La Bigattiera

Altopascio is a charming small Tuscan town which is famous for its great tradition of bread making that has survived for centuries in the area.

In fact, though it may be little-known to tourists and a little off the beaten track, it is a bit of a mecca for bakers and even hosts a bread festival each year.

For this reason, it is known as the “town of bread”. In addition to delicious baked goods, however, the town has a lot more to offer and to be discovered.

If you like your holidays authentic and undiluted by tourist crowds and selfie sticks, this is a perfect destination, just find a vacation rental in Altopascio.

Other customers' reviews are really helpful when booking from a new company or when narrowing down your choices among rentals. Here at Tuscany Villas, we are lucky to boast really engaged customers that leave excellent reviews on our properties that help us improve and others to learn about us as a company. As this is the case we decided to compile a list of some of our most reviewed properties. Here are some more of those well-loved rentals.

7. La Capinera

This charming little house was recently completely restored and equipped with all modern facilities, including air conditioning in the bedrooms and is located in a very quiet position 3km away from the village of Montopoli, in a particularly beautiful area. Surrounded by a very large and well maintained garden, with an unusually big pool, it is an ideal spot for a small family who want complete peace and privacy.

The lands of Tuscany, particularly around Florence, Pisa, and Lucca, were highly contested and fought over by various rulers and factions in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. As a result, many fortified structures remain dotted throughout the already picturesque landscape of the region, making it all the more charming and magical. There are, of course, some that are prettier or better-preserved than others and one of the best and most charming examples of all has to be the lovely Fortezza di Montecarlo, or Montecarlo Fortress, built in four phases between the 12th and 16th centuries and located in a highly desirable strategic position between the valleys of Lucca and Valdinievole. If you have found a villa with pool in Lucca and you are looking to visit one of Tuscany's most magical fairytale castles, then this is an excellent option!

Close to the cities of Florence and Lucca is the stunning hilltop town of Montecarlo. This small Tuscan settlement was founded in 1333 by Charles V, a Roman Emperor and was named after him by the townspeople; Monte Carlo means ‘Hill of Charles’.

Tourists would welcome a few peaceful days here in one of many gorgeous rental accommodation available in the picturesque Montecarlo area. If you’re a wine expert or just a lover, you’d certainly enjoy an exploration of the town and its surrounding vineyard farms as Montecarlo is especially famous for its wines!

The Medici family have left an indelible mark on Tuscany that is still felt today, centuries after they were at the peak of their powers. Works of art, buildings, and even towns remain as a mark of their incredible legacy but so, too, do stories. One of the most compelling is the story of the mysterious death of Isabella de' Medici, the beloved daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Famously beautiful and free-spirited, she was a well-known Florentine figure who died suddenly and unexpectedly at the Medici villa in Cerreto Guidi in 1576 during a hunting holiday.

According to her brother, "while she was washing her hair in the morning ... She was found by Signor Paolo Giordano on her knees, having immediately fallen dead.” This unlikely and dubious version of events was doubted and, according to information obtained by the Ferrarese ambassador, Ercole Cortile, she was actually "strangled at midday" by her husband in the presence of several named servants. It is thought that her husband, Paolo Giordano, killed Isabella because of an affair that she had had with Troilo Orsini or that her brother, the Grand Duke Francesco de’ Medici actually had ordered her death.