Archive for 'Castles & Palaces'

If you decide to spend a fabulous holiday to Tuscany and would like to add some intriguing visitor attractions to your tour plans, a visit to Poppi Castle in Casentino valley would be an excellent day trip.

You could learn all about the haunting legend of a pretty yet terrible maiden called Matilda. Visitors wishing to stay in the Casentino valley for a few days have a wealth of excellent farmhouses available for them where they can easily commute to the infamous Poppi castle to learn of its colourful history!

She was the most beautiful woman in the land, desired by all men but she was married at a young age to the most powerful man in Poppi. He was part of the ‘Guidi’ who ruled Tuscany with an iron fist. He was an old man who spent much of his time away on military business. Matilda felt no love for her elderly husband as he was stern of heart and couldn’t satisfy her needs. She was envious of the common people whom she looked upon from her castle, who were free to marry who they wished and seemed to lead such carefree lives.

Take a day during your holiday to Tuscany and enjoy a tour around what was once one of the biggest and most majestic castles in the land! The castle of Monteriggioni is also home to one of Tuscany’s most famous legends which visitors are sure to enjoy strolling around as they imagine the scene that took place many centuries ago here. There are plenty of picturesque vacation rentals with guest reviews available for visitors to enjoy if they wish to stay in the Monteriggioni area for a few days.

Monteriggioni castle had fifteen towers built into a huge surrounding wall of twenty metres high and two metres thick.

It was built by the Republic of Siena to defend itself against its rival province of Florence during the territory wars in Italy. It resisted ferocious attacks for over three centuries and earned itself a mention in Dante Alighieri’s famous ‘Divine Comedy’.

Come to visit the castle of Fosdinovo in Tuscany to learn about the tragic tale of a wealthy daughter from a noble family and how she fell in love with a stable hand who worked there. Tourists wishing to stay here for a few days have a wealth of tuscany villas for rent available to them in and around the town of Fosdinovo on the border between Tuscany and Liguria.

The castle, where this story is based is where the noble Malaspina family had lived for centuries. A beautiful girl called Bianca Maria Aloisia, a member of the family resided here during the mid fifteenth century and fell in love with a handsome young man who worked in the stables there. They had to meet in secret and fell deeply in love after only a few brief meetings.

If you’re in the mood for learning about one of the most intriguing legends in Tuscany, you would love a visit to the Vincigliata castle near the town of Fiesole in the Florence province where you will learn of a tragic story of two lovers that may have been the inspiration for Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’! There are plenty of exquisite farmhouse rentals available in the Fiesole area where you can stay for as long as you wish in picturesque surroundings.

The legend dates back to the 13th century and tells the story of Uberto and Bianca, two young lovers torn apart by political feuds and bitter jealously. Both were from two powerful Florentine noble families who had been fierce enemies for a long time. They met and fell in love almost instantly but were forced to keep their love a secret. But Bianca’s father, Giovanni, found out about their courtship and forbade his daughter from leaving the castle to meet Uberto.

Any tourists coming to Tuscany on holidays who enjoy learning about history and legends have come to the right place; this region is brimming with exciting tales of forbidden love, bloody murders and everything in between! All of the places and legends mentioned here and in related articles have a wealth of tuscan villa rentals to suit every taste and budget ; from Florence to Poppi and Monteriggioni to Murlo.

Visit the haunting legend that surrounds the Ponte Della Maddalena, also known as the devil’s bridge that crosses the River Serchio near Lucca city in Tuscany. This related article will tell you all you need to know before you go there.