Archive for 'Florence'

Perhaps no other city contains so many visual treasures than Florence. Painting, sculpture, architecture, gardens – a gilded gallery of a city so stunning it can cause visitors to collapse in their hotel rooms, not from exhaustion, but from inspiration overload.

In the midst of this mind-bending beauty, it is easy to forget that Florence is also the birthplace of modern literature. Dante Alighieri, in the 14th century, created the Italian language while writing what is probably the most iconic post-Homer poem in human history – The Divine Comedy.

If Helen of Troy was the “lady who launched a thousand ships,” Florence is the city that captivated legions of writers – John Milton, Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster, Mary Shelley, D.H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Oscar Wilde, and countless others.

And why not?

One of the most popular type of villas we rent in Tuscany are  luxury villas. Typically these vacation rentals are large restored farmhouses in Tuscany countryside although there are also luxury accommodations located in many of the popular city destinations like Siena, Florence, Lucca, San Gimignano and Cortona.

If you plan on staying in a large luxury villa with pool in Tuscany next season we recommend you book it as soon as possible.

The supply of these villas is limited and the demand is always high. October and November are the best time to reserve a luxurious villa because the availability for the next season is just coming online and your choices won't be limited. If you wait until next spring to book, your choice of villas will be much more limited.

We are often asked about the rating system we use to rank our villas and how we determine the star rating. Our ratings are from one star to five stars with five stars being the best. We take into account the quality of the villa and furnishings, the location and views, the amenities like private pool, en-suite bathrooms, maid service, etc. All these factors and many other criteria are evaluated before a villa specialist assigns a rating to the villa.  Only villas that are rated 5-stars are considered to be luxury vacation rentals.

To learn more about individual properties visit our luxury villas in Tuscany page to view a complete list of our 5-star accommodations. If you're interested in renting a luxury villa in a specific area, please visit these pages: Florence luxury accommodations, Siena luxury villas and farmhouses, Lucca luxury vacation villas, Chianti luxury holiday rentals and Cortona luxury villas.

The beautiful city of Florence is the birth place of renaissance, and is often referred to as the Athens of the Middle Ages. This capital of the Tuscany region of Italy attracts millions of tourists each year, and was ranked as the world’s 72^nd most visited place in the year 2009. The city is also known as the fashion capital of Italy. Apart from the beautiful locales, grand history and friendly people, the city of Florence is also famous for the Firenze Gelato festival each year.

The Firenze Gelato festival will be held from May 23^rd to May 27^th, 2012 as part of the Florence International Handicrafts Trade Fair. The visitors can experience the process of ice cream making, and taste amazing craft gelato, made with authentic Italian ingredients.

You can also try fantastic cocktails with gelato. Bartenders can provide alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the drinks to provide a refreshing and delightful break to people of all ages. Ice cream lovers can taste and buy hundreds of varieties of 100 percent Italian products.

While there is no concrete evidence to prove it, most historians believe that the ice cream originated in Florence during the Renaissance period. Ruggeri, an amateur cook and poultry seller, won the food competition organized by the Lords of Florence in the early sixteenth century. The fame and taste of the recipe spread across the Tuscany area, and the modern ice cream desserts were born. Painter and sculptor Bernardo Buontalenti surprised his guests at the inaugural banquet of the Fortress of Belvedere with his own ice cream recipe in1559.

Are you taking a  holiday in Tuscany but are worried that you won't be able to see any of the historical sights of the city because you find it difficult to walk?
Or maybe you are just looking for a more modern and unique way to view the cities of art?

If so then maybe the Segway tours are exactly what you are looking for. Unique, modern, and absolutely no need to walk anywhere, these provide excellent transportation in which you can see everything that you wanted to and more.

These tours are on offer in Pisa and Florence and the maximum that the tours last is 3 hours so you don't spend all day seeing the cities and instead you can spend time shopping, having dinner, or relaxing beside a swimming pool if you have rented a holiday villa.

If you have not yet rented a holiday property but would like to do so then we will be more than happy to assist you and we are waiting to hear from you. Click here to view our full catalogue of holiday self-catering rentals in the Tuscaan region.

We hope to see you in Tuscany soon!

Would you like to learn of all the good things and the good places to eat from the very start of your holiday?

If so then why not learn about the best places to eat around Florence from 10am - 2pm Monday to Saturday by taking part in the Taste Florence tour?

This tour will take you all around Florence, introducing you to some of the local, regional and national Italian specialities, including wine and sweets.

They visit more then 6 locations for a wide variety of tastings and it is recommended that you take the tour on your first or second day in Florence so that you know what to eat and where you can find it.

Taste Florence has been ongoing for years and it is the original tasting walk. It's hosted Chefs, Journalists and food bloggers, Gourmands, Foodies and also Vegans, Coeliacs and more. They can accomodate anyone and the aim is to bring a better cultural feel to your holiday so that you can taste the essence of Italy rather then just coming to see the sights. In fact, it’s so highly rated that Tripadvisor have given it a certificate of excellence! So don’t hesitate, act now and take the tour!

If you are booking a vacation rental near or in Florence then don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to treat your palate.

We look forward to seeing you here!