Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

  

European Brown Bear
In 1972 Dr. Roberto Mattoni, a veterinary surgeon, created the first Zoo Park of European Fauna in the town of Poppi in Arezzo. A natural park occupying 50 hectares of land covered in pines, oaks and chestnut trees, it is the only park of its kind and specialises in European Fauna. At the centre of the park there is also a Church dedicated to St. Francesco with beautiful views of Casentino, a lake with waterfowl, the Castle of Poppi, a botanical garden, playground, restaurant and the sacred mount of Verna. The park is open all year and is the perfect place to bring children or to have family days with lots to do and see and long opening hours.     Read More

  

Pisa's Baptistery
To the west of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Duomo there is a Baptistery which is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Construction began in 1152 but was not completed until 1363. Largely Romanesque and Gothic in style it does, however, display Byzantine and Islamic influences as well. Small and perfectly formed and built to allow for exceptional acoustics, it is a symmetrical architectural gem, only a stone's throw from the more famous Leaning Tower. Why not find a villa with pool in the Pisa area and visit the tower and the baptistery, it's lesser-known but equally fascinating and incredibly beautiful cousin?     Read More

  

Palazzo Pfanner, facade
Palazzo Pfanner stands out in a Lucca, a largely medieval city, as a beautiful baroque palace and gardens. It was begun in 1660 for the Moriconi family, silk merchants and nobility from the town. However, they were then forced to sell the building in 1680 due to a sudden change in fortune and financial situation. The Controni family then moved in. Having recently acquired a noble title, they marked their own change of fortune by renovating and enlarging the building.

If you want to admire the extraordinary job that they did in transforming and perfecting the palace, why not find a luxury villa in Lucca and drop by?     Read More

  

Vasari Corridor
There are certain things in Florence, as in every great city in the world, that are on almost all visitors' itineraries. When in Florence, most will want to see the Uffizi, David, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Piazza della Signoria and, perhaps, the Duomo, but if you are an art, architecture or history lover visiting the city, there's a hidden gem that you need to know about. Stretching from the Palazzo Pitti to the Uffizi is a long passageway, measuring almost a kilometre. Named the Vasari Corridor after the man who designed it, it is a lesser-known and less accessible attraction in the city. If you want the chance to be one of the few who gets to see it for yourself, find a luxury villa in Florence and drop by!     Read More

  

Water of the ocean at Elba
The island of Elba, the biggest of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sardinia and Sicily, is most well-known as the site of Napoleon's exile and if you ever get the chance to visit, you might be wishing for the same punishment! Hardly a depressing or prison-like place, it is, rather, more like a paradise. Surrounded by crystal clear, rich blue waters with cloudless skies overhead, dotted by perfect beaches, little towns, castles and blessed by nature, it is a stunning place and the ideal place to escape to on your next holiday. Find a villa with pool on the Tuscan Coast and you can then start exploring this dream-like island for yourself.     Read More