Archive for 'Wineries & Breweries'

The area of Grosetto is a coastal region of Tuscany that is an excellent holiday destination for those looking to enjoy a villa on the Tuscan Coast. While a villa in Grosetto does not necessarily ensure you will be right by the sea, the sea will be within driving distance and you will also quickly discover that there are lots of other wonderful attractions and natural gems to explore in the area. From Blue Flag beaches, to Ancient Roman ruins, to Saturnia's famous hot springs, to incredible cave systems, to the astounding beauty of Lake Burano, to the annual Vivamus wine festival in the town of Montemerano each July, there are endless things to discover while on holiday in the region. However, if you're looking for a particularly relaxing outing, then we suggest a visit to a winery. Wandering the grounds on a tour, enjoying a guided tasting of their wines, and stocking up on some wine to savour during your holiday or bring home for yourself and as gifts, makes for a perfect itinerary for those looking to spend a day simply unwinding and making the most of being on holiday. While there are many wineries in the province of Grosetto to choose from, one of the best and the most interesting for those also interested in archaeology has to be the lovely La Biagiola.

Peroni is the Italian beer that is most familiar to those outside of Italy and, while there are more Italian beers that are household names to locals, there is also a craft brewing industry that has become bigger and bigger in recent years, as is the case in many places across the world. Tuscany, in particular, is home to quite a few micro-breweries, brew-pubs, and other small producers of craft and artisanal beers that the foodie and beer enthusiast who has found a villa in Tuscany will be excited to discover. In fact, we have previously written a guide to some of the highest rated craft breweries in Tuscany that can be found here. However, today, we are focusing on one of the region's breweries, La Petrognola Brewery.

The charming and historic town of Arezzo makes for an idyllic holiday destination to enjoy the unique culture and atmosphere of Tuscany while staying a little off the more well-trod tourist path. If you're looking to enjoy a key location in the region but you're less interested in bigger cities or more world-famous spots, then a villa with pool in Arezzo is just the thing for your next vacation in Tuscany. In this extraordinary gem of a place, visitors will encounter a picturesque Old Town that has remained largely untouched by time and is so cinematically lovely that it was featured in Benigni's beloved and Oscar-winning, “Life is Beautiful”, stunning churches and palaces often stuffed full of incredible works of art (like Piero della Francesca's astounding Renaissance fresco cycle that covers the walls of the Bacci Chapel), little museums that may not hold familiar works but are fascinating all the same (including a wonderful jewellery museum and the rich Diocesan Museum), pretty little shops selling local crafts and delicious regional treats, and more. Then, around the town's boundaries, you will also find a rather stunning part of the Tuscan countryside with some of the region's iconic and impossibly scenic, lush, rolling hills dotted by old farmhouses, majestic and ancient villas once occupied by ruling lords, and endless vineyards producing some of Tuscany's celebrated local wines.

The Chianti region of Tuscany is the most famous wine region of Italy and is home to countless incredible wineries producing delicious Tuscan wines. However, if you have found a villa in Florence or a villa in Siena and are looking for a nearby winery in Chianti to visit, then one that we recommend and one of the most picturesque and charming that you could possibly hope to visit is in the region is the Villa Spoiano. Browse our amazing villas in Chianti and get planning a foodie trip to Tuscany that includes plenty of delicious local wines and a wine-tasting session to help you learn more about the history and production of wine in the region in this special gem of a winery.

There are lots of different wineries that one can choose to visit while on vacation in Tuscany but if you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are looking for a pretty, respected, and nearby winery to head to on a day trip out of the city then few options could be as ideal as Castello di Nipozzano. Located high on a hillside in the municipality of Pelago in the Chianti wine region, near Florence, overlooking the towns of San Francesco and Pontassieve and the ancient Roman road, the Cassia Vetus, it has long been a point of strategic importance in guarding the city of Florence. It has also been long recognised as a rather special architectural gem and has been a winery that is opened to the public and a foodie destination since the 20th century. A truly magical and utterly beautiful place to sample some delicious local wines, it is a must for wine-lovers who are spending time in Florence.