Archive for 'Siena'

Siena's Cathedral was built between 1215 and 1263 and was designed by Nicola Pisano and his son, Giovanni continued the design when more building was undertaken from 1285. The upper half of the facade was not added until 14th century, a time of great wealth and prosperity for Siena. At the time, plans were considered to transform the church into a giant masterpiece that could even rival the mammoth St. Peter's in Rome, with the existing building forming transept of this huge imagined cathedral. However, this ambitious project sadly never came to pass as work was halted by the arrival of the Black Death in the city in 1348, which decimated the population of the town. Walls of the new cathedral still remain but are only a shell of the intended finished product.

Despite this, the rich and beautiful Tuscan church is still a gem and an important tourist attraction for those who have found a villa with pool in Siena and are planning a visit to the city.

Siena is one of the less hyped but most beautiful of all Tuscan cities. While it may not compete with Florence in terms of scale or choice, it is an equally lovely town, blessed still by the looming presence of the Renaissance. By day, there is much to see and do – many galleries, museums, architectural gems and more to visit, restaurants to try out, customs to learn about and much more besides – but, by night, the city takes on a different and rather special charm. The best way to experience this is by checking out “Divina Bellezza – Dreaming Siena”. Taking place in the unfinished Duomo Nuovo, part of Siena’s Duomo complex, Divina Bellezza is an immersive video mapping project that sees huge 3D images projected on the Facciatone and on the other two facades of the Duomo Nuovo and is accompanied by tales of the city in times gone by and more. It is an evocative, special spectacle that is unique to the city and is a must-see for those who have found a villa with pool in Siena and are planning to spend time there.

Tuscany is well-known for her delicious food throughout Italy and beyond. Most of us are familiar with Tuscan dishes, whether we realise them to be from that region or not, and it is a hearty, rich cuisine full of simple ingredients that anyone can enjoy. Less familiar, however, might be the many delicious desserts of the region which must be tried once you have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are spending any time in the area.

To help you out, we've compiled a list of some of these amazing desserts.

If you're considering a holiday in Tuscany, you have probably already started imagining all the delicious treats, food and drink that you are going to consume once you get there. Tuscany is a region of Italy, in particular, that is known for its cuisine and while the savoury dishes of Tuscany may be more familiar to most, it is a cuisine that also happens to be just rife with delicious typical desserts and sweets, many of which date back to the Middle Ages. If you've got a sweet tooth, it's the ideal part of Italy to visit. Just pick out the perfect luxury villa in Tuscany for you and yours and your particular needs and then grab a pen and paper because there are some sweets that you're going to need to track down when you arrive.

If you're planning on staying in a villa with pool in Siena and are looking to explore the area more thoroughly while you're there, there's one particularly memorable way to do so! Why not take a horse-riding tour of Siena? The tour will take you from the centre of the city of Siena and then all through the stunning surrounding Tuscan countryside, allowing you to really take it all in at a calm, leisurely pace.

Surely, it will allow you and your party to make some seriously wonderful memories of Tuscany that you will come to cherish for the rest of your lives! You can have fun, get some fresh air, take some great photos and learn more about this beautiful part of the world.