Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

  

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Piccolomini Gardens
Pienza is a small village in the Val d'Orcia in southern Tuscany. Set high atop a hill, overlooking the Orcia Valley, it has extraordinary views, and is often known as the "ideal Renaissance city”.

The creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, the town was his birthplace, originally called Corsignano. He transformed it into his idea of a Utopian city, what would eventually come to be known as Pienza. If you want to wander the streets of an ideal town for yourself find a luxury villa in Pienza!

The Papal Palace, or Palazzo Piccolomini, is located to the right of the Duomo has a large loggia with hanging garden from which there are breathtaking views across the Val d'Orcia Valley. This is the highlight of the town, the garden in particular.     Read More
Posted in: Architectural Gems, Localities, Must See Attractions, Parks & Gardens, Siena, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, December 16, 2016
Abbey of Passignano
Chianti really is an incredibly picturesque part of the world and is known for this. It is a land of rolling hills, lush countryside, endless vineyards, charming and historic medieval hilltop towns and castles. Around every bend in the road, you are likely to discover a new and stunning vista, a characteristic town with plenty of charms and things going for it or a beautiful and historic architectural and cultural gem to explore.

One such example of this is the photogenic Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo a Passignano, located near Florence. Just find a luxury villa in Chianti and explore this stunning Tuscan abbey for yourself.

Known as Badia a Passignana, the abbey is located on the road from Greve in Chianti to Sambuca in Chianti and belongs to the Benedictine Order of the Abbey of Vallombrosa. This picturesque monastic complex is readily identifiable by its romantic fortified towers on the corners and was founded in 1049 by San Giovanni Gualberto. Among the buildings that make up the complex, some of them are particularly lovely, such as the 12th century church of San Michele Arcangelo. This church has paintings by Domenico Crespi and is formed of a single nave on a Latin cross plan. It was rebuilt in the 16th, 18th and early 19th centuries and was the one part of the complex that remained under the care of the monks after the rest was sold off to the government in the 19th century. Another highlight of the abbey is the amazing major fresco of the “Last Supper” by the Ghirlandaio brothers.

Interestingly, the romantic defensive features that make the abbey so distinctive were actually added more recently, in the 19th century, by a private individual who purchased the estate from the government and are not actually original features. However, in October 1986, the Abbey of Passignano was restored to the Benedictine monks of Vallombrosa and is now occupied once more by a small community of Vallombrosan monks. It is these monks who will show you around and give you a tour of the estate today. The abbey can sometimes be visited on Sundays at 3 pm, with tours departing from the church. To avoid disappointment, ensure that the abbey is open on the Sunday you plan to visit it and make an appointment by calling +39 055 80 71 278.

To avoid the tourist crowds and explore a stunning and lesser-known cultural gem in Tuscany, pencil in a trip to the Abbey of Passignano.     Read More
Posted in: Architectural Gems, Chianti, Churches & Religious Buildings, Localities, Must See Attractions, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, December 16, 2016
Raphael, Madonna della Seggiola
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.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Must See Attractions, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, December 16, 2016
One of the most popular works by Piero della Francesca
Ivan Bruschi was an internationally famous antique collector from Arezzo whose last wish was to establish a foundation to spread the love of art, antiques and culture. His wish was granted and the Bruschi Foundation has since become a hugely important patron of culture in Arezzo.

One of the greatest feats of the foundation was the establishment of the House-Museum of Ivan Bruschi which houses Bruschi's personal collection, set within the 13th-century Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo located in the heart of Arezzo.     Read More
Posted in: Localities, Museums & Galleries, Must See Attractions, Small Towns, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, December 9, 2016
An example of a Presepe
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.     Read More
Posted in: Curiosities, December, Events, Florence, January, Localities, Mugello, Must See Attractions