Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

As populations of young people have continued to leave their hometowns for bigger cities and other countries in search of better job prospects in the past half century, Italy has become home to an increasing number of ghost towns. These fascinating places are intriguing to visit but some are more appealing than others with the more historic and older examples often being incredibly picturesque and hauntingly beautiful. Those interested in history, architecture, and ghost towns, in particular, will have their pick if they plan a holiday in Italy looking for such gems but one of the most famous examples that tops most lists of the most interesting and lovely ghost towns in Italy has to be Isola Santa. This stunning abandoned town in Tuscany is located in the Apuan Alps and, while it remains largely uninhabited, it has been renovated in recent years in an effort to preserve its great architectural and historical value and its incredible beauty.

Located in the heart of the Apuan Alps, on the road leading to the Tuscan Coastline and the town of Versilia, in the commune of Careggine, in the province of Lucca, you will stumble across a little town that looks like something plucked right from the pages of a storybook and a fairy-tale. Built to be perched on the banks of the Turrite Secca river, this medieval town is made up of picturesque stone buildings with climbing vines along walls, lush greenery and trees all around, and the jewel-toned blue man-made lake next to which it now lies. On sunny days, when all of these colours are at their most heightened, it really does look like some unreal scene painted by a rather romantic artist. If you have found a vacation rental in Lucca, you should definitely drop by!

If you have found a vacation rental in Pisa and are planning a trip in the area, you'll likely be looking into what there is to see and do in and around Pisa. While the pretty and historic city itself has its famous Leaning Tower (in a complex of other fascinating religious buildings), cute little streets lined with restaurants and shops, some great museums, and much more besides, the surrounding landscape is also beautiful and full of gems and well worth exploring. For example, just ten kilometres from town you will find the little town of Calci, located on the foothills of the Monte Pisano hillside, which is home to the breathtaking Calci Charterhouse.

The Charterhouse of Pisa (or Certosa di Pisa), more often referred to as the Calci Charterhouse in English, is a stunning architectural complex that is a former Carthusian monastery, or charterhouse, and is home to two different museums today: National Museum of the Monumental Charterhouse of Calci and the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa. If you're fond of frescoes, architectural prowess, dinosaurs, pretty gardens, and more, this is somewhere to see all of the above under (and adjacent to) one roof.

Those who have found a vacation rental in Volterra or a vacation rental in Pisa and who are using their rentals as a base from which to explore the wider region of Tuscany should definitely note that both locations are around thirty minutes from a Tuscan town that we doubt you have ever heard of before but that many, no doubt, would like to visit! This is the town of Lajatico.

Not only is Lajatico a beautiful medieval Tuscan village but it also gave rise to one of Tuscany's most beloved and famous sons in recent decades: Andrea Bocelli. As the birthplace of the famous Italian opera singer it will certainly be a place of interest to super-fans but, also, once a year in July, it becomes a major pilgrimage spot for music-lovers from all over the globe when it holds an extraordinary annual concert.

If the English-speaking world has Shakespeare then the Italian-speaking world has Dante Alighieri, a name familiar to many worldwide in connection to his most famous work, his so-called, “Divine Comedy,” as it is referred to in English. One of the defining works of literature throughout history, this incredibly important and influential piece is a beloved tome around the globe and many Dante-lovers hope to one day visit Tuscany and see many of the things and places that he described in his great tale of an epic journey through the afterlife. If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and you are an admirer of Dante's then there is one attraction that is, without a doubt, an absolute must-see: the Museum of the House of Dante Alighieri.

The Museum of the House of Dante Alighieri, or the House of Dante, is a medieval building located in one of the oldest parts of the historic core of the city on the street of Santa Margherita. This building, while not actually the house in which he was born, is located in the area between the Church of Saint Martino and the Piazza dei Donati that documents note was where the Alighieri family lived at the time, in the 13th century, and, though it had to be restored from a somewhat dilapidated state at the beginning of the 20th century when the museum was first planned, it largely maintains its appearance from Dante's lifetime. It was, therefore, decided upon as the best place to house a museum dedicated to the Father of the Italian Language, and is now one of the most important literary museums in the city.

While it may be news to some that Tuscany is one of the best spa destinations in the world, we have written extensively about the different thermal springs, spa towns, and spa complexes located across the region in the past. In fact, there are plenty of different options to choose from and one could even go on a spa town tour, if they wanted to, while spending time in Tuscany. However, if you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are looking to go on a spa day while staying in the province, then we recommend a visit to Bagni di Petriolo.

Famous for its thermal springs since the time of the Ancient Romans and with awareness of the healing benefits of the waters dating back as far as 1200AD, Bagni di Petriolo has long since attracted visitors who come to imbibe and soak in her waters. Throughout the centuries, the town has even drawn some particularly famous and high-profile figures from all over – including popes, cardinals, the Medici, the Malatesta family of Pesaro, the family of the Duke of Urbino, and the Gonzaga family of Mantua – such was its reputation.