Archive for 'Curiosities'

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A post shared by MAGMA Museo (@magma_museo) on Jun 4, 2016 at 12:40am PDT

If you are looking for things to do in and around Follonica, you might consider popping into MAGMA, the Museum of Cast Iron Arts of the Maremma, a rather unique and extraordinary attraction.

Once you have found a holiday rental in Follonica, just head to this former foundry, in which the history of this once integral local industry is unfolded in an interactive experience that captivates visitors. The museum was born from the desire to educate visitors “on the technological, artistic and human history of the steelworks of Follonica at the height of its production”.

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A post shared by Caffè Godot (@caffegodot) on Sep 23, 2018 at 3:07am PDT

Tuscany is famous for her hearty, comforting cuisine. It is full of dishes to make you feel happy and full and, in particular, has a plentiful selection of seasonal meals that make use of delicious ingredients throughout the year. In Autumn and Winter, there are plenty of Tuscan dishes that are tasty, wholesome and ideal for warming you up as the weather gets colder.

Soups, especially, are always a good idea at this time of year and Tuscany has birthed quite a few excellent options but one of the most unique has to be Frantoiana Soup. Full of flavour and stuffed with lots of nutritious ingredients, it is ideal for getting cosy, staving off colds and getting into the festive spirit this Fall.

Cecina is a relatively small city of less than 30,000 people located in the Province of Livorno around 30km from the coastal city of Livorno and around 80km from Florence. While it has its cultural and historic attractions and plenty of charm, there is one thing that we think means you should pencil in a visit if you have found a vacation rental in Livorno and that's the city zoo.

Parco Gallorose, or Gallorose Park, is a wildlife centre and zoo in Cecina that began its life as a farm owned by a local family (and still is one run by the same family to this day to this day). In 1997, the family had the idea to turn the land into a park that protects and preserves local fauna and educates the people about it, and, in 2001, it was opened to the public.

I think the first time I saw topiary in real life my little mind was blown. To me, it was only something I had seen in photographs of grand palaces, cartoons and, most memorably, in “Edward Scissorshands,” which I had been allowed to watch when I was far too young and had deeply imprinted on my brain, as a result. Then, while visiting a country house on an estate near my family home, I saw magical plants shaped like all sorts of animals. It was mind-boggling that such a thing was real.

All of this may be why, to this day, I have such a soft spot for topiary and, when I discovered the topiary art that dotted the Tuscan city of Pistoia, it endeared the lovely place to me even further.

Here's something that you might not be aware of: those who have found a vacation rental in Florence and love perfumes, rejoice, as the city is the scent capital of Italy.

The city's Renaissance courts were a place where some of the greatest patrons funded the creation of some of the world's best masterpieces by famous hands but it was also a fertile breeding ground for the art of perfumery and Catherine de' Medici's passion for scents only furthered the interest in the topic. Still a place where crafts and traditions in craftsmanship of all kinds is alive and well, Florence is home to many traditional and historic perfumeries, pharmacies, drugstores and herbalists. It has long since established itself as a leader in the sphere and there is constantly more specialised in research and experimentation happening in the city.