Archive for 'Restaurants & Cafés'

You've finally done it. You've said goodbye to stress, planning, chaos and chores and you've decided to spend Christmas abroad, rather than glued to the kitchen and commitments. You've embraced adventure!

But it's not that simple. Many of us are sentimental about Christmas and the festive period (no matter what you believe or which holidays you celebrate) and it's hard to let go of that entirely. Especially if your social media feeds are full of people gathered in cosy homes with their families. Well, why not have a bit of both? Now that you have found avacation rental in the Florence area, embrace the festivities and the luxury by letting someone else bombard you with delicious food in a lovely setting: the Winter Garden by Caino at the famous and historic St. Regis in Florence.

I'll admit something right off the bat: I like Italian food but I don't love it enough to eat it every day. So, when I recently spent a week in Tuscany, I quickly became tired of similar menus. Fattoria Il Palagio did not have a wildly different menu and, yet, it was the best dining experience that I had in Tuscany, by far.

Located just outside of Scarperia, a small and charming historic town in the northeast of Tuscany, around 25km from Florence, and famous for the production of knives, the restaurant immediately impresses upon first approaching it.

It is an old villa, sitting on beautifully maintained grounds and with excellent views of the surrounding landscape to the rear of the property. The building is surrounded by plant-draped pergolas and twinkling lights that make it atmospheric after nightfall and it is hard to decide if it is lovelier at night or during the day.

As great pizza is a highlight of any trip to Italy, we thought it was only fitting to try and help you track down some of the best places to get pizza in Tuscany. Based on review sites, articles and recommendations, we have compiled a list of some excellent options but the only way to really know is to try them for yourself. So, just find a luxury villa in Tuscany and try out any of these places and let us know whether or not you feel that they live up to the hype!

7. Florence – Mercato Centrale

We have mentioned a couple of Florentine locations so far but this spot is something special. Unlike the other picks, it isn't a single, dedicated pizzeria but an indoor market place where you can find food vendors selling and cooking various kinds of food, all under one roof.

Continuing on from our previous posts, we have been tracking down some of the best-rated and most beloved pizza places in Tuscany. Of course, it isn't possible to try out every single restaurant, personally, or to definitively say that one restaurant is better than the rest, however, we have trawled across lots of different review websites to see what real people are saying. Just find a luxury villa in Tuscany, grab pizza at any of these spots and let us know if you agree with the positive reviews that we have seen.

5. Florence – Gusta Pizza

Another Florentine entry, this is the top-rated pizza place in the city according to Yelp. Located on Via Maggio, it is a buzzy, busy spot that is very popular with locals.

Italians are serious about their pizza, as are tourist because, most of us could probably agree, it is one of the highlights of any trip to Italy. To help you have the best possible trip to Italy (and the best possible pizza), we have compiled a list of some of the highest rated and most beloved pizza places in Tuscany. Read on for the pizza you have always dreamed of and find a luxury villa in Tuscany for the holiday you have always dreamed of.

3. Lucca – Pizzeria da Felice

Pizzeria da Felice has been in business for over a hundred years and, yet, remains the most beloved pizza place in Lucca. Located on Via Buia 12, it is the type of place that inspires repeat visits; so much so that some report visiting several times in a trip and, even, twice in one day!