Archive for 'June'

Tuscany is famous for her food and wine, her beautiful landscape and historic cities and towns, her culture, and more - but one thing that many might not realise is that this lovely region of Italy is also a hub for unique sporting traditions. So, if you love sport but you also love a curiosity, be sure to pay attention to this lesser-celebrated but fascinating part of Tuscany’s heritage during a stay in one of our incredible villas in Tuscany!

Want to attend one of these curious events for yourself and to enjoy the excitement and thrills of a good game alongside the fun of a more off-beat sport? Well, then check out our guide to some of Tuscany’s most unique and intriguing sporting events...

If you are planning an early summer vacation in Florence and are going to be wandering around the city, we recommend making the most of the green spaces of the Birthplace of the Renaissance while they are in full bloom. Time spent in the famously beautiful and elaborate gardens of historic palaces that are now open to the public for visits, hanging out in one of the large public parks with a picnic, or simply taking a little breather in one of the charming flower gardens run by the city, offers visitors a chance to pause and relax in peaceful and pretty surroundings. It’s very easy to book a vacation rental in Florence and then spend your entire trip dashing around in a mad effort to see and do it all but it is also important to take a moment, enjoy the atmosphere and the good looks of the city, and to stop and smell the roses...

The best place to do just that is the Rose Garden in Florence. A place where extraordinary blooms, interesting artwork, and stunning views over the city’s skyline all come together, it is a must-see for those who are staying in a holiday rental in Florence in May or June. 

Florence is always a dream destination for culture vultures but if you are a particular lover of the performing arts then a great time to book a vacation rental in Florence is between late April and June, when the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival is held. In addition to the incredible and vast array of museums, galleries, churches, architectural gems, gorgeous gardens, public statuary, and more that is already available for your consideration, over the course of this period each year, the city holds a range of different performances. While it is a notable opera festival run by the Opera di Firenze, there is also a diverse season of ballet, classical concerts, and theatrical performances. Fitting one of these shows into your time staying in one of our holiday rentals in Florence is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in this incredible culture capital and to experience some amazing performances.

Founded in 1933 by Vittorio Gui and inspired by an idea of Luigi Ridolfi Vay da Verrazzano, the festival was designed with the concept of using theatrical and wonderfully striking visual productions to showcase both contemporary pieces and operas that had been forgotten. Italy’s oldest music festival and the second-oldest in Europe, after the Salzburg Festival, it was an immediate success and was made into a biennial event in 1937. Thereafter, it became an annual festival and was held across the Teatro Comunale and Piccolo Teatro and the Teatro della Pergola until 2014, when the new Teatro dell'Opera di Firenze (which had been opened in 2011), replaced the Teatro Comunale.

Any cycling enthusiasts who have been considering a villa in Florence at the end of June 2024 should stop wondering and book their vacation immediately because, for the first time in 121 years, the race is kicking off in Italy and specifically from Florence before passing through the Apuan Alps and into Emilia Romagna.

The oldest and most celebrated by far of the three big Grand Tour events in cycling, this men’s multiple-stage race causes a true fever of excitement each summer in Europe, especially in the towns through which the speeding competitors pass.

Florence, as a city, seems especially fitting as a spot for this grand cycling event to begin as it is a place with a great passion for the activity and Emilia-Romagna, too, has long and impressive affiliations with the history of cycling as a sport. 

Love rock music? Considering a last-minute stay in one our incredible Tuscany villas? Well, then you’re in luck! Combine the two, find a last-minute villa in Tuscany or browse our villas in Florence, in particular, and then head to Florence to experience the music, stunning surroundings, and excitement of Firenze Rocks!

Firenze Rocks is a key event in the Tuscan summer schedule and sees the birthplace of the Renaissance attract some of the world’s largest contemporary music artists to the same streets that once were tread by the likes of Da Vinci and Raphael and many more instantaneously recognisable great artistic masters. A particular must for those who like their music on the heavier side and rock, hard rock, and metal fans, this festival was only actually born back in 2017 but has quickly become an annual fixture of the Italian music festival circuit and is finally back after two years. Taking place over the course of four days around the middle of June each year, Firenze Rocks has previously been played by the likes of Aerosmith, Placebo, Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard, System of a Down, Foo Fighters, The Kills, Wolf Alice, Guns N ’Roses, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Ozzy Osbourne, Avenged Sevenfold, Judas Priest, Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, Dream Theater, Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran, The Cure, Sum 41, Editors, and many more.