Archive for 'Events'

Are you a wine-lover planning on booking one of our villas in Tuscany for this April? Well, then you should make sure that you head to the pretty and historic little town of San Quirico d'Orcia where you’ll not only be served up some of the most gorgeous views over the Tuscan landscape, but you will also be able to attend one of the most important wine festivals in the region.

While the Orcia Wine Festival almost always takes place on the last weekend of April each year, it has had its 2025 dates officially confirmed and will be held from the 25th to the 27th of April 2025 for its 14th edition – an excellent reason to find a vacation rental in the Orcia Valley today for an end of spring visit!

Planning a trip to Italy in May or June means that you are coming at the tail end of spring and the beginning of summer, just as tourists really begin to arrive and while everything continues to fully bloom. Not only is this when weather is milder but more than pleasant enough for days in a luxury villa with pool in Italy or by the sea but it is also when Italy is at its potentially prettiest. The coming summer days and this natural splendour, as well as harvests beginning to load tables with delicious produce, means that there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

As a result, May and June are a time when there is an especially large number of sagre, traditional local festivals that can celebrate saints, holy days, historic events, particular food products, and more with feasts, parades, parties, concerts, and other events. Those who book a vacation rental in Italy at this time of the year, will be able to enjoy authentic, traditional experiences alongside locals, sample incredible wines, enjoy regional dishes, and really get a genuine look into Italian life.

Of course, while the food-related events and parties are well worth seeking out and enjoying, we also recommend experiencing one of the infiorata events that take place around Italy each May or June. These particular celebrations, or “flowering” events, are the pride of several towns located around Italy and involve the creation of breath-taking, elaborate flower-based decorations that wow guests and locals alike. 

There is almost no time in which a trip to Rome won’t be a rewarding and fascinating experience as there is simply so much to see and do in this grand city. At different times throughout the year, however, a vacation rental in Rome and time in the city means that you will also be able to enjoy some specific celebrations, seasonal experiences, or special events. From the intense Christmas celebrations in this hub of Catholicism, to the wonders of the blooming gardens of the historic palaces in spring, to the thrills of the Italian Open for tennis nerds planning a visit in May, to Roma Jazz Festival in October, there are all sorts of unique offerings throughout the year.

However, the 15th of March, known as the Ides of March, has long been a particularly significant day in Rome. It was often a time around which new year ceremonies would take place, was sacred to their supreme deity, Jupiter, was the beginning of a holy week in the later Imperial period, and more. However, it became cemented in popular imagination from antiquity all the way to the current day when, on the 15th of March in 44BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated on that very day.  

Have festive plans got your head in a tailspin? Are there too many parties, commitments, things to buy, rooms to clean and decorate, foods to prepare? Have you been considering just escaping this Holiday Season? Well, we think that’s a great idea! Especially if you have been thinking about a vacation rental in Italy, as we would argue that it is one of the best possible destinations at this time of the year.

Whether you personally celebrate Christmas or not, those who find themselves on holiday in Italy over the Holidays will discover many of the permanent charms of the country with a pretty, festive, exciting Christmas veneer on top. Many cities and towns are at their most beautiful at this time of the year, there are even more things to see and do, as well as lots of incredible seasonal dishes to enjoy, so its an excellent time to visit!

We have previously extolled the virtues of booking a vacation rental in Rome and spending the Christmas Holidays exploring the city and all of its festive delights. Of course, for practising Christians to whom religion is a core tenet of their lives, it would make sense to celebrate one of the biggest religious events in the calendar in the spiritual hub of the Catholic Church. However, for those who are less religious or not even Christian at all, there is still much to recommend a holiday in Rome over the Holidays!

From the food and wine, to the beautiful decorations, to the Christmas markets, to the special events and unique traditions there is even more to see, do, and enjoy in the endless list of attractions already on offer in the Eternal City at this time of the year. Plus, it may be when the city is at its loveliest – with twinkling lights and other decorations adding a festive cheer and pretty addition to the grand monuments and wonders of the past of Rome!

In addition to attending choir services, shopping at markets, going to a play or the ballet, visiting museums and architectural gems, wandering gorgeous historic streets with a sweet Christmas veneer, trying seasonal delights in bakeries and restaurants, chatting over drinks, and more, those who book a holiday rental in Rome and visit at this time of the year might also want to try one very seasonally appropriate and magical activity: ice skating in the charming festive surroundings of Rome! A great way to embrace the season and warm up as you explore the city during the winter, there are a variety of different rinks around the city to choose from each year...