tuscany travel

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2

Sorano in Tuscany
2007-07-26 14:52:00
The Masso Leopoldino represents one of the most striking features of this incredible town.The Rocca - as it is called in italian - has been appreciated for its strategical qualities since the Middle Ages and was probably fotified by additional structures before the 9th century.Taking a drive in the south of Tuscany during your vacation, you will find a special little town. Park your car in the outside parking space and prepare to walk up hill into a fantasy world. You will first follow the path up to the fortress which has stood here for years - get a ticket and visit the underground museum. The buildings both historic and the modern day rental vacation villas are made from the particular type of material called tuff. It is unique in color, and malability. The Tuscan vacation rentals farmhouses in the southern part of Italy are made of tuff.Visit the incredible fortress, which is without cars and intervention of modern day activity. You will feel as if you have walked back in ...

Anghiari in Tuscany
2007-07-08 14:04:00
Anghiari - a fortress on a hill - spectacular views had a Roman origin, Anghiari became much more important during the middle ages because of it strategic positionThe most important period in the history of the town is connected with the Battle of Anghiari which was fought in the year 1440 between the Visconti armies from Milan and those of Florence which were allied with the Pope. Machiavelli spoke about the battle in his Historiae fiorentinae and Leonardo da Vinci did a huge (short lived) fresco painting of it in Florence. The position on a dominant hillside in the middle of a vast plain made Anghiari an important strategic point. The angular shape of the old castle (castrum angulare) is probably at the origin of the town's name, although according to another interpretation it derives from the mass of ghiaia, or gravel, accumulated by the Tiber River over the millennia, upon which the historic center is built. You will find a great little outside bar where you can sit have a drin...
More About: Tuscany

Elba Island (Isola d' Elba) is the Tuscan Paradise
2007-06-29 20:14:00
Just one hour by ferry from the crowded Tuscan coasts is The Elba Island or Isola d'Elba, a true paradise near the fancy cities of Florence and Siena.The Elba Island is a green covered small paradise with crystal-clear waters and lovely sea bottoms. The romantic beaches satisfy everyone tastes: small and rocky, long and narrow sandy beaches, wide sandy, and cobble beaches, all characterized by warm transparent waters and a rich Mediterranean vegetation.I reached this paradise by ferry in just one hour from the city of Piombino near follonica in the province of Grosseto, just one hour from Siena and two from Florence.The Mediterranean breeze was already talking of great promises that were all kept by the great hospitality and warmth of the Elba people.The entire island is a natural reservation, and here you will find spectacular natural sights, wonderful landscapes, preserved fauna, and cozy seaside villas and apartments. The villas at Elba have the ususal lovely marine style of Tu...
More About: Paradise , Paradis

Tuscany to discover
2007-06-29 13:51:00
Tuscany it is really an incredible place with a lot of towns and villages to discover like SoranoThe Masso Leopoldino represents one of the most striking features of this incredible town.The Rocca - as it is called in italian - has been appreciated for its strategical qualities since the Middle Ages and was probably fotified by additional structures before the 9th century.Taking a drive in the south of Tuscany during your vacation, you will find a special little town. Park your car in the outside parking space and prepare to walk up hill into a fantasy world. You will first follow the path up to the fortress which has stood here for years - get a ticket and visit the underground museum.The buildings both historic and the modern day rental vacation villas are made from the particular type of material called tuff. It is unique in color, and malability. The Tuscan vacation rentals farmhouses in the southern part of Italy are made of tuff.Visit the incredible fortress, which is wit...
More About: Tuscany , Discover , Disc

Anghiari and the Battle: lovely and tasty!
2007-06-17 13:06:00
Anghiari is a lovely medieval small town located in Arezzo’s province. The locality lies on a charming hill situated between Tiber and Arno rivers, overlooking the beautiful High Tiber Valley landscape.During the middle Ages, Anghiari was under the dominion of the Lords of Galbino subsequently passing into the Camaldolesi’s power.Fully proud of its Tuscan history, the town reached it leading part during the famous Battle of Anghiari, held on 29th June 1440 by Milan’s government against Florence’s State in alliance with the Pope Eugene IV. Florentine’s State army was conducted by Giampaolo Orsini and Micheletto Attendolo and Milan’s army by Niccolò Piccinino.The victory of the Florence State was such as decisive as to consent them to stay over the control of central Italy. According to Machiavelli’s writes, the battle was held in about 20 hours and, nevertheless the hard combating, only one soldier died, felling off his horse, as faithfully represented in the mural â€...
More About: Lovely

Montefioralle the hart of Chianti
2007-06-12 12:51:00
Only a few kilometers from the town of Greve and through a very narrow and adventurous road one comes upon the picturesque and delightful town of Mont efioralle. The village of Montefioralle is well worth a visit for the �castle� itself.The town was originally called Monteficalle. It is situated on a hilltop facing the Greve valley, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and cypresses. Parts of the ancient walls are still visible, while the small streets are marked by old homes, a donjon, and several towers.The ancient village and castle of Montefioralle were an important stronghold during the wars between Florence and Siena. A house in the circular main street of Montefioralle is pointed out as the birth-place of Amerigo Vespucci. The doorway is identified by the wasp ("vespa") and V of the Vespucci family.In 1250 it became the headquarters of the League of the Greve Valley. The town was once endowed with two sets of walls. It had an octagonal shape with four gates. With the fall...
More About: Hart , Chianti , Oral , Chia

Accommodation in Lucca
2007-05-31 17:12:00
Warm atmosphere, old time charm and all kinds of modern comforts characterize this Villa near Lucca , restored with personal touch. For sure one of the best places to spend few days if you wish to visit Lucca and the north of Tuscany. The foundations of this ancient Villa date back to the 18th centuryThe Villa belonged to Mr. Bonuccelli that bought it from Washington since his family had emigrated to America, and the villa would allow his family left back in Italy, to live in it. In fact they lived in it, as it was, until 1945. Thankfully the bombings of WWII did not destroy this villa.Since 1945 the house had several restorations, the last one 5 years ago, which brought it to the present conditions. Spaces are optimized for the unique position and the structure advantages, to provide a perfect combination of historic charme and modern comforts.The Villa is located near Camaiore that is a town which extends from the fascinating summits of the Apuanian Alps to the Tyrrhenian Sea, in ...
More About: Accommodation , Dati

Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci
2007-05-22 20:06:00
Satisfy everyones special needs with a trip to Bolgheri where you will find a castle from the late 1400's and a vineyard that the Italians love for its famous "Super Tuscan" wines and extra virgin olive oil and only minutes from sandy beaches and relax.The Castle of Bolgheri has been known of since the 8th century, and it too belonged to the family of the Counts della Gherardesca. The original structure had a different location: the castle we can admire today is the result of a reconstruction after the arrival in Bolgheri of the army of Emperor Maximilian in 1496. In the beginning of the 20th century, the castle of Bolgheri was the center of the properties of the noble Gherardesca family ; the countess Franca Spalletti Trivelli (a Gherardesca), wife of the earl Clemente Zileri (who owned the Fattoria Poggio a Poppiano near Florence) inherited this estate of 130 ha (among which 50 ha of vineyards) from her mother. The vineyards are located in the middle of those of Sassicaia, Ornell...

Pitigliano the hart of Tuscany
2007-05-09 17:03:00
Well know for its wine, "Bianco di Pitigliano" and in line with its historic position there is also a kosher version - a clear demostration of the importance of the Jewish population.Pitigliano lies in the green Etruscan hills of the Maremma, the most southern part of Tuscany . The historic center stands on a protruding tuff rock and still demostrates remains of an aquaduct. An excellent location for a Tuscan vacation - where you will find villa rentals close to the Lake of Bolsena and vacation rentals in Italy near the history of the Tuscan treasures of Sorano and Sovano. Pitigliano and its vacation rental villas are surrounded by 3 rivers. The history of the town stretches back to the Etruscans in pre-Roman times and even today Etruscan graves and pathways carved into the tuff beneath the town point to these ancient peoples. The of Pitigilano, in southern Tuscany, town is situated on a steep tuff rock (a hardened type of volcanic magma), 313 metres above sea-level. Not far fro...
More About: Hart

Fiesole - a city in the archelogical digs
2007-05-03 14:48:00
Fiesole has a life span the extends from before the Bronze age to the thriving artistic and historical city of today.Not far from Florence the historical digs of Fiesole can be found. There are two excellent musems and the ruins themselves which can be visited. In the winter the hours are from 9,30 in the morning to 5 in the evening and in the summer to 7 in the evening - continuous hours with no lunch break! This is a perfect place to come and see some of the ruins left by past cultures in a relaxing and comfortable setting. You will find parking for the cars - or if you want you can catch an orange ATAF bus from Florence, look for line number 7 to Fiesole. The so-called �Fiesole stelae� date back as far as the late 6th century B.C. However finds from the Villanovan culture of the early iron age and the age of copper and of bronze have also been unearthed. The Etruscan settlement of Fiesole was probably the center of a zone where settlements were scattered over the hillsides wh...
More About: City , The A , Logic , Logical , Logi

Seggiano in Valdorcia
2007-04-20 13:13:00
Seggiano, located just south of Bagno Vignoe and San Quirico d'Orciais a quaint little town set in the the rural setting of Monte Amiata with many little towns with medieval characteristics. Stone walls, gently sloping hillsides, olive groves and huge forests of beech and chestnut rich with a wild life that can be tasty on the table such as wild boar and deer. You won't find much written about it in the tour guide books but it makes up a line of pleasant little stops along the way to visit the summit of Monte Amiata where you can picnic or simply enjoy hiking in one of the highest points of southern Tuscany. This imposing mount can be seen from distances as far away as Montepulciano. This is a lazy little setting, and you will enjoy walking the streets and admiring the views. They are not geared up for tourism at all, so you won't find a lot of quaint little boutiques or fancy enoteca's with the latest in wine and cheese just simple good food in a typical Tuscan environment. T...
More About: Aldo

Poppi
2007-04-05 13:42:00
One of the Most Beautiful Towns in Tuscany located between Florence and Arezzo, where you can find special treats like a fully visitable castle, restored villas and farmhouses, quaint Italian landscapes and many Tuscan gastronomic treats which are locally produced. This lovely town is the perfect place for a Tuscan villa rental and an authentic Tuscan vacation experience.Poppi rises on a hill dominating the Arno river in the Casentino Valley. The seat of the Count Guidi family who ruled the valley from the early 1000s until 1289 when they finally became part of the Florentine Republic. From the late 1200s to 1448 the Guidi family presided in the Palazzo dei Guidi and controlled the land from Poppi to the mountain pass of the Consuma. Approaching the Campaldino plain, the tall and imposing thirteenth-century castle of the Guidi Counts on the hilltop of Poppi dominates the surrounding countryside. The Castle is characterised by a facade with double-arched windows and the tall tower ri...

Gulf of Baratti
2007-04-01 22:25:00
Gulf of BaratiHere you find not only wonderful water that is calm even when the sea is rough but also Etruscan ruins nearby, and a medieval fortress up above.Not only great for the quite soft beaches, but is nestled under Populonia, a spectacular promontory about 70 km south of Livorno; it`s shielded from the sea and calm. With calm seas, on the other hand, Populonia has dozens of tiny inlets that can only be reached by boat. It`s a sun-worshiper`s paradise, and also a diver`s -- you may even find something Etruscan under the waves, because Baratti is where the Etruscans smelted the iron ore they mined on Elba, and their transport ships did occasionally sink. The tombs of the necropolis of Populonia are located close to the gulf of Baratti, and the powerful cities of Roselle and Vetulonia once overlooked Lake Prile. The ancient Etruscan cities, and the finds and remains scattered around the region are now being safeguarded bu such schemes as the Prco Archeologico-Naturalistico Barat...
More About: Gulf

The Tuscan coast
2007-03-26 12:53:00
Most people image the only the sandy beaches of Tuscany, however when you are finished lazing around on the sunny sands you can hop a ride only a few km in from Cecina and visit some charming little towns still steeped in tradition and Tuscany atmosphere.Tucked in far enough away from the Costa degli Etruschi to not hear the lapping waves, these little towns are placed on high hills and command incredible views of the soft hills of the Maremma. The Maremma is known for is ample area of fields of grain ---sometimes even compared to the American wide west (and used in the so called Spaghetti Westerns.) Some other places that merit a stop on your afternoon touring the countryside, and are all within a few km of Cecina include Suvereto. This small village in the Maremma experienced its golden age during the 13th century. Wars, skirmishes, and above all the high death toll caused by the unhealthy air almost completely wiped out village life in Suvereto during the 17th and 18th centuries....
More About: Coast

Castello di Pierle near Cortona
2007-03-20 00:34:00
Found on a winding road just south of Cort ona, the ruins of this castle make an interesting side trip along the way to Lago Trasimeno. Many consider what is left of Castello di Pierle to be one of the most beautiful and mighty examples of a feudal castle in Tuscany. As you make one of the last of the curves you will catch glimpses of this dominant structure among the green valley. To simply imagine the grandeur of such a castle with external walls that are almost 2 meters thick and the castle itself rising to almost 5 floors, this impressive record of history stands as it did almost 500 years ago. Its position and the lack of local interest has left it to sit in history almost as it was built. Inside, one can admire the circumference of the walls from 5 to 8 metres (16 to 26 ft) high, the three imposing towers, only one of which today is still almost integral, and the residential keep-palace. The castle existed already in X the century and was property of the marquises of the Saint ...

Montalcino Tuscany
2007-03-07 16:09:00
Montalcino, 37km south of Siena es a classic Tuscan hill town set within a full circuit of walls and watched over by a castle of almost fairytale perfection. A quite, immediately likable place affluent in an unshowy way. It is scarcely changed in apparence since the sixteenth century. It looks wonderful from below, its walls barely sullied by any modern building, and once up in the town the rolling hills, vineyards, orchards, olive groves and ancient oaks look equally lovely in turn, that's Tuscany . Montalcino make an excellent base for much southern Tuscany, lying within easy striking distance of the abbeys of Monte Oliveto and Sant' Antimo.Accommodation is severely limited and it's wise to book ahead at almost any time of year. There is only handful hotels, though if you have transport you could try same place in the countryside nearby. Sampling Montalcino Tuscany' s wine is easily done. Apart from the "enoteca" in the Rocca and the "Fiaschetteria Italiana" which has a superb ...
More About: Montalcino , Mont

A TUSCANY WEDDING
2007-02-27 17:16:00
Beautiful, entrancing Tuscany ! Poets and princes, artists and authors have rhapsodized about its charms. From the grandeur of its cities to the serenity of its country-side, Tuscany invites and enchants all to partake of its wonders. It is no wonder that visitors come from 'round the world, and that, today, it is a well-known and perfect destination for a dream-like romantic wedding.The possibilities of where and how to be married in Tuscany are endless. The rumors of tortuous bureaucracy are over-blown and incorrect - if you have consultants who know how to work the system. There was a time when having a legal wedding anywhere but a town hall was impossible. Today, one can marry in a medieval castle, a garden of an historic villa, an hotel - practically anywhere, with an English speaking Protestant minister officiating. The minister will conduct either a civil or religious ceremony. This allows couples to write their own vows and alleviates the need for a translator, as well as pr...
More About: Wedding

The Wine Roads in Tuscany
2007-02-26 13:39:00
The kind wine folk of Tuscany and Umbria, have made life that much easier for those with a healthy interest in wine by creating "Le Strade del Vino", wine trails leading through the areas that grow wine. These trails generally follow back roas, passing by a plethora of vineyards.In Tuscany it's commonto pass many "cantine aperte" where you can taste, buy and immerse yourself in wine.It is a fantastic incentive to combine the sampling of a few wines and a glimpse into the traditional farming lifestyle of these rural provinces.Each Strada has its own district emblem, which you'll see on signposts in towns and through-out the countryside. Just look for a sign that has something resembling a bunch of grapes, and you are probably on the right trak. Every strada has its own map, with listing of wineries and sometimes agriturismi, restaurants, wine tasting enoteche and even open olive mills.If you would like more information on wine roads please visit:Strade del VinoIf you like the world...
More About: Wine , Roads