Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

Florence is well-known throughout the world as a centre for art and architecture, as well as being the birth-place of the Renaissance. During this period of “rebirth”, there was expanded and recovered knowledge of advances in art and architecture. The styles and genius of ancient Rome and Greece were appropriated and used in new ways with varying degrees of accuracy and loyalty. One of the staunchest supporters of the ancients was Alberti, an architect famous for his buildings and his treatise, “On Architecture”.

A wonderful example of his work is the Palazzo Rucellai Florence's historic centre. Find a villa with pool near Florence and you could visit it yourself this summer!

Holidays can be expensive things, especially in European main cities such as Florence.

You want to invest the bulk of your money into finding the perfect luxury villa near Florence, into food and souvenirs. You want to enjoy yourself without worrying overly about a budget.

One of the best ways to do this is find things to do that won't cost you an arm and a leg; or better yet, that are free.

This is a list of things you can do in Florence for free.

Montalcino is a hill town in the south of Tuscany known for its famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino. One of its most distinctive features is the fortified castle that sits at the highest point of the town and overlooks everything below. Built on a pentagonal plan in 1361 and designed by the Sienese architects Mino Foresi and Domenico di Feo, the castle incorporates some of the pre-existing southern town walls (which date back as far as the 13th century), and other pre-existing structures including the keep of Santo Martini, the San Giovanni tower and an ancient basilica which now serves as its chapel. Find a villa with a pool in Siena nearby and spend a day experiencing this unique little town, its traditions and the wonderful Montalcino castle.

Brolio Castle in the Chianti area of Tuscany is one of the most picturesque castles of the region as well as home to the vineyards from which the Ricasoli family has been distilling their famous wine since the middle ages. Its history, beauty and amenities are unparalleled. Why not find a villa with a pool in Chianti and spend a day exploring it for yourself?

The building has Lombard origins but nothing of the original structure exists today. Due to its strategic location, it was used as a military outpost by Florence, to whom they were affiliated despite the proximity of Siena.

Perched atop a rocky hill with breath-taking views across valleys and out to the coast, Malaspina Castle's picturesque appearance does not belie its troubled past. However, it is this combination of historical interest, morbid fascination and beauty that makes it such a curious place to visit. Find a luxury villa in Tuscany and you could spend a day exploring the castle for yourself.

The first records of this castle in Massa, Tuscany date back to 1084 and, in 1269, the original structure was levelled during a political dispute with the army from Lucca. It was later rebuilt with multiple periods of alteration, additions and redecoration during the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries.