Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

Lari is a small hilltop village located around 30 km from Pisa, that is thought to have been founded by the Etruscans. Its most distinctive feature is the castle that sits at the centre of the village and looks out over the whole area. Most of the present day castle dates back to the first half of the 17th century but records show that a castle has stood in the area since before 1200. It was an incredibly important military stronghold of the Pisan Republic and was caught up in the disputes between Pisa and Florence. When the Florentines took over in 1406, it became the residence of the vicars and was installed with a court room, prison and torture chamber. The prison was enlarged in the 18th century and remained in use until 1934. It was only in 1991, that the Municipality of Lari began restoring the castle and it was then opened to the public as a historic tourist attraction.

As one might imagine, a history filled with punishment, crime, death and torture has lead to a history of ghost stories and the town, at large, is also steeped in some spooky tales. Lari Castle is said to be haunted by the spirit of Giovanni Princi, a man who found hanging in his prison cell in 1922 after being jailed for his political views.

The Brancacci Chapel is one of the chapels within the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. In fact, it is the shining jewel of the building as much was lost in an 18th century fire, leaving the church otherwise very plain.

Miraculously, this great artwork survived and is even often referred to as the “Sistine Chapel of the Early Renaissance” due the wonderful frescoes that adorn its walls. Just find a luxury villa near Florence and you can discover these extraordinary paintings for yourself!

In 1424, frescoes were commissioned by Felice Brancacci, a wealthy Florentine merchant and statesman, to decorate the chapel and to illustrate the life of St. Peter. They were designed by Masolino da Panicale and he was aided in their production by his pupil, Masaccio. Masaccio then took over in 1428 but, sadly, passed away that very year at just 27 years of age.

Natural disasters, emigration, accidents and other unexpected events have led to the creation of quite a few ghost towns around Italy. However, the Italian iteration of the ghost town is often far more beautiful than their counterparts worldwide. Ghost towns are always intriguing and fascinating sights that people positively itch to explore but these Italian towns also capture hearts with their incredibly picturesque settings and poetically decaying buildings.

A good Tuscan example for those exploring the region and looking for an attraction that is a little different or for those intrigued by such things is the town of Isola Santa. Located near the Versilian Coast, just find a vacation rental in Versilia and drag yourself from the beach long enough to spend a day exploring this fascinating ghost town.

Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most famous and well-known Italian saints. His story is perfectly formed to capture hearts and imaginations: the son of a rich mercantile family, he lived the life of a playboy and was a soldier but, after a being held in captivity as a prisoner of war for a year, he had a big change of heart and renounced his way of life entirely. He dedicated himself to a life of piety and charity and founded the Franciscan order, which is based on poverty and alms.

Donatello, or Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, is one of the most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance and one of the most well-known names in art history. An Early Renaissance sculptor and one of the representative artists of Florence, he was born in the city around 1386 and worked prolifically there his entire life, bar a period in which he worked in Padua for the heirs of the recently deceased and famous condottiero Erasmo da Narni. Due to his long life and career and strong connection to his home town, a large body of his works still exists in the city to this day.

Exploring Florence allows one to accurately and closely explore the breadth and width of this great artist's life and career. While his name stands above many other artists in fame, his specific artworks are less well-known and most people would be hard pressed to name one, unlike the ouevre of some of the other big names of the Renaissance, such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and get familiar with the potentially unfamiliar works of this familiar name.