Archive for 'Lucca'

One of the most popular type of villas we rent in Tuscany are  luxury villas. Typically these vacation rentals are large restored farmhouses in Tuscany countryside although there are also luxury accommodations located in many of the popular city destinations like Siena, Florence, Lucca, San Gimignano and Cortona.

If you plan on staying in a large luxury villa with pool in Tuscany next season we recommend you book it as soon as possible.

The supply of these villas is limited and the demand is always high. October and November are the best time to reserve a luxurious villa because the availability for the next season is just coming online and your choices won't be limited. If you wait until next spring to book, your choice of villas will be much more limited.

We are often asked about the rating system we use to rank our villas and how we determine the star rating. Our ratings are from one star to five stars with five stars being the best. We take into account the quality of the villa and furnishings, the location and views, the amenities like private pool, en-suite bathrooms, maid service, etc. All these factors and many other criteria are evaluated before a villa specialist assigns a rating to the villa.  Only villas that are rated 5-stars are considered to be luxury vacation rentals.

To learn more about individual properties visit our luxury villas in Tuscany page to view a complete list of our 5-star accommodations. If you're interested in renting a luxury villa in a specific area, please visit these pages: Florence luxury accommodations, Siena luxury villas and farmhouses, Lucca luxury vacation villas, Chianti luxury holiday rentals and Cortona luxury villas.

Do you like the idea of driving through the Tuscan countryside, looking at all of the ancient architecture and ruins that are left behind from hundreds of years ago?

If so, then one of the most spectacular bridges is the Ponte Della Maddalena, more commonly known as the Devil's Bridge. It was first built in the 12th century and it is one of the most fantastic examples of medieval engineering that there is.

Standing at about 60 feet high up you can look right down into the clear waters of the river Serchio.

Most, if not all, of Tuscany's cities, towns and villages have roots well beyond the medieval age. Many have been able to retain their historic centers within the ancient city walls.
These walls, which protected the city and its residents for centuries, still protect the city to this day: acting as a barrier to keep urbanization and modernization out of their historic town centers.

Lucca is a prime example of this; its city walls keep out the modern world and allow for a deeper immersion into the culture and history of the city for visitors and residents alike. Imagine how much more you might appreciate parts of your home town if you had to walk through them each day and you had the time to see the little things we rocket past in our normal, day-to-day, rushing lifestyle. But Lucca has taken their city walls to a step beyond that of most...