Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

The seaside town of Viareggio is the coastal gem of Tuscany and an excellent holiday destination for many different reasons from her rich traditions to her beautiful beaches. If you have chosen a luxury villa in Viareggio you will find plenty of things to see and do in the city itself and that day-trips to other Tuscan towns and cities can be readily organised as well. However, if you are looking to get out and explore Viareggio, in particular, and aren’t quite sure where to get started, then we might suggest heading to the Parco Pineta di Ponente, or Pineta di Ponente Park (Western Pine Forest).     Read More

There is no shortage of wineries in the Chianti region of Tuscany. Famous for her wines, with one of the most globally-renowned types of wines on the market bearing her name, Chianti is all about wine, wine culture, and wineries. The landscape of Chianti is just dotted by farmhouses, wineries, vineyards, olive groves, lovely stone towns, and castles and, as such, there is endless choice of places to go to learn about wine in Chianti, to taste wine in Chianti, to buy wine in Chianti, and much more besides. However, one particularly perfect place to do all of the things mentioned above and to do so in the most typically beautiful and typically Chianti of settings is the Castello di Verrazzano winery. Set inside a stunning Chianti castle that is nestled amongst the beautiful landscape of rolling hills blanketed by vineyards and olive groves of the region, the Castello di Verrazzano is both well-respected and utterly gorgeous. It is the ideal place to sip on some delicious Tuscan wines if you have found a luxury villa in Chianti.

The castle is named after the Verrazzano family, originally hailing from Lombardy and famous due to their most notable family member Giovanni da Verrazzano (who was the explorer that discovered the bay of New York and was born in Castello di Verrazzano in 1485), and the name likely derives from the Latin words "verres" (meaning wild boar) and "zona," (meaning place) and translates to the “land of the wild boar.” However, the history of the castle is much older and was originally an Etruscan and then a Roman settlement. The Verrazzano family came into possession of the castle in the 7th century and remained there until the family line ended in 1819. Since then, the castle has passed through several different hands but has been managed by the Florentine Cappellini family since 1958.     Read More

One of the most famously beautiful parts of Tuscany is the UNESCO-awarded Val D’Orcia. This part of the region that extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata and is home to the towns of Pienza, Radicofani, and Montalcino. It is the place from which our perfect postcard pictures of Tuscany, the very first images of the region that come to mind when you think of Tuscany, come from. These are the undulating green hills broken only by roads winding throughout and the odd tree, old farmhouse, or beautiful hilltop medieval town or village that have made the countryside of Tuscany so iconic and famously stunning worldwide. If you have found a vacation rental in the Val D’Orcia, however, and are exploring the region, there is one particular spot to head to in order to take in perhaps the most famous and most beautiful panorama in all over Italy: the Podere Belvedere.     Read More

For those who like to travel when tourist crowds are at their smallest, winter is a great time to visit Tuscany: it is when you can readily visit the most famous and popular tourist attractions without having to queue for long periods of time, when prices for things and various travel costs are often at their lowest, when things are most authentic and locals have the most energy for visitors as they aren’t coming in their swathes, and it is when the whole region seems like a different place entirely without the tourist crowds that arrive in summer.

However, you might also wish to experience many of the traditions and festivals that only take place during the high season in Tuscany. If this is the case, then fear not as the town of Buti, near Pisa, has the answer for you and makes for an ideal winter destination in Tuscany. If you are looking for the best time of year to visit Pisa, then come in time for the Palio di Buti. Find a vacation rental in Pisa and head to this town and this festival to get a slice of the palio tradition while enjoying the most peaceful time of the year in the region.     Read More