Archive for 'Museums & Galleries'

Tuscany is home to some magically beautiful towns; places that seem almost untouched by the passing of time, historic cores that have been perfectly preserved, cobblestone streets and winding alleys, towering fortresses and glittering churches full of masterpieces, old walls encircling it all, and sweeping views across the famous rolling green hills of the region. Among the many towns that match this storybook description, one of the most stunning has to be Siena. In fact, Siena has much to offer visitors, with lots to see and do, but it also boasts remarkable looks. So, if you are browsing our listings on Tuscany Villas, it is worth considering a villa in Siena and time spent exploring the picture-perfect historic centre of this lovely place. 

Michelangelo’s David has come up in a few of our recent articles and we thought it about time to write an updated post about the museum in which you can find this iconic sculpture. The museum in question is, of course, the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze and is often referred to merely as the Accademia. Smaller and a little more specialised than the Uffizi, it is also the second-most-visited art museum in Italy after the Uffizi. However, this does not mean that it should be skipped! In fact, any art-lovers who find a villa with pool in Florence and who are spending time exploring the birthplace of the Renaissance should definitely head to this gem. In addition to that most famous work by Michelangelo, there are paintings, sculptures, frescoes, and more from some of the greatest artistic talents who were working largely in the period of around 1300 to 1600.

So, if you have browsed our Tuscany villas and landed on your dream villa in Florence, what can you expect from a visit to the Accademia? Well, expect to set aside a decent amount of time. Despite the fact that the collection is not quite so large as the Uffizi, there is still a decent amount of extraordinary things to take in. In fact, for many this is a much more readily digestible museum that really rewards those with time to wander about for a couple of hours. For most guests, however, there will certainly be particular highlights and/or sections that are likely to be of more interest to you and that might be what you are looking forward to most during your visit.

While anyone who is browsing our Tuscany Villas and decides to book a holiday rental in Florence will likely have a list of attractions, landmarks, architectural wonders, and museums that they want to visit devised shortly upon beginning planning their itinerary, we also want to highlight the importance of merely wandering around the city. The birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is not only home to some extraordinary institutions that house works of art but it is also basically one giant open-air museum as well. So, instead of darting from one attraction to the next, really taking your time as you explore will be incredibly rewarding and is an experience and activity in its own right. 

Wine-lovers will already have plenty of great reasons to find a villa in Montalcino and come spend some time enjoying the good life in this part of Tuscany as it is the land of Brunello and home to some of the most incredible wineries, bars, wine shops, and other wine-related establishments and businesses and events in all of Italy. However, if delicious wines are not quite enough of a draw for you on their own, then how about truly remarkable wines in the most gorgeous of settings? Montalcino truly is one of the most picturesque parts of Tuscany and it is well worth coming to deeply explore the area in and around the town – all while indulging in some incredible vintages!

Florence is famous as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance but had long been an immensely important hub of cultural heritage and artistic production before this period and continues to be one to this day. As a result, there is no shortage of galleries, museums, architectural gems, outdoor sculptural displays, incredible examples of city planning, street art, historic gardens, and much more besides to discover. However, those who find one of our Tuscany Villas or a villa with pool in Florence and begin exploring the city will also notice the endless churches throughout the city. As the Church was the most important and powerful patron in the city for much of its long and rich history, art-filled places of worship and temples to the majestic artistic prowess of the city can be found wherever you turn. While many, many examples are well worth seeing and it would be hard to take them all in, one of the most remarkable that is a must has to be the Church of Santa Trinita.