In Tuscany, villa rental holidays can allow you the ideal opportunity to really experience this staggeringly beautiful region of Italy. With villas available in wonderful locations, both rural and in cities, you will have the independence to explore at your leisure.
Tuscany – the jewel in the crown
If you know La Bella Italia well, you’ll know how proud Italians are of their own city and its region. It is sometimes forgotten that Italy has only comparatively recently been unified into a single state (excluding, of course, the Roman period), and vestiges of this local independence and regional pride are still plain to see. Of all the regions of Italy, it is arguably Tuscany that most commonly lays claim to the title of being the ‘jewel in the crown of Italy‘. Other Italians may dispute that, understandably, yet few would deny that Tuscany would be a serious contender for any such title.
Just listing a few of the towns in the region inevitably results in sounding like a reading through the pages of history: Florence, Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, San Gimignano and so on. Any one of these cities or towns would be considered a national treasure, yet Tuscany has several of them within its own borders!
Add to this the extensive coastline with its charming beaches and coves and it’s hard to know where to start and finish when you’re on a Tuscan holiday.
Tuscany villa rental and holiday tips
If you’d like to really expose your senses to the Tuscan holiday experience, you may find a few tips useful.
• In Tuscany, villa rental holidays have been traditionally popular for a number of reasons. These include privacy, independence, your ability to live like the local Italians and to be able to locate yourself in the heart of Tuscany‘s beautiful countryside.
• As you might expect, villas located on or in close proximity to the coast (particularly those with sea views) may be rather more expensive than those that are located in beautiful inland areas.
• When you are visiting cities such as Siena or Florence, trying to ‘do them’ in just a few hours may be rather ambitious – segmenting your explorations over several visits makes more sense.
• Tuscany‘s cities are well known for their magnificent festivals (for example, the medieval style horse race known as the “Palio di Siena“) and if you can synchronise your visits to correspond with one of them, it can be a magnificent experience. However, keep in mind that during such festivals driving into the city and parking may be difficult, bordering on impossible. Plan to drive somewhere to the outskirts and get local public transport into the town.
• In major city and tourist centres, English as a foreign language is now relatively widely spoken, however, in rural areas and “off the beaten track Tuscany“, local people may speak only Italian and perhaps a little French. So, try to teach yourself a few key phrases in Italian – it’s a beautiful language and one you’ll enjoy!
In Tuscany, villa rental holidays are available in most areas and to fit most budgets. There is no excuse for further delay – get yourself to Tuscany and sample the marvelous lifestyle!
By: Giovanni Balboni
About the Author:
Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Tuscany villa rental as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their Tuscan villa rentals and their reputation. Each property is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.
