Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

While there is no shortage at all of beautiful buildings and churches, in particular, to visit once you've found a luxury villa in Florence, there is one that we would definitely recommend making some time for while in the city. This is the Basilica della Satissima Annunziata (the Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation) which is located in the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, one of the most beautiful piazzas in all of Florence and worked on by some of the greatest architects of the Italian Renaissance. The square alone is worth the visit but the church is like a magical little jewellery box full of art, beauty and fascinating stories, just waiting to be discovered.

Cortona is a charming medieval hilltown in Tuscany which is an important artistic and cultural centre. Within the walls of the town, it can sometimes seem as though time has stopped long ago and everywhere you turn, you will see historic architectural gems. However, some of the real highlights of the town and its surrounding area are its churches. The Church of Santa Maria Nuova, in particular, as a centralised square-plan Renaissance church, is a prime example of an important principle of Renaissance construction. Santa Maria Nuova was built by Giorgio Vasari in 1554 and is an example of one of that great architect’s later works. If you’re an architecture lover and have found a luxury villa in Cortona, be sure to stop by and check it out.

If you're on holiday and in need of some serious relaxation, few things are better than a day at the spa, especially if they happen to have thermal baths. In Italy, and Tuscany in particular, you'll never be short on options of thermal springs to choose from but one of the less well-known options is Terme di Sorano, a village not far from Sorano. Here, you'll avoid the more intense crowds that can be found in other spa towns and you'll be able to enjoy state-of-the-art facilities. Just find yourself the perfect holiday rental in Sorano and then spend a day relaxing and pampering yourself at the spa!

If you've found your luxury villa in Lucca and are looking for things to do but can't seem to escape the easy answers of food, museums and places that attract every tourist in the world (or so it would seem from the lines into such places!), then listen up. If you're after something different, a bit of an adventure, time outdoors and a little bit physical exertion mixed in with fun, then you're going to want to check out the recently opened adventure park in Bagni di Lucca. Canyon Park has opened at Scesta, near Cocciglia, on the Brennero road towards Abetone. It is the first adventure park developed in a canyon in Italy and enables visitors to go rafting on the river, zoom down a zip line and clamber over the wire suspension bridge across the canyon, among other things.

There are already plenty of reasons to visit the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Set in the heart of the historical part of the city, the natural flow of the tourists passing through the area, alone, could bring you to its doorstep, even if you hadn't actually planned to end up there! However, it is also an important building historically, culturally and administratively and a key sight in Florence because of its art, architecture and history. Adding to the permanent displays and the building itself are the temporary exhibitions which are often housed inside the Palazzo Vecchio.

Currently, there is a very special exhibition taking place entitled, “The Prince of Dreams. Joseph in the Medici tapestries by Pontormo and Bronzino”, which displays tapestries that were commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici in the 16th century. Shown in the room they were made for and all together again for the first time in over a century, it is a special treat for art and design lovers. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and see these extraordinary works for yourself.