Archive for 'Tuscany'

This week, we are talking all things chocolate when it comes to Tuscany. For some, chocolate is not the first culinary delight that they might associate with this beloved region of Italy. However, it is actually a spot that boasts some incredible chocolate brands and shops and cafes serving up the most remarkable chocolate treats. There is, in fact, a whole area known as the Chocolate Valley of Tuscany where there is an intense concentration of these brilliant chocolate producers. So, if you have a sweet tooth and you want to vacation in Tuscany, then these are the destinations and brands to keep in mind.

Tuscany is famous for her food, in general, but many people do not know that she is also a perfect destination for chocolate-lovers. Many of Italy’s most beloved chocolate brands come from Tuscany and those with a sweet tooth will find plenty of delicious things to sample during a vacation in Tuscany. So, browse Italy Villa’s amazing selection of villas in Tuscany and then come and tour these chocolate hot-spots around the region...

The gorgeous and dreamy historic town of Montepulciano in Tuscany known for its delicious wine gained international fame back in 2009 when it was chosen as a filming location for one of the movie adaptations of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight book series, New Moon. Fans worldwide were suddenly focused on this Tuscan gem and were were captivated by both the town's beauty and its newfound connection to the beloved franchise. So, if you love the movies and/or books and have always wanted to experience the allure of Montepulciano for yourself, then browse our villas in Montepulciano and plan a visit to this charming town...

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.