Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

If you have found a vacation rental in Pisa and are planning a trip in the area, you'll likely be looking into what there is to see and do in and around Pisa. While the pretty and historic city itself has its famous Leaning Tower (in a complex of other fascinating religious buildings), cute little streets lined with restaurants and shops, some great museums, and much more besides, the surrounding landscape is also beautiful and full of gems and well worth exploring. For example, just ten kilometres from town you will find the little town of Calci, located on the foothills of the Monte Pisano hillside, which is home to the breathtaking Calci Charterhouse.

The Charterhouse of Pisa (or Certosa di Pisa), more often referred to as the Calci Charterhouse in English, is a stunning architectural complex that is a former Carthusian monastery, or charterhouse, and is home to two different museums today: National Museum of the Monumental Charterhouse of Calci and the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa. If you're fond of frescoes, architectural prowess, dinosaurs, pretty gardens, and more, this is somewhere to see all of the above under (and adjacent to) one roof.

Those who have found a vacation rental in Volterra or a vacation rental in Pisa and who are using their rentals as a base from which to explore the wider region of Tuscany should definitely note that both locations are around thirty minutes from a Tuscan town that we doubt you have ever heard of before but that many, no doubt, would like to visit! This is the town of Lajatico.

Not only is Lajatico a beautiful medieval Tuscan village but it also gave rise to one of Tuscany's most beloved and famous sons in recent decades: Andrea Bocelli. As the birthplace of the famous Italian opera singer it will certainly be a place of interest to super-fans but, also, once a year in July, it becomes a major pilgrimage spot for music-lovers from all over the globe when it holds an extraordinary annual concert.

If the English-speaking world has Shakespeare then the Italian-speaking world has Dante Alighieri, a name familiar to many worldwide in connection to his most famous work, his so-called, “Divine Comedy,” as it is referred to in English. One of the defining works of literature throughout history, this incredibly important and influential piece is a beloved tome around the globe and many Dante-lovers hope to one day visit Tuscany and see many of the things and places that he described in his great tale of an epic journey through the afterlife. If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and you are an admirer of Dante's then there is one attraction that is, without a doubt, an absolute must-see: the Museum of the House of Dante Alighieri.

The Museum of the House of Dante Alighieri, or the House of Dante, is a medieval building located in one of the oldest parts of the historic core of the city on the street of Santa Margherita. This building, while not actually the house in which he was born, is located in the area between the Church of Saint Martino and the Piazza dei Donati that documents note was where the Alighieri family lived at the time, in the 13th century, and, though it had to be restored from a somewhat dilapidated state at the beginning of the 20th century when the museum was first planned, it largely maintains its appearance from Dante's lifetime. It was, therefore, decided upon as the best place to house a museum dedicated to the Father of the Italian Language, and is now one of the most important literary museums in the city.

While it may be news to some that Tuscany is one of the best spa destinations in the world, we have written extensively about the different thermal springs, spa towns, and spa complexes located across the region in the past. In fact, there are plenty of different options to choose from and one could even go on a spa town tour, if they wanted to, while spending time in Tuscany. However, if you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are looking to go on a spa day while staying in the province, then we recommend a visit to Bagni di Petriolo.

Famous for its thermal springs since the time of the Ancient Romans and with awareness of the healing benefits of the waters dating back as far as 1200AD, Bagni di Petriolo has long since attracted visitors who come to imbibe and soak in her waters. Throughout the centuries, the town has even drawn some particularly famous and high-profile figures from all over – including popes, cardinals, the Medici, the Malatesta family of Pesaro, the family of the Duke of Urbino, and the Gonzaga family of Mantua – such was its reputation.

Lots of kids are interested in animals and lots of adults have fond memories of childhood visits to zoos so, whether you are travelling in Tuscany as a family with children among your number and are looking for something that they'll definitely enjoy doing or you simply want to know where you can go to see animals in Tuscany, then we recommend a day trip to the Zoological Gardens of Pistoia, or Pistoia Zoo.

This rather special 7-hectare zoo in Pistoia is home to more than 400 animal species and is especially dedicated to conservation and education. Created in 1970 thanks to Raffaello Galardini, Pistoia Zoo was established in a wooded area in the beautiful hills around the city of Pistoia and inaugurated on the 19th of April. There are around 600 animals living in the zoo and, among them, there are about 65 species of mammals, 40 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles. Some of the residents are more common animals often found locally that will be familiar, such as pigs, guinea pigs, oxen, donkeys, horses, goats, cows, rabbits, and other domesticated animals but other residents are from much further flung places and are not commonly found in Italy or Europe such as jaguars, polar bears, Rothschild's giraffes, Zebras (including baby Jordy who was born last year!), rare Madagascan ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, penguins, elephants, lions, tigers, ostriches, Kookaburras, wallabies, meerkats, otters, pygmy hippos, monkeys, reindeer, crocodiles, pythons, turtles, tortoise, vipers, iguana, emus, flamingos, and more.