Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

Many people dream of a vacation in Tuscany. Maybe you’ve been before and can’t wait to get back. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to go and are finally planning a trip. Whatever the case may be, we have thousands of incredible vacation rentals in Tuscany and villas in Tuscany to choose from. From villas with pools in Tuscany to holiday rentals in Florence, right in the centre of the city, we have a range of different options to suit your needs and tastes. However, it doesn’t just stop at helping you find an ideal villa in Tuscany. Here at Tuscany Villas, we want to help you all throughout the entire booking process and your holiday itself – from finding the rental that is just right, to managing payments, to having a smooth arrival, to finding plenty of things to see and do in the area.

As we really want to help you make the most of your time in the region and make that dream vacation happen – whether you’re a seasoned visitor to Tuscany, it’s that first time, or it’s a once-in-a-lifetime blow-out experience – we established this blog years ago to keep guests abreast of the best things to see and do in Tuscany. There are endless articles about famous attractions, what to visit and when, places to eat, unique curiosities that you won’t want to miss, traditions and festivals, special events, hidden gems, and more. So, if you want to know what to eat, where to go wine-tasting, when you should visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa or what to do this spring, you’ll find the answers on our blog – it’s a great resource for planning your itinerary!

One generally tends to associate Florence with the Renaissance – and for good reason, as it is widely considered the birthplace of the Renaissance – rather than with any other time or movement in art. Of course, the city was a hub for art before this period and continues to be to this very day. For art-lovers who book a villa in Florence, there is certainly a wide range of museums, galleries, and spaces in which to enjoy works art from all throughout history. Those, however, who have a fondness for the Impressionists but who also want to experience the great art city of Florence, with its particular wealth of Renaissance wonders, will be happy to note that a spring break in Florence this year will allow for both!

Until the 4th of May 2025, the Museo degli Innocenti will be hosting an exhibition called Impressionists in Normandy, that features the work of some of the best-known and well-loved artists of the period including Monet, Bonnard, Boudine, Corot, Courbet, Villon, Renoir, and Delacroix. With over 70 works on display, this wonderful exhibition comes 150 years after the birth of this artistic movement in the city that birthed another of the great and influential periods of art.

Florence is always a dream destination for culture vultures but if you are a particular lover of the performing arts then a great time to book a vacation rental in Florence is between late April and June, when the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival is held. In addition to the incredible and vast array of museums, galleries, churches, architectural gems, gorgeous gardens, public statuary, and more that is already available for your consideration, over the course of this period each year, the city holds a range of different performances. While it is a notable opera festival run by the Opera di Firenze, there is also a diverse season of ballet, classical concerts, and theatrical performances. Fitting one of these shows into your time staying in one of our holiday rentals in Florence is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in this incredible culture capital and to experience some amazing performances.

Founded in 1933 by Vittorio Gui and inspired by an idea of Luigi Ridolfi Vay da Verrazzano, the festival was designed with the concept of using theatrical and wonderfully striking visual productions to showcase both contemporary pieces and operas that had been forgotten. Italy’s oldest music festival and the second-oldest in Europe, after the Salzburg Festival, it was an immediate success and was made into a biennial event in 1937. Thereafter, it became an annual festival and was held across the Teatro Comunale and Piccolo Teatro and the Teatro della Pergola until 2014, when the new Teatro dell'Opera di Firenze (which had been opened in 2011), replaced the Teatro Comunale.

If you are looking forward to the blooming of spring and a great vacation in Tuscany then you should probably consider booking one of our villas with pools in Lucca for this March and heading to Capannori, a town and commune in the province of Lucca that is known as the Village of Camellias. Already an exceptionally charming town of winding lanes, pretty little squares, and gorgeous local houses, it is made lovelier still each year in March and October, when it goes into full bloom...

All through the villages of Pieve and Sant'Andrea di Compito and right across the valley in which Capannori is located, there are camellia trees that explode into thousands of blooms each spring, adding colour and wonder to this corner of the lush Tuscan landscape. The entire area is transformed into one large garden and hosts a rich and diverse calendar of special events for locals and visitors to the area to enjoy each year for the duration of the Antiche Camelie della Lucchesia exhibition. Find your vacation rental in Lucca and come join in on all of the fun and experience the incredible beauty of this special event for yourself!