Tuscany

About Tuscany

Renting a holiday villa in Tuscany conjures up so many images of what you might want to visit that the list is endless. From the awe inspiring Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, to the medieval hilltop towns, the beaches of the Maremma National park and the exclusive peninsula of Monte Argentario, not to mention the food.

The renaissance cities are all well known (Florence, Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano) even to first time travellers to Italy and in peak season, despite offering many hidden gems, can be stifling and busy. If you aren’t tied to school holidays then there is so much more than just pretty countryside within reach of our villas with pools in Tuscany. There are ruins, Etruscan museums, necropoli, vineyards, festivals and galleries in places you might not expect but will take pleasure in discovering. One of our favourite festivals is in the charming, historic hilltop town of Anghiari. Southbank Sinfonia is invited to be the resident orchestra each July at the Anghiari Festival in Tuscany. The festival is warmly supported by the community in this historic hilltop village and also attracts many friends of the orchestra from the UK.

The popularity of Tuscany villas hasn’t spoilt this remarkable region and the daily flights into Pisa, Florence and Bologna have allowed the quality and quantity of our villas in Tuscany to increase. You’ll be amazed that once you leave the cities, the country roads are almost always empty and you’ll feel right at home with the friendly locals. The relaxed Tuscan way of life with its diet rich in fresh seasonal produce, grilled game and organically reared meat is hard to ignore, and if you enjoy your food then you will enjoy equally eating out or cooking at your Tuscany villa. If you get the chance, visit the Fattoria Lischeto near Volterra for his pecorino cheese and the Le Macchie farm near Pisa for his salami for the ultimate in Tuscan delights.

With the wealth obtained from the vineyards and associated industries Tuscany has become one of the richest regions in Italy and many families have begun to re-invest in their large Tuscany villas in the countryside with the style and aplomb of Tuscan nobility. Due to some of the strictest rules for renovation in Europe many of the Tuscany villas have become boutique hotels rather than family homes, to pay for the expensive and architecturally accurate renovations. Whatever previous ideas you had about villas in Tuscany, we are sure you will enjoy the different kinds of accommodation we have available.

Tuscany has become a heartland for fashion as much of the catwalk designs begin their life on the design tables of companies near Prato, Florence, Arezzo and Empoli and this means a growth in outlet stores for companies such as Prada, Gucci and Ferragamo. Our luxury villas in Tuscany provide the perfect base to return to following a day scouring local boutiques and shops.

Our Top Tips

Visit Florence: outside of the summer months is the best time to visit. Don’t miss the Duomo, Uffizi and Boboli gardens. At the end of the day go to Piazza Michelangelo and watch the sun set over the city.

Wine tasting: With Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino nobile Montepulciano, Vin Santo, Vernaccia and many others, you must take some time to visit a vineyard and do a little tasting in the area around your Tuscany villa. It makes the choice of wine with dinner a lot more exciting!

Shopping: Italy is known worldwide for fashion and while Milan may be its spiritual home, Tuscany is where many of the items are made. Empoli, Prato and Lucca are the best areas to consider.

Dining out: The world’s most popular cuisine is Italian. Its fresh flavours, simple combinations of locally sourced ingredients and traditional method of cooking mean that every meal is an exploration of culture. Tuscany in particular loves game: Wild boar features heavily in season and the famous Fiorentina steak is ordered by the “etto” (gram-weight) and served on wooden chopping boards with rucola and parmesan.

Relaxation: So many people come to Tuscany to do “the tourist thing” that they forget that this is a holiday and the magic that is worked on you by the tranquillity, the fresh clean air, the captivating views and the art of simple Tuscan living are the best reasons for coming here year after year. A stay in one of our villas in Tuscany is the best way of combining all of these elements.