Archive for 'Localities'

Visit the gorgeous town of Tresana in the province of Massa and Carrara in Tuscany, a little gem immersed in nature! This ancient town is surrounded by medieval walls and visitors can still see some of the four old towers and ruins of a castle that once stood majestically over the area.

It’s privately owned now but tourists can walk around the remains of what was once a glorious fortress to take some photographs. Those wishing to explore the area can find plenty of vacation rentals in Treschietto, a nearby town.

There is a second castle close by to Tresana called Giovagallo fortress and its ruins now stand up on a rocky hill outside of the town.

A legend of this castle tells the story of the meeting between the famous Italian poet, Dante Alighieri, and the wife of Morello Malaspina. She convinced the doubtful Dante to undertake his ambitious idea on creating what would be his most famous work, The Divine Comedy. This is one of the longest and most detailed poems in history which earned Dante the right to be called one of the masters of the literary world.

Explore this fascinating part of Florence city, which is off the beaten tourist track, called Oltrarno! It means ’Across the Arno’ and can be visited most directly by crossing the Ponte Vecchio, a very old bridge that crosses the large Arno River. Strangely, during World War II, the German army destroyed every bridge in Florence except for this one!

Tourists wishing to stay in this city for a few days have a huge range of Florence holiday rentals to choose from where they can relax and admire the city views and attractions!
Start off your day of exploring the Oltrarno by stepping of the other side of the Vecchio Bridge to the south side of Florence.

This quarter is packed full of beautiful artisan shops, antique stalls, delicious restaurants, craft fairs and much more. The added benefit is that it still is home to many lovely museums and churches to walk around but it’s much calmer than the busiest area of Florence where Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi gallery are.

There are three primary areas in the quarter worth visiting; Santo Spirito, San Niccolò and San Frediano. Firstly, why not visit the famous Capella Brancacci decorated with exquisite Renaissance frescoes in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. The architecture of this building is mesmerising and is one of the finest examples you’ll find in the city!

Why not spend a few days of your next vacation to Tuscany exploring the seven islands of the Tuscan archipelago.

Nicknamed as the seven jewels of Tuscany, the islands of Elba, Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo, Gorgona, Pianosa and Giannutri are surrounded by crystal clear waters and teeming with excellent tourist attractions and wildlife.

Visitors wishing to base their stay close to this magnificent cluster of islands should book a stay a one of many holiday villas near Monte Argentario, with sea views along the coastline less than forty kilometres from Giglio Island by sea.

These entire islands make up the largest natural marine park in Europe and are highly protected nature reserves that protect the stunning landscape, animal and plant life here. Visit Elba Island and the areas of Porto Azzurro and Portoferraio here where there’s plenty to do and see.

In the heart of Maremma on a beautiful hill in Grosetto province is the lovely town of Gavorrano! There are spectacular views from here of the mountains, the coastline and the islands of Giglio and Montecristo that would make for some lovely photographs. Tourists wishing to stay here for a few days would enjoy relaxing in a tuscan villa rental in Gavorrano or in the nearby town of Saturnia where there are also some lovely natural hot springs to bathe in to take away all the aches and pains of your adventurous travels!

Located on the northern slopes of the Apennines in Pistoia province is the lovely village of Sambuca Pistoiese. Despite the name, the famous Italian liquor called Sambuca doesn’t originate here; it’s thought to have been invented in the coastal town of Civitavecchia in the province of Rome.

This would be an excellent spot to visit during your travels of this beautiful mountainous area of Tuscany and those wishing to stay for a few days have lots of holiday villas in Pistoia, a nearby town, to choose from.


Visit the ornate churches of St. James and the sanctuary of St. Mary del Giglio where there are some wonderful examples of renaissance style sacred art and architecture. Or visit the interesting learning centre here where you can learn about the art of stone carving and even try carving your own souvenir to take home! There are many workshops and demonstrations taking place throughout the year that can give visitors an intriguing insight into how local artisan pieces are created.