Archive for 'Events'

  

Monday, February 18, 2019
Crete Senesi
In the last post, we discussed the beautiful town of Asciano in the Crete Senesi, one of the most undoubtedly scenic and picturesque parts of Tuscany. If you have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are looking for somewhere to spend a day, it is an ideal day-trip location. Or, if you want something a bit more relaxed, why not find a vacation rental in Asciano itself and spend your time surrounded by the most picture-perfect scenery imaginable. Then, if you're looking for things to see and do, why not browse our list of five excellent things to do in Asciano, continued from the last post...

2. Visit her Museums

Speaking of the fine exterior of the Civic Archaeological and Sacred Art Museum is attractive, the collections held inside are also appealing. It houses archeological finds dating from antiquity and art dating from the thirteenth to the eighteenth centuries. Everything inside is from the surrounding area but the sacred art section is particularly noteworthy quality, boasting a wooden crucifix by Giovanni Pisano, the Triptych of Rofeno by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and the great masterpiece that is the Nativity of the Virgin Mary by the “Maestro dell’Osservanza”, among others. In addition to this, there is the Cassioli Museum, which was established in 1991 with an extraordinary bequest of artworks by the family of artist Amos Cassioli. It is the only museum in the province of Siena that is dedicated entirely to Sienese paintings from the fourteenth century and also boasts excellent graphics and sculpture sections.     Read More
Posted in: Activities, Concerts & Festivals, Countryside, Events, Food and Wine, Hiking, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Siena, Tourist Attractions

  

Monday, January 28, 2019
Blacksmith
The charming medieval town of Anghiari, in the province of Arezzo, was of extreme importance during the Middle Ages due its strategic position on a hilltop in Tuscany. In a time where lands changed hands frequently, this positioning was useful in preventing it slipping from your own grip and into another's. It is also here that the famous Battle of Anghiari took place, in 1440 when Florentine troops defeated a Milanese army and gained control of the region. Said scene was famously depicted by Da Vinci, further solidifying the town's place and name in history. Today, it is an exceptionally pretty place with cobbled streets that wind up and down hills, quaint stone buildings draped in plants and flowers, cute restaurants and little stores, and more. It is also where an incredible craft fair takes place each Spring, showcasing extraordinary artisanal goods still made by traditional methods in the surrounding area. If you are interested in taking a step back in time and getting your hands on some truly unique souvenirs, it is a must-see destination. Just find a vacation rental in Anghiari, carve out some time to visit the fair, and be sure to leave some space in your suitcases to bring back the precious spoils of your venture.     Read More
Posted in: Events, Fairs, Markets, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, January 25, 2019
Wine glasses
Tuscany is one of the great wine regions of the world, as beautiful as it is prolific, an ideal place to holiday, sip, sit back, relax, and enjoy. Throughout the year, there are all sorts of wine-lead events and festivals as well and there are several great times to choose to plan a wine-based vacation in Tuscany but, if we were to recommend one in the coming months, during the lovely springtime in the region, it would be the Orcia Wine Festival in April. Just browse our vacation rentals in the Val d'Orcia and plan to attend this amazing festival and try some delicious Tuscan wines for yourself in the stunning surroundings of this gorgeous part of the region.

Taking place each year during the last weekend in April, in the town of San Quirico d'Orcia, the Orcia Wine Festival is an event that was created in order to promote and celebrate the excellence of the wine production of the Val d’Orcia. Conceived and organised by the Municipality of San Quirico d'Orcia, the fair takes place in the beautiful eighteenth century rooms of the Palazzo Chigi and involves technical tasting sessions, food and wine tastings, specialist talks and the organising of visits to the wineries in which the excellent local wines that are showcased over the course of the festival are actually produced.     Read More
Posted in: April, Events, Food and Wine, Localities, Orcia Valley, Wineries & Breweries

  

Thursday, January 17, 2019
Daisies
The lovely medieval city of Lucca is full of surprises and intriguing little gems around every corner. One of the most fascinating, if somewhat macabre, things that you could stumble across is the mummified remains of Saint Zita, the city's patron saint. Famously kind and beloved, she spent her life working diligently as a maid for a noble family, attending church on a daily basis, and tending to the sick and poor in her free time.

Despite having died in the 13th century, when her body was exhumed in the 16th century, it was found to be uncorrupted and was eventually put on display in a richly ornamented glass coffin in the Basilica di San Ferdiano. Canonised in the 1690s, a cult of worship built up around the kindly saint, who remains especially beloved in the hearts of locals to this day.     Read More
Posted in: April, Events, Localities, Lucca

  

Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Torre, exterior
All this week we have been looking ahead to Valentine's Day and thinking about the kinds of plans you could make. In our opinion, instead of things, experiences make for much much better gifts and make memories that last far longer than flowers or chocolates. If you really want to treat your beloved this coming Valentine's day, why not plan a romantic getaway to one of the best destinations in the world for couples: Tuscany. Idyllic, steeped in history, full of good food and wine, with lots to see and do, and with a far more relaxed pace of life, it is the best place to get away from it all and spend quality time with the one you love...

Here are our final picks of our top ten most romantic vacation rentals in Tuscany.     Read More
Posted in: Events, February, Top 10 Lists, Villa Spotlights, Villas and Farmhouses