Archive for 'Lucca'

If you have diverse interests, Tuscany is a holiday destination that really tends to provide. It is an immensely cultured place, full of art, architecture, history, traditions and music, the food is delicious, the scenery is stunning, the attractions are various and fun, and there are endless outdoor pursuits to enjoy. If your interests lie in taking in the great outdoors, getting some exercise and taking in great views as well as all things a little darker and spookier, then there is one particular Tuscan location that you are bound to enjoy. Monte (or Mount) Matanna, a mountain in the Apuan Alps, in the province of Lucca, offers some rather starkly different activities: hiking and witch hunting. Just find a villa with pool in Lucca and combine the two interests in one trip.

If you are spending time in Tuscany, trying delicious local dishes and delicacies is bound to be on the top of your to-do list. This should be no different if you happen to be spending Christmas in Tuscany.

Forget your regular traditions for once and, instead, truly immerse yourself in Tuscan foodie culture – you won't regret it! To help you out, we've put together a guide to some of the dishes, treats and sweets that you should keep an eye out for on your trip.

Tuscany's hearty cuisine is perfectly suited for the weather in Winter. One of the most cherished dishes is Zuppa di Farro, or Farro Soup. Farro is a grain not unlike spelt which is readily available in Italy but less common elsewhere.

To finish off our series on the best Christmas market in Tuscany, we have found a few more around the region that you won't want to miss if you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are exploring the region.

The first of these is in the beautiful town of Lucca. Lucca's Piazza Napoleone will be taken over for the Christmas period and, from the 3rd of December 2016 until the 8th of January 2017, it will be occupied by a hawkers market. In addition to these stalls selling all sorts of food, drinks and bits and pieces, there will be an ice skating rink to enjoy. Surely a magical experience that the whole group will love.

Also in Lucca, you will find another Christmas market called “Christmas in the City,” taking place in the Piazza San Michele from the 3rd of December 2016 to the 8th of January 2017.

These are some cute and funny-looking creatures, aren't they?

Mouflons are a subspecies group of the wild sheep and are thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds. With red-brown, short-haired coats with dark back-stripes and light-colored saddle patches, sleek elegant bodies, sweet faces and big horns, they are some of the more distinctive and photogenic creatures that you are likely to encounter in the wild in Tuscany.

One of the best activities for those who have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are exploring the region, is to spend some time wandering the stunning Apuan Alps and spotting mouflons.

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.