Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

While picture-perfect colourful seaside towns, the gentle rolling hills and golden scenery of Tuscany and Umbria, and the grand cities of Rome and Florence are some of the images that predominate in our collective imaginings of Italy, the wilder and more dramatic views of Italy’s varied landscapes are equally captivating. Particularly, in the north, where the Alps tower overhead, Italy affords some truly breath-taking and awe-inspiring scenery. These glimpses of the sublime, of nature at its most unchecked, untamed, and wild, offer the perfect chance to escape the mundane, refresh your eyes, and wonder at the majesty of the world. And, one of the best examples of a place to take in such views and scenes is the Gran Paradiso National Park, which can be visited if you book one of our vacation rentals in Aosta Valley or holiday rentals in Piedmont.

Bernini is a name less well-known to most than the likes of Da Vinci or Michelangelo or Caravaggio but the artist was a great genius and multi-talented innovator who created extraordinary things. As an architect, he was impossibly prolific, came to be one of the most important architects of the 17th century, and was the one who gave us St Peter’s Square in Rome as well as the interior decoration of the Basilica, a number of Rome’s most elegant palazzi, and many other great works.

As a sculptor, he was the leading artist of his time and is credited as the one who initiated the Baroque style. However, in this writer’s opinion, it was his ability to breath life into stone that most recommends his work. Those who want to admire the incredible power and lifelike quality of his sculptures as well as his grand and impressive architectural feats should book a vacation rental in Rome and discover wonders like his sculpture, the Abduction of Proserpina in the Galleria Borghese.

Thinking about booking a villa in Italy this year but dreaming of coinciding with one of the famous events in the calendar year in Italy? Well, read on and find out when you should secure your vacation rental in Italy!

Italy is famous for many events from the fashionable to the tasty to the unusual so if you love jumping into it and being part of it all or you have particular interests, you’re sure to find something special to enjoy during an amazing holiday in Italy… 

There are lots of great reasons to book a villa in Italy during the spring and we have sung the praises of a holiday in Italy during the spring many times before. From the better availability of our best properties, to the lower costs that can often be associated with travelling during the off-season, to the smaller tourist crowds in popular destinations and attractions, to the milder weather that can make outdoor pursuits and general exploration more pleasant, a spring getaway in Italy has a lot to recommend it. However, there are also some lesser-known or less obvious things about travelling in Italy in the spring that we enjoy so, if you’re still uncertain and considering it, here are some other excellent incentives to book that spring break in Italy today…

While Tuscany remains our first love and the region in which we have the widest range of vacation rentals to choose from, there are some other destinations where we have both a great variety of villas in Italy, particularly charming examples, and that also have a special place in our hearts. In particular, Apulia is increasingly on our minds. Not only is this where we have some of our most amazing luxury villas in Italy but it is also an incredible holiday destination that more and more customers are discovering and falling for.

Though not some unknown gem and certainly a popular holiday spot, Apulia has been historically less well-known among international tourists in Italy. This has been changing in recent years and more and more travellers from around the globe are falling for the charms of the heel and most south eastern part of Italy.