Archive for 'History'

If you have an interest in learning about history and some of the masters of the Renaissance arts then you may have heard about the famous poet called Francesco Petrarch who invented the sonnet. A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines that can use any number of formal rhyme schemes to be constructed.

He was born in Arezzo in 1304 and was commonly known simply as ‘Petrarch’. His birthplace was a source of great inspiration to him and is even quoted as saying that Arezzo is the place where he ‘saw the light’ and wrote much of his poetry.

The city of Arezzo offers a great range of holiday villas for tourists who wish to stay here for a day or two. Visit the Casa del Petrarca museum here that is believed to be built over the ruins of Petrarch’s birth house in Arezzo.     Read More

If you’re planning to visit Elba Island during your next holiday to Tuscany then you might be interested to hear about its interesting ties with the famous military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte! Elba is the largest of the Tuscan islands and is extremely busy in July and August with holidaymakers.

Some visitors that want to come here for a few days prefer to come during the quieter months of April to May or September to October when they can relax in a more peaceful atmosphere and thrill in all the land and water activities available as well as lots of tourist attractions to visit!

There’s a huge selection of holiday villas on the Elba island.

Elba Island has been inhabited since the Iron Age by Ligurian tribes, followed by the Etruscans and then the Greeks. Pirates were regular visitors to Elba and many stories of their legacy remain behind in thrilling folklore.     Read More

A holiday to Tuscany wouldn't be complete without a visit to some of the the 14th century artworks created by the famous painter, Leonardo da Vinci, many of which are located in art galleries in Florence city!

This talented Renaissance artist helped to put Florence on the map during the ‘Enlightened Era’ and tourists are guaranteed to enjoy a wonderful cultural experience as they follow in his footsteps! Those wishing to spend some of their holiday to Tuscany in or around the city of Florence have plenty of stylish apartments and comfortable holiday villas to rent, where they can relax after a few days of stimulating art appreciation.

Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in the charming town of Vinci in the province of Florence. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour around a lovely museum here called ‘Museo Leonardiano’ which contains some of his many inventions, drawings and notes. Also worth a visit is Casa di Leonardo, the farmhouse nearby where he was born and raised.     Read More

Discover the fascinating stories of the man renowned as Italy’s best storyteller called Giovanni Boccaccio and the story of the famous Renaissance painter called Piero della Francesca. Both men were pioneers in their fields of expertise and contributed much to Italian cultural heritage.

Visitors wishing to tour around sites where their work is housed would be well situated by staying in a lovely holiday rental near Florence, Italy where most of it resides. There is a lavish selection of luxury apartments and holiday accommodation available to choose from.

Giovanni Boccaccio was born in either Certaldo or Florence in 1313 and became a massive influence in storytelling during the 14th century. His most famous literary work is called ‘Decameron’ which mean ‘ten days’.

It tells the story of a group of three men and seven women who flee from Florence during the dreaded Black Plague as it sweeps unmercifully through the city. It’s a collection of one hundred tales involving these characters and offers those who read it, a unique insight into what Florence was like in the 1300s.     Read More