Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

When one is thinking about planning to get around Tuscany, they may be considering the methods of travel that best allow them to make the most of the famously beautiful scenery of the Tuscan countryside and towns and how to admire them as they move about. Among them, one method of travel that may be less efficient and practical when it comes to getting from A to B but is certainly among the best possible ways to soak up the incredible beauty of this part of the world has to be hot air ballooning!

A magical, whimsical, and utterly romantic way to explore the region if you have found and booked one of our stunning villas with pools in Tuscany, a hot air balloon excursion is a must for those who want to make unforgettable memories. 

Those who book one of our luxury villas in Florence will likely have a long list of tourist attractions to visit and things to see and do while in this magical gem of a city in Tuscany. However, we also recommend just taking the time to walk around and soak it all up. Simply wandering about the city is a delight in its own right because as you explore Florence on foot, you will be able to appreciate and closely admire its grand architecture and artistic treasures from magnificent palaces turned into museums, to its stunning churches brimming with art, to its lush gardens once privately owned by nobles and now opened to the public, to its picturesque piazzas with fountains and statues by famous artists and historic restaurants and cafés. Florence really is a feast for the eyes! And one stunning piazza that really shouldn't be missed during a vacation in Tuscany is the Piazza della Repubblica.

Florence is a city steeped in architectural marvels and charming delights. There are many sweeping piazze full of staggeringly large and wondrous buildings, long thoroughfares lined with neat stores in historic buildings, charming little lanes dotted with surprises, and blocks of ancient palaces preserved or put to new use. Famously the birthplace of the Renaissance, this enchanting Italian city captures the hearts of travellers from all over the globe each year with its timeless beauty and to experience the grandeur of Florence yourself, there is no better way than to reside in one of our exquisite villas in Tuscany or villas with pools in Florence.

Once you arrive, be sure to seek out the Ponte Vecchio. Yes, you’ll likely see it from its prominent position along the Arno as you explore the city, you may even need to cross it, but it is not merely just some bridge but an iconic landmark and fascinating attraction all in its own right... 

The thermal springs of Saturnia are one of the most iconic natural wonders that can be found while enjoying one of our Tuscany Villas and have been drawing visitors to the Saturnia area for centuries. Some tourists may not actually be aware of this but Tuscany is a hotspot (no pun intended) for thermal springs and spa towns that have built up around them, with lots and lots of incredible examples to choose from. For those looking to enjoy a holiday in Tuscany full of relaxation, these spa towns and thermal springs only add to the pretty surroundings, good food, slower pace of life, and general serenity that recommend the region as an ideal destination. And, Saturnia, without a doubt, is home to one of Italy's most famous and beautiful natural spas.

Located atop a hill, overlooking the beautiful surrounding scenery and rolling green hills of the Maremma, Saturnia and her thermal springs have been well-known since ancient times for their therapeutic properties. The town is home to two main naturally-occurring springs that can be visited, including the oft-photographed Cascate del Mulino, located a little under 6km outside the town and made up of a series of waterfalls and natural pools of warm thermal water, and the less famous but less busy, Cascate del Gorello. 

Michelangelo’s David has come up in a few of our recent articles and we thought it about time to write an updated post about the museum in which you can find this iconic sculpture. The museum in question is, of course, the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze and is often referred to merely as the Accademia. Smaller and a little more specialised than the Uffizi, it is also the second-most-visited art museum in Italy after the Uffizi. However, this does not mean that it should be skipped! In fact, any art-lovers who find a villa with pool in Florence and who are spending time exploring the birthplace of the Renaissance should definitely head to this gem. In addition to that most famous work by Michelangelo, there are paintings, sculptures, frescoes, and more from some of the greatest artistic talents who were working largely in the period of around 1300 to 1600.

So, if you have browsed our Tuscany villas and landed on your dream villa in Florence, what can you expect from a visit to the Accademia? Well, expect to set aside a decent amount of time. Despite the fact that the collection is not quite so large as the Uffizi, there is still a decent amount of extraordinary things to take in. In fact, for many this is a much more readily digestible museum that really rewards those with time to wander about for a couple of hours. For most guests, however, there will certainly be particular highlights and/or sections that are likely to be of more interest to you and that might be what you are looking forward to most during your visit.