Archive for 'Events'

Vinci, the birthplace of beloved the Renaissance Master, Leonardo da Vinci, is an exceptionally beautiful and picturesque part of Tuscany. Surrounded by lush forests, vineyards, olive groves, and rolling hills that are often swathed in atmospheric fog early in the morning, the town is made up of charming old stone buildings topped by terracotta tiled roofs and overlooked by a fairytale castle (which plays host to a Leonardo Museum) and the church of Santa Croce, with its pretty campanile.

Those who browse our Tuscany Villas and find a villa in Vinci, however, who really want to lean into the fantasy and fairytale vibes of the city should plan their visit for the end of July, when the Festa dell'Unicorno will be taking place. Dedicated to fantasy culture, this annual event sees those picturesque streets become even more unreal with the addition of elves, angels, demons, orcs, dragons, dinosaurs, pirates, and famous characters from popular shows and movies and books wandering about. 

Livorno is home to another Venice, the Venezia Nuova, or New Venice of Tuscany. A stunning coastal town in Tuscany, this gem of a place features a series less-famous but undeniably lovely canals of its own.

Throughout the year, there is plenty to recommend the town for a vacation in one of our Tuscany Villas but there are a few annual events that make time staying a villa in Livorno and exploring the city all the more appealing. One of the most exciting of these events takes place each August and sees the canals made yet more lovely with music, performances, street art, light shows, markets, and more. The Effetto Venezia, or Venetian Effect, is an event with an almost 40 year tradition and is a thrilling and colourful festival that makes Livorno into one giant work of art and party.

Those who book one of our luxury villas in Florence will likely have a long list of tourist attractions to visit and things to see and do while in this magical gem of a city in Tuscany. However, we also recommend just taking the time to walk around and soak it all up. Simply wandering about the city is a delight in its own right because as you explore Florence on foot, you will be able to appreciate and closely admire its grand architecture and artistic treasures from magnificent palaces turned into museums, to its stunning churches brimming with art, to its lush gardens once privately owned by nobles and now opened to the public, to its picturesque piazzas with fountains and statues by famous artists and historic restaurants and cafés. Florence really is a feast for the eyes! And one stunning piazza that really shouldn't be missed during a vacation in Tuscany is the Piazza della Repubblica.

Tuscany is well-known for her rich culinary heritage and scene and, as a result, is home to an endless list of local and famous food festivals. These festivals honour saints, celebrate local specialities, commemorate historic events, and highlight seasonal harvests and dishes and often have one dish or product that is the star of the show (though you’ll find plenty of other excellent things to taste as well). As a result of the quantity of these festivals and the long list of different specialities and products that are honoured, those with preferences for specific foods will very likely be able to find a celebration dedicated to exactly the thing they love.

So, for example, if you’re a peach fan, you’ll be well served by browsing our Tuscany Villas and booking a vacation rental in Florence come late August to mid-September, when the Queen Peach will be reigning! 

April is a wonderful time to find a luxury villa in Florence or to book one of our Tuscany Villas and plan a day-trip (or two or three) to Florence for plenty of reasons! Not only do tourist crowds remain relatively smaller compared to the height of the summer but it finally starts to get a bit warmer and, importantly, the city finally goes into bloom. And, all of these flowers and this lush greenery that can be found in the gardens and parks and dotted throughout Florence only serve to make the impossible beauty of this incredible city all the more picturesque and to add splashes of colour amongst the grand architectural gems that are found all over. In particular, Florence is home to some of the world’s most famous and extraordinary historic gardens and most of them are best experienced in the spring.

Among this selection of stunning gardens that can be found by visitors who are planning on booking a vacation rental in Florence, one that is considered a must-see each April and which is regularly photographed at this time of the year is the Giardino Bardini. This is because of one particular feature: the extraordinary, “Wisteria Lane.”