Archive for 'Curiosities'

Montepulciano is one of the most famous wine areas of Tuscany, where some of the most delicious and lauded wines come from. Contucci is the oldest wine producer in Montepulciano and one of the oldest in the world and outdates the second oldest in the region by 900 years.

The Contucci name appears in written records in Montepulciano around 1000AD and they seem to have always been linked to agricultural pursuits. The current property that still serves as their wine cellar to this day is a property that has been in the family since 1646 and was originally built by a Del Monte Cardinal, then owned by the Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I, then it became part of the guardhouse of Montepulciano, and finally was adopted as a palace with a wine cellar for the Contucci family.     Read More

Italy is famous for her Nativity scenes, or presepi, and Tuscany, in particular, has quite a long and rich tradition of exhibiting some very impressive examples. Many different towns have presepi, sometimes with live animals and actors, sometimes on a large scale, sometimes innovative, sometimes historic and traditional, and sometimes as part of an exhibition of multiple examples. In fact, last year, we wrote a whole guide to the different presepe traditions in Tuscany. However, one town with one of the most beloved and famous of these traditions in recent years has to be Castelfiorentino. If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and love Christmas, this magical little Tuscan festive tradition might be your cup of tea.     Read More

Continuing on from our last post, we are rounding up a list of some of the Tuscan museums that participate in the monthly “Domenica al Museo”, when many State museums, in an initiative sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, open their doors to the public for free on the first Sunday of each month. It is the ideal time to plan a trip to those museums that you have been dreaming of visiting. While this list may not be 100% exhaustive and all facts are subject to change (check with the institutions in question before planning a visit), this list is an easy way to get an idea of which museums you can pencil in if you have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and plan to be in the region for the first Sunday of the month.     Read More

Tuscany is full of incredible museums but, unlike some places in the world, most have an entry fee. If you want to maximise on the amount of wonderful galleries and cultural institutions that you can visit during your next vacation in Tuscany, why not make sure you plan your holiday to include the first Sunday of the month?

The first Sunday of every month in Italy is “Domenica al Museo” and is when many State museums open their doors to the public for free and is, therefore, the ideal time to hit up those museums that you have been planning on visiting. An initiative sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, it is an excellent nugget of knowledge for managing a budget during your holidays without missing out. No doubt, crowds will be bigger but, if you're okay with that, you're in for a bargain!     Read More