Archive for 'Parks & Gardens'

Tuscany's beautiful landscape goes far beyond her famous softly rolling green hills and is more diverse than many may be aware of: varying from snow-capped peaks to dense forests and glassy lakes to perfect beaches. If you have found a luxury villa in Tuscany and are spending some time exploring the region and all that she has to offer, then you will likely encounter this often undersold and under-represented wealth of natural phenomena and beauties and, if you are interested in different outdoor activities, you will find that Tuscany is an excellent destination for those interested all sorts of adventures and outdoor experiences. In particular, if you have found a luxury villa in Lucca and are looking to stretch your legs and hike in the area then you'll be glad to note the presence of the incredibly lovely Parco dell'Orecchiella.     Read More

Those who have found a luxury villa in Florence will have no shortage of museums, famous works of art, architectural gems, incredible palaces, stunning churches, historic attractions, and more to visit and, while these are all truly fascinating must-sees, we also recommend delving into the beautiful outdoor spaces that also exist in Florence. We have often mentioned the famous gardens of Florence, many of which are holdovers from the time in which nobles with incredible townhouses featuring extravagant grounds filled with flowers, statues, grottoes, fountains, and more ruled over the city and great swathes of Tuscany but there are also some parks that were specifically created as urban spaces for residents and visitors to relax and enjoy the outdoors. One particularly lovely example of this latter type of garden in Florence is the Giardino delle Rose, or Rose Garden.

Located in the Oltrarno district of Florence, just below the Piazzale Michelangelo, the position of the Giardino delle Rose means that it boasts a rather impressive and lovely panorama over the city. Created in 1865 by the Florentine architect Giuseppe Poggi (who had also designed the Piazzale above), in the year that the capital of Italy had been moved from Turin to Florence, as part of a commission by the municipality of Florence to develop the left bank of the Arno River, the garden was designed as an attractive outdoor space that would befit the new capital city. About 1 hectare in size, the space was once part of the Podere San Francesco (San Francesco farm), which was the property of the order of the Oratorian Fathers. It was then redesigned and transformed into a terraced garden by Attilio Pucci and it was under his guidance that a rose collection was first planted and established.     Read More

Lots of kids are interested in animals and lots of adults have fond memories of childhood visits to zoos so, whether you are travelling in Tuscany as a family with children among your number and are looking for something that they'll definitely enjoy doing or you simply want to know where you can go to see animals in Tuscany, then we recommend a day trip to the Zoological Gardens of Pistoia, or Pistoia Zoo.

This rather special 7-hectare zoo in Pistoia is home to more than 400 animal species and is especially dedicated to conservation and education. Created in 1970 thanks to Raffaello Galardini, Pistoia Zoo was established in a wooded area in the beautiful hills around the city of Pistoia and inaugurated on the 19th of April. There are around 600 animals living in the zoo and, among them, there are about 65 species of mammals, 40 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles. Some of the residents are more common animals often found locally that will be familiar, such as pigs, guinea pigs, oxen, donkeys, horses, goats, cows, rabbits, and other domesticated animals but other residents are from much further flung places and are not commonly found in Italy or Europe such as jaguars, polar bears, Rothschild's giraffes, Zebras (including baby Jordy who was born last year!), rare Madagascan ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, penguins, elephants, lions, tigers, ostriches, Kookaburras, wallabies, meerkats, otters, pygmy hippos, monkeys, reindeer, crocodiles, pythons, turtles, tortoise, vipers, iguana, emus, flamingos, and more.     Read More

People often focus on Tuscany as a holiday destination for her culture and cuisine but outside of the manmade boons of the region, there is additionally a wealth of natural beauty to not only admire but to also explore. From rolling hills to wander, perfect peaks to climb, to rugged coasts to walk, and impressive forests to chart, there is a wide selection of diverse and utterly beautiful landscapes in Tuscany that are waiting to be fully discovered and not merely gazed at from afar. Be sure to take in the picture-perfect landscapes of the region from the window of your villa rental in Tuscany, from cars as you drive to fun attractions, from the tops of architectural gems and medieval towns but if you’re an outdoorsy type, you should also make some time to actually get out there into it. If you have found a vacation rental in Arezzo, in particular, then we recommend a visit to the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna, or Casentinesi Forests National Park, which is one of the largest forests in Europe and a fascinating park with lots of hiking routes that boasts incredible views, an extraordinarily diverse selection of flora and fauna, foliage that turns intensely beautiful russet and golden shades in Autumn, magnificent roaring waterfalls, stunning lakes, and much more besides.     Read More