Archive for 'Lucca'

One of the many reasons that people choose Tuscany as a holiday destination is because it offers a chance to well and truly get away from it all. You can, of course, vacation in a city and find a holiday rental in Florence or a villa in Pisa or any other stunning Tuscan town but for those looking to leave regular life behind, a vacation rental in the Tuscan countryside is the best choice.

Not least at all because many of these properties are the kind of self-sufficient wonderful places that make you want to go nowhere else. Especially when they boast a great private pool.

In order to help you find the best property in which to wile away perfect and relaxing lazy days by the pool, we have rounded up some of our best vacation rentals in Tuscany with pools. Here are just some of our favourites!     Read More

Continuing on from our last post, in which we discussed the proliferation of incredibly picturesque ghost towns in Italy and the reasons behind their considerable number, here are some more of our picks of the most beautiful among them. If you are a fan of such things, of exploring abandoned buildings and taking in the sight of nature reclaiming land and buildings decaying beautifully, keep these extraordinary towns in mind during your next trip to Italy.

Fabbriche di Careggine is a town in the area of Lago di Vagli, or Lake Vagli, in Lucca. Although it would be more correct to say that it is beneath the lake. The medieval town, a long-time home to talented metal-working artisans, was flooded in 1953 in order to create the artificial lake, a hydroelectric basin and every decade it makes a ghostly reappearance when the lake is drained for maintenance work. Hundreds of thousands attend every time to watch as it slowly rises out of the lake but the town is often still visible underneath the water, with the top of the church poking out on days that the level is low.     Read More

Continuing on from our previous two posts and rounding up our list of ten of our best historic vacation rentals, we have three more amazing properties to discuss.

8. Villa Cerchi

Villa Cerchi is a beautiful villa with private pool that was created from the restoration of an ancient hamlet of houses dating back to the 12th century. Once owned by the prominent Florentine Cerchi family who made their fortune through trade and finance, it is now an incredible rental property that boasts 7 bedrooms and can sleep up to 14. The interiors are simple and modern with a touch of local rustic style in the details. The pool area and courtyard are both particularly lovely and sun spots that catch the warm Tuscan rays. However, it is the tranquil and panoramic location that seals the deal. The surrounding views are stunning and it is an ideal destination for those seeking a peaceful holiday on the hills surrounding Florence. With prices starting from €450 per night, this is a bit of a steal.     Read More