Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

The pretty town of San Miniato is famous among foodies who vacation in Tuscany as it is home to both wonderful wineries and is one of the best places to find some of the best truffles in Italy and in the globe. Located along the via Francigena that connected northern Europe to Rome during the Middle Ages, it has been entertaining visitors with its beautiful sights, delicious treats, wonderful hospitality, rich artistic heritage, and range of festivals and events for centuries. Positioned in a strategic location on a gentle hill set into the lush and rolling green landscape of the province of Pisa, not far from the city of Pisa, this charming town is an excellent day-trip destination for those who have found a villa with pool in Pisa and are planning days out in the area.

There are certain works of art that most of the world has grown up seeing all their lives. Many of these works come from the Renaissance and are still to be found in the so-called birthplace of the Renaissance itself, Florence. So, for anyone with even somewhat of an interest in European art, a luxury villa in Florence and a trip to the city at least once in their lifetime is an absolute must. In addition to enjoying the many other charms of Tuscany, a vacation in Florence ensures that you can see those so familiar works of art with your very own eyes and see how they stack up by comparison to what you imagined. One of the most iconic of all of these works in Florence and one of the definite must-sees has to be Michelangelo's idealised male form, his David.

When you plan a holiday, you can find that costs begin to add up quick and it is always good to have some excellent but inexpensive or free activities to add into your itinerary. If you are planning a vacation in Tuscany and you have found a villa with a pool in Siena, for example, then you should definitely consider planning a trip to the Natural History Museum of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici in Siena.

If you have found a luxury villa in Florence or a villa with pool in Florence then we recommend spending plenty of time to both thoroughly explore all that interests you in that beautiful city and to also go beyond it to other attractions in the surrounding area. Florence is a great, pretty central base from which to explore the wider region of Tuscany. Whether you are renting a car or you want to rely on public transport, this is the best and easiest place from which to do both when planning day-trips to other parts of Tuscany such as the comune of Poggio a Caiano in the province of Prato, which is home to a stunning Medici Villa, gorgeous gardens, an excellent museum, and a pretty town.

The villa at Poggio a Caiano is set on the slopes of Mount Albano and was a summer residence for the Medici that was built for Lorenzo the Magnificent, according to plans by Giuliano da Sangallo. It is located right between Florence, Prato and Pistoia, areas over which the Medici and Florence worked to control. Begun at the end of the fifteenth century, but not completed until halfway through the sixteenth century, as work was interrupted by Lorenzo's death in 1492, the villa was continued under Pope Leo X, Lorenzo's son. This pause in the building process, however, would inadvertently give it the time to become one of the greatest architectural gems of the period as increasing refinements in implementing classical motifs and ideals into Renaissance architecture came about in the interim period. Furthermore, subsequent occupants made minimal changes to it over the following centuries, leaving it to remain a testament to Renaissance taste and ideals.

Tuscany, as a destination, is full of stunning rural landscapes, pretty historic towns perched on hilltops, and awe-inspiring cities stuffed with artistic and cultural gems. There are, as a result, countless excellent holiday destinations to choose from within the region, if you are looking to plan a vacation in Tuscany. We have recently discussed the appeal of a holiday in Pisa, a vacation in Arezzo, and a villas in Cortona, but another gorgeous setting for a getaway in Tuscany that we highly recommend is Volterra. Volterra, an utterly picturesque walled hilltop town with Etruscan origins and a Medieval appearance, is an ideal place for a getaway for those who want to experience the most characteristic, authentic, and scenic version of Tuscany. So, browse our villas in Volterra and read on to discover just five reasons as to why you should definitely make the town your next vacation destination in Tuscany...