The Mona Lisa is famous for many things such as her smile, the mystery of the woman herself and also the setting of the actual painting. The Mona Lisa has a backdrop of a fantastic valley with rivers and cliffs that fade into icy mountains.
This is a setting not unlike that of the Balze of Valdarno in Italy.
In fact, Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated by the landscape of the Balze and he represents it in quite a few of his paintings. However the Mona Lisa is possibly the most famous of all.
Would you like to immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired Da Vinci? If so, why not rent a villa in the Valdarno area where you can take a trip to see the Balze?
The Balze are formed of sand, clay, and gravel deposited by a lake that was about 20km long and covered the area or Valdarno.
Over the years, the water had shaped the sediment to form what is now some truly unique rock formations.
There is a plateau above the cliffs from which visitors can see the views of villages, cities, vineyards and so much more. It is most definitely a photograph you will want to take. The Balze are only a few kilometers from the A1 motorway between Florence and Arezzo. It is one of the most beautiful and fascinating landscapes of Valdarno and if you see it in person you will be able to understand why Leonardo Da Vinci was so intrigued by it.
This is a setting not unlike that of the Balze of Valdarno in Italy.
In fact, Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated by the landscape of the Balze and he represents it in quite a few of his paintings. However the Mona Lisa is possibly the most famous of all.
Would you like to immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired Da Vinci? If so, why not rent a villa in the Valdarno area where you can take a trip to see the Balze?
The Balze are formed of sand, clay, and gravel deposited by a lake that was about 20km long and covered the area or Valdarno.
Over the years, the water had shaped the sediment to form what is now some truly unique rock formations.
There is a plateau above the cliffs from which visitors can see the views of villages, cities, vineyards and so much more. It is most definitely a photograph you will want to take. The Balze are only a few kilometers from the A1 motorway between Florence and Arezzo. It is one of the most beautiful and fascinating landscapes of Valdarno and if you see it in person you will be able to understand why Leonardo Da Vinci was so intrigued by it.
If you look closely in many of Da Vinci's paintings, including the Mona Lisa, you can see what experts believe to be the Buriano Bridge.
This was built in 1277 and it lies 6km from the city of Arezzo. It appears in so many of his paintings that it is clear it is something he considered noteworthy and that he really did love the landscape. The fantastic views across the Balze include those of this famous bridge, and it is definitely something spectacular to see!
There are almost 3000 hectares of the Balze that have been declared a Protected Natural Area of Local Interest.
If you are planning a holiday near Florence, Siena, or Arezzo, but you would like to also take some time to visit the Balze, we have some wonderful properties that are in the middle of all of these such as Podere Sant'Angelo and also Villa Federica.
If you are looking for something else, see our full list of Tuscany villas for rent.
This was built in 1277 and it lies 6km from the city of Arezzo. It appears in so many of his paintings that it is clear it is something he considered noteworthy and that he really did love the landscape. The fantastic views across the Balze include those of this famous bridge, and it is definitely something spectacular to see!
There are almost 3000 hectares of the Balze that have been declared a Protected Natural Area of Local Interest.
If you are planning a holiday near Florence, Siena, or Arezzo, but you would like to also take some time to visit the Balze, we have some wonderful properties that are in the middle of all of these such as Podere Sant'Angelo and also Villa Federica.
If you are looking for something else, see our full list of Tuscany villas for rent.
