With an average of 10 million tourists a year, Tuscany’s regional capital of Florence is one of the world’s most visited cities. It’s not hard to understand why. There are many special things about it – its history, culture, architecture and biodiversity among other things. If you’re headed for a holiday break to villas in Tuscany, then you’re probably already familiar with much of Florence’s history – but did you know that Julius Caesar founded Florence in 59 BC? Florence is filled with many fun facts: muse on the following five while on your way to the beckoning villas in Tuscany.

Founded by Julius Caesar

The first fact to ruminate on as you head to your picturesque villas in Tuscany, is that, although it’s debated, Florence is said to have been founded by Julius Caesar in 59BC, when he created a strategic army-styled colony on the narrowest crossing of the Arno River. This allowed him to control the ancient Roman road Via Flaminia, linking Rome to northern Italy and France. From around the 8th century B.C. until 59 B.C., central Italy was ruled by the civilisation of Etruscans. After conquering the Etruscans, the Romans established Florence as a trading centre around the third century A.D.

Home to the Medici Family

Florence was home to the famed Medici family who ruled Florence from the 14th century to the 18th century. Among their many accomplishments, this noble family produced three popes: Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI. They also produced two queens – Catherine de Medicis and Marie de Medicis – when members married into European royal families. Cosimo ‘the Elder’ was the first in the family to rule Florence. The Medici family originally moved to Florence in the 12th century from Mugello Valley in the countryside and began acquiring wealth through banking and trade.

Home to THE Florence Nightingale

Here’s an inspirational story worth telling your children while holidaying in your villas in Tuscany: the renowned nurse was born in Florence in 1820 and was actually named after the city. Born into a wealthy family, Florence felt convicted that nursing was God’s calling on her life. Her family, however, disapproved, considering it an inappropriate profession for a woman of her status. Her family eventually conceded though and she was allowed to receive her training. Later known as the ‘lady with the lamp’ she nursed many wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. Her reforms influenced the nature of modern day health care, and in 1860 she established the Nightingale Training School for nurses at the St Thomas Hospital. Many consider her biggest achievement to be transforming the nursing profession into a respectable one for women, at a time when it was considered a job for the poor.

Florence’s Ponte Vecchio Bridge Too Beautiful for Destruction by Hitler

Florence’s Ponte Vecchio Bridge is a symbolic landmark that links the city north and south of the Arno River. This beautiful bridge attracts thousands of tourists every year to its cobbled surface and many jewellery stores, and is the only bridge in Florence that stayed in tact after the WW II. Among Florentines, the story goes that in 1944, Hitler’s retreating troops destroyed all the bridges crossing the Arno, except the Ponte Vecchio. It’s said that even Hitler felt the bridge was too beautiful to blow up.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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Whether you wield a paintbrush, pencils, pastels or a superior camera, Tuscany is every artist’s dream come true. Step out of your villas in Tuscany and capture the endless, timeless beauty of the flora and fauna, landscapes, architecture and historic remnants of its rich past. Here are some the sites where you should put your artistic tools to use.

Casentino Monastries Near Arrezzo

The 1000-year-old Casentino Forest may be popular for hiking and horseback riding, but it is also speckled with ancient towns, filled with medieval castles and old churches. When you leave your villas in Tuscany, head out on a day trip to the wooded area near Arezzo – while not frequented by many tourists, the local Italians love it. You might not see many depictions of its landscape on postcards, but don’t be fooled. This national park’s 13th century monasteries at La Verna and Camaldoli are very impressive, and just waiting to be captured by your camera or brush. The Holy Hermitage and Benedictine Monastery of Camaldoli both lay claim to an extraordinary beauty. Any images you record of these icons will represent its deep history and spiritual identity. La Verna is a more famous destination: St. Francis of Assisi received his stigmata there and it’s a popular destination for pilgrims.

Holy Island Village

A place of haunting beauty, the village of Holy Island is in the heart of the Garfagnana, in the Apuan Alps Park. Holy Island nestles into the banks of the mesmerising Isola Santa Lake, against a backdrop of lofty mountains and chestnut forests. The lake’s emerald green waters (populated by brown trout) add to the charm of this quaint village. Plan time to take a day trip from your villas in Tuscany to visit this remarkable site. Your artistic tools can record the magic of the vivid colours, tones and backdrops found in the depth of this natural masterpiece. Hiking trails lead up to the majestic peaks of the Apuan Alps and the calcareous nature of the land has produced many rich caves in the area, along with hollow underground water streams. Apart from its natural beauty, you can also capture the village’s stone houses with slate roofs – the only remains of the original community, which was partly submerged by the waters.

San Gimignano

Perched atop a hill, this medieval town is situated southwest of Florence. Its famous towers can be seen from several kilometres outside the city, providing a great opportunity for those artists wishing to capture the typically Tuscan scene from afar. Inhabited by 7000 people, this town has managed to preserve its medieval architecture more than any other in Tuscany. It’s full of beautiful churches, palaces and monasteries. The town also has breathtaking views of the rich agricultural land that surrounds it. San Gimignano is situated on the site of a small Etruscan settlement dating back to the Hellenistic period. It’s definitely worth a day out from your villas in Tuscany – there’s no place quite like it in Italy.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

Tuscany is one of the most popular and frequented regions in Italy, with throngs of visitors flocking to its many well-known landmarks. Not all visitors make the best of their holidays though, unwittingly missing out on some of the region’s unfamiliar treasures and off beat sites. When you stay in one of the many wonderful villas in Tuscany, they provide easy access to the region’s many riches. Here are some that you should definitely look out for.

Pianosa Island

One of the seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, Pianosa was formally used as a prison for exceptionally dangerous convicts. When the prison was closed in 1998, Pianosa, along with the other six Tuscan islands, became the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago. Like the other islands, it is a protected wildlife sanctuary. Its striking beauty has made it a tourist attraction, but only 250 tourists can visit the island per day, and tours are supervised. During your time holidaying in villas in Tuscany, you can easily head out for a tour to Pianosa Island. Its breathtaking coastline is dotted with picturesque coves and inlets and you’ll also see the remnants of the abandoned port and buildings. Pianosa was written in to the pages of history when its most famous prisoner, Agrippa Postumas, was exiled to a villa on the island by his grandfather, Emperor Augustus in 9 AD. Postumas was later executed and the ruins of the villa remain to this day. Pianosa was also widely popularised when author Joseph Heller used it as a setting for his famed work ‘Catch 22.’

Vie Cave

While staying in your villas in Tuscany, you should venture to the beautiful town of Pitigliano, where you’ll discover the mysterious Vie Cave. The Vie Cave (which means sunken roads) consists of narrow paths dug out of stone by the Etruscans. No one knows for sure how the Etruscans dug these pathways, with walls as high as 25 metres tall, or what their function was. One theory is that they were used as water channels or sacred paths leading to burial grounds or other sacred sites. As you manoeuvre your way through these enchanting pathways, you’ll notice mysterious wall markings and half-concealed tombs.

Bagno Vignoni

Located in Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia National Park, Bagno Vignoni is a living testament to Tuscany’s historical past – rich with remnants of its cultural practises. On the drive from your villas in Tuscany to Bagno Vignoni, you’ll pass amazing scenery with fields of wheat, olive groves and vineyards along the way. Bagno Vignoni is most famed for its thermal waters, which come from an underground aquifer of volcanic origin. The Romans had consecrated these waters to the Nymphs, and their dedication is represented on a stone tablet with ancient Greek inscriptions. The thermal baths sit at the heart of the village, bordered by historic 16th century buildings and taverns. Bagno Vignoni became very popular during the Middle Ages due to their close proximity to Via Francigena – a thoroughfare connecting the Italian Peninsula to Northern Europe. In the 12th century, it was commonly used as a stopover point for Christian pilgrims making their way to Rome.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

Just a short car or bike ride away from your beautiful Tuscany villa rental is the city of Florence. As the capital, and most populous, city in the well-known region of Tuscany, people flock to this city on the River Arno for its profusion of history, culture, art, gastronomy, education, business, and shopping. After you have trawled around the many museums and have seen the famous works of art, such as the statue of David, why not take a break and do some shopping? While in Florence, you should take the opportunity to visit some of the markets that dot the streets and squares, such as the San Lorenzo Market, the Mercato Nuovo, and for a change of pace, the Mercato Centrale.

San Lorenzo Market — Located in the Piazza di San Lorenzo, alongside the San Lorenzo Church, this market pops up every day in the summer and Tuesdays through Saturdays in the winter. Making the trip into Florence from your Tuscany villa rental to shop in the markets is a must to get a true feel of the city. This particular market is well known for its abundance of good-quality leather goods such as jackets, bags, purses, wallets and notebooks in the Tuscan style. In the aisles that line the streets along the piazza you can pick up souvenirs, jewellery, and gifts for yourself and for those back home.

Mercato Nuovo — Conveniently located in the Piazza de Mercato Nuovo, this market is the perfect place to go to get a mix of history and shopping before heading back to your Tuscany villa rental outside the city. It is great for picking up souvenirs, leather goods, and scarves. While in the market, look for the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, which is a stone shelter built around the middle of the 16th century as a place to the sell silk and luxury goods. Today, the focal point of the Loggia is the Fontana del Porcellino, or the fountain of the piglet. This is a copy of the bronze wild boar by artist Pietro Tacca, the original of which is found in the Palazzo Pitti. Tradition says that rubbing the boar’s nose brings good fortune – so give it a pet as you wander by!

Mercato Centrale — For a market that is a bit different from the rest, head over to the Mercato Centrale, located between Via Panicale and Via Nazionale. Outside the main structure you can pick up tourist souvenirs, but inside, this market is a local fruit, vegetable, and meat lover’s dream. If you are driving into the city, this is the perfect place to get supplies for your self-catering Tuscany villa rental. Be sure to stop by and look around the butchers and fishmongers that fill the bottom floor. Then, head upstairs and take in the array of locally grown fruit and vegetables. Everything here is fresh and the venders are willing to help if you are stuck coming up with ideas for cooking with all the food you see. A bonus point: this is where the locals of Florence come to get their groceries, so you will be in good company while negotiating over a Florentine bistecca.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

Located in the heart of Tuscany, just over 70 kilometres from Florence, Siena is one of the most visited cities in Italy. It was first settled by the Etruscans between 900 and 400 B.C. and over time has played a role in the politics of the country, as well as establishing itself as an important cultural centre. Aside from its fame associated with the Palio (a horse race held in the city twice a year), Siena is well known for its food, culture, historical UNESCO World Heritage status, and its museums. While staying nearby in a Tuscany villa rental, you should take time to venture into Siena and visit the museums that dot the city. Be sure to visit the Pinacoteca Nazionale, the Palazzo delle Papesse, the Museo Civico, and the Museo d’Arte per Bambini.

Pinacoteca Nazionale — (National Picture Gallery) Located inside the Palazzo Buonsignori, S. Pietro (via di), 29, the National Picture Gallery has a vast collection of Sienese artworks painted between the 13th and 17th centuries. Exploring the four floors is an excellent way to spend an afternoon away from your Tuscany villa rental. In the museum you will come across several famous works, such as Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s ‘The Little Majesty’, Michelino da Besozzo table, and Simone Martini’s ‘Madonna con Bambino’.

Palazzo delle Papesse — In the Palazzo della Papesse (also known as the Palazzo Piccolomini) located at Via di Città 126, is the Contemporary Art Museum of Siena (CAMS). Built between 1460 and 1495, the building itself preserves many of the Renaissance features and was re-opened as the CAMS in 1998. Even if you have been to the CAMS on a previous stay, it is worth popping into again, as it is an ever-changing space with seasonal exhibitions.

Museo Civico — At the Palazzo Pubblico, the Civic Museum is home to several works of Sienese art. Located at Piazza Il Campo, 1, the building is still used to conduct some official business. The museum itself houses one of the ‘most important known allegories of the world: the allegory of good and bad government’. Spending a day away from your Tuscany villa rental and heading into Siena to see this work of art is a must. This fresco was painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in 1337 at the behest of the government, and may be something to contemplate as you climb to the top of the bell tower and survey the cityscape of Siena.

Museo d’Arte per Bambini — (The Museum of Art for Children.) On a day away from your Tuscany villa rental, you may want to introduce your children to the joys of art – and there is no better place than this museum, located at in the Santa Maria Della Scala, at the Piazza del Duomo. This unique museum was designed for children aged 4-11 and is meant to expose them to art, with special attention to techniques and language. It is a great, fun way to introduce children to a touch of Italian art and culture.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

Located about 80 kilometres southeast of Florence, Arezzo is an ancient Etruscan city in the heart of Tuscany. Etruscan architecture, such as the remains of the city wall and the two bronze statues ‘Chimera of Arezzo’, still stand in the city and are worth a trip from your nearby Chianti villa rental. The city also has several famous sons and daughters, such as the poet Petrarch, and it is well known as a centre for art, culture, and architecture, which you can see while wandering around. While you are in the city, take time to have a look at the many churches and cathedrals. Be sure to visit the Arezzo Cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve, and the Santa Maria della Grazie.

Arezzo Cathedral — When you are located in Chianti, villa rental locations near Arezzo are ideal for heading into the city to see the Cathedral. Built on the site of a pre-existing church, and maybe part of the ancient city’s acropolis, the Arezzo Cathedral dominates the Piazza del Duomo. Building work on the Cathedral began in 1278, finally ending in 1511. Later, in the early 20th century, the façade was built to replace the one that was never completely finished. Filled with stunning artworks by Tuscan masters and seven stained glass windows by Guillaume de Mercillat, it is a must see on your visit to Arezzo.

Church of San Francesco — Before you head back to your Chianti villa rental, pop into the Basilica de San Francesco at Via Guido Monaco, 11. This small, medieval basilica (dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi) was built by the Franciscans in 1290, but the decoration of its exterior was never completed. Perhaps it is best known for its fresco ‘Legend of the True Cross’, begun by artist Bicci di Lorenzo, and completed (after Bicci’s death) by Piero della Francesca, who finally finished it in 1466.

Church of Santa Maria della Pieve — Standing proudly at Corso Italia, 7, The Church of Santa Maria della Pieve has a striking façade with five arches on the lower floor, and each higher floor seeing an elevated number of smaller arches. Stepping into this church, which was documented as early as 1008, is a great way to take in history in the cool air of the interior before heading back to your Chianti villa rental. While at the church pay particular attention to the square bell tower with the baptistery in its base, and the five rows of mullioned windows heading up into the sky.

The Church of Santa Maria della Grazie — Located to the south-east of the city, this gothic-style sanctuary was built on the site of a font dedicated to Apollo, and is worth a stop on your way back home to your Chianti villa rental. In 1425, Saint Bernardino of Siena tried to have the original font destroyed, but he was unsuccessful in his first attempt. Between 1435 and 1444, he had the sanctuary built over the font. After St. Bernardino died, a chapel to the right of the main church building was built and dedicated to him.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Chianti villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each Chianti villa rental is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.
This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!