Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

A post shared by Aboca (@abocait) on Jul 13, 2018 at 7:25am PDT

In the ancient Palazzo Bourbon del Monte in the town of Sansepolcro you will find the Aboca Museum, a magical little gem and the one and only museum of medicinal plants. To many, that may not seem an immediately interesting prospect but this beautiful place is stuffed with thousands of years worth of history, is in a stunning setting and has been expertly crafted to create something lovely.

Set up by the Aboca company, a market leader in the medicinal herbs sector, the museum was established to safeguard and promote the traditional use of medicinal herbs and extracts to promote good health. Most of the items in the museum hail from preexisting private collection of the Aboca company and the rest was purposefully purchased for the museum after it was opened.

Chianciano Terme can trace its origins to the 5th century BC, when the Etruscans arrived and built a temple that was dedicated to the god of Good Health, close to the Silene springs. Those springs and the waters of Chianciano have been a tourist destination and an attraction for their medicinal properties since Roman times and Horace himself is known to have bathed in and imbibed the waters.

Chianciano continued to both draw visitors and function as a regular town over the centuries but, in the 20th century, the springs specifically attracted the attention of developers and neoclassical buildings and facilities were built in the 20s and 30s. In the 40s, the then Fascist-controlled state took possession and destroyed and replaced these, drawing up a new plan under architects Loreti and Marchi. This plan was adjusted by the Town Technical Office of Chianciano in 1958 and eventually passed in 1961 and, today, there is the Old Town and New Town where the thermal spring spas were designed.

The Villa Reale, or Villa Marlia, is one of the many beautiful historic estates located in the Tuscan countryside. There are lots of wonderful villas in the area around Lucca, in particular, and this property in an area called Marlia is especially lovely.

A former royal palace with extensive and stunning gardens, it is filled with surprises around every turn and if you have found a luxury villa in Lucca, it is the perfect place to head off for a day trip.

Exploring the grounds, alone, will take up to two hours and if you want to picnic in the gardens (which we recommend) or visit the villa (although it is currently closed for renovation work), you will need additional time. Off the beaten tourist track and away from intense crowds but full of things to see and do, it is the ideal place to wander at your leisure and truly enjoy your downtime while on holidays.

There is no shortage of incredible and picturesque villages and towns in Tuscany but one of the most charming is Radicondoli in the Province of Siena. Located about 60km southwest of Florence and about 25km southwest of Siena. This pretty, millennia-old walled town is perched on a hilltop with panoramic views over the rolling hills of the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

With cobblestone streets, a close-knit community, a delicious locally-sourced local cuisine and sustainable lifestyle, it is home to less than a thousand people and is an idyllic little spot, a world away from tourist attractions and crowds.

This is an authentic and picturesque place that is terribly photogenic and a perfect little enclave to escape to on holidays. Just find a vacation rental in Radicondoli and come discover its charms for yourself.

If you are a fan of small towns off the beaten tourist track, hidden gems and endless surprises, Tuscany is the perfect town for you. It is full of charming, little-known towns that are authentic, peaceful and exceptionally pretty. Just find a villa rental in Tuscany and begin discovering its endless charms for yourself!

One of these lovely little towns is Pontremoli, one of the main villages of Lunigiana, located at the bottom of Tosco Emiliano Apennines. In the lush and wild part of northern Tuscany, it is far from queues, tacky souvenirs and the regular itineraries. Boasting a stunning natural setting, pretty town, rich history and culinary tradition, and a slow pace of life, it is an excellent place to spend a day soaking up the atmosphere of daily life in a real Tuscan town.