Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

Tuscany's most famous scientist is probably Galileo Galilei, the beloved astronomer, physicist, and engineer who was from Pisa and famously sentenced to live the rest of his life under house arrest after angering the Catholic Church with his theory of Copernican heliocentrism (which states that the earth rotates daily and revolves around the sun). Later pardoned and eventually honoured by the Vatican, centuries after his death, Galileo has been credited as one of the forefathers and instigators of modern science and his work still informs research and education today. For those interested in science and Galileo who are browsing our luxury villas in Florence, it is worth keeping in mind that this fascinating and culturally vibrant city is home to the Museo Galileo. Not only is it a wonderful place to learn more about the Tuscan visionary, it boasts one of the world's major collections of scientific instruments, making it a must-see for those with STEM-related interests!

The Museo Galileo (previously the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza or Institute and Museum of the History of Science) is located in Piazza dei Giudici in Florence, just a stone's throw from the Uffizi Gallery, making it very easy to have a museum day during your vacation in Florence in which you visit both! Housed in the 11th century Palazzo Castellani, once known as the Castello d’Altafronte, the museum was renamed and re-opened to the public in 2010 after being closed for two years for renovations and restructuring of the museum. Established as the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in 1930 by the University of Florence, the basis of the collection comes from the estates of the Medici and the Lorraine dynasties but has since been added to and expanded.     Read More

The Tuscan town of Collodi, not far from Florence, is most famous as the place where the beloved children's character Pinocchio was created by author Carlo Collodi and featured in the 1883 book, “The Adventures of Pinocchio”. Propelled into fame on a global scale when the story was made into an animated classic by Disney in 1940, Pinocchio became an integral figure in the lives of many children throughout the world. Those who are particularly fond of the puppet who learned how to become a boy and his story and who have found a luxury villa in Collodi (or who have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning a day trip to the area) will, no doubt, be sure to plan a trip to the theme park dedicated to character, Pinocchio Park. Throughout the town, too, you will find lots of different tributes to the story and plenty of souvenirs on sale from the massive statue of the puppet visible all over town to the little Pinocchio figures sold all over. However, if you are not merely interested in Pinocchio, you will find that the charming little town of Collodi actually has more to offer visitors beyond the park with its rides and whimsy, it is also home to the exceptional Garzoni Gardens and the Butterfly House, which are located just a few minutes away on foot.     Read More

It was not enough for the wealthy and educated noblemen and merchants of Europe to display their money, influence, and power, they also wished to show off their erudition and good taste. One of the ways that they began to do this was with the Cabinet of Curiosities, or Wunderkammer. Developed in the 16th century, though more rudimentary sorts of private collections had existed among such people earlier, these were rooms of collections of items that showcased an interest in art, learning, and the natural world. Objects that were part of such collections ranged from prints and drawings to books and manuscripts, from taxidermied animals and bones to shells and stones. The wealthier had larger and more elaborate collections in bigger rooms while less wealthy individuals had smaller amounts of objects in studies or even cases or cabinets. A form of entertainment, in addition to being an indicator of socioeconomic status, these collections were shown off to friends, guests, and business partners when visitors were over.

With the dawning of more official museums, many such collections were dissolved and sent to public institutions or sold. As such, this eccentric and eclectic form of display largely fell out of favour in order to make way for the more organised and standardised methods employed by professionals. However, if you have found a vacation rental in Arezzo and are interested in experiencing the sensory overload and highly personal curation of a cabinet of curiosities for yourself, there is one to be viewed in town; the Theatrum Mundi.     Read More

Tuscany is famously home to some of the prettiest towns and villages in the world. However, if you have found yourself a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast and are spending time in that part of the region, you'll discover some especially charming little gems. Among them all, however, one of the most utterly picturesque has to be Suvereto. A perfect place in which to enjoy a day trip, it is a combination of stunning natural surroundings and a delightfully lovely village plucked from the pages of a storybook or from an image on a postcard. This is truly Tuscany at its most unbelievably idyllic, which is saying something in a part of the world that is famous for being almost too pretty to be real.     Read More