Archive for 'Castles & Palaces'

The lands of Tuscany, particularly around Florence, Pisa, and Lucca, were highly contested and fought over by various rulers and factions in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. As a result, many fortified structures remain dotted throughout the already picturesque landscape of the region, making it all the more charming and magical. There are, of course, some that are prettier or better-preserved than others and one of the best and most charming examples of all has to be the lovely Fortezza di Montecarlo, or Montecarlo Fortress, built in four phases between the 12th and 16th centuries and located in a highly desirable strategic position between the valleys of Lucca and Valdinievole. If you have found a villa with pool in Lucca and you are looking to visit one of Tuscany's most magical fairytale castles, then this is an excellent option!     Read More

If you have found a luxury villa in Florence or a villa with pool in Florence then we recommend spending plenty of time to both thoroughly explore all that interests you in that beautiful city and to also go beyond it to other attractions in the surrounding area. Florence is a great, pretty central base from which to explore the wider region of Tuscany. Whether you are renting a car or you want to rely on public transport, this is the best and easiest place from which to do both when planning day-trips to other parts of Tuscany such as the comune of Poggio a Caiano in the province of Prato, which is home to a stunning Medici Villa, gorgeous gardens, an excellent museum, and a pretty town.

The villa at Poggio a Caiano is set on the slopes of Mount Albano and was a summer residence for the Medici that was built for Lorenzo the Magnificent, according to plans by Giuliano da Sangallo. It is located right between Florence, Prato and Pistoia, areas over which the Medici and Florence worked to control. Begun at the end of the fifteenth century, but not completed until halfway through the sixteenth century, as work was interrupted by Lorenzo's death in 1492, the villa was continued under Pope Leo X, Lorenzo's son. This pause in the building process, however, would inadvertently give it the time to become one of the greatest architectural gems of the period as increasing refinements in implementing classical motifs and ideals into Renaissance architecture came about in the interim period. Furthermore, subsequent occupants made minimal changes to it over the following centuries, leaving it to remain a testament to Renaissance taste and ideals.     Read More

If you are a movie-lover, then the cinematic beauty of Tuscany is very appealing and makes it a perfect place for a vacation but so, too, does its history as a destination where famous films have been set and made. Fans of Roberto Benigni's beloved 1997 Oscar-winning masterpiece, “La Vita è Bella,” can head to a villa in Arezzo to see many locations from that movie, those who have always wanted to see the heavenly land from the end of the Russell Crowe vehicle, “Gladiator,” can wander it themselves with a vacation rental in the Orcia Valley, and Hannibal can be followed around Florence. In fact, we have a whole section of articles based around films and books set and made in Tuscany that you can browse and use to plan all sorts of adventures and holidays in Tuscany. However, if you have been considering a luxury villa in Florence, in particular, but are in search of somewhere to actually go and see some films while you are on holidays, then you will find yourself very much in luck. Florence happens to be home to a rather exceptionally beautiful and special cinema called the Cinema Odeon Firenze that any self-respecting movie buff will tell you makes for a magic place to relax and see a film while on vacation.     Read More

Tuscany is home to some exceptional old palaces that were once the elegant dwellings of the wealthy and the nobility of Italy in the past but are now open to the public to explore and are also home to some important and fascinating museums, venues, and other cultural institutions. One particularly great example of this is the Palazzo Chigi-Saracini, also known as the Vestri Palace, which is located in the stunning historic centre of the city of Siena. If you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are spending some time wandering and exploring this very charming Tuscan town, then stopping into the Palazzo Chigi-Saracini to have a look around this exceptional beauty and the, not one, but two incredible cultural gems housed within it is an absolute must.

Built in the 12th century, the Palazzo Chigi-Saracini is an architectural gem that was first erected by the aristocratic Marescotti family of Siena on top of the site of a castle that they owned in Siena. So central were the Marescotti to public life in Siena that before the eventual construction of the Palazzo Pubblico, this building was even used as a seat of the Council of the Republic of Siena. Of this earlier form of the palace, only a tower that stands next to the present palace still exists. Reconstructions, alterations, and additions that came later eventually created the Gothic beauty that is the present Palazzo Chigi-Saracini on the Via di Città in the Terzo di Città, which is composed of two floors: a ground floor in stone and a first floor in brick, with two orders of trifore windows. On the façade, a reminder of the Marescotti family remains in their emblem of an eagle with outstretched wings that is visible on these windows.     Read More