Archive for 'Siena'

Continuing on from our previous posts, here are some more of our picks among our vacation rentals in Tuscany with the most extraordinary interiors. In order to ensure a perfect trip, these are the kind of homely, beautiful rentals that will allow you to sit back, relax and really enjoy your holiday, that will provide you with a base you can't wait to get back to each day.

7. Chiodo

Chiodo is a beautiful farmhouse set high in the hills between Lucca and Pisa, with magnificent views on the valley below. It is located very close to the small village of Vorno, renowned for its beautiful 17th century villas that were once summer residences for the oldest noble families in Lucca. The property has been a holiday for many years and was bought by a Dutch family in 2006, who spent more than three years of intensive renovations to transform the villa into an ideal holiday home.

Foodies flock to Tuscany year in, year out to enjoy her hearty and tasty cuisine. With roots in peasant cooking, it is a cuisine that makes the most of local ingredients to create something filling and comforting. It is mostly pasta, pizza and other savoury delights, however, that people are most familiar with and are most keen to enjoy. Tuscany's desserts are less well-loved and well-known internationally but, despite this, there are plenty of delicious treats that you should try while holidaying in the region. We have rounded up some of the best cakes that can be found in Tuscany so you can track them down after you've finished with the main courses.

1. Schiacciata alla Fiorentina

One particularly tasty example is Schiacciata alla Fiorentina. This is a very traditional Florentine cake which can be found in local pasticceria (pastry shops) all over the city.

Continuing on from our last post, here are some more architectural gems around Tuscany that are well worth a visit if you are interested in art and culture. Once you have found a luxury villa in Tuscany and are planning your trip, be sure to pencil some of these beauties into your itinerary.

Siena's Cathedral is a perfect example. It was built between 1215 and 1263 and was designed by Nicola Pisano. His son, Giovanni, continued the design when more building was undertaken from 1285. The upper half of the facade was not added until 14th century, a time of great wealth and prosperity for Siena. At the time, plans were considered to transform the church into a giant masterpiece that could even rival the mammoth St. Peter's in Rome but this never came to pass.

It is still a stunning building, Gothic in style, and elaborately embellished inside and out. Its anachronistically Romanesque black-and-white striped campanile is particularly iconic.

In our final post in this series, here are two more of Tuscany's best and most beautiful gardens that make for wonderful places to relax and take a breather from the intense pace and tourist crowds that some people can experience.

First up is the Horti Leonini in the town of San Quirico d'Orcia, Siena. A late 16th century park, it was created according to the direction of Diomede Leoni (for whom it is named) with funding and the donation of lands by Francesco de' Medici. Built as part of a scheme of renovation in the town after damages caused during wars between Siena and Florence, it is an oasis of beauty. Wonderfully well-preserved, the gardens have maintained their original appearance and provide a perfect example of an Italian style garden.

As we all know how important the location is when choosing where to stay on a holiday, we have looked through all of the villas and apartments on our site and chosen ten of our best located vacation rentals in Tuscany. Here is the next batch.

6. Piazza Del Campo

In the last post, we had an apartment located in the heart of Florence and this beautiful and charming apartment is located in the historic "Piazza del Campo" in Siena, where every year the famous Palio takes place. On the third floor of an ancient, historic building with windows looking directly out on to the “piazza” and on the renowned “Torre del Mangia”, the town-hall civic tower, you couldn't find a better or more centrally located property in Siena.