Archive for 'Localities'

When one thinks of Venice, they tend to imagine scenic surroundings, stunning buildings, elegant meals, drinks in stylish bars, museums and churches full of incredible works of art, romantic getaways, and exciting masked revelries. However, like any other place in the world, the city has its dark side too. Ghost tours are incredibly plentiful here for a reason and if you have found a villa in Venice and are interested in the more factual macabre side of this beautiful place then there is a relatively recent addition to her selection of fascinating museums that you must see: Venice Secrets.

Venice is unique in many ways. The layout for which the city is so famous, built on a lagoon and navigated by a series of waterways rather than roads, of course, is rather unusual. Public transport consisting of water boats is also an uncommon trait of the city. Half-flooded book shops, pretty Skittle-hued houses in Burano, former leper colonies, rich museums, incredible architectural gems, astounding churches, endless ghosts and tales of hauntings, exceptional restaurants, elegant hotels, and more all can be found throughout this unforgettable and magical and sometimes strange city. But, as with any other destination in Italy, if you have found a luxury villa in Veneto or vacation rental in Venice and are spending time exploring all that the city has to offer, you might be wondering about what you should eat while in the area! This is always one of the first questions you should ask when travelling in Italy.

While there are all sorts of specialties – from Cicchetti (plates of finger food), to Baccalà Mantecato
(one of the city's most traditional dishes made from stockfish), to Buranelli biscuits, to the beloved Spritz and the many famous cocktails whose origins are attributed to the city – to be tried during your time in Venice, there is a rather unique jam that the most discerning of foodies should make a point of acquiring. This is Vartanush, a rare rose petal jam made by Armenian monks...

A regular fixture on our blogs are listicles of some of our favourite properties of the moment among the almost four thousand different villas, farmhouses, apartments, castles, and more located all across Italy that are available to rent on our website. It can be very hard for us to narrow down the lists into bite-size articles for your consumption as there are just so many wonderful options to choose from! But we always somehow manage to whittle it down eventually to a taster of just some of the best of the best among them.

However, if you don't want to just take our word for it and would also like the opinion of one of the world's most stylish publications, then you're absolutely in luck! ELLE magazine, a famously sophisticated and fashion-forward magazine, recently ran a special feature focusing on the coolest, most luxurious, appealing, chicest, and varied ways to holiday in Italy. As Easy Reserve and Italy Villas are two of the best online destinations for those looking into planning a holiday in Italy and finding the perfect Italian villa of their dreams, they posted a special round-up of some of their favourites among our incredible vacation rentals in Italy on their website in conjunction with this Italian travel special. We were delighted to be chosen as one of their go-to sites for booking a vacation in Italy!

Florence, as an important art and design centre of the world and the famous birthplace of the Renaissance, is a destination that has long attracted some of the most renowned and important artists throughout history. If you, too, have found a luxury villa in Florence, and are spending time in the city, you may want to follow in the footsteps of some of these greats to, perhaps, soak up some of their inspiration and genius. A great way to do this is to grab coffee or a drink or a bite to eat in one of the city's famous and iconic coffee houses in which great minds used to (and often continue to) convene. One such example of this kind of hallowed venue is the Caffè Concerto Paszkowski in the city's famous Piazza della Repubblica in the historic core of Florence.

Declared a National Monument in 1991, the Caffè Concerto Paszkowski was an important literary café that attracted key Italian writers and thinkers such D’Annunzio, Soffici, Papini, Montale, Saba, and Pratolini at the beginning of the 20th century. A lovely and centrally-located place to take a rest and grab a coffee while exploring the historic streets and endless sights of Florence, it continues to be a hub of culture to this day and hosts live music regularly as well as special events such as conferences, fashion shows, literary evenings and more.

There are lots of wonderful coastal destinations and natural gems to explore in Apulia and great swathes of this beautiful region in the south of Italy are protected but one particular area that combines all of the above and is a must-see for those who have found a villa in Apulia is the incredible Laghi Alimini, or Alimini Lakes.

Located north of Otranto, the Alimini Lakes is one of the most beautiful natural areas of Salento and Apulia by far and consists of a protected oasis extending over around 1000 hectares, two bodies of water, and a stunning chunk of the coast. These two bodies of water are the main stars of the show here (though the beaches are also quite stunning) and are known as the Alimini Grande and Alimini Piccolo.