L'Orto

As we noted in the last post in this series, a good view is the final ingredient to a wonderful holiday and we have no shortage of vacation rentals in Tuscany with incredible views. Here are just a few more of our personal favourites.

3. Il Leccio

Il Leccio is a house that dates back to the seventeenth century and was originally built as a farm manager's house for the Mansi-Bernardini estate, with wine cellars, stables and a hayloft. It has been tastefully converted into a villa with charming rustic style. Situated on top of a hill, east of Lucca, it has truly magnificent views over the plain below and the swimming pool area, in particular, is located in a breathtaking panoramic position, about 150 metres from the house. By the side of the pool there is a cabin with kitchenette and bathroom and there is a tennis court on the estate. The house has all mod cons and a maid who takes care of the villa who, on request, will cook local dishes for clients. The Fattoria Mansi Bernardini office, on the estate, has English speaking staff and are at clients' disposal to give assistance for the duration of your stay.

In the province of Florence in Tuscany, 25 kilometres North-east of Florence city is the charming town of Scarperia. This fascinating place is located close to other towns of interest such as Barberino di Mugello, Borgo San Lorenzo and Firenzuola to name but a few.

A tour around some of these places could make up a superb day tour of the Florence area and is guaranteed to be an enriching tourist experience!

Stay in a luxury villa in Florence where you can easily commute to Scarperia via train, car or bus.

I'll admit something right off the bat: I like Italian food but I don't love it enough to eat it every day. So, when I recently spent a week in Tuscany, I quickly became tired of similar menus. Fattoria Il Palagio did not have a wildly different menu and, yet, it was the best dining experience that I had in Tuscany, by far.

Located just outside of Scarperia, a small and charming historic town in the northeast of Tuscany, around 25km from Florence, and famous for the production of knives, the restaurant immediately impresses upon first approaching it.

It is an old villa, sitting on beautifully maintained grounds and with excellent views of the surrounding landscape to the rear of the property. The building is surrounded by plant-draped pergolas and twinkling lights that make it atmospheric after nightfall and it is hard to decide if it is lovelier at night or during the day.

Scarperia is located in the province of Florence, the artistic core of Tuscany. It is one of the most historic and interesting towns in this region. Many of the local holiday villas are located close to the ancient fortress, which was built in 1299. Surrounded by mountains, the town is very scenic and charming place to visit.

One of the most impressive ancient structures in the heart of Scarperia is the Vicar’s Palace, also known as Palazzo dei Vicari, which was built in the 14th century. The palazzo is decorated inside with elaborate frescoes in Renaissance style. One of the most impressive frescoes is the ‘Madonna and Child’ on the second floor, which was created in 1554. An enormous courtyard is connected to the palazzo.