Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

Holidays often involve so much planning, chaos and running around, when you're meant to be relaxing, that it is good to slot in time for taking it easy and enjoying your surroundings.

Particularly on urban getaways, it is good to find some natural space in which to unwind and get a bit of fresh air as you wander and take a breather. So, to help you out, we've compiled a list of some of the most beautiful gardens in Tuscany.

The Boboli Gardens in Florence are located behind the Pitti Palace, which was once the seat of the Medici family.

It is one of the first formal Italian gardens and is made up of fountains, statuary from ancient Rome to the 18th century, semi-private and public spaces, nympheums, temples, plants and grottoes, the largest being a famous work by Buontalenti.

We have mentioned many different spas in Tuscany before and there is no shortage of wonderful destinations to choose from. However, one of the lesser-known examples is the Equi Terme in Lungiana, under the province of Massa Carrara, and it is a bit of a hidden gem. If you are looking for a quiet, scenic location to get away from it all and truly relax and unwind, there could be no better location for you to choose. Just find a vacation rental in Massa and then leave your worries at the airport as you enjoy this delightful town and spa in Tuscany.

A photo posted by Architecture Interiors Design (@somewhereiwouldliketolive) on Jul 22, 2015 at 1:49pm PDT

Casa Saldarini, also affectionately known as “The Whale”, is an extraordinary house that was built in 1961 and designed by Florentine architect Vittorio Giorgini. It was the first building in the world based on an iso-elastic membrane made of concrete and wire netting and predates the work of architects such as Frank Gehry at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao by 25 years. The organic curves of the building created concerns about how structurally sound it was and, so, it was tested with double the normal amount of weight usually applied. It passed with flying colours and, yet, despite the advanced nature of the design and building techniques, the work was largely ignored by Giorgini's peers at the time.

Today, it remains as a bit of an unsung hero and hidden gem, an architectural masterpiece in the Gulf of Baratti that few have ever heard about. If you are an architecture nerd and are thinking of spending time in Tuscany, why not find a vacation rental in Piombino and stop by the Casa Saldarini to see this extraordinary building for yourself?

Giorgini was born in Florence in 1926 and studied architecture there, continuing to live in Tuscany until he moved to New York in 1969. He lived and taught there at the Pratt Institute until 1996 but his heart seems to have largely stayed in the land where he was born. As an architect, he was interested in the relationship between the built environment and nature and this is visible in the organic forms that his buildings took on. The environment that most inspired him was that of Baratti. At the time, it was an unknown and untouched area, far from the famous beaches of Tuscany. It was here that he built his own home, Hexagon House, in the midst of and at one with the natural environment of this incredibly lovely part of the world.

A small silk producer from Como, Rino Saldarini, also used to come to the area on holiday and he wanted a “cottage” looking out over the gulf. Having become his friend, Saldarini humoured his Giorgini and gave him a free hand in 1962 to create the Whale House. Constructed in a few months, with reinforced concrete crete cast over an arc welded mesh, it is a building of curves that resembles a huge animal, a whale. This zoomorphic construction is perfectly at ease in the Mediterranean maquis and has changed hands many times over the years but remains a constant surprising delight that some people are lucky enough to accidentally stumble upon and that others seek out. Be sure to be the latter on your next trip to Tuscany!

The Fattoria di Celle, or Celle Farm, located just 5km from Pistoia is a stunning attraction and fascinating place. While the property has roots to a building from as far back as 1000 AD, the house was built in the 17th century and present form of the gardens is owed to 19th century reconstructions and were further enhanced in the 1980s. It is this enriching of the gardens, with a sculpture park, that draws crowds of art-lovers, schools and more adventurous tourists to this place each year.

The sculpture park showcases 70 site-specific installations sprinkled across the vast family estate and was created by local businessman Giuliano Gori over three decades ago, yet still displays cutting-edge art installations by the world's top contemporary artists. Selected international artists have been to be invited to create installations in the remarkable outdoor spaces of the Romantic park and farmland as well as inside the historic villa and various farm buildings.

Pienza is a small village in the Val d'Orcia in southern Tuscany. Set high atop a hill, overlooking the Orcia Valley, it has extraordinary views, and is often known as the "ideal Renaissance city”.

The creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, the town was his birthplace, originally called Corsignano. He transformed it into his idea of a Utopian city, what would eventually come to be known as Pienza. If you want to wander the streets of an ideal town for yourself find a luxury villa in Pienza!

The Papal Palace, or Palazzo Piccolomini, is located to the right of the Duomo has a large loggia with hanging garden from which there are breathtaking views across the Val d'Orcia Valley. This is the highlight of the town, the garden in particular.