Archive for 'Localities'

You have found an ideal vacation rental in Florence, you have packed your perfect holiday outfits, you've booked tickets to the Uffizi, you know where you're going shopping...it's all organised. The only thing left to do is start planning your menus because there is no bigger priority when you're visiting Tuscany than trying the famous and celebrated local cuisine. We have written about all sorts of Tuscan dishes before – from Lampredotto, a Florentine street food favourite, to Florentine-style peas, a typical side dish – but there is one key dish that meat-lovers, in particular, can't miss out on: Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

The crete senesi, or the Clay hills of Siena, are a truly stunning part of Tuscany's countryside. For those looking to take in the most typical and postcard-worthy scenery, it is a must-see. You can browse our villas in Montepulciano and luxury villas in Pienza and come discover the natural beauty of this area for yourself.

However, there is also a wealth of natural beauty that is not entirely natural. By this, we mean that man has had a hand in its creation; in the creation of some exceptional gardens.

Villa La Foce is a historic villa and farm, overlooking the Val d'Orcia that boasts a wonderful garden. While the villa was built in the 15th century, the gardens date to the early 20th century and can be attributed to Antonio Origo and his Anglo-American wife Iris, who bought the property in 1924.

If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning on running around and seeing as much of her many sights as possible, it might also be a good idea to take some time to stop, breathe and relax. There is so much to see and do and we recommend making the most of your time in the city but don't forget that you're on holidays! Enjoy it and unwind. One of the best ways to do this is to hit up a spa, kick up your feet and indulge in some pampering – you deserve it!

Roberto Casamonti opened his first gallery forty years ago on the chic via Tornabuoni and there are now locations in seven in cities all around the globe. Having made his fortune in the art world, the 78 year-old has decided to give back to the world with art and purchased the piano nobile of the Renaissance Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni in order to display and open his truly extraordinary private art collection to the public. Opened on the 25th of March this year, this gallery is located just off piazza Santa Trinità and free to visit (with an appointment) until the 31st of May, with a fee thereafter.

One of the many museums of Florence is the charming and singular Stibbert Museum. Less well-known to international tourists but with an astounding collection, it has an extensive collection of objects and art works from all around the world. Based on the collections of the wealthy Federico Stibbert who was the grandson of Giles Stibbert (Commander-in-Chief of the British East India Company and Governor of Bengal), inherited a great fortune, and then dedicated his life to accumulating an extraordinary collection of art, arms, costumes and objets d'art. He filled his home with these objects and after he died in 1906, he left the villa and everything inside to the city of Florence, and it was opened as a museum.