Archive for 'Tuscany in Italy'

Are you a serious book worm who is dreaming of a getaway to a perfect villa in Florence? Are you looking for attractions that are a little off the beaten track and suitable for those who love nothing more than a great read and evocative settings? Well, then why not head to a café with an unbeatable view of the city’s Duomo that is located inside an especially scenic public library? Sounds like a perfect bookish adventure on vacation in Tuscany to us!

The Biblioteca delle Oblate, or the Oblate Library, is located inside a former convent building that is right in the historic centre of Florence, mere steps from the city’s grand cathedral and its towering dome overhead. The Oblate complex itself dates back to the 14th century and was transformed into a public library in the 20th century. In 1953 it was named the central municipal library of Florence. 

Planning your dream holiday in Italy? Well, that has to include delicious food and we've been putting together a guide to the unmissable culinary delights that you should make a point to try in a previous post. Book your villa in Italy, read on for the rest of our picks, and start looking forward to some of the best meals of your life...

Milan

If you find a vacation rental in Lombardy then be sure to pay a visit to the region's cosmopolitan capital and fashion hot-spot. Explore Milan’s endless chic bars, restaurants, and coffee shops and you will find not only endless tasty Italian delights but wonders from all over the world. However, if you’re after something distinctly Milanese, then we recommend their minestrone (using rice unlike the pasta used throughout the rest of Italy), ossobuco (the city’s signature veal dish prepared with vegetables in white wine and broth), and gorgonzola, which hails from the nearby town of the same name. If you’re about at Christmas? Try the panettone as Milan is one of the places that claims to have been its birthplace.

So, you’ve booked your villa in Italy and you are excitedly planning what you are going to see and do during your vacation but what about the most important thing? What are you going to eat on your holiday in Italy? Well, to help you out, we have compiled a list of at least one of the key dishes, wines, products, or treats per location that you should make a point to sample in Italy based on your destination in question. So, consult our list and start planning a delicious getaway today...

Amalfi Coast

You’ve booked a villa on the Amalfi Coast and you’re lazing about by the sea, soaking up the sun, and generally taking things slow so the seafood is, of course, a must! Cetara’s anchovies, scialatielli (a shorter kind of spaghetti) topped with a variety of shellfish, and risotto with all kinds of seafood are all good options. Plus, be sure to enjoy incredible local wines like those from Ravello and keep things light by cleansing your palate with sorbet made from the area’s famous lemons before finishing meals with a glass of their beloved limoncello!

One of our categories of villas that always book up really quickly and well in advance of the summer are our big villas in Tuscany. 

These villas generally have private pools, sizeable grounds, six plus bedrooms for twelve plus guests, common areas where everyone can spend time together, and private spaces where you can decompress and have some alone time. 

The pretty town of Impruneta boasts great proximity to Florence (it is in the metropolitan area, around 14km away from the city), a location among the rolling green hills and vineyards of Chianti. It is also impossibly pretty and charming in its own right, with a wonderful historic core featuring elegant palazzi, wide piazze, and leafy greenery throughout. Residenza Del Dosco is a gorgeous duplex apartment in a historic building right in this beautiful old town and is the perfect place to experience all the delights of a dream getaway in Tuscany…