Archive for 'Pisa'

If you are a music-lover and you are considering one of our Tuscany villas this summer then you will quickly discover that there is a rather wide array of incredible different music events and festivals that take place all across the region each year during the season. These events vary widely in genre, style, scale, setting, and cost from local celebrations that are more like parties and can be free to attend, to festivals dedicated to specialist genres for serious super fans, to more mainstream and larger-scale events and concerts featuring world-famous acts. No matter what kind of music or concerts you like, in particular, you’re sure to find some suitable event in Tuscany. If, however, you are a particular fan of opera and you were planning on finding a villa on the Tuscan Coast or a vacation rental in Pisa or a holiday rental in Lucca then the various wonderful perfomances of operas that are put on as part of the Festival Puccini each July and August will likely be of interest. In an utterly charming setting, dedicated to a musical genius from the area, and boasting some truly incredible productions, this is one of the best opera events to attend in Italy.

This year’s 68th addition of the Festival Puccini will take place between the 15th of July 2022 and the 29th of August 2022, giving you just enough time to take a look through some of our last-minute villas in Tuscany to make a wonderful Tuscan getaway full of culture and art happens for you this summer if you have yet to book your vacation this year. 

A Tuscany villa is an excellent idea for those who want to enjoy a relaxing getaway as the entire region is home to lots of natural hot springs and the charming and historic spa towns that have grown up around these destinations. Drawing generations upon generations of both locals, Italians from other parts of the country, and tourists from all over the globe to enjoy the restorative waters and a range of other relaxing and holistic treatments, these are the places that you want to go to if you are looking to truly unwind and rest on your next vacation. We have discussed many different naturally-occurring hot springs, thermal parks, spas, and spa towns previously but one of the most luxurious spots in the entire region to enjoy a day at the spa and in the hot spring waters that we haven’t mentioned before has to be Bagni di Pisa. The day spa here, at this stunning 5 star hotel in a beautiful 18th century building, is a real slice of heaven and is ideal for those who have found a villa with pool in Pisa and are looking to treat themselves to a properly luxurious spa experience.

Located in the spa town of San Giuliano Terme, about 5km from the city of Pisa, the Bagni di Pisa spa is a serious looker, with the thermal pools and baths set in an elegant courtyard of the building, framed by lovely architectural details such a pilasters and arched windows looking into the old palace. This setting is a wonderful and atmospheric place to soak in the restorative waters and is an especially refined counterpart to the famous outdoor springs such as the iconic example in Saturnia – though we would highly recommend a visit to both types if you can manage it! 

You may have noticed a type of wine increasingly in stores and restaurants in the last few years, in particular, that seems new and strange to you: orange wine. These wines are actually part of a very old tradition of wine-making that has been revitalised in recent years and basically involves the macerating of white wines with their skins and the treating of white grapes as one would red ones. While white wine is usually made by pressing the grapes, separating the juice from the skins, and then fermenting this juice, orange wine (or, sometimes, called amber, ramato, macerated, or skin-contact wines) is made by allowing both the skins and juice to ferment together.

Ranging from a golden hue to a richer, redder colour, orange wines have the complex flavour profile and tannins of a red wine but are similarly refreshing to white wine. It is a type of flavour that some find strange at first but it is worth familiarising oneself with as it is a perfect summer drink to enjoy while visiting a vineyard or to pair with a wide variety of meals and foods while dining in the region. And, while the region is not the first that comes to mind in Italy when thinking of orange wine, those who have found a villa with pool in Tuscany or a Tuscany villa will find that many wineries throughout Tuscany are producing wonderful orange wines. 

There is a vast wealth of attractions to draw visitors to the lovely historic city of Pisa but there is also plenty to be seen across the wider region by those who find a villa with a swimming pool in Pisa and are looking ahead for things to see and do during their holiday in Tuscany and while enjoying a Tuscany villa. Boasting a landscape that features those famous rolling hills and pastoral views for which Tuscany is so well-known, a whole host of wineries to be visited, great hiking routes to choose from, pretty little villages waiting to be explored, some exceptionally lovely gardens to wander, and much more besides, this is a particularly scenic part of the world that utterly abounds in natural bounty and beauty.

However, while the whole region features charming scenery and great swathes of unblemished natural splendour, there are several protected areas where nature remains largely completely untouched and these make for the perfect spots to get out and get active and leave the stresses of the modern world behind for a time. One such area is the Natural Park of Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli, or Parco Regionale Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, a truly extraordinary nature park that is located just a few kilometres from the city of Pisa and extends along the coast, taking in parts of the municipalities of Pisa, Viareggio, San Giuliano Terme, Vecchiano, Massarosa, and Livorno. With much to see and do and plenty to keep kids and kids at heart alike happy, it is the perfect place to enjoy outdoor pursuits and to immerse oneself in the calming surroundings of Mother Nature.