Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

In the town of San Gimignano, in Tuscany, there is a very unusual and special museum. Called San Gimignano 1300, this museum displays a beautiful, large and super detailed miniature reconstruction of the town during the Middle Ages, allowing us to see it as it would have looked like at the height of its splendour. This special miniature was created by a team of artists and architects. Located near the centre of the town and free of charge to visit, it's a lovely way to spend an afternoon, wandering around the exhibit and marvelling at the astounding reconstruction. It's also an especially engaging way to involve children in becoming interested in the history of the area. Just find a luxury villa in San Gimignano and stop by the museum to see how the town used to look.

San Martino a Mensola is a lovely parish church in the Renaissance style, in Fiesole, Tuscany. Although it is small, the art and architecture of the building is surprisingly rich and grand. The first church on the site dated to the Roman era and was a ruin by the 9th century. It was then that the Bishop of Fiesole ordered its restoration. This building, too, barely remains with the current structure dating to the 15th century. Another of the draws to the building is a rather unique relic which remains inside and miraculously intact. This is the body of St Andrew, an Irish saint, which has refused to decay in the centuries since his death. If you have an interest in such macabre things, or pretty churches stuffed full of Renaissance art, find a luxury villa in Fiesole and have a wander around this fascinating building.

The Emperor's Castle (also known as the Fortress of Santa Barbara or Castello Svevo) is a castle in Prato, Tuscany. It is considered one of the most important examples of medieval architecture in the city and was the headquarters of the Imperial party in the Florentine countryside and the seat of the Imperial Viceroy of Tuscany. The square, thick-walled, imposing building is full of history and interest and worth visiting in its own right but is also now home to local events, festivals and, even, movie screenings. For this reason, it is all the more intriguing and there are even more reasons to visit. Once you've found a holiday rental in Prato and are exploring the historical centre of the city, find time to stop by the castle.

If you are fond of pretty, precious, sparkling things, then there is a shop and museum in the Tuscan town of Arezzo that will be right up your street. UnoAErre is a goldsmith, jewellery and watchmaking company based in the city. The company was founded on March 15, 1926 by Leopoldo Gori and Carlo Zucchi and the name comes from “1AR”, the identification mark indicated on the punch affixed to products. In 1988, they opened a museum to complement their practices and this is a wonderful place to spend time being dazzled by the goods made by the company. Find a villa with pool in Arezzo and you can pop in and admire the skill and beauty on display.

A little known fact about Tuscany is probably that there is a multitude of freely accessible natural hot springs. Of course, there are spas and thermal baths all over the world and the Romans were well-known for their love of public bath facilities but when one thinks of such places today, Iceland and Japan come to mind, not Tuscany. Yet, there are plenty of towns in Italy that still run highly popular outdoor baths fed by natural hot springs. One such town is Bagni San Filippo in the Orcia Valley near San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza. Here you can venture into the wilds of the forest to enjoy the hot springs, or take a more luxurious approach at a nearby hotel. Find a luxury villa in the Orcia Valley and you can unwind in a hot spring in Bagni San Filippo.