Archive for 'Architectural Gems'

If Rome has the Trevi Fountain, then Siena has the Fonte Gaia. While not nearly so famous as the former, the Fonte Gaia is a serious looker and impressive artistic gem that is covered in stunning sculptural works. If you have found a luxury villa in Siena and are spending time in this beautiful city, then be sure to set aside some time to come and admire this incredible fountain and its wonderful decorative scheme for yourself. And, maybe, as with the Trevi Fountain, bring along a coin to toss in and make a wish.

The Fonte Gaia is located in Siena's famous Piazza del Campo, where the city's iconic Palio horse races are held each summer. The main square of the town, it is a massive, charming space filled with eateries and shops and is one of the places that locals, visitors, and tourists all end up floating to at some point. When you make it there, you will likely see a crowd gathered around the Fonte Gaia, something which is a permanent fixture of the square but much less intense and large than the crowds that constantly gather around the Trevi Fountain. You probably won't have to wait around for quite as long to get your chance for a look, a wish, and a photo!

As populations of young people have continued to leave their hometowns for bigger cities and other countries in search of better job prospects in the past half century, Italy has become home to an increasing number of ghost towns. These fascinating places are intriguing to visit but some are more appealing than others with the more historic and older examples often being incredibly picturesque and hauntingly beautiful. Those interested in history, architecture, and ghost towns, in particular, will have their pick if they plan a holiday in Italy looking for such gems but one of the most famous examples that tops most lists of the most interesting and lovely ghost towns in Italy has to be Isola Santa. This stunning abandoned town in Tuscany is located in the Apuan Alps and, while it remains largely uninhabited, it has been renovated in recent years in an effort to preserve its great architectural and historical value and its incredible beauty.

Located in the heart of the Apuan Alps, on the road leading to the Tuscan Coastline and the town of Versilia, in the commune of Careggine, in the province of Lucca, you will stumble across a little town that looks like something plucked right from the pages of a storybook and a fairy-tale. Built to be perched on the banks of the Turrite Secca river, this medieval town is made up of picturesque stone buildings with climbing vines along walls, lush greenery and trees all around, and the jewel-toned blue man-made lake next to which it now lies. On sunny days, when all of these colours are at their most heightened, it really does look like some unreal scene painted by a rather romantic artist. If you have found a vacation rental in Lucca, you should definitely drop by!

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 luxury villa in Florence and who are exploring the city and all that she has to offer will find themselves with no shortage of things to see and do. Like so many of the world's capitals of art and culture, those who seek out Florence will quickly find that one would need endless lifetimes, resources, and free time to see even a fraction of the innumerable beauties, attractions, works of art, views, and more that can be found in the city. Therefore, it is inevitable that there are choices to be made and itineraries to be carefully considered and planned. There are also highlights that most find themselves choosing to visit such as the Uffizi, the Duomo, the Bargello, the Boboli Gardens, and more. However, one of the other highlights that we personally recommend is a visit to the Forte di Belvedere, named for the truly beautiful sweeping view (“Belvedere,” means, “beautiful view”) that it affords over all that Florence has to offer. And, hey, if it was good enough for the wedding of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian (no matter what your opinion on either party may be), you know it's got to be something rather special, indeed. So, should you be planning a trip to Florence and Tuscany, be sure to set aside time for a visit to this fascinating building and to take in those famous views it boasts over the city.

Stunning country villas with elaborate grounds and incredible gardens are in no way uncommon in Tuscany but that doesn't mean that each one fails to wow us. Every time we see another example, we are amazed at the ingenuity, design, and beauty. One particularly lovely example that we happened to come across lately is the Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati, located in Sesto Fiorentino, an area of Florence that is located on, “the sixth Roman mile,” (ergo the name), or around six miles, from downtown Florence. Florence, in particular, is awash with stunning buildings, palaces, parks, and gardens but this lesser-known gem is a truly picturesque example and an absolute must-see for lovers of historic homes. While a trip to Florence may yet be a little bit away, enjoy these wonderful pictures of this beauty from the comfort and safety of your own home and then pencil in a visit to go and see it with your own eyes once travel is possible once more. For now though, just take a look at this unbelievable stunner...