Archive for 'Fairs'

For many people, shopping is an integral part of travel and getting to know a new place when you are on holidays. In particular, the unique finds, characters, excitement, and atmosphere of local fairs and markets are a brilliant part of getting to grips with a holiday destination and a perfect place to find the best mementos, souvenirs, and gifts. If you are one of these individuals and you have been considering our Tuscany villas while planning your next vacation, then this is your sign to book your villa in Tuscany today because few other places anywhere else can compete when it comes to volume, quality, and uniqueness of fairs and markets. Tuscany abounds with incredible markets that sell everything from local wine, to sun-ripened fresh fruit, to handmade crafts, to baked goods that smell utterly divine, to chic vintage finds, to works of art, to some of the best antiques in the globe. For the bargain-hunter or gem-finder who loves nothing more than to potter about, browsing bits, snacking, enjoying your surroundings, people-watching, and generally taking things slow and easy, then the endless list of local fairs and markets throughout Tuscany’s picturesque little towns and villages and famously lovely cities is sure to delight. One particularly note-worthy example if you are planning a vacation in Tuscany this summer and especially if you find a villa with swimming pool in Arezzo is the annual Fiera Antiquaria taking place on the 2nd and the 3rd of July and the 6th and the 7th of August 2022 (as well as on dates in September, October, November, and December – check out the website for more details). 

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Are you mad about strawberries? If so, have you tried strawberries (or, really, any kind of fruit or vegetables) in Italy during the summer? It is a whole different experience that can completely change your mind about things and convert you to foods that you never thought you liked! If you love strawberries, then you need to try Italian strawberries that have been perfectly ripened by the sunny days and fertile soils of Italy. It is a magical experience but it is at its absolute peak in the town of Terricciola. Located in the province of Pisa, this pretty little town is most famous for her annual strawberry festival, which is a must-see for foodies who have found themselves a luxury villa in Pisa and plan on spending time in the area during May.     Read More

Autumn brings with it the harvest season and lots of delicious seasonal foods. As the winter approaches, however, Italy and Tuscany celebrate one last tasty harvest for the year, or, rather, one last forage: for precious truffles.

Truffles can actually be found in Italy throughout much of the year with dark winter truffles available from January to March, tan truffles (or bianchetto truffles) being foraged from March to April, and common black summer truffles can be unearthed from June to November. However, the most sought-out and highly-prized of all truffles are the tartufo bianco, or white truffles, which can be found from September through to November. As a result of this being the time in which the most beloved truffles are to be found, October and November are also when many events surrounding the finding, eating, and celebrating of truffles take place.     Read More

The Medici family have left an indelible mark on Tuscany that is still felt today, centuries after they were at the peak of their powers. Works of art, buildings, and even towns remain as a mark of their incredible legacy but so, too, do stories. One of the most compelling is the story of the mysterious death of Isabella de' Medici, the beloved daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Famously beautiful and free-spirited, she was a well-known Florentine figure who died suddenly and unexpectedly at the Medici villa in Cerreto Guidi in 1576 during a hunting holiday.

According to her brother, "while she was washing her hair in the morning ... She was found by Signor Paolo Giordano on her knees, having immediately fallen dead.” This unlikely and dubious version of events was doubted and, according to information obtained by the Ferrarese ambassador, Ercole Cortile, she was actually "strangled at midday" by her husband in the presence of several named servants. It is thought that her husband, Paolo Giordano, killed Isabella because of an affair that she had had with Troilo Orsini or that her brother, the Grand Duke Francesco de’ Medici actually had ordered her death.     Read More