Archive for 'Activities'

We've already discussed skiing in Abetone while in Tuscany but another good option are the Doganaccia ski slopes at Cutigliano. The resort is located in the Municipality of Cutigliano in Pistoia and it stretches along nearly 10 kilometres of downhill slopes. While there are fewer kilometres to ski by comparison to Abetone, there is a really good balance of slopes for beginners and kids and those for expert skiers. There are also options for those who can't, or don't want to, ski at all. Basically, the slopes of Dognaccia are great for involving everyone in the group or for ensuring that the whole family has fun. All you need to do is find a vacation rental in Pistoia and then you can spend a few days out on the slopes!

When people think of skiing in Italy, they tend to imagine the Alps but there are plenty of other ski resorts and options all around the country. One of the best of these and one of the most important ski resorts in the Appenines is at the Abetone pass, on the border between Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. The resort at Abetone is at an altitude of 1388m and is composed of four valleys, Luce Valley, Scoltenna Valley, Sestaione Valley and Lima Valley which are interconnected and offer skiers many kilometres of slopes connected with ski lifts. In total, there are 54km of slopes and 21 ski lifts. While it is a well-equipped and beautiful place to go skiing, it is also a charming resort which seems a little as though time has stopped.

We've already discussed the Christmas markets in Florence over the festive period but there is plenty of other stuff that you can do if you are going to be in the area during winter. One of the best of these things is a little unexpected; Florence Winter Park is a winter activities park just outside of the city. While you may normally associate that great city with museums and cultural gems and Italian winter sports with the Alps, Florence Winter Park offers the chance to skip the history, heritage and culture for the day in favour of some fun. It also means that a city break can also become a ski holiday – a two-for-one, so to speak! Don't miss out on this opportunity! Once you have found a luxury villa in Florence, be sure to drop by the Winter Park.

Once you've found your perfect villa with internet in Florence and are planning out what you're going to do while you're there, you'll quickly realise that there is a serious wealth of options – too much to do on a thousand trips there, let alone one! The amount of choices might even be a little overwhelming or intimidating. However, if you're going to be in Florence in the run up to Christmas, there's one thing that you will definitely want to pencil into your schedule and make time for – the Christmas markets, of course! Specifically, in order to have the most Christmassy experience possible, you'll want to head to the German Christmas Market, or Heidelberger Weihnachtsmarkt in Piazza Santa Croce.

Maybe you have visited Florence a few times before and are looking to see it from a different perspective. Maybe you have no taste for the conventional tourist trails but have never visited Florence before now. Perhaps you simply have a fondness for Sherlock, mysteries and history. If any of the above apply to you, then you might be interested in a very special tour of Florence run by Accord. A really fun and unique way to see and get around the city, their Historical Whodunit Tour of Florence involves being given a series of clues by the organisers and being left to your own devices and wits to solve the mystery and guide yourself around Florence.