Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

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.

Good wine is one of the things, along with good food, that really draws visitors to the region of Tuscany and makes them choose it as a holiday destination. Fall, in particular, is a great season to visit the region if you are a foodie in search of a break full of culinary delights.

It is a season when truffles are found, chestnuts are roasted, porcini and pumpkin make their way into pasta dishes and countless towns and municipalities have food and wine festivals to celebrate their local gastronomies.

We have tracked down some of the best of these wine festivals from around the region so all you need to do is choose one of our amazing vacation rentals in Tuscany and get to trying out some of the most famous and best wines that it has to offer.

When one thinks of Florence, the first things that spring to mind tend to be art, architecture, beautiful public spaces and gardens and a rich historical heritage.

Ghosts probably don't feature too prominently in most people's idea of the city but considering its long and rich history full of political intrigue, conflicts, passion, anger and crime, there are plenty of stories of specters that are said to haunt the streets and buildings, spooky events and unexplained incidents.

With Hallowe'en fast approaching, why not find a luxury villa in Florence and spend All Hallows Eve tracking down ghosts in the city this year.

Read on for some scary stories that we have gathered together about the less well-known side of Florence.

When one thinks of castles in Tuscany, the great urban palaces of the Medici tend to spring to mind. However, in reality, there are many more examples and a great deal of variety all across the region that are just waiting to be discovered.

Sarteano, for example, is a stunning Tuscan town that has long been a bit of a hidden gem and is very distinctive; a lush and green place with a medieval core and topped by its famous giant castle. The castle is the main highlight and dates to the twelfth or thirteenth century. It is surrounded by a double circle of walls enclosing an imposing square keep with round towers at the sides and is a bold and striking building in a perfectly strategic location. Bought by the city of Sarteano in 1998, it was opened to the public in 2006, after a long series of restoration works. Inside, you can explore the service rooms necessary for a castle to function, head to the ramparts for stunning views across the surrounding landscape, wander the courtyards and uncover secret passageways and outside you'll find the pretty park that the complex is located on. Just find a holiday rental in Sarteano and you can begin exploring this fascinating building.

Sarteano is a stunning Tuscan town that has long been a bit of a hidden gem. Only recently have its many attractions and boons have become public knowledge to a wider audience outside the region.

The town itself is immediately distinguishable; a lush and green place with a medieval core and topped by its famous giant castle.

The castle is definitely one of the main highlights of the town and is a must-see but there are plenty of other historic and cultural gems to be discovered and explored; from Etruscan tombs to Renaissance palaces and medieval churches to local festivals, Sarteano has a diverse offering of interesting local attractions.

Just find a holiday rental in Sarteano and you can begin delving into everything the town has to offer.