Archive for 'Localities'

Walks on warm late spring or summer days, when the air is heavy with the scent of blooms and your surroundings are abuzz with the movement of bugs and bees busy going about their day, are often when one might be lucky enough to spy a butterfly floating past. These beautiful creatures are a wonder to behold and if you’re particularly interested in them and how they add to the ambiance and loveliness of a place then you should probably head to an area known to be rich in them or to an actual butterfly sanctuary. These are the best places to be sure to spot colourful and impossibly delicate little wings gliding and bobbing past. So, if you’re out to go for a stroll with some butterflies likely included in the process and you are looking for a villa on the Tuscan Coast this summer, then we highly recommend a visit to the Santuario delle Farfalle "Ornella Casnati", or Ornella Casnati Butterfly Sanctuary on Elba Island. There are plenty of reasons to plan a day trip to Elba while enjoying a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast or a Tuscany villa as it is but an idyllic wander through this especially charming and scenic part of the island is another great attraction.

Florence is a city of remarkable art and galleries, with wondrous examples to be found at every turn, but those who find a luxury villa in Florence will quickly discover that it is also a city of rather spectacular gardens. We have mentioned many of them previously – from the breathtaking sculptural marvels of the Boboli Gardens to the heavenly aromas and wide spectrum of shades of the Rose Garden – but if you are planning to find a Tuscany villa or a villa in Florence itself in May and you have an interest in gardens and blooms then one of the gardens that should top your list of things to see and do in the region has to be the Giardino Dell’Iris, or Iris Garden.

Poised in a panoramic position, east of the Piazzale Michelangelo, boasting truly incredible views over the lovely and iconic skyline of Florence, this unique gem of a garden is only actually open to the general public during the month of May (though visits can be arranged outside this month by appointment or on a guided tour), during the international iris show and competition organized by the Società italiana dell'iris, or Iris Society of Italy. 

You may have noticed a type of wine increasingly in stores and restaurants in the last few years, in particular, that seems new and strange to you: orange wine. These wines are actually part of a very old tradition of wine-making that has been revitalised in recent years and basically involves the macerating of white wines with their skins and the treating of white grapes as one would red ones. While white wine is usually made by pressing the grapes, separating the juice from the skins, and then fermenting this juice, orange wine (or, sometimes, called amber, ramato, macerated, or skin-contact wines) is made by allowing both the skins and juice to ferment together.

Ranging from a golden hue to a richer, redder colour, orange wines have the complex flavour profile and tannins of a red wine but are similarly refreshing to white wine. It is a type of flavour that some find strange at first but it is worth familiarising oneself with as it is a perfect summer drink to enjoy while visiting a vineyard or to pair with a wide variety of meals and foods while dining in the region. And, while the region is not the first that comes to mind in Italy when thinking of orange wine, those who have found a villa with pool in Tuscany or a Tuscany villa will find that many wineries throughout Tuscany are producing wonderful orange wines. 

Lucca is exactly the type of city that one can spend their entire time just wandering around and allowing oneself to stumble upon her various surprises and secrets. From crowds of locals standing around enjoying morning espresso and pastries at little family-run bakeries, to tiny pizza shops serving up piping hot and delicious pizza by the slice, to souvenir shops and perfectly curated clothing boutiques, to artisan’s workshops where beautiful things are handcrafted, to charming old churches, to museums full of fascinating objects, to architectural gems, to picturesque alleys with cats perched on walls...all this and much more besides can be found as you wander Lucca’s lovely historic streets. And then, if you’ve found your villa with pool in Lucca or your Tuscany villa, and you’re spending some time exploring all that she has to offer, you may find yourself on Via Chiasso Barletti, right in the heart of the Old Town. There, on this cobbled, narrow, shop-lined street, you’ll find Etta’s Bookshop.

Etta’s Bookshop is a real treasure and a must-see spot for bookworms who are on vacation in Lucca. An English-language bookshop that was opened in 2019, just shortly before everything was closed down, it has managed to survive the pandemic and we’re so glad. Stocking a wonderful curation of books, owner Giulia Rontani was able to keep going in those first few months due to her loyal customers who ordered books that she would drive around delivering to their homes (according to her interview here). Now, with her doors open once more, she is able to welcome in both those loyal customers and new visitors alike to wander around and browse the brilliant array of books on offer.