Archive for 'Restaurants & Cafés'

Whenever we recommend basing yourself in one of the wine areas of Tuscany, we have certain images of these sorts of vacations that immediately come to mind: cycling between nearby vineyards in the Chianti area, wine-tasting in a historic cellar or a beautiful room overlooking the famous rolling green hills of Tuscany, picnicking among the vines, or dining in a more formal and excellent restaurant with the vineyards as a backdrop. If you are interested in the latter, in particular, then you might be interested in the list of the best vineyard-restaurants around the world that was recently put together by renowned viniculture publication Wine Enthusiast magazine. 

Of the 57 spots listed all around the globe, four are located in Tuscany alone. So, if you want to plan a perfect pairing of food and wine during a stay in one of our villas in Tuscany, then read on and discover these wineries that serve both in beautiful spaces...

Love to eat well? Then that already makes Tuscany an ideal destination as you’ll find all sorts of incredible meals at amazing price points in all kinds of eateries, excellent regional dishes, perfect ingredients at markets, delicious street food to eat on the go, food festivals, guided tastings, and much more besides. For foodies, Tuscany presents endless options and food experiences and for foodies who like more exclusive opportunities, it offers a long list of Michelin-starred and Michelin-recognised restaurants. Recently, four new restaurants have been added to Tuscany’s Michelin Guide for 2026. So, if you want to add some fine-dining experiences to your trip and to get ahead of the crowd then these are the newly listed gems that you should add to your itinerary...

Many people are now aware of Florence’s wine windows as they are a regular feature on the social media accounts of those who visit the city. These buchette del vino, once-ubiquitous windows through which one could purchase wine directly from noble families’ palaces, are dotted all throughout the city. In total, there are at least almost 200 known examples that still exist today, though only a small number are now functional once more.

A unique way to engage with Florence’s history and a fun foodie experience that may be a little bit touristy but is worth it nonetheless, this is one thing we think any wine-lover should add to their itinerary if they are booking a villa with pool in Florence!

Now that they’re so popular, however, you may have lots of questions. Here’s our complete guide to the wine windows of Florence!

Coffee shops have a long and special tradition in Europe as a place where great minds would meet up to discuss art, politics, culture, and ideas. From these gatherings, works of art were born and political movements started. Of course, many of these venues have disappeared over time but those who vacation in Tuscany will discover that plenty of this region's historic and storied caffés (the Italian word for café) actually still exist and, often, have been changed very little in the intervening time. So, for those who love history and culture, who enjoy grand old spaces, who want to soak up the spirit of creativity and discovery, and who are after a great cup of coffee while they stay in one of our villas in Tuscany, here are some examples that you should make a point to visit!

Picture this: you have been enjoying a stay in one of our luxury villas in Florence, you have spent the day exploring the city, you have worked up an appetite and a thirst, it’s lunchtime, and you want to enjoy some seriously chic bites and a truly excellent glass (or maybe even a bottle, especially if you’re splitting it with a group of similarly-minded travel companions) of wine. Well, then we have a perfect prescription for you to make your day even more enjoyable: a visit to Procacci 1885, one of the oldest and most glamorous wine bars in the birthplace of the Renaissance.