Archive for 'Food and Wine'

The rolling hills, fertile valleys, vineyards, old estates, palaces, ancient villages and incredible cuisine of Chianti all make for a perfect holiday destination. It is a scenic place where you can potentially do it all – make day trips to famous cities like Florence and Pisa, explore endless villas and churches, visit famous wineries, go hiking, cycling, horseback riding and more – or do nothing at all and simply relax. Whether you like to unwind by a pool with a good book or through cultural pursuits or on adrenaline-pumping adventures, you'll find it all.

But what is the most important part of planning a trip to Chianti? Finding the perfect villa in which to rest and from which to enjoy your holiday, of course! So, to help you out, we rounded up some of our most idyllic, typically Tuscan, charming and perfect vacation rentals in Chianti.

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If you love sweets, Tuscany is a great holiday destination and a day trip to Prato, in particular, is an excellent idea. The city has birthed several iconic desserts and pastries but one of the most visually appealing has to be Pesche di Prato, a brioche bun that mimics the appearance of a peach. The bun is halved, cored, filled with vanilla custard, placed back together and dipped into an Italian liqueur called Alchermes, coated with sugar and topped with a mint leaf to complete the look. Just find a vacation rental in Florence, spend a day in Prato and discover it for yourself!

Pesche di Prato are said to have been first made at the end of March in 1861 when there was a massive dinner party in the Piazza del Duomo in Prato to celebrate the reunification of Italy and a very special dessert was needed. They were such an immediate success that local confectioners in Prato began making and stocking them and, while they are traditionally made for special occasions, Easter and Christmas, you will be able to find them in local bakeries all throughout the year today.

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Nothing is better in the Autumn months than warming up with a cosy and hearty dish. Tuscany in the Fall is beautiful and, as it is harvest season, has the freshest most delicious food to enjoy. The rich and tasty simple cuisine of Tuscany is always good but if you find a villa rental in Tuscany during the Autumn, you'll get to enjoy it at its best and most bountiful.

Pellegrino Artusi was a famous 19th century Italian businessman and writer who wrote “La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiare bene” ("The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well"), a beloved cookbook still much-used to this day. In it, he wrote down the name for a Tuscan dish that is now a classic Autumn staple, his "Fagioli a guisa d'uccellini" ("beans in the manner of birds"). Today, the dish is called Fagioli all'uccelletto (“beans of the little bird”).

Milan may be the recognised fashion capital of Italy but the entire country is swimming in style from Dolce & Gabbana's Sicilian-inspired sartorial output to Rome acting as a headquarters to major brands like Valentino, Bulgari and Fendi. Throughout the country, there are all sorts of fascinating markets, beautiful boutiques, amazing fashion museums and more to be discovered. However, Florence, in particular, is a perfect destination for a chic getaway. If you find a luxury villa in Florence, here are the best things for a stylish fashion lover to have a stylish day in the city.

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Fattoria Betti is a vineyard and winery that was founded in 1900 and is located in Montalbano in Chianti. A quiet and beautiful part of the region that is made up of sleepy medieval villages, little churches, rolling fields of olive groves and vineyards, and old Medici villas.