Archive for 'Activities'

Lazing away on a beach is not quite everyone's idea of a perfect holiday, some prefer to remain active, not allow fitness slip and to venture out and see more of the area that they are visiting. If you happen to fall into the above category, you might consider finding a luxury villa in Chianti and heading over for the Chianti Eco-marathon in 2016. This annual event combines several aspects which are appealing to proud locals and visitors alike – the beautiful Tuscan landscape, nature, sport, running and food. Taking place in the second half of October, there are several different levels and types of trails so that you can find the perfect one for your level of fitness or holiday preferences.

The Orrido di Botri is an impressive gorge, made up of deep steep walls, which looks like a karstic canyon and was created by the eroding of the limestone rock of the Apennines by the Pelago creek. The creek, set between the craggy walls of the canyon, creates a perfectly scenic natural environment of great geological and naturalist interest. This whole area, located near Lucca, is part of a natural reserve which was established in 1971 to protect the unique and beautiful landscape and its inhabitants. It is home to beech, black hornbeam, orniello, leccio, maple and willow trees as well as wild linden and animals such as roe deer, deer, hares, squirrels, marmots, foxes, polecats and martens.

One of the best things about Florence is how every corner, piazza and street seems beautiful and steeped in history. Without even going inside any of the buildings, there is a wealth of culture and history and art all around you. Once you've found a luxury villa in Florence and have arrived for a holiday, it's key to find time to wander her streets and take in the atmosphere of the city. Traipsing all over a city is bound to make your energy dwindle and finding a market to grab some food and sit for a moment, maybe find some unique souvenirs, is key. It's also another part of the city's charms. We've already outlined a couple markets that you should swing by in a previous article but here are a few more.

Imagine, if you will, a holiday in Florence. Not one filled with stuffy queues and running around endlessly from tourist sight to tourist sight but one in which you utterly take your time. Of course, you'll still probably find time to catch a glimpse of Michelangelo's “David” or visit a Medici palace but calmly, leisurely. In the morning, you might forego breakfast at home in the luxury villa in Florence that you've found and, instead, wander to one of the many markets the city has to offer. You can grab some food at a stall, people-watch and then check out the other wares available. Maybe you'll spend the day doing so, in fact. Here are the best of them.

The island of Elba, the biggest of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sardinia and Sicily, is most well-known as the site of Napoleon's exile and if you ever get the chance to visit, you might be wishing for the same punishment! Hardly a depressing or prison-like place, it is, rather, more like a paradise. Surrounded by crystal clear, rich blue waters with cloudless skies overhead, dotted by perfect beaches, little towns, castles and blessed by nature, it is a stunning place and the ideal place to escape to on your next holiday. Find a villa with pool on the Tuscan Coast and you can then start exploring this dream-like island for yourself.