Archive for 'Restaurants & Cafés'

Many people are now aware of Florence’s wine windows as they are a regular feature on the social media accounts of those who visit the city. These buchette del vino, once-ubiquitous windows through which one could purchase wine directly from noble families’ palaces, are dotted all throughout the city. In total, there are at least almost 200 known examples that still exist today, though only a small number are now functional once more.

A unique way to engage with Florence’s history and a fun foodie experience that may be a little bit touristy but is worth it nonetheless, this is one thing we think any wine-lover should add to their itinerary if they are booking a villa with pool in Florence!

Now that they’re so popular, however, you may have lots of questions. Here’s our complete guide to the wine windows of Florence!

Coffee shops have a long and special tradition in Europe as a place where great minds would meet up to discuss art, politics, culture, and ideas. From these gatherings, works of art were born and political movements started. Of course, many of these venues have disappeared over time but those who vacation in Tuscany will discover that plenty of this region's historic and storied caffés (the Italian word for café) actually still exist and, often, have been changed very little in the intervening time. So, for those who love history and culture, who enjoy grand old spaces, who want to soak up the spirit of creativity and discovery, and who are after a great cup of coffee while they stay in one of our villas in Tuscany, here are some examples that you should make a point to visit!

Picture this: you have been enjoying a stay in one of our luxury villas in Florence, you have spent the day exploring the city, you have worked up an appetite and a thirst, it’s lunchtime, and you want to enjoy some seriously chic bites and a truly excellent glass (or maybe even a bottle, especially if you’re splitting it with a group of similarly-minded travel companions) of wine. Well, then we have a perfect prescription for you to make your day even more enjoyable: a visit to Procacci 1885, one of the oldest and most glamorous wine bars in the birthplace of the Renaissance. 

In 2024, Tuscany currently boasts 196 restaurants in the world-renowned foodie bible, the Michelin Guide. Among these, there are a total of thirty-eight restaurants with one Michelin star, four restaurants with two Michelin stars, one restaurant with three Michelin stars, and twenty-six restaurants that have been awarded the Bib Gourmand. The final 127 are additionally recognised for their excellent cooking. Located all across the region but with a large percentage found in the region’s capital of Florence, that means there are lots of options at hand for those who love to eat well and choose to book one of our amazing villas in Tuscany.

Here are some of our highlights among this long list of incredible restaurants that we think you should check out...

Eating well is a big component of any vacation in Tuscany, no matter when you book your villa in Tuscany, but eating seasonally is the best way to ensure that everything is at its most delicious. Combining in-season products with Tuscan culinary tradition and expertise? Now, that’s a recipe for a foodie’s dream getaway!

Once you have found your vacation rental in Tuscany, you might be wondering what is in season and when so we have helped you out by putting a handy little guide together to have at hand throughout your holiday. Or, if there are foods you especially love, you might even consider booking your holiday rental in Tuscany around the time that that item is in season so that you can enjoy it at its peak tastiness… Either way, here is a calendar of the seasonal foodie gems to try during a getaway in Tuscany…