Archive for 'Pretty Views'

A few years ago, we wrote about a particular hill, located in a charming little town called Fiesole, just outside Florence. A long-time favourite holiday destination of noble families looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, including the Medici family, the town of Fiesole has continued to be a destination that attracts the rich and famous and normal folk alike who are looking to pop out of Florence and into the peaceful natural surroundings of this area for a while. The hill in Fiesole with which we were concerned, however, drew an incredibly famous visitor not for leisure but, instead, for experiments. Said visitor being Da Vinci, who, long before the Wright brothers, came to test out a flying machine on the hill of Monte Ceceri. This momentous and fascinating event in history is reason enough to draw Da Vinci fans and history buffs alike but there is actually plenty of reason for anyone to stop by if they have found a holiday rental in Fiesole.

As well as being the site of Da Vinci's would-be airport, Monte Ceceri is popular among hikers and those who like to admire scenery as it offers great panoramic views of the surrounding landscape of Tuscany and right over the city of Florence in the distance. In fact, it’s a perfect spot to spend some time out in nature and stretching your legs if you have found a vacation rental in Florence and are looking for some day trip ideas to explore some parts of Tuscany around the city.     Read More

If you want to experience the incredible wealth of history and culture and things to see and do in Florence but also want to spend time enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of the Tuscan countryside, then it would make sense to find a vacation rental near Florence. These rentals in the area surrounding the city offer you the chance to both readily visit Florence and to also explore the wider region of Tuscany. In this area around Florence, you will find endless little gems and surprises from specialist stores and makers to wineries, incredible restaurants to stunning historic villas and much more besides. One special gem far off the regular tourist path is Il Giardino Sotto Vico.

Literally meaning “the garden beneath Vico”, this botanic garden is located just outside the town centre of the town of Vico d'Elsa, which is located in the metropolitan area of Florence. Established by a small group of locals who wanted to create a garden for the town, it has grown in size and popularity. The interest and enthusiasm for the initiative has increased and gone from an idea to simply repurpose and reclaim a disused plot of land and become something that has captured local hearts and imaginations. Families, schools, locals, and more now all come together to help grow, add to, preserve, and admire this little beauty. It is a therapeutic space that improves both the physical and psychological health of the individual by immersing them in natural surroundings and the highly social and community-driven atmosphere of the space.     Read More

There are certain pictures of the lovely Tuscan countryside and landscape that get shared time and time again: the iconic winding roads and perfect rolling hills of the Val D’Orcia, Cypress Avenue in Bolgheri, and walled towns like Siena, as seen from a distance and with lush green surroundings. Amongst these “generic” images of the evocative Tuscan countryside, you are likely to spot one particular little chapel popping up time and time again, the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta, or La Cappella della Madonna Vitaleta.

Located in the province of Siena, next to the village of Vitaleta, on the road between San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza, this pretty little house of worship is one of the most photographed churches in Tuscany and is a picture-perfect gem. Framed by cypress trees either side of the single bay, white stone-clad gem, and surrounded by rolling green hills, it looks almost too idyllic for real life. But real it is, and it is also free to visit whenever you please. Just find a holiday rental in Siena and come see it for yourself.     Read More

Tuscany isn’t short on beautiful scenery or incredible views and ways to take them in. So many of her towns are built on hilltops, affording the most amazing sweeping vistas over the surrounding landscapes. There are also plenty of buildings all over that you can visit to admire the view from up on top of them. However, if you really want to admire a good view, the best combo is a nice hike to work up a little bit of a sweat, some fresh air and natural surroundings to admire along the way, and then a great view from the top of the trail as a reward for all of your efforts. Like hilltop towns and pretty vantage points, there is not a shortage of great hiking trails to choose from in Tuscany, however, if we were to recommend one today, it would be the Passo di Dante on Monte Pisano. If you have found a vacation rental in Pisa and you’re looking for somewhere to go for a pleasant and not overly challenging hike that boasts history and truly excellent views, then this is just the spot for you!

Monte Pisano has quite a few different routes to choose from and these routes are of various levels of difficulty, meaning that there is probably something to suit everyone, no matter their kind of previous experience with hiking or fitness level. All boast excellent views – with panoramas over the Tuscan Coast to one side of the mountain and across to the Lucca and Apuan Alps on the other side – and traverse through a stunning landscape made up of forestry dotted by ruins of ancient monasteries, pretty little churches, and old farmhouses.     Read More