Archive for 'Northwest Italy'

Situated on the outskirts of Mantua in Lombardy is the architectural masterpiece called Palazzo del Te! Designed in an elegant mannerist style by architect Giulio Romano for Frederico il Gonzaga in 1524, this was a lavishly built palace with certainly no expense spared!

Book a stay at a scenic villa rental in Lombardy where you can easily travel around to to see the many attractions of this region, including the glorious Palazzo del Te!

Palazzo del Te is so intricately decorated that after the vast shell of it was built, it took a team of fresco painters, stone carvers and plasterers a period of ten years to adorn every section of wall, floor and ceiling of it!

It was indeed a treasured jewel of artistic achievement and it is little wonder that Palazzo del Te is considered as one of the most beautiful villas in all of Italy!

The stunning Fénis castle in Aosta Valley is one of the country’s most famous fortresses. It is a huge structure, built in a classic castle layout and attracts many thousands of tourists each year. In fact, it looks like a castle that came right out of a children’s storybook!

Stay in a beautiful holiday villa in Aosta Valley and witness all that this gloriously scenic region has to offer! Fénis castle dates back to the 1100s and began taking the shape of the castle visitors can see today when many additions and reinforcements were added in the 14th century.

It may be the smallest region in Italy but Aosta Valley has some of the most stunning scenery in the country! There is a thriving tourism industry here where visitors can embark on challenging mountain hikes, stay at top skiing destinations and explore splendid natural attractions.

Situated in the very north of Italy bordering France and Switzerland, Aosta Valley makes up a large section of the region with smaller valleys framing it.

Choose from a range of pretty holiday rentals in Aosta Valley where you can enjoy a few days of mesmerising scenery any time of year.

Climb up high to see the vivid Blue Lake under the gaze of Mont Blanc. The water is pure here and beautifully reflects the surrounding mountains, forests and sky looking above it in clear detail. Walk along part of the Great Saint Bernard Pass that runs through Aosta Valley which has been the training ground for these famous St. Bernard rescue dogs since the 11th century. Go on a hike around the Gran Paradis National Park filled with scenic mountain landscape and a selection of rare flora and fauna.

The spectacular crescent shaped town of Portofino stretches along a scenic sheltered bay of Liguria and is one of the trendiest holiday destinations in Italy! Less than 25 kilometres from Genova and under forty kilometres from the famous UNESCO awarded Cinque Terre, Portofino has held its own in terms of drawing in large crowds of tourists and has just as much to offer by way of attractions.

Stay in a stunning villa in Liguria close to the coast and spend a few days visiting Portofino and other gems hugging the sea line here.

The buildings lining the port of the town are a melody of bright colours, all adding to the quaint charm of this fishing port. Restaurants close to the water’s edge offer a superb selection of freshly caught seafood transformed into incredible dishes that must be tasted to be believed!

Located in Pavia province in Lombardy is the delightful town of Vigevano. This old artistic town is well known for its artisan crafts and agriculture. The two main economies here are shoemaking and rice growing. Check out some fabulous villas with guest reviews in Lombardy where you could book a stay and visit Vigevano for yourself!

Begin your tours of Vigevano in its stunning Piazza Ducale, a Renaissance square designed by Bramante in the town centre.

Renowned as one of the finest piazzas in Italy, the Piazza Ducale is rectangular in shape and was originally built to be a noble forecourt to the Castello Sforzesco. See the beautiful old cathedral that frames one side of Piazza Ducale built in a decorative Baroque style. It houses some splendid artworks inside worth seeing.