Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

The rolling hills, fertile valleys, vineyards, old estates, palaces, ancient villages and incredible cuisine of Chianti all make for a perfect holiday destination. It is a scenic place where you can potentially do it all – make day trips to famous cities like Florence and Pisa, explore endless villas and churches, visit famous wineries, go hiking, cycling, horseback riding and more – or do nothing at all and simply relax. Whether you like to unwind by a pool with a good book or through cultural pursuits or on adrenaline-pumping adventures, you'll find it all.

But what is the most important part of planning a trip to Chianti? Finding the perfect villa in which to rest and from which to enjoy your holiday, of course! So, to help you out, we rounded up some of our most idyllic, typically Tuscan, charming and perfect vacation rentals in Chianti.

I think the first time I saw topiary in real life my little mind was blown. To me, it was only something I had seen in photographs of grand palaces, cartoons and, most memorably, in “Edward Scissorshands,” which I had been allowed to watch when I was far too young and had deeply imprinted on my brain, as a result. Then, while visiting a country house on an estate near my family home, I saw magical plants shaped like all sorts of animals. It was mind-boggling that such a thing was real.

All of this may be why, to this day, I have such a soft spot for topiary and, when I discovered the topiary art that dotted the Tuscan city of Pistoia, it endeared the lovely place to me even further.

f you think of a Tuscan getaway, you probably imagine summers spent eating gelato and drinking coffee between dashing from museums and stunning churches to famous stores and delicious eateries or relaxed holidays just either side of the busy summer season. However, Christmas in Tuscany has its own unique charms that are well worth exploring. There are lots of reasons to plan a Winter break in Tuscany and here are more of the most compelling selling-points of a holiday season in this stunning region of Italy...

3. The Magical Atmosphere

There is something special about the twinkling lights and festive atmosphere of Tuscany.

A post shared by Aboca (@abocait) on Jul 13, 2018 at 7:25am PDT

In the ancient Palazzo Bourbon del Monte in the town of Sansepolcro you will find the Aboca Museum, a magical little gem and the one and only museum of medicinal plants. To many, that may not seem an immediately interesting prospect but this beautiful place is stuffed with thousands of years worth of history, is in a stunning setting and has been expertly crafted to create something lovely.

Set up by the Aboca company, a market leader in the medicinal herbs sector, the museum was established to safeguard and promote the traditional use of medicinal herbs and extracts to promote good health. Most of the items in the museum hail from preexisting private collection of the Aboca company and the rest was purposefully purchased for the museum after it was opened.

In the last post in this series, we are rounding up some of the most extraordinary vacation rentals on our website: the historic villas, palaces and castles of Tuscany. These magnificent and historic architectural gems are steeped in history, pretty to look at and full of charm and the perfect place to have a holiday that's like something from a fairytale. Here are the last of our picks...

9. Castello Leopoldo (Available from €1428 per night)

This is, quite possibly, the most stunning of all the properties on our website. Castello Leopoldo is a wonderful castle dating back to the 16th century, that is situated in panoramic location on the hills surrounding Campiglia Marittima and is a romantic-style building, which has preserved its ancient charm and original architectural features. With enchanting views over the valley below that stretch out as far as to the island of Elba, in the distance, on clear days, it is a perfect getaway destination.