Archive for 'Hiking'

If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are busy planning your trip, you are probably wading through the long list of things to see and do, in and around the city. Most likely, your schedule will be full of plans to eats, drink coffee, grab ice-cream and begin wading through the unending wealth of museums, galleries, churches, palaces and other historic and cultural gems. However, it might be worth making time for something a little different and, maybe, even getting away from the city for a little while during your time in Florence. Trying something a little more active, taking a break from the sensory overload of all of those museums and the long lines and bustle of tourists, will leave you re-energised and ready to enjoy it all once more.

Luckily, Firenze Rafting exists; a Florence-based company that offers a variety of water-based activities and tours. These outings range in type, length of time and location; from an hour to several, an outing on the Arno to tours in the countryside outside the city, and from gentle kayak trips to white water rafting.     Read More

These are some cute and funny-looking creatures, aren't they?

Mouflons are a subspecies group of the wild sheep and are thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds. With red-brown, short-haired coats with dark back-stripes and light-colored saddle patches, sleek elegant bodies, sweet faces and big horns, they are some of the more distinctive and photogenic creatures that you are likely to encounter in the wild in Tuscany.

One of the best activities for those who have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are exploring the region, is to spend some time wandering the stunning Apuan Alps and spotting mouflons.     Read More

The Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna is a national park in in the Apennine region of Tuscany and Romagna that was established in 1993 and preserves over 365 square kilometers of Italian flora and fauna.

Divided between the provinces of Florence, Arezzo and Forli-Cesena, it is made up of the best preserved and largest forest in Italy and takes in mountains, valleys, springs and over ten villages. It is an area of uncompromising natural beauty and tranquility and is the perfect place for a whole host of outdoor pursuits including biking, horse-riding, hiking, bird-watching and orienteering.

Just find a luxury villa in Florence or a luxury villa in Arezzo and you can head out on daytrips to the park, reconnect with nature, relax, breathe in some fresh air, take in the beautiful views and get away from it all.     Read More

The Antro del Corchia is part of the cave system of Monte Corchia in the Apuan Alps Regional Park and is the largest cave system in Tuscany and one of the biggest in Europe. It is made up of over 60km of galleries which go down to a depth of 1200m into the earth. Exploration of the cave began in the 19th century but it was not opened to the public until 2001. Since then, it has become a popular tourist destination, attracting crowds who want to descend into the otherworldly magic of the caves and you can now even take tours in multiple languages. This is a particularly good family activity as it is informative and interesting with stunning visuals that are sure to keep even the strongest nay-sayers in the group happy. Just find a vacation rental in Lucca and spend a day underground in these astounding natural wonders!     Read More