The best part of life in Tuscany is discovering just how dynamic this central Italian region really is. It continues to amaze me, even after years of living here. Tuscany encompasses a beautiful and diverse natural landscape with numerous UNESCO World Heritage sights. Many travelers are only aware of the famous Renaissance cities of Siena and Florence, but my personal favorites are the smaller towns where time seems trapped in a bygone era. One of the…
You’ve finally decided to reward yourself and take that dream vacation you always wanted – you’re going to rent a villa in Italy! You browse the internet and all the villas you’re seeing look beautiful, so how do you pick the right one? We thought we would offer a few tips on how to pick the right villa to rent in Italy and particularly in Tuscany so your holiday finds you living la dolce vita…
Trying to pick the right villa in Tuscany for your family’s vacation is not an easy task. The internet is full of pictures and descriptions, but as we all know the pictures are staged, and the descriptions are written to entice you to come rent the villa and tend to omit anything that might deter you from renting the estate. How do you tell? Of course getting on an airplane and flying to Tuscany and…
If you’re headed to Tuscany this autumn, go ahead and pat yourself in the back. In addition to less crowds, cooler weather and fun seasonal events – visiting during this time of year means you have access to something Italians (and well anyone really) cherish more than anything. Truffles and Porcini mushrooms, the ‘gold standard’ of local cuisine during this period, together with Alba in Piedmont, Tuscany is also quite famous for excellent truffles. One…
Tuscan Dream has added a new contemporary luxury villa for rent within Argentario – the Cala Moresca. Built over seven years, every inch of this rental on the Maremma Coast overlooking the island of Giglio has been carefully planned and beautifully executed by a famous interior design architect. Lodged between the rolling Tuscan hills and the sea in Argentario, the location is enough to qualify it as a true paradise. One of a Kind View …
If you close your eyes and picture Italy like it is often depicted in the movies, you might see a peaceful place with rolling hills, quaint farmhouses and charming villages dotting the landscape. All this and even more describes of our favorite areas of the country, the scenic and fertile Val di Chiana (Valdichiana) valley, located in the southern Tuscany. It is also quite well-known for its excellent food, wine and extremely charming towns that…
For those looking to truly wind down in the heart of Tuscany, we suggest choosing a location that is strategic to local towns you would like to visit, in addition to fabulous places where you can wind down because a vacation doesn’t feel like one if you are constantly on-the-go. Luckily, for those looking for something private yet accessible, we have two villas available for rent in the province of Siena (19 kilometers from the…
“Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of Chambertin.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte The region of Tuscany is full of surprises when it comes to accommodation options staying in a castle is entirely possible. One such option is the lovely 11th century Castello di Volognano, a medieval abode only twenty minutes from Florence in the lovely Valdarno hills with room with six-bedrooms, a beautiful pool and its very own wine cellar.…
With low-cost flights making a jaunt over to Florence a very realistic possibility, people are taking advantage of this more than ever. Planning fun weekend trips from all over Europe is becoming cheaper, and offers a variety in travel that before people could only dream about. Breakfast in London, dinner in Prague. In less than two hours from locations like Paris, Berlin or London — you can step foot onto Italian soil and be sipping…
We all lead busy lives which often means not enough time to focus on the things that really matter, mainly our relationships with family and friends. While someone’s idea of a holiday in Italy might mean hitting up every hot-spot mentioned in Rick Steves, aimed at checking it off a dream bucket-list. We suggest otherwise. The things is, you have the rest of your life to hurry to the next big thing, ideally, coming to Italy should…
Although it is a relatively small city of fifty-two thousand people Siena is a cultural behemoth and rightfully has earned its place as a Unesco World Heritage Site. This picturesque hill town has played a huge role in western civilization. Originally settled by the Etruscans, Siena rose to prominence when the Lombards conquered the city and built the Via Francigena, linking Rome with what is now France in the sixth century. The city became…
If a Hollywood set designer was asked to create the Tuscany of our dreams, chances are good that they would erect a model of the medieval town of Gaiole in Chianti, the small vineyard dominated village nestled fifteen kilometers north of the provincial capital of Siena and only forty kilometers southeast of Florence. In 1215, Gaiole became the central market town for the small villages of Radda, Castellina in Chianti and the nearby castles of…
Cortona is a picturesque medieval walled city set high on the slopes of Mount St. Egidio and overlooking the Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno. Known to many as the setting for the movie Under The Tuscan Sun, Cortona is a vibrant town well worth exploring for its historical importance, fantastic shopping, breathtaking views and its fabulous cuisine! TuscanDream offers several phenomenal villas in Cortona, including the sensational ten bedroom air conditioned Villa Laura that was…
Our passion is to discovery new “gems” to add to the TuscanDream portfolio. Recently we added 2 new villas, Serratone & Vigna, a bit off the beaten tracks, located in the Maremma area, only 30 minutes from the beaches of Castiglione della Pescaia. Maremma is one of the less well known area of Tuscany and for this reason it has still a lot to offer. Siena and Bolgheri are only 45 minutes away. Click here to…
The very first time I walked into the palatial Villa Borgo Bernardini in Lucca, I was absolutely awestruck. As someones whose ‘job’ (in reality it’s more like a pleasure than a job!) is to find new villas I have the privilege of seeing magnificent villas and castles on a daily basis – but with Borgo Bernardini it was love at first sight. As I wandered through the lavish villa, through the spectacular kitchen, the amazing…