La Casina Ione

There are certain things that are of vital importance when one is looking for a vacation rental; price, location, views, amenities. For some, however, the key feature in deciding on a rental property is the decor. If you're going to inhabit a space for a period of time and have a dream holiday, it should be a dreamy location too, right? Well, luckily, we have plenty of holiday rentals in Tuscany that will greatly please design aficionados that prioritise interiors. Here are just a selection of the best of the best among them.

1. Casa Farfalla (Available from €965 per night)

This amazing four bedroom villa and two bedroom annex property, located in the hills 6km from Lucca, with views over the surrounding landscape and the city itself, is one of our most beautiful, both inside and out.

The Lucca Summer Festival is one of Italy's most famous music festivals and, this year, celebrates twenty years since its inception. As a result, the line-up is rather extraordinary. With events taking place from June to September, there are plenty of chances to experience this Tuscan music institution once you have found a luxury villa in Lucca.

Come and explore the beautiful Central plains of Tuscany and stop off at some of these historic spots along the way. Stay in a pretty villa rental in Lucca for a few days where you can easily commute around these nearby locations.

Begin your journey of historical discovery with a visit to the fortified town of Nozzano Castello located in the Serchio valley. Close to Lucca city, this quaint little town has been beautifully restored and offers magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

From here tourists can see the castle of Castiglione and the striking Torre dell’ Aquila.

Tuscany really is impossibly beautiful. There is just so much to see and do and so much of it is made up of some of the most beautiful galleries, buildings, works of art and views in the world. Of course, there really are endless lists of excellent things to see and do so, in order to help you out, here are more of this author's picks of the most photogenic sights in Tuscany that you'll want to visit and then capture forever.

7. The Uffizi

The Uffizi is one of the leading art galleries in the world and for good reason. It is a must-see for the countless masterpieces that are housed inside of it but it is also quite the photogenic beauty in its own right. There is almost too much to see, which can lead to a bit of sensory overload. When I took a moment to just wander and not try and see everything for a second, I found myself strolling around behind my parents and I got this photograph.

We have previously mentioned Lucca’s famous Summer Festival, which is a festival in the more international sense of the word than those that are more common in Tuscany; i.e. a music festival rather than a food festival, though it tends to be one concert an evening in the historic centre of the city, rather than multiple stages and acts per day out in a field somewhere. It is one of many the great music festivals that take place in Italy each year but is among those that attract the most amazing of line-ups. This year is no exception with the likes of Elton John, Take That, Ennio Morricone, New Order, and others taking the stage over the course of a month.

The first edition of the Summer Festival Lucca was held in 1998 with a performance by Bob Dylan and, since then, they have welcomed internationally renowned artists and bands such as Eric Clapton, Jamoroquai, James Brown, Green Day, Lauryn Hill, Pet Shop Boys, and The Rolling Stones and popular Italian singers such as Fiorella Mannoia, Pino Daniele, Giorgia and Elisa, and many more excellent acts over the years.

Tuscany has produced some of the most famous cakes and breads in Italy with the likes of the beloved spicy Christmas treat that is Panforte coming from Siena, as well as the less well-known Panpepato; Castagnoli, Amaretti di Carmignano and Cantuccini biscuits coming from Prato; and the zesty Schiacciata alla Fiorentina and ancient ice-cream cake that is Zuccotto coming from Florence. While these baked treats can now be found all over Tuscany and Italy and all throughout the year, many were originally very localised and made to celebrate specific events and religious festivals such as saints days, Christmas, and Easter.

Dark brown in colour, with a glossy finish due to the sugar and egg glaze applied to the crust, the Buccellato sweet bread from Lucca is soft inside and is sweet, flavoured with aniseed and the sultana raisins that are stirred into the mixture. It is a must-try for any self-respecting foodie who has found a luxury villa in Lucca, particularly if you are visiting in the Fall, as it is an excellent and seasonal treat that is perfect comfort food to enjoy as temperatures drop and everyone looks forward to cosy nights in. As the locals say, “Chi viene a Lucca e non mangia il buccellato è come non ci fosse mai stato” (“Whoever comes to Lucca and doesn’t eat buccellato can't say that they've been here").