Archive for 'Events'

Siena Cathedral, or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, is a 13th century church in Siena, Tuscany. As it houses works by Donatello, Bernini, Michelangelo and Cimabue (among others) and is one of the main sights in the city, chances are that it is already on many itineraries of visitors to the city. However, if you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are making the trip there this summer, there is even more reason to visit the Cathedral.

Montalcino is a hill town in the south of Tuscany known for its famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino. One of its most distinctive features is the fortified castle that sits at the highest point of the town and overlooks everything below. Built on a pentagonal plan in 1361 and designed by the Sienese architects Mino Foresi and Domenico di Feo, the castle incorporates some of the pre-existing southern town walls (which date back as far as the 13th century), and other pre-existing structures including the keep of Santo Martini, the San Giovanni tower and an ancient basilica which now serves as its chapel. Find a villa with a pool in Siena nearby and spend a day experiencing this unique little town, its traditions and the wonderful Montalcino castle.

2015 is the Year of Archaeology in Tuscany. This basically means that for the next few months major and minor museums around Tuscany will be putting on special exhibits and organising special events in order to promote the archaeological heritage of the region. If you are a history fanatic, you may want to find yourself a luxury villa in the area and experience the celebration of archaeological discovery for yourself.

The event which opens the year's events schedule is an exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. Launched on March 14th and continuing through to June 21st, it is entitled “Power and Pathos - Bronze sculpture of the Hellenistic world.”

Each year, at the end of October, the medieval town of Lucca is transformed and plays host to Lucca Comics and Games, Italy's answer to Comic-con. In fact, the festival has outdone the numbers of that perhaps more familiar name. Attendance in recent years has reached over 400,000, making it the biggest festival of its kind in Europe and the second largest in the world after Comiket in Tokyo.

The festival was established in 1966 and continues to dominate the city centre of the town for five days each year. Lucca's normal population of 87,000 is massively increased and the streets are flooded by attendees dressed vibrantly.

Florence is one of the great art centres of the world, known internationally for the many wonderful collections and museums that it houses and as birthplace of the Renaissance. Visitors nearly all try and make time for sites such as the Uffizi museum when visiting the city.

The serious art-lovers out there, however, might want to add something a little more off the beaten track to their itineraries; a visit to the Contini-Bonacossi Collection.

Maybe it's time to plan a trip, find yourself a Tuscan luxury villa and see this rare treat for yourself!

Put together by the politician, art collector and dealer, Count Alessandro Contini-Bonacossi (1878-1955), the collection is considered one of the most important art collections of the 20th century.

It was donated to the Italian state in 1969 but inheritance disputes meant that it ended up being sold off. It wasn't until 1998 that it was pieced back together and acquired by the Uffizi.

The collection is comprised of 50 works dating between the 14th and 18th centuries; 35 paintings, 12 sculptures and 11 coats of arms by Della Robbia alongside pieces of ancient furniture and majolicas.