Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

There is no shortage of wineries in the Chianti region of Tuscany. Famous for her wines, with one of the most globally-renowned types of wines on the market bearing her name, Chianti is all about wine, wine culture, and wineries. The landscape of Chianti is just dotted by farmhouses, wineries, vineyards, olive groves, lovely stone towns, and castles and, as such, there is endless choice of places to go to learn about wine in Chianti, to taste wine in Chianti, to buy wine in Chianti, and much more besides. However, one particularly perfect place to do all of the things mentioned above and to do so in the most typically beautiful and typically Chianti of settings is the Castello di Verrazzano winery. Set inside a stunning Chianti castle that is nestled amongst the beautiful landscape of rolling hills blanketed by vineyards and olive groves of the region, the Castello di Verrazzano is both well-respected and utterly gorgeous. It is the ideal place to sip on some delicious Tuscan wines if you have found a luxury villa in Chianti.

The castle is named after the Verrazzano family, originally hailing from Lombardy and famous due to their most notable family member Giovanni da Verrazzano (who was the explorer that discovered the bay of New York and was born in Castello di Verrazzano in 1485), and the name likely derives from the Latin words "verres" (meaning wild boar) and "zona," (meaning place) and translates to the “land of the wild boar.” However, the history of the castle is much older and was originally an Etruscan and then a Roman settlement. The Verrazzano family came into possession of the castle in the 7th century and remained there until the family line ended in 1819. Since then, the castle has passed through several different hands but has been managed by the Florentine Cappellini family since 1958.

One of the most famously beautiful parts of Tuscany is the UNESCO-awarded Val D’Orcia. This part of the region that extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata and is home to the towns of Pienza, Radicofani, and Montalcino. It is the place from which our perfect postcard pictures of Tuscany, the very first images of the region that come to mind when you think of Tuscany, come from. These are the undulating green hills broken only by roads winding throughout and the odd tree, old farmhouse, or beautiful hilltop medieval town or village that have made the countryside of Tuscany so iconic and famously stunning worldwide. If you have found a vacation rental in the Val D’Orcia, however, and are exploring the region, there is one particular spot to head to in order to take in perhaps the most famous and most beautiful panorama in all over Italy: the Podere Belvedere.

For those who like to travel when tourist crowds are at their smallest, winter is a great time to visit Tuscany: it is when you can readily visit the most famous and popular tourist attractions without having to queue for long periods of time, when prices for things and various travel costs are often at their lowest, when things are most authentic and locals have the most energy for visitors as they aren’t coming in their swathes, and it is when the whole region seems like a different place entirely without the tourist crowds that arrive in summer.

However, you might also wish to experience many of the traditions and festivals that only take place during the high season in Tuscany. If this is the case, then fear not as the town of Buti, near Pisa, has the answer for you and makes for an ideal winter destination in Tuscany. If you are looking for the best time of year to visit Pisa, then come in time for the Palio di Buti. Find a vacation rental in Pisa and head to this town and this festival to get a slice of the palio tradition while enjoying the most peaceful time of the year in the region.

If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are looking to delve into, and explore, some of the beautiful Tuscan countryside around the city and if you are interested in abandoned places and history, then you should probably head to Semifonte. Located in the province of Florence, within the modern day comune of Barberino Val d'Elsa, Semifonte was once a grand fortified city that was built during the 12th century. If was destroyed in 1202 in a siege during conflict with Florence and little remains today as the peace treaty brokered with Florence required surviving inhabitants to demolish their own city and prevented rebuilding on the site. In fact, the stones used to build Barberino Val d'Elsa were taken from the destroyed city and repurposed, leaving very little of the city behind today.

Have you ever wanted to visit the real secret garden? Were you a child obsessed with the Secret Garden in the nineties or the other movies and original novel that came before? Or a parent forced to watch any version of the film or read the book endless times? If the answer to any of the above is, “yes”, and you have found a luxury villa in Florence, then we would suggest setting aside some time for a trip out of the closely gathered attractions of the city centre to the lovely Villa Capponi, which is home to a beautiful secret garden.

Located in Arcetri, a little hilly area to the south of the centre Florence, the Villa Capponi was originally built in the 14th century but is named for the Capponi family who purchased the property in 1572. A wealthy merchant, Gino di Ludovico Capponi bought the Renaissance villa from its previous owner, Niccolo Del Nero, who had gone bankrupt and extended and enhanced the property, making it a noble residence.