Archive for 'Localities'

There are many stunning buildings and other architectural gems in Florence and each has its own unique traits and histories that make them all the more interesting. One of the most striking and memorable in its comparatively simplistic theatrics, however, is the Laurentian Library.

Just browse our rentals and find the perfect luxury villa in Florence so that you can explore this amazing and stunning building for yourself.

Located on the first floor of Brunelleschi's cloister, you will find an entrance to the Laurentian Library, a library that is home to the most important and prestigious collection of antique books in all of Italy and one of the greatest scholarly legacies left behind the Medici family that is still in existence.

Inspired by the great beauty, the variety, the historic and cultural value, the facilities, and the juicy legends and myths of the castles of Tuscany, we endeavored to put together a list of some of the most interesting examples that the region has to offer. In our final installment in this series, we have two more wonderful castles that we would like to share with you: Girifalco Fortress in Cortona and Vincigliata Castle in Fiesole.

Girifalco Fortress was built by Gabrio Serbelloni, nephew of Pope Pie IV and Francesco Laparelli. The original foundations of the fort were from an Etruscan construction which was later used by the Goths, Lombards, Romans and then re-purposed in the Middle Ages until it was sacked in 1258. It then underwent numerous campaigns of alterations beginning in 1266 and continuing into the 16th century. The current fortress dates back to the second half of the 16th century and was part of a plan for strengthening the defences of the State ordered by Cosimo I de' Medici.

The medieval town of Barga is a bit of a hidden gem, located in the Tuscan-Apennine hills in the heart of the Serchio river valley, in the province of Lucca. Scenic, historic and with a surprising amount of things to see, do and experience, the town really is a delightful surprise to visitors. It has one many awards for its touristic excellence and has even been named One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. If you are interested in local traditions, festivals and a place where there is a slower pace of life but still plenty of things to see and do, just find a luxury villa in Lucca and spend time exploring this charming little town that is off the beaten tourist track.

Barga dates back to the Longobard era of the early Middle Ages and its street plan has changed very little since then. It is a large web of little streets and alleys around historic buildings that is characteristic of the area and incredibly pretty.

In our last article, we outlined the long and rich historical heritage of the city of Florence and how it has given the city a predisposition for both tourist attractions and tales of ghost sightings and spooky legends.

In fact, as we saw, some of these stories are right out in the open with key features from the tales being plainly visible on the streets such as the strange stone face on the side of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the permanently ajar window of the Palazzo Budini-Gattai.

There are, however, plenty of other buildings and spots all over the city that have creepy or ghostly pasts. Just read on to discover some more and then find a luxury villa in Florence so you can spend your next Hallowe'en exploring the murkier side of the city's history.

Borgo a Mozzano is a town and comune in the province of Lucca, that is located on the Serchio River. It is most famous for an architectural feature located on the river, the Ponte del Diavolo (Devil's Bridge), which draws thousands of visitors to the town every year. It is one of two or three dozen ‘devil bridges' found primarily in Europe, most of which date back to medieval times. Thought to have been commissioned by the Countess Matilda di Canossa of Tuscany around 1080-1100, renovated around 1300 and renamed the Ponte della Maddalena around 1500 after an oratory dedicated to Mary Magdalene, it became known as the Ponte del Diavolo because of a popular legend. The legend tells the tale of a master builder who promised to build a bridge and became rather desperate when he realised he could not build it as quickly as he had assured the locals. One evening, while he sat on the bank of the river, the devil appeared to him in the form of a respectable businessman and said he could finish in a single night, if the builder would promise him the soul of the first one who crossed when it was completed.