Archive for 'Florence'

You may be planning a trip to Tuscany and looking at the kinds of activities that you can enjoy while there. There are plenty and a rather wide variety to choose from but you probably haven't considered mummy spotting as one of them. Yet, there are a few that can be found in rather unlikely spots. Here are two that you might find interesting if you're intrigued by history and the more macabre things in life.

Catherine of Siena was a Dominican tertiary, philosopher and theologian. Born in the 14th century, she began having visions of Christ at the age of five or six. At seven, she had decided to devote her life to God. She resisted marriage as a young woman until she was eventually allowed to join the Dominican Order.

She was known for helping the sick and poor and launching reform campaigns among the faithful. Catherine even went so far as to become involved in political matters like swaying the loyalties of cities back towards the papal armies.

Her writings spread her word further and gained more followers but she also became known for extreme devotion, eventually dying due to her refusal to eat. In 1461, she was canonised by Pius II and is now one of the two patron saints of Italy.

Siena, her birthplace, still remains the best place to see evidences of her life and works. The most intriguing of these is her head, which was separated from her body after her death in Rome when followers wished to return her to Siena. Unable to sneak her full body past guards in Rome, they settled for just her head which they smuggled out of the city. It is set in an ornate reliquary in the Basilica San Domenico (also known as Basilica Cateriniana, after the Saint) in Siena.

The Palatine Gallery is located in the incredible and stunning Palazzo Pitti in Florence and is a private royal collection that was opened to the public by the House of Lorraine in 1828.

Today it still retains that typical layout of a private collection and is set within the elaborate and sumptuous setting of the palace, with the works remaining in their original rich picture frames.

It also has not be reorganised, as most such galleries and collections are, into any sort of thematic or chronological order. It, instead, merely reflects the tastes and whims of the people who originally formed the collection over time.

As a result, a visit to this gallery is a very different experience than most other museums around the world will offer. It is also quite refreshing. Instead of feeling as though you need to be on your toes and keeping history and progress firmly unwind, you can merely relax and enjoy the collection as it unfolds. The collection invites us to enjoy, rather than merely categorise and label things. Just find a vacation rental in Florence and you can experience this unique gallery for yourself on your next trip to the city.

Montecatini Terme is a stunning spa town that is situated in the Valdinievole area, near Pistoia and Florence and is most famous for its thermal waters. In fact, it is probably the biggest “spa town” in Italy.

In addition to the spas and thermal waters, however, the town itself is a simply beautiful and relaxing place full of lush and leafy green parks, extraordinary Art Nouveau buildings and charming shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. It is the perfect place to well and truly get away from it all, unwind and relax. Just find a luxury villa in Montecatini Terme and find your own zen on your next vacation!

Of course, the thermal waters and spas are the main things to draw people to the town – and with good reason! One can ingest the waters or do spa treatments such as massages, saunas, facials and more. There are nine thermal centres located in the extensive thermal park.

Tuscany, like any other country where Christmas is widely celebrated, has many different traditions to do with the holiday and is an important event that brings families together. Of course, if it's an Italian celebration of a holiday, food is going to be an important part of said celebrations.

For example, Arista alla Fiorentina is a pork-based dish originating from Florence that is a delicious alternative to turkey and a sure crowd-pleaser. “Arista” comes from the Greek word “aristos”, meaning "best" and, according to legend, it can be traced back to the 15th century, when Greek clergymen visiting Florence in 1430 for an Ecumenical Council were served the Tuscan-style roast pork and found it to be "aristos". It has been called this ever since then. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and try this delicious dish for yourself.

Our last article outlined the Italian tradition of Presepi, or Nativity Scenes, and their origins and cultural significance. This second installment aims to help you find some real examples if you have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are planning on spending time in the region over the festive period.

We have put together a long, but in no way exhaustive, list of some of the better Presepi that you can find in Tuscany.

However, as we mentioned in the last article, almost every church and town will have one, though they may vary in scale, style and elaboration. Among these, you may even find some hidden gems that we haven't listed so take this as a rough guide rather than the bible.