festivals. These festivals honour saints, celebrate local specialities, commemorate historic events, and highlight seasonal harvests and dishes and often have one dish or product that is the star of the show (though you’ll find plenty of other excellent things to taste as well). As a result of the quantity of these festivals and the long list of different specialities and products that are honoured, those with preferences for specific foods will very likely be able to find a celebration dedicated to exactly the thing they love.

So, for example, if you’re a peach fan, you’ll be well served by browsing our Tuscany Villas and booking a vacation rental in Florence come late August to mid-September, when the Queen Peach will be reigning! 

If you are a music-lover and you are considering one of our Tuscany villas this summer then you will quickly discover that there is a rather wide array of incredible different music events and festivals that take place all across the region each year during the season. These events vary widely in genre, style, scale, setting, and cost from local celebrations that are more like parties and can be free to attend, to festivals dedicated to specialist genres for serious super fans, to more mainstream and larger-scale events and concerts featuring world-famous acts. No matter what kind of music or concerts you like, in particular, you’re sure to find some suitable event in Tuscany. If, however, you are a particular fan of opera and you were planning on finding a villa on the Tuscan Coast or a vacation rental in Pisa or a holiday rental in Lucca then the various wonderful perfomances of operas that are put on as part of the Festival Puccini each July and August will likely be of interest. In an utterly charming setting, dedicated to a musical genius from the area, and boasting some truly incredible productions, this is one of the best opera events to attend in Italy.

This year’s 68th addition of the Festival Puccini will take place between the 15th of July 2022 and the 29th of August 2022, giving you just enough time to take a look through some of our last-minute villas in Tuscany to make a wonderful Tuscan getaway full of culture and art happens for you this summer if you have yet to book your vacation this year.