Villa Lazzareschi

In our last post, we discussed the beautiful Medieval Tuscan town of Collodi and its connection to the creation and tales of beloved character Pinocchio. The biggest attraction in the town is a theme park dedicated to the famous puppet, Pinocchio Park, which is a real highlight of the region for children and adults alike and a great day out.

However, despite the town being relatively small and unheard of, it actually has a couple more attractions that will keep everyone in the group happy and provide a nice break from trips to museums and churches for kids exploring Tuscany and her culture and history. Once you have found a luxury villa in Collodi, these are a few of the things that you will want to check out in the town.

The Tuscan town of Collodi, not far from Florence, is most famous as the place where the beloved children's character Pinocchio was created by author Carlo Collodi and featured in the 1883 book, “The Adventures of Pinocchio”. Propelled into fame on a global scale when the story was made into an animated classic by Disney in 1940, Pinocchio became an integral figure in the lives of many children throughout the world. Those who are particularly fond of the puppet who learned how to become a boy and his story and who have found a luxury villa in Collodi (or who have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning a day trip to the area) will, no doubt, be sure to plan a trip to the theme park dedicated to character, Pinocchio Park. Throughout the town, too, you will find lots of different tributes to the story and plenty of souvenirs on sale from the massive statue of the puppet visible all over town to the little Pinocchio figures sold all over. However, if you are not merely interested in Pinocchio, you will find that the charming little town of Collodi actually has more to offer visitors beyond the park with its rides and whimsy, it is also home to the exceptional Garzoni Gardens and the Butterfly House, which are located just a few minutes away on foot.

If you’re passing through the cosy little town of Collodi in Pistoia province during your next vacation in Tuscany then you should certainly spend a few hours walking around the splendid Garzoni Gardens. Designed in 1652, the Garzoni gardens are a beautifully sculpted landscape that extends outwards from the grand Villa Garzoni.

The layout is nearly exactly the same today as it was back then. Tourists wishing to spend a few days in the area to explore them and other tourist attractions have a fine selection of beautiful villa rentals in Pescia, less than six kilometres away from the gardens.

The stunning Renaissance style geometry of the Garzoni Gardens with a hint of Baroque styling are truly magnificent to behold! There’s a fragrant array of flora and fauna that are growing throughout and pruned to perfection. Stroll around the winding paths and admire the awe inspiring sculptures and exquisite water fountains.

One of the most internationally famous and beloved of all Italian characters ever created has to be Pinocchio. Created by author Carlo Collodi and featured in the 1883 book, “The Adventures of Pinocchio”, he was propelled into the spotlight on a global scale when his tale was adapted for the big screen by Disney in 1940. However, Carlo Collodi wasn’t the author’s real name but rather a nom de plume taken from his home village of Collodi in the Tuscan hills, not far from Florence.

Today, the town has been clever enough to embrace this beloved character and is dedicated to all things Pinocchio. A giant statue of the puppet-boy is visible throughout the town, little Pinocchio toys are available all over so you can bring him home with you and there is even a theme park, Pinocchio Park, dedicated to him.

If you are travelling Tuscany with kids or have nostalgic fondness for the story, just find a luxury villa in Collodi and spend a day exploring the park and town.

I wanted to write about some famous Tuscan people for a while and now Pinocchio comes to my mind.... I think Pinocchio is actually one of the most famous fictional characters in the world !!!

Pinocchio (pronounced [piˈnɔkːjo] in Italian) first appeared in 1883, in "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi, and has since appeared in many adaptations of that story and others. Carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, he was created as a wooden puppet, but he dreamt of becoming a real boy. Pinocchio is often a term used to describe an individual who is prone to telling lies, fabricating stories and exaggerating or creating tall tales for various reasons.

There is a popular conception that Pinocchio's nose grows only when he lies. Under this condition, the Pinocchio Paradox is an analogy for the liar paradox, expressing the dilemma of what will happen if Pinocchio says "My nose will grow now." If he is lying, his nose should grow, but if his nose grows, then he is actually telling the truth. On the other hand, if he is telling the truth and his nose starts growing, then it will violate the condition that his nose grows when he is lying.. hence the paradox.