Archive for 'Castles & Palaces'

Villa Poggio Torselli is a stunning hilltop residence located just outside Florence that has been home to several influential Florentine families and citizens throughout history (including Niccolò Machiavelli) and is listed among the Great Italian Gardens. Even locals are often unaware of this hidden gem and it is very much off the beaten tourist track but, if you have found a vacation rental in Florence, it is well worth taking the time to come and explore the incredible building and its surroundings!

Roberto Benigni's 1997 Oscar-winning masterpiece, “La Vita è Bella” (“Life is Beautiful”), is an incredibly famous movie that is set during WWII and tells the story of a Jewish Italian man named Guido Orefice, who meets and falls in love with the beautiful Dora and they have a son, Giosue, together.

Their incredibly ideal and happy family life is turned upside when Guido and Giosue are separated from Dora and are taken to a concentration camp. While there, in order to shelter his son from the horrors of his surroundings, Guido weaves an elaborate story that their time in the camp is merely a game. Filmed across several sets, the centrepiece of the beginning of the film, however, is the lovely Tuscan city of Arezzo.

So, if you're a fan of the movie and are thinking of holidaying in Tuscany, just browse our vacation rentals in Arezzo and get planning a trip!

There are many towns, all across Tuscany, that are perfectly picturesque. Beyond the famous cities and well-known towns, there are little villages and borgos all over the region that you could accidentally stumble across and fall in love with. Grosseto is just one of those places but is a particularly beautiful architectural gem.

As we have been discussing in this series, there are many stunning buildings and structures in this town, well off the regular tourist route, that make it especially lovely. Just find a vacation rental in Grosseto, check out this series of articles on the architecture of the town and enjoy the quiet pace of life, the Tuscan atmosphere and the pretty surroundings.

In the last few posts, we have mentioned a lot of the religious buildings in the town and, of course, this is Italy, so many of the most interesting and lovely buildings were built by or for the church. However, there are many civic and private buildings around town that are equally lovely. They include...

The lovely town of Grosseto in Maremma, an area of the south of Tuscany close to the coast, is a lesser-known gem that is positively stuffed full of history and architectural masterpieces. If you are a lover of beautiful buildings and like to try out places that are off the beaten track and far from regular tourist crowds, then it is an ideal holiday destination. Just find a vacation rental in Grosseto and come discover its architectural gems. In the last post, we began our guide to the buildings, structures and monuments of the town and here are more of our picks of the absolute must-see highlights.

3. The Church of San Francesco.

In the last post, we mentioned the Duomo, or cathedral, in Grosseto. However, there are actually quite a few beautiful religious buildings in the town, beyond its distinctive and very charming cathedral. Take the Church of San Francesco, for example.

Villa Reale di Marlia is a stunning 17th century villa and estate with extensive and impressive gardens, located a short distance from Lucca, at the foot of the Pizzorne hills. Once home to Napoleon’s sister and Duchess of Lucca Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, it is considered one of the most important historic properties in Italy and is made up of a sixteen hectare estate that features incredible works of art, works of nature and flights of fancy. While the house is currently closed for renovations, the gardens remain open to the public for visits and make for the perfect place to spend a pleasant afternoon strolling around. Just find a luxury villa in Lucca and pay a visit to this extraordinary estate for yourself.

Pack a picnic and set aside a few hours because wandering this estate will occupy you for that long – there is so much to see and do and you'll need snacks to keep you going.