Archive for 'Tours'

Most of the time, for many of us, a train is merely a way of getting from A to B but sometimes there is much more to it than that. In fact, many train routes are so scenic that riding the train the goes along it has become a popular activity, tourist attraction, and bucket list item in its own right. For those who book a villa in Italy, there are several stunning train journeys that can be enjoyed but the most beautiful is perhaps the Bernina Express...

One of the many reasons that we recommend booking a vacation rentals in Italy with us rather than with someone else or rather than booking a hotel or some other form of accommodation, is that our owners really add to the entire experience.

This, of course, varies from owner to owner and your own interest in engaging with them but many are happy to be your portal to the area and give all sorts of helpful advice and tips. They usually live nearby and are, therefore, on hand throughout your vacation should any issues arise but also to offer special insight to the locality and what it has to offer visitors.

From suggesting local restaurants and tourist attractions, to telling you about amenities of the property itself, our owners will help you get situated upon arrival to ensure that you have an especially enjoyable holiday in Italy.

The famous Cinque Terre is a beloved tourist area of Italy known for a series of five picturesque towns located along the coastline. Many who find a vacation rental in the Cinque Terre will drive or even hike between the different towns to take them in and enjoy the various attractions in each. However, we think if you’re really going to explore and make the most of this magical part of the world, then the best way to get around is certainly by boat! 

There are certain unbelievably famous tourist attractions that a large percentage of travellers will want to take in if they end up in specific destinations like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Giant’s Causeway, the Grand Canyon, the Louvre, the Acropolis, the Colosseum, Mount Fuji, the Sydney Opera House, Christ the Redeemer, the Hollywood sign, et cetera. Of course, some will be content enough to glimpse these landmarks from afar and some of these attractions cannot even actually be approached but for those that can and want to visit such places and attractions, a big question quickly arises: when?

The when of it all is extremely important as such spots are often incredibly busy and who wants to deal with stress of crowds and queues on vacation?

Say, for example, you find a villa in Tuscany and you want to see the iconic and world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Well, you don’t want to waste a huge chunk of your trip waiting around, do you? To make the most of your time on vacation in Tuscany and to enjoy an outing to this beloved landmark, here are our tips on the best time to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa:

Lots of people like to follow their favourite characters on their fictional journeys through destinations and then shadow those footsteps themselves in real life. Think of Bloomsday in Dublin, each summer, that sees fans from all over the globe come to follow Joyce’s protagonist Leopold Bloom around the city. Recently, another Irish author has given us yet another engaging and fascinating protagonist whose journey we can chart with Maggie O’Farrell’s fictionalised novel about the life and death of Lucrezia de' Medici, Duchess of Ferrara, in The Marriage Portrait.

The celebrated and well-loved O’Farrell released the book in 2022 to great acclaim and immediately transported readers all over the world into the life of an incredibly young bride in Renaissance Italy. Certain liberties have been taken with the details of her life but the story is rooted in historic record and real events and places. Those, therefore, who have read and adored the book can pretty easily track Lucrezia’s path from birth to childhood to a rather nerve-wracking young married life in a strange court. In fact, many of the places in the novel are already key tourist attractions that one might already be planning on visiting if booking a villa in Florence and/or a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna.