Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

I think the first time I saw topiary in real life my little mind was blown. To me, it was only something I had seen in photographs of grand palaces, cartoons and, most memorably, in “Edward Scissorshands,” which I had been allowed to watch when I was far too young and had deeply imprinted on my brain, as a result. Then, while visiting a country house on an estate near my family home, I saw magical plants shaped like all sorts of animals. It was mind-boggling that such a thing was real.

All of this may be why, to this day, I have such a soft spot for topiary and, when I discovered the topiary art that dotted the Tuscan city of Pistoia, it endeared the lovely place to me even further.

Here's something that you might not be aware of: those who have found a vacation rental in Florence and love perfumes, rejoice, as the city is the scent capital of Italy.

The city's Renaissance courts were a place where some of the greatest patrons funded the creation of some of the world's best masterpieces by famous hands but it was also a fertile breeding ground for the art of perfumery and Catherine de' Medici's passion for scents only furthered the interest in the topic. Still a place where crafts and traditions in craftsmanship of all kinds is alive and well, Florence is home to many traditional and historic perfumeries, pharmacies, drugstores and herbalists. It has long since established itself as a leader in the sphere and there is constantly more specialised in research and experimentation happening in the city.

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In the ancient Palazzo Bourbon del Monte in the town of Sansepolcro you will find the Aboca Museum, a magical little gem and the one and only museum of medicinal plants. To many, that may not seem an immediately interesting prospect but this beautiful place is stuffed with thousands of years worth of history, is in a stunning setting and has been expertly crafted to create something lovely.

Set up by the Aboca company, a market leader in the medicinal herbs sector, the museum was established to safeguard and promote the traditional use of medicinal herbs and extracts to promote good health. Most of the items in the museum hail from preexisting private collection of the Aboca company and the rest was purposefully purchased for the museum after it was opened.

Chianciano Terme can trace its origins to the 5th century BC, when the Etruscans arrived and built a temple that was dedicated to the god of Good Health, close to the Silene springs. Those springs and the waters of Chianciano have been a tourist destination and an attraction for their medicinal properties since Roman times and Horace himself is known to have bathed in and imbibed the waters.

Chianciano continued to both draw visitors and function as a regular town over the centuries but, in the 20th century, the springs specifically attracted the attention of developers and neoclassical buildings and facilities were built in the 20s and 30s. In the 40s, the then Fascist-controlled state took possession and destroyed and replaced these, drawing up a new plan under architects Loreti and Marchi. This plan was adjusted by the Town Technical Office of Chianciano in 1958 and eventually passed in 1961 and, today, there is the Old Town and New Town where the thermal spring spas were designed.

The Villa Reale, or Villa Marlia, is one of the many beautiful historic estates located in the Tuscan countryside. There are lots of wonderful villas in the area around Lucca, in particular, and this property in an area called Marlia is especially lovely.

A former royal palace with extensive and stunning gardens, it is filled with surprises around every turn and if you have found a luxury villa in Lucca, it is the perfect place to head off for a day trip.

Exploring the grounds, alone, will take up to two hours and if you want to picnic in the gardens (which we recommend) or visit the villa (although it is currently closed for renovation work), you will need additional time. Off the beaten tourist track and away from intense crowds but full of things to see and do, it is the ideal place to wander at your leisure and truly enjoy your downtime while on holidays.