Archive for 'Florence'

We've been talking about Florence a bit this week and, if you think about the city, what comes to mind: particular sights or attractions, specific restaurants or bars, certain works of art or buildings? Most likely, it is some sort of combination of all of the above, within the setting of the city itself, with its incredibly rich and beautiful historic centre.

Taking in as much of the city as possible, its pretty skyline, and many distinctive buildings, is a must for anyone visiting Florence – especially if it is your first time!

Just browse our beautiful luxury villas in Florence, find the right one for you and yours and then get to planning a trip.

While you're planning, here are some of the best spots to take in the best views of Florence.

The Gucci Museum in Florence was recently reopened on the 10th of January 2018, under the vision of Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s current creative director, under whom the brand has been given new life and relevance. Located inside the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence's Piazza Signoria that dates to 1337, the Gucci Museum has been open since 2011 and is spread across several floors.

It encompasses a boutique that stocks exclusive pieces, an exhibition curated by Maria Luisa Frisa and the Gucci Osteria, which is manned by the three-Michelin-starred chef, Massimo Bottura. This restaurant, alone, is reason enough to find a luxury villa in Florence and drop by the museum.

During the summer, I was incredibly sad to find the Gucci Museum in Florence closed on my one day in the city. The whole building – museum, store and cafe – was under construction and closed for a relatively long period of time; if I had done my research properly, I would have known. Yet, it was all for a good reason! Said construction has resulted in an impossibly beautiful building that is a must-see for any fashion lovers who have found a luxury villa in Florence!

On the 10th of January 2018, under the vision of Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director, the museum reopened. Located inside the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence's Piazza Signoria that dates to 1337, the Gucci Museum has been open since 2011 and is spread across several floors. Now called the Gucci Garden, it encompasses a boutique that stocks exclusive pieces, an exhibition curated by Maria Luisa Frisa, a rather special gift shop and the Gucci Osteria, which is manned by the three-Michelin-starred chef, Massimo Bottura.

Florence is full of things to see and do and, among them, there are a number of gardens and parks that are especially beautiful and worth exploring. One that we haven't mentioned before is the Giardino dell'Iris, or Iris Garden, a botanical garden that, unsurprisingly, specialises in the cultivation of iris flowers. Just find a vacation rental in Florence and come explore this lovely Tuscan garden for yourself, as a nice moment of quiet and calm amongst all the darting around busy tourist attractions.

The iris has been a symbol of Florence since 1251 and this garden, near the Piazzale Michelangelo, celebrates the city's bloom rather magically.

You may or may not know this but Tuscany is actually home to quite a number of naturally occurring hot springs. If you are interested in spas and relaxation, it is an excellent holiday destination and, best of all, some of these hot springs are free and open readily to the public, making Tuscany also a rather affordable spa destination. They can be visited without purchasing a ticket or planning in advance, whenever you want throughout the day (or night) or year. We have been talking about these incredible destinations in this series this week and have compiled a list of some of the best of them for you to browse. In this last post, we have more of our picks of excellent and free hot springs around the region.