Archive for 'Tuscany'

Beautiful and historic wineries that are located in the most extraordinary settings are not unusual in Tuscany but, though there are many and many that we have discussed in this blog on numerous occasions in the past, there are many more excellent examples that we have yet to discover and for visitors to the region to discover. So, if you're a serious wine-lover who is thinking of planning a vacation sometime soon, there can be no doubt that Tuscany makes for a truly idyllic and perfect holiday destination to go and see where great Italian wines are made, taste wines, learn about them, buy and ship bottles home, and to engage in a vibrant and ancient wine culture.

One particularly scenic and lovely winery in which one can do all of the above and more besides is the beautiful Castello di Monsanto. While the Castello di Monsanto actually dates back to the middle of the 18th century and wine production in the area goes back centuries, it is in the last fifty years that the estate has become home to the Bianchi family and their beloved wines. Located in Barberino Val d'Elsa, in western Chianti Classico, a bit northwest of Castellina in Chianti, this incredible historic castle was where founder Aldo Bianchi, a native of San Gimignano who had first left Tuscany before the Second World War to seek fortune elsewhere in the North of Italy, found himself at a wedding. Taking in the amazing views across at his hometown of San Gimignano, over the hills of the Chianti Fiorentino region, and right to Monte Amiata and the Apuan Alps from the terrace of the castle, Aldo fell in love. Within a few months, he owned the Castello di Monsanto.

The Tuscan Coast is dotted by lots of incredible surprises and little gems, among them being the vibrant seaside city of Viareggio in the Province of Livorno and its epic Carnival celebrations and the famous Elba Island, to which Napoleon was notoriously exiled. Not far from Elba is another, lesser-known delight, the island of Pianosa. One of the smallest islands in the Tuscan Archipelago, it is an almost entirely uninhabited beauty located in the glimmering Tyrrhenian Sea and is a must-see for those who have found a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast and are interested in exploring the most interesting and lovely hidden corners of the area.

So incredibly flat that it is barely visible, and often described merely as looking like a darker blue line in the sea, Pianosa was first inhabited in the late Stone Age and then was a Roman settlement before Pisa and Genoa began to fight over the land in the 12th and 13th centuries. Variously inhabited by pirates, fishing colonies, and military officers, the island became a maximum security prison in 1868 and remained home to prisoners, with many particularly dangerous Mafia criminals among them, until 1998. Upon the closure of the prison, almost everyone left with just a few people remaining on the island today.

With endless, impossibly green rolling hills, fields of flowers, more pleasantly cool weather, smaller tourist crowds, and lower prices, Spring is an excellent time to visit Italy. Hit up any of the cities and you'll find things a little slower and calmer than in Summer or head to the most popular destinations and you'll find it easier to book your rental and activities. All of which is a real bonus and takes a lot of the stress out of travel.

However, instead of simply choosing a destination that is a little bit more accessible and easy during the Spring months than the Summer, why not head to a destination that is actually also at its best during Spring?

These are the places in Italy that are at their loveliest and most charming over the next few months...

Last April, as the famously beautiful gardens of Florence – amongst them the Boboli Gardens, Iris Garden, Rose Garden and more – came into bloom, a new kid appeared on the block in the form of the temporary Tulip Garden.

Located in the grounds of the Castello dell'Acciaiolo park, the sprawling garden was planted with around 200,000 tulips of 70 different varieties and opened to the public from the beginning of April to the 22nd. Entry cost 3 euro a person and allowed visitors to wander and pick and bring home two tulips, with additional tulips picked counted at the end and charged at a euro a piece and all of the fees going towards the maintenance of the park. Such was the success of last year's edition, that the planting of another garden of tulips of the same scale and kind was announced and begun last Autumn to be opened once more in Spring 2019.

In the last post in this series, we are rounding up some of our most charming vacation rentals within the walls of the charming historic Tuscan town of Cortona. With beautiful sights around every corner and lots to see and do, this lovely gem is just waiting to be explored and we have the perfect places for you to stay while you do just that...

8. Casa Delle Magnolie (Available from €100 per night)

This pastel gem is located on a quiet paved lane in the centre of the city and is a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment, with an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Carefully decorated and truly adorable, it is incredibly bright and whimsical and an ideal place to return to after long days of exploring the city.