In our opinion Lucca is perhaps the most opulent and culturally interesting of all the magnificent cities in Tuscany. Founded originally by the Etruscans and then passed on to the Romans, Lucca prospered as it became the center of the silk trade in the 11th century. The silk trade brought considerable wealth into Lucca and both a middle and an upper middle class emerged. The Bernardini and Buonvisi families rose to considerable prominence not only…
It has been said that Florence houses 60 percent of the world’s greatest art treasures and as a result no visit to Florence is complete without visiting the Renaissance City’s world renown museums including, the Uffizi & l’Accademia. The museums are open six days a week – they are closed on Mondays – and tend to be extremely crowded on weekends and Tuesdays – and nearly always the admittance lines are long – with waits…
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…
Secret Gardens in Florence Imagine being immersed in the center of Florence, in the largest privately owned garden in Europe, situated within city boundaries. One of the secret gardens in Florence that you can find it between Via del Campuccio, Via de ‘Serragli and the stretch of wall that runs along the Viale Francesco Petrarca. Rife with masonic symbology with an esoteric feel, the neo-gothic tower with a stone-spiral staircase is the most visible symbol of this hidden…
There is exciting news for art lovers planning on visiting Florence this winter! We highly recommend that you visit the fascinating Palazzo Vecchio museum located in Florence’s magnificent Town Hall and see an exhibit before it closes in mid-February. For the first time in over one hundred years, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, a spectacular set of twenty tapestries depicting the stories of the Biblical patriarch Joseph have been reunited and put on display. These…
Florence belongs to humanity.. It all starts with Gian Gastone in 1737, the last Grand Duke of the Medici Dynasty and one that most people have never even heard of is wasting away in the grand Palazzo Pitti. Sure, Lorenzo, the art-lover is well known with his crooked nose a common portrait found in town and of course the illustrious Cosimo. But the end is sort of where this story actually begins. The history of Florence…
For those who think that Tuscany is limited to sprawling landscapes and charming hill-top towns, think again. Besides an extensive coastline, there is much to experience in this vast region that we adore so much. One of which are the abundance of options for those who enjoy a tuscany thermal springs experience, which also happens to offer a range of benefits for the skin and body. Personally, we love organizing a day with our girlfriends…
Our series spotlighting the best of hot new contemporary eats in the city is back. Our first article covered the dynamic San Lorenzo neighborhood, this time we are focusing on the south bank or ‘other side of the river.’ The area stretching from San Niccolo to the oltrarno to San Frediano. Commonly known as the area where locals’ reside. The hustle and bustle here is typically less touristy and crowded as the zones surrounding piazza…
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…
Those who have traveled to Florence in the past ten years might be accustomed to a style that is very reminiscent to Tuscany. Marble-topped tables, rustic atmosphere and a written menu, featuring delights that are heavily vegetable, except for the odd ‘bistecca alla fiorentina‘ or two. Lately the city has undergone a bit of a contemporary revolution, the traditions still remain but a younger, passionate wave of owners has broken the barriers to add their…
Getting to Tuscany by air is quite easy. Pisa and Florence have international airports, but many of our TuscanDream luxury villas are less than a two hour drive from Rome’s Fiumicino airport, Bologna and Genoa. It depends where your villa or hotel is located and where you are flying from to determine which airport is best to fly into for your Italian vacation. If you are staying in a TuscanDream villa in Lucca, you could…
Tuscany has always been a shopper’s paradise – and now with the United States dollar having gained over 10 percent against the Euro it’s even better! Whether you’re looking for designer goods, ceramics, shoes and other leather goods, antiques or jewelry, we’ve got bargains galore! The Luxury Outlet “The Mall” is located 30 minutes southeast of Florence on the Via Europa 8, Leccio Regello (Florence) features a host of designer goods at about thirty percent…
No matter where you rent a villa in Tuscany, no vacation seems complete without a visit to Florence, the city that gave birth to, and is synonymous with, the Renaissance. It is estimated that 70% of the Western World’s most important art can be found in Italy, and half of these treasures can be found in the world famous museums of Florence! One could easily spend a year sightseeing in Florence without taking in everything!…
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…
Spring in Tuscany! We are getting ready to welcome our travelling guests that will be arriving soon! It seems like a promising season with a lot of activities and events. Here will update info on events, sightseeing, concerts, guide tours, private classes, yoga retreats and motorcycle tour offered for the season. We are specialized in offering the most authentic and exclusive experiences that you can have while traveling to Tuscany throughout the year. Please come…
Twice a year, every July 2nd and August 16th, Siena comes alive as the world famous il Palio horse race is held on the Piazza del Campo. There are 17 contrade in Siena, the equivalent of city districts, and ten of them race on July 2nd. The seven communes who did not participate in the first event race on August 16th in a ten horse field which is augmented by three horses from other communes…
Coming to Tuscany and not sampling our wine is like dining at one of the best restaurants in the world (and we have several such restaurants here in Tuscany!) while you’re on a diet! Most people are familiar with our Chianti wine region, but we are blessed with much more! We have the Vino Noble di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino made primarily with Sanigovese grapes and the amazing white wines Vernaccia di San Gimignano…