Archive for 'Florence'

Are you a serious foodie planning a culinary escape in Tuscany? Are you booking a villa in Florence with us? Well, then you definitely need to visit Pegna dal 1860! Located in a former monastery building dating back to the 17th century, this incredible culinary institution of the city sells gourmet groceries that are bound to have your mouth watering. If you’re serious about eating well and you are planning on a vacation in Florence, you can’t miss it!

Love the cinema? Adore free events? Planning on enjoying a stay in one of our villas in Florence? Well, then you should definitely check out this year's edition of Apriti Cinema, which gives you the opportunity to attend outdoor screenings of interesting films in a unique outdoor location in the city – the courtyard of the world-famous Uffizi Gallery! If you’re already planning on seeing the masterpieces on canvas and paper and sculpted from stone within the gallery then why not also try and catch a cinematic gem as well? 

In 2024, Tuscany currently boasts 196 restaurants in the world-renowned foodie bible, the Michelin Guide. Among these, there are a total of thirty-eight restaurants with one Michelin star, four restaurants with two Michelin stars, one restaurant with three Michelin stars, and twenty-six restaurants that have been awarded the Bib Gourmand. The final 127 are additionally recognised for their excellent cooking. Located all across the region but with a large percentage found in the region’s capital of Florence, that means there are lots of options at hand for those who love to eat well and choose to book one of our amazing villas in Tuscany.

Here are some of our highlights among this long list of incredible restaurants that we think you should check out...

There is so much to see and do in the city of Florence that no one holiday could possibly allow you to do it all. Of course, if you book a luxury villa in Florence and you are exploring the city, trying to see as much as possible is a fair goal but we also recommend taking moments to stop, breathe, and really appreciate the beauty of this magical city.

One great way to do this is to momentarily step away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the endless things to see and do by visiting one of Florence’s stunning parks or gardens. There are, in fact, lots of gorgeous outdoor spaces to enjoy, spaces once made by the city’s nobility as pleasure gardens or set aside by the city for the peace and rest of the locals or created by great gardeners who wanted to share their passion.

The Giardino Dell’Iris, or Iris Garden, in Florence falls in to the latter two categories, in fact. Owned and run by the Società italiana dell'Iris to promote the iris, it was made possible by the help of the city of Florence in finding two acres over which this stunning space could bloom. Now, when the flowers have emerged, the garden is open to the public for free each year between the 2nd and the 20th of May. 

Those who come to stay in one of our Tuscany villas – whether in one of our vacation rentals in Florence, holiday rentals in Pisa, villas in San Gimignano, or any of our other incredible properties and destinations – and are thinking about using public transport for at least some, or all, of their trip will be glad to hear that a new contactless payment system. Put into place to make getting about easier and more convenient, it was introduced to all buses and trams in Tuscany as of the 28th of March 2024 and allows you to hop on a bus or tram and pay with a single tap as well as giving you multiple options for how to pay.

You might be wondering: how does it all work? Well, never fear, we have a handy guide to answer all of your questions and leave you ready to jump right on the tram or bus as you explore the region during your vacation in Tuscany!