Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

Tuscany is an incredibly popular and famous tourist and holiday destination but many do not think of, or know much about, her stunning coastline. Tuscany - in addition to being a perfect place for those interested in her history, culture, art, hearty cuisine, and beautiful and verdant landscap - makes for an ideal seaside getaway. The region is home to a long coastline and a cluster of gorgeous islands, all of which boast pretty little seaside towns, perfect beaches, interesting coastal walks, excellent seafood, and plenty of outdoor pursuits, activities, and watersports to keep you entertained. Whether you just want a quiet and relaxing break in which deciding what to eat and taking in the sea air are all that occupies your days, you want to stay active by trying new things and having adventures, you want to splash in the water and make memories with your children, you want to go for romantic strolls along the beach, or you want to photograph the diverse and beautiful landscape, a seaside vacation in Tuscany can offer all that and more.

One particular stretch of the Tuscan Coast that we would recommend, if you're thinking about a holiday in the area is Portoferraio. Portoferraio is a port town on the Tuscan island of Elba, an island most famous as the place to which Napoleon was exiled. The town was enriched by his presence, which drew visitors and made it more of a cultural hub than one might expect. Today, it remains charming, picturesque, fascinating, a little frozen in time, and quite surrounded by truly beautiful beaches including...     Read More

It should come as no surprise that we are big fans of Tuscany here, as we are sure you all are too. It is, of course, incredibly unfortunate that the region is currently inaccessible and that so much terrible hardship has befallen so many Italians and so many of us all. We've been talking a lot about escapism here in the last couple of months, in which we take a break from the new stresses and concerns of our daily lives and make food or drinks that remind us of the joy and comfort of Tuscan getaways, we go on virtual tours of her tourist attractions, we list must-see spots that we look ahead to visiting, and more. While we all try and stay safe, we can dream of our next, well-needed and well-deserved holiday, preferably in Tuscany, and use the wonderful resources at our fingertips thanks to the internet. One such excellent resource for those who want to engage in some vicarious, virtual travel and to somewhat sate wanderlust is Instagram. Travel bloggers, travel websites, travel magazines, and your average Joe that seems to somehow always be on excellent holidays alike all post wonderful shots to the app, allowing us, too, to see the wonderful things that can be experienced when you travel the world. Here are just five Instagram accounts that post about Tuscany that we have been loving lately for indulging in some pining over Tuscany and finding things to add to our bucket lists...

1. @michelechiroli

We actually recently shared one of Michele's pictures to our own Instagram account after we stumbled upon it and are blown away by his eye and talent. This architect and photographer based out of Forte dei Marmi shares truly breathtaking shots of the Tuscan countryside, pretty Tuscan towns, architectural gems around the region, and more. If you want sigh at the dreamy perfection that is the Tuscan landscape and to put together a list of lovely places to take in views and get commemorative shots of your own during your next vacation in Tuscany, this is the account to follow.     Read More

We don't know about you but we think a spa break is probably well-deserved after this current global health crisis calms down. Between the stress of the uncertainty of it all, the sorrow of loss and separation, and the long weeks and months spent at home, some time soaking in restorative waters, a facial, a massage, and some proper rest and relaxation in a pretty setting seem like just the thing. Tuscany, in particular, is home to lots of excellent spa facilities from natural hot springs that are open to the public for free to big thermal complexes to luxurious spas and everything in between, which makes it a great place in which to plan a spa getaway. It may yet be a bit of a while away before we can arrange the trip of our dreams there but, when it is possible once more, these are five of the prettiest spa destinations in Tuscany that we're dreaming of visiting hopefully sometime not too far away in the future...     Read More

Tuscany is home to imposing forts, impossibly pretty medieval hilltop towns, dreamy country villas, staggering cathedrals, architectural curiosities, and much more besides. It is a place where centuries of wealth and artistic innovation resulted in a architectural language, landscape, and heritage that is matched by few other places in the world. If you're an enthusiast or if you're simply just a casual observer, then you're likely to find yourself impressed and often lost for words at the incredible buildings that you will encounter while travelling in Tuscany. While travel is yet a good way off for most of us, we can dream and look ahead to a time in which it is possible once more. And, in the meantime, we can take a look at just five of the most unique architectural gems in Tuscany and start adding the ones that most take our fancy to bucket lists that are, no doubt, growing by the day in this time of social-distancing. Here are our picks of just five of the most incredible architectural feats that you can find in Tuscany, as we see it:

1. Cappella Della Madonna Vitaleta

Nestled among the iconic winding roads and perfect rolling hills of the Val D’Orcia the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta, or La Cappella della Madonna Vitaleta, emerges like an image too picturesque, too symmetrical, too perfect for real life. This evocative scene has been the subject of endless photographs and postcards and for good reason, it is like an image plucked from the pages of a story book and is an example of a building and setting coexisting in perfect harmony.     Read More