Archive for 'Localities'

While other stretches of the coastline of the boot of Italy are famous specifically as holiday destinations for dreamy seaside getaways – many imagine the picturesque cliff-side villages of the Cinque Terre, lazy days of luxury on the Amalfi Coast, and the increasingly popular coastal towns of Apulia – Tuscany also has plenty to offer those who want sun and fun by the sea. Not only are there a great number of incredible beaches along the Tuscan Coast and some utterly charming seaside towns to explore but those who book a villa on the Tuscan Coast will be able to combine the best parts of a holiday in Tuscany with a seaside break. 

One generally tends to associate Florence with the Renaissance – and for good reason, as it is widely considered the birthplace of the Renaissance – rather than with any other time or movement in art. Of course, the city was a hub for art before this period and continues to be to this very day. For art-lovers who book a villa in Florence, there is certainly a wide range of museums, galleries, and spaces in which to enjoy works art from all throughout history. Those, however, who have a fondness for the Impressionists but who also want to experience the great art city of Florence, with its particular wealth of Renaissance wonders, will be happy to note that a spring break in Florence this year will allow for both!

Until the 4th of May 2025, the Museo degli Innocenti will be hosting an exhibition called Impressionists in Normandy, that features the work of some of the best-known and well-loved artists of the period including Monet, Bonnard, Boudine, Corot, Courbet, Villon, Renoir, and Delacroix. With over 70 works on display, this wonderful exhibition comes 150 years after the birth of this artistic movement in the city that birthed another of the great and influential periods of art.

Dating back to the 18th century, Villa Marlia is an impossibly dreamy stone villa in the Tuscan countryside that is the epitome of what many think of when they imagine the perfect escape in Tuscany. Located 12km from the ancient town of Lucca, built into a lush hillside with greenery and trees all around, Villa Marlia boasts stunning interiors, an incredibly pretty garden, impeccable amenities including a private pool, and much more besides. Sleeping up to 18 guests comfortably in eight bedrooms with eight bathrooms, it is a truly magical luxury villa with pool in Tuscany the ideal base from which to enjoy and explore Tuscany if you are travelling in a larger group and want to do so in serious luxury and cinematic style.

Spring is a perfect time for a city break to tide you over until perhaps a longer vacation in Tuscany over the summer. We have a selection of incredible city break destinations and short stay vacation rentals in Tuscany to choose from, allowing you to get a taste of freedom, a pause from the daily concerns of life, and an experience of something new. 

Florence is always a dream destination for culture vultures but if you are a particular lover of the performing arts then a great time to book a vacation rental in Florence is between late April and June, when the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival is held. In addition to the incredible and vast array of museums, galleries, churches, architectural gems, gorgeous gardens, public statuary, and more that is already available for your consideration, over the course of this period each year, the city holds a range of different performances. While it is a notable opera festival run by the Opera di Firenze, there is also a diverse season of ballet, classical concerts, and theatrical performances. Fitting one of these shows into your time staying in one of our holiday rentals in Florence is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in this incredible culture capital and to experience some amazing performances.

Founded in 1933 by Vittorio Gui and inspired by an idea of Luigi Ridolfi Vay da Verrazzano, the festival was designed with the concept of using theatrical and wonderfully striking visual productions to showcase both contemporary pieces and operas that had been forgotten. Italy’s oldest music festival and the second-oldest in Europe, after the Salzburg Festival, it was an immediate success and was made into a biennial event in 1937. Thereafter, it became an annual festival and was held across the Teatro Comunale and Piccolo Teatro and the Teatro della Pergola until 2014, when the new Teatro dell'Opera di Firenze (which had been opened in 2011), replaced the Teatro Comunale.