Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

Experience the fantastic flavours of Tuscan ‘Slow Food’! These are traditional products that have been successfully passed down from generation to generation. They were vigorously promoted in a battle against the growing fast food movement in Italy in the late eighties.

There's a lovely selection of villa rentals in Pistoia, Carmignano and San Miniato to choose from, where the following products originate.

Visitors will have a wonderful time tasting all this delicious food; it could be an excellent addition to a gastronomic tour of the region!

Discover the story behind the conspiracy against the famous Medici family, a wealthy family of bankers who held some of the most powerful positions in Florence during the 13th and 14th centuries!

Visitors to Florence city have a superb collection of stylish apartments to choose from if they wish to stay and explore the ‘Cradle of the Arts’ for a few days of history and culture!

The Pazzi family were jealous rivals of the Medici family during their reign of power, and were also based in Florence, along with the Salviati who were the papal bankers in Florence and Pope Sixtus IV. Together they plotted to bring down the Medici family, seize their assets and take control of the province.

If you would like to go somewhere on you Italian holiday that’s full of thrills and excitement, Massaciuccoli Lake in the Versilia area of Tuscany would be ideal for you! Located only twenty kilometres from the cities of Lucca and Pisa, this charming part of Tuscany is easily reached.

There are plenty of fascinating tourist activities available here and for those wishing to stay a few days to enjoy it fully; there is a fine selection of glorious luxury villa rentals in Viareggio town and all over the Versilia region to choose from.


Start the day with a beautiful drive around Massaciuccoli Lake from the town of Viareggio to Torre del Lago, less than four kilometres away. You will drive through a stunning avenue along the way which is lined with ripening lime trees that invigorates the senses!

Massaciuccoli Lake is actually the well drained remains of a lagoon that was formed a long time ago by the Serchio River. Its deepest point is barely more than two metres but its mineral rich waters have supported a colourful array of flora and fauna through the years.

If you are staying in or even passing through the Casentino valley in Tuscany, a worthwhile visit would be one to the town of Chiusi della Verna. The sanctuary of La Verna, founded by St. Francis of Assisi, is located near the top of Mount Penna above the town of Chiusi della Verna. It is said to be one of the most peaceful places to be on earth.

There are many visitors to these parts because this is where St. Francis of Assisi lived for his final years in solitude with his fellow Franciscan monks. The nearby Basilica Maggiore contains terracotta sculpture by the famous Andrea della Robbia. Also to be viewed by the tourist is the Chapel of Relics which contains possessions of St. Francis when he was alive. There is a tablecloth, some crockery and a walking stick.

The most unusual artefact found is a ‘disciplina’, an iron handle whip used in a common Christian practice of ‘Mortification of the Flesh’, where monks would routinely whip their own flesh in penance for their sins. A relic of the saint’s blood staining a linen cloth can also be seen here. It’s carried around Chiusi della Verna during holy celebrations. After a visit to this sanctuary, a half hour of hiking would bring you to the summit of Mount Penna where the views are breath taking!

Do you have an interest in learning about the history of places you visit? If so, then perhaps an enjoyable stay in the attractive region of Tuscany would be a perfect holiday spot for you! There are many available vacation rentals along the tuscan coastline and further inland that would be a perfect base for you to explore this fascinating area! Tuscany is a region in Italy whose name was inspired by the ancient Etruscan people known as ‘Tusci’ who thrived here from approximately 800BC until 390BC.

They were a powerful and prosperous civilisation that made their fortunes by exporting metals, mainly copper and iron which they mined from the area. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that the Etruscans dominated large areas of early Italy before forces from Rome began fighting them back within their borders. They eventually absorbed them into their territory during the Roman Republic Movement.