Al Mare

Montignoso is a big town in the province of Massa Carrara that’s actually made up of a cluster of tiny hamlets including Cinquale and Renella. Over ten thousand people live in the commune of Montignoso and when you arrive here for a visit, you can see why they love it here so much! Browse our stunning holiday villas in Montignoso area and reserve your favorite for your stay.

This charming town was founded on a hilltop overlooking the Tuscan coast and is dominated by the magnificent Aghinolfi Castle. Its strategic position allowed a close view of the Tyrrhenian coast that stretched from the Gulf of La Spezia to Livorno.

Aghinolfi Castle is a beautiful Tuscan castle perched on a hilltop with stunning view all around the Lunigiana area and out across the Tyrrhenian coast. This position adds to the beauty and romance of the castle but has also made it an optimum strategic location which has made its history dramatic and complicated. It has also meant that the town in which it is located, Montignoso, has also had a much more colourful history than a town its size might normally have had. The town purchased the castle just over a decade ago and have restored it and opened it to the public as a perfect example of a Tuscan countryside palace. If you have a fondness for castles and beyond amazing locations, find a luxury villa in Montignoso and stop by!

House-museums are dotted all over the globe and there are lots of them in Italy, in particular. These are a particularly insightful and interesting breed of museum in which objects by an artist are displayed in a space in which they grew up, lived, and/or worked. Often in a childhood or final home of an artist, they celebrate the full spectrum of the life and work of an artist and are a great way to get to know more about the maker behind the pieces.

In Rome you can find the Hendrik Christian Andersen House Museum, dedicated to the life and work of the Norwegian-American 20th century artist Hendrik Christian Anderson, in Milan there is the Manzoni House Museum, dedicated to 19th century Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni, and in Possagno, the Canova Museum, which is not a former home to the artist but is where much of his living and work spaces were transported, as well as works of art, after his death. Another, more recently established house museum dedicated to an artist is Forte dei Marmi’s Ugo Guidi Museum.

One of the most celebrated Italian sculptors of the 20th century, the museum is set in Ugo Guidi’s studio and home in this beautiful Tuscan seaside city. If you are interested in Italian art and fancy a Tuscan vacation by the sea, a holiday rental in Forte dei Marmi is a great idea as it will allow you to enjoy both at the same time! With over 600 sculptures, tempera paintings, drawings, and more by the artist on display, the Ugo Guidi Museum is a fine testament to his legacy that maps out the artist’s entire life and career inside the space in which he both worked and lived.

Tuscany is famous as a part of the world that birthed some of the greatest artists, architects, designers, buildings, works of art and objects in the world. Those who visit are astounded by the grandiosity of Florence's historic centre, enamoured with the sense of style and luxury clothing brands, wowed by the pretty villages, and amazed by the great paintings and sculptures.

This history of design and beauty extends into the present day and into some of our vacation rentals in Tuscany that have the most extraordinarily lovely interiors. This week, we've been discussing some of the best of the best amongst the many on our site and here are a few more of our picks of the most fascinating and incredible interiors:

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

One of the most exceptional properties of all on our website, this 16th century castle is located in an extraordinary position in the hills surrounding Campiglia Marittima.

If you find yourself a villa on the Tuscan Coast, you will have a plethora of lovely beaches to choose from for relaxing days by the seaside. However, for those who like beaches that are perfectly set up and have all of the facilities that you could possibly ask for in order to enjoy yourself to the fullest without having to worry about anything, then paid beaches and beach clubs are the only way to go. While there are lots of free beaches in the area and many people don't want to pay to access a strand, there are others who would much rather fork out a fee in order to leave themselves completely stress-free and ready to just sit back and relax. If you find yourself in this latter category and you are exploring the area around the Miami of the Tuscan Coast, Forte dei Marmi, then an excellent fee-paying beach club to enjoy is Bagno Angelo.

If you enjoy browsing around the shops on your holidays then the towns within the Versilia region of Tuscany have everything you could possibly desire! Visitors wishing to stay in the Versilia area for a few days have a plentiful choice of tuscany villa rentals in Forte dei Marmi town to enjoy a pleasant stay, for example

Many artisan shops are scattered across the Versilia area, selling jewellery, marble sculptures, cosmetics, beautiful pottery, ornaments and much more. Enjoy strolling around the winding streets of Pietrasanta and looking at all the beautiful products on display in shop fronts. If you're a huge fan of retail therapy then why not read our article on the best shopping malls in Tuscany to help you plan your fun shopping experience here!

While you’re there, a climb up to the ruins of what was once the majestic Rocca di Sala will provide you with spectacular views of the Apuan Mountains and the winding Tuscan coast.