Archive for 'Pretty Views'

Those who have found a luxury villa in Florence will have no shortage of museums, famous works of art, architectural gems, incredible palaces, stunning churches, historic attractions, and more to visit and, while these are all truly fascinating must-sees, we also recommend delving into the beautiful outdoor spaces that also exist in Florence. We have often mentioned the famous gardens of Florence, many of which are holdovers from the time in which nobles with incredible townhouses featuring extravagant grounds filled with flowers, statues, grottoes, fountains, and more ruled over the city and great swathes of Tuscany but there are also some parks that were specifically created as urban spaces for residents and visitors to relax and enjoy the outdoors. One particularly lovely example of this latter type of garden in Florence is the Giardino delle Rose, or Rose Garden.

Located in the Oltrarno district of Florence, just below the Piazzale Michelangelo, the position of the Giardino delle Rose means that it boasts a rather impressive and lovely panorama over the city. Created in 1865 by the Florentine architect Giuseppe Poggi (who had also designed the Piazzale above), in the year that the capital of Italy had been moved from Turin to Florence, as part of a commission by the municipality of Florence to develop the left bank of the Arno River, the garden was designed as an attractive outdoor space that would befit the new capital city. About 1 hectare in size, the space was once part of the Podere San Francesco (San Francesco farm), which was the property of the order of the Oratorian Fathers. It was then redesigned and transformed into a terraced garden by Attilio Pucci and it was under his guidance that a rose collection was first planted and established.     Read More

Holidays are made for doing things you have never tried before and for doing the things that you love but normally do not have the time or energy to pursue in your daily life. From surfing to hiking to wine-tasting, there are all sorts of pursuits that can be enjoyed at your leisure while on holidays, without worrying about having to get back to chores or work and without having to consider any potential costs incurred in the way that you might normally have to factor into your plans. For many, one great example of an activity that they may have long loved but never have quite enough time for or easy access to if they live in bigger towns and cities and an activity that others may be curious about but never actually got around to trying out is horseback riding! Particularly enjoyable if you are exploring new landscapes, horseback riding is especially wonderful for those who have found a vacation rental in Tuscany as the stunning, rolling hills and pastoral settings of the Tuscan countryside make for the perfect place to befriend a new equine pal and plod along together through the prettiest of surroundings.     Read More

As populations of young people have continued to leave their hometowns for bigger cities and other countries in search of better job prospects in the past half century, Italy has become home to an increasing number of ghost towns. These fascinating places are intriguing to visit but some are more appealing than others with the more historic and older examples often being incredibly picturesque and hauntingly beautiful. Those interested in history, architecture, and ghost towns, in particular, will have their pick if they plan a holiday in Italy looking for such gems but one of the most famous examples that tops most lists of the most interesting and lovely ghost towns in Italy has to be Isola Santa. This stunning abandoned town in Tuscany is located in the Apuan Alps and, while it remains largely uninhabited, it has been renovated in recent years in an effort to preserve its great architectural and historical value and its incredible beauty.

Located in the heart of the Apuan Alps, on the road leading to the Tuscan Coastline and the town of Versilia, in the commune of Careggine, in the province of Lucca, you will stumble across a little town that looks like something plucked right from the pages of a storybook and a fairy-tale. Built to be perched on the banks of the Turrite Secca river, this medieval town is made up of picturesque stone buildings with climbing vines along walls, lush greenery and trees all around, and the jewel-toned blue man-made lake next to which it now lies. On sunny days, when all of these colours are at their most heightened, it really does look like some unreal scene painted by a rather romantic artist. If you have found a vacation rental in Lucca, you should definitely drop by!     Read More

Those who have found a vacation rental in Volterra or a vacation rental in Pisa and who are using their rentals as a base from which to explore the wider region of Tuscany should definitely note that both locations are around thirty minutes from a Tuscan town that we doubt you have ever heard of before but that many, no doubt, would like to visit! This is the town of Lajatico.

Not only is Lajatico a beautiful medieval Tuscan village but it also gave rise to one of Tuscany's most beloved and famous sons in recent decades: Andrea Bocelli. As the birthplace of the famous Italian opera singer it will certainly be a place of interest to super-fans but, also, once a year in July, it becomes a major pilgrimage spot for music-lovers from all over the globe when it holds an extraordinary annual concert.     Read More