Volterra, Tuscany, Italy
Volterra, in Tuscany, Italy is one of the most attractive of all the Tuscan walled towns. It's amazingly preserved. The town is about a thousand years old and the buildings we see today easily date back to the Middle Ages and the earliest foundations of Volterra go back to the Etruscan days, nearly 3000 years ago. This movie features local Tuscan guide, Annie Adair, who will take us on an extended walking tour through Volterra. Annie explains about the history, architecture, culture and daily life in the city today. She conducts regular tours in Volterra and Tuscany, and can be found at her website, for more information.
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This is a newly-revised version of an earlier video on Volterra.
The Villa Life: Casa Felice - Tuscany
The Villa Life is your exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s most exquisite vacation homes. In our newest episode, our host Bianca gets to know Casa Felice, a restored farmhouse situated on a gated estate outside Cortona in Tuscany.
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Hotel Italia, Cortona, Italy.
Hotel Italia, Cortona, Italy.
For Great Rates Book Online:
Hotel Italia is a 15th-century mansion recently renovated and is located in the heart of Cortona in the region of Tuscany, Italy.
The hotel features 25 rooms with: single, standard, superior, superior with view on the Valdichiana, junior suites, triple and family rooms. Facilities in the rooms include: - Individual air conditioning - Individual heating - Private safe - Coffee and tea making facilities - Satellite TV with international channels - Bathroom with hand basin, shower, WC, bidet and hairdryer
GUEST SERVICES
Multilingual reception staff - Complimentary Wi-fi connection - Breakfast room with stunning view on the Valdichiana - Elevator - Bicycle store - Complimentary baby cot upon request - Laundry service upon charge with delivery on the next day - Complimentary luggage storage room.
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The Best of Tuscany Tour 2018 with Tuscany Tours
Tuscany Tours, Italy’s best small-group (limited to 16 participants), escorted, tour company presents The Best of Tuscany 2018.
9 glorious days exploring the best Tuscany has to offer – from Florence to Cortona and many places in between. Enjoy Tuscany’s rich history, art, culture, food, wine, and breathtaking scenery while having fun!
Three tours dates to choose from:
May 15 to May 23, 2018 – [Only 5 places left]
Sep 7 to Sep 15, 2018 – [Only 5 places left]
Nov 8 to Nov 16, 2018
We've designed this tour as a sampler that provides a taste of the many pleasures that Florence and Tuscany have to offer. You'll have a chance to go wine tasting in Chianti, visit medieval castles, see art treasures of the Renaissance, explore Tuscany's picturesque towns and villages, and enjoy the exquisite local cuisine.
We'll be staying at charming, historic 4-star hotels in Tuscany. We'll spend the first portion of our week in Florence at a gracious hotel situated in a 15th-century palazzo in the historic core of the city, only steps away from many of the world's greatest collections of artistic masterpieces.
For the next portion of our adventure in Tuscany, we'll be based in a tiny village in the Chianti region at an elegant boutique hotel that was an 18th-century noble residence. From here, we'll visit the fascinating medieval city of Siena with its world-famous Gothic cathedral. And we'll make several short excursions to explore wine, food, and art in the marvelous hill-towns and villages that make this one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.
Lastly, we transfer to the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona which has recently been made famous by the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. We'll be staying in a luxurious palazzo in the old town at the top of the mountain with commanding views of the Valdichiana plains down below.
You will have the opportunity to experience both the excitement and stimulus of the cities of Florence and Siena and the beauty and tranquility of rural Tuscan life. The small size of our group (maximum 16 participants) allows us to move about without following a red umbrella and to eat in restaurants and trattorias that are popular with the locals. In addition to breakfast, we share one full-course meal every day as a group, either lunch or dinner. Be prepared for a week of feasting at some of the finest restaurants in Tuscany!
The Best of Tuscany Tour combines daily planned activities along with unstructured time that you may spend as you like. If you have special activities that you'd like to pursue during the unscheduled portions of our tour in Tuscany, we're happy to help you arrange it. And if you'd like to visit other special places in Italy either before or after the tour, we'll be glad to assist with bookings, transfers, guides and all the rest.
During the course of the tour, we offer presentations and slideshows to help you better appreciate the art and the places we visit. The rest of the time, we attend to all the details to make your travel adventure as smooth as possible. You get to relax and experience The Best of Tuscany!
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FLORENCE & TUSCANY FOR YOU - Guides & Drivers since 1991
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN TOURS since 1991
YOUR GUIDES IN FLORENCE, PISA, LUCCA, AREZZO, VOLTERRA
YOUR DRIVERS IN TUSCANY & ITALY
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Italy - Sept. 2015 Montepulciano
After several days in Siena we rented a car to relocate to Montepulciano (SouthEast of Siena). There is no train service to that location and we wanted to visit some of the other small towns in that area so a car was most convenient. Driving in Italy is like participating in a car race with Italians right on your rear bumper until they can speed past! Montepulciano is one of many towns sitting atop steep hills but larger than most as you will see in these photos. The other towns also were interesting & beautiful. Enjoy!
Cortona Resort & Spa - Villa Aurea - Cortona, Italia - Video Review
Cortona Resort & Spa - Villa Aurea - Exclusive price! -
Boasting a free wellness centre and an outdoor pool with bar service, Cortona Resort & Spa is a 5-minute drive from Cortona. It is an 18th-century villa surrounded by 30,000m² of parkland.
All air conditioned and with free WiFi, rooms are spread across the property's 3 buildings. Rooms in the main villa have satellite TV.
You will enjoy free access to the wellness centre, including a Turkish bath, hot tub and sauna, as well as a music-therapy area, salt cave and chromotherapy shower. You can also book holistic and wellness treatments, at extra charge.
La Corte restaurant specialises in traditional Val di Chiana recipes, while a generous sweet and savoury breakfast is served daily. At fixed dates during summer, guests enjoy free al fresco barbecues.
Siena is a 1-hour drive from Cortona Resort & Spa - Villa Aurea. Arezzo is 19.3 miles away. Villa Aurea's bikes can be used for exploring the beautiful surrounding area.
Castle Mago | Tuscany | Italy | Oliver's Travels
Castle Mago is a wonderful 16th Century castle in a perfect position enjoying a lovely panorama over the countryside with views to the Elba Island and the sea beyond. The villa has its own exclusive grounds complete with a rose garden and an entrance garden with private parking, outside living space for relaxing, dining al fresco and a private outside swimming pool 6m x 12m and a private outside Jacuzzi hot tub. This romantically beautiful historic residence retains all the original characteristics and period furnishings yet has all modern comforts and offers a wide range of facilities and services to enhance your stay.
This unique ancient castle, once the abode of Leopold II Grand Duke of Tuscany, is in a peaceful and private location in the countryside yet just 1 km from the nearest town Venturina Terme and only ten minutes driving to the lovely Tuscan coast and nearest sandy beaches. A private avenue of cypresses and pines leads to the private automatic gate of the castle through the grounds for the first glimpse of this imposing property that has a romantic facade of ivy.
The interior of the villa is just as amazing with characteristic high ceilings and furnished with antiques, oil paintings and family heirlooms. The ground level of the villa is composed of various lounge rooms with period furnishings in keeping with the style of the castle. There is a large entrance hall hung with ancient paintings and coats of arms, off which there are three lovely living rooms, two of these living rooms with fireplace and sofas, one of these with Sky television and DVD player and hi-fi music. The third one is a reading living room with a computer desk with antique wooden desk. On the same level there is a professional fully equipped kitchen and another small room next to the kitchen with a fridge and all the necessary staff for the meals service. There is a lovely dining room with fire place decorated with frescoes and majolica tiles with a big rectangular table for all the guests. From the main entrance hall staircases to the left and/or to the right lead to the middle and upper floors of the castle and the ten characteristic bedrooms with their ensuite bathrooms (4 double bedrooms, 5 suites, and the special Grand Duke Master suite) each individually decorated with different colour schemes, and many featuring hand painted ceilings, frescoes and numerous antique pieces. The bedrooms are equipped with the modern comforts such as air conditioning, digital tv and an illimited fast wifi connection 20 Mbps download and 6 Mbps upload. The Wi Fi internet connection cover also the whole inside villa, the rose garden and the pool area.
The mature grounds sweep all around the castle and the main entrance hall also opens out onto the lovely rear rose garden where there is a pretty al fresco dining area with a marble rectangular table for all the guets, as well as an outside living area with comfortable settees and umbrellas perfect for relaxing whilst enjoying the view towards the rose garden. Original stone steps lead down from the garden to the villa’s private swimming pool (12m x 6m) situated in a secluded position below. The pool area , shaded by pines and overlooking the olive grove, has a Jacuzzi. The owners of Castle Mago are very hospitable and they and the villa staff take pride in the services they offer. A whole manner of arrangements can be made (on request payable locally) ranging from catering services including lunches and dinners, laundry, extra housekeeping and even day trips and excursions are options available. When you can tear yourself away, the beautiful coast of Tuscany with its lovely beaches is just minutes away, and there are many pretty towns to explore locally. The area is well known too for its wine production, thermal spas, nature reserves and lovely countryside. A little further afield are other famous Tuscan towns such as Florence, Siena and Pisa all well worth a visit. Even the island of Elba is accessible via nearby ferry connections or by private boat. Castle Mago really is a unique property in a great location for a truly unforgettable holiday.
Villa Calypso for Tuscany Farm Holidays, Tuscany Vacation
Tuscany is located at the center of Italy. It is a popular destination for Italy tour packages and Italy tour vacations. L'Aiolina is a perfect holiday apartments in Tuscany. Our holiday apartments are fully equipped with swimming pool and basic amenities. Avail world class services in our Tuscany holidays
The Living Kitchen - Km Zero Tours®
Choose to discover a real world,. Let's do it together.Live the experience
kmzerotours.it
Phone: +39 349 35 29 601
Mail: arianna@kmzerotours.com
THE LIVING KITCHEN
An Educational Journey Through Traditional Tuscan Recipes
WHY
“Always remember that a great chef does not exist without a farmer, who deeply knows and respects the land” Carlo Petrini, founder of the International Slow Food Movement
You will begin your culinary experience at the sources, having the unique opportunity to learn directly from experienced producers about the origin and the value of raw ingredients. You will then move into the kitchen, where local chefs will teach you how to best use and combine them in order to create fabulous “farm to table” recipes.
Are you ready to create “hands-on” the perfect Tuscan dinner? Join us on this experience!
WHO & WHERE
Your hosts will be Alessio & Arianna, a qualified sommelier and a travel guide who live in the gorgeous Chianti Classico region in Tuscany, where Arianna was born and runs her beautiful old stone family holiday home, “Casa Montrogoli”.
They will introduce you to the most magical aspects of Tuscan culture, teaching how to best use seasonal, “from farm to table” ingredients mostly coming from the garden and from local farms. Look forward to having you at home with us!
WHEN
March – April – May- September – October – November
WHAT
The Program: an overview*
7 nights accommodation in our beautiful 13th century villa in the Chianti Classico region
Daily breakfast
• Daily healthy, local meals
Private transportation
Private tour leader service with an experienced local guide
Group “Polenta” Experience
• Gourmet Tuscan dinner
• 2 dinners in local restaurants featuring sustainable cuisine
• 6 thematic cooking lessons with 6 different chefs
• Saffron or Truffle Experience
• Visit to an historical Chianti Classico wine producer with tasting
• Visit to an artisanal pasta producer
• Visit to an historical producer of “Panforte” in Siena
• Waking tour of Siena
• Walking tour of the authentic Florence
• Walking Tour of San Gimignano or of San Miniato
• Visit to beautiful local Chianti villages
*Also available shorter (4 nights) program
20160623 103000 tuscany driving in montepulciano1
Enchanting Chianti Wine Tour ~ with Stefano Rome Tours
(StefanoRomeTours.com) This tour is available from Florence. On this enchanting journey through Tuscany's region of Chianti, you will visit the charming town Greve in Chianti for a stroll in the main piazza and sampling local flavors....a wine tasting experience at Vignamaggio Villa and Winery in the heart of Chianti where you will enjoy a light Tuscan lunch, tasting wine produced from the winery's own vineyards, a tour of its gorgeous Italian Gardens and 700 year old wine cellar, and see parts of the villa that were used by the family of Mona Lisa when she was born and lived in Vignamaggio villa centuries ago! Your fairytale journey will continue to Montefioralle, the beautiful medieval borgo where you can walk in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci when he lived here and was inspired to paint Mona Lisa, and Amerigo Vespucci - the Italian explorer of the New World believed be the namesake of America.
(To Book This Tour:
Live Tuscan - A Truly Authentic Italian Vacation
Live Tuscan is an opportunity for you to experience the sweet, slow
rhythm that is life in Tuscany, Italy.
Enjoy a week-long stay in and around beautiful Cortona, Italy, home of the book and film Under the Tuscan Sun. My wonderful team and I will arrive at the beautiful villa to prepare for your arrival and to warmly welcome you to your new home. We remain with you as an in-home concierge, taking care of all of your requests or concerns, making this the perfect trip for both first-time and seasoned travelers.
Enjoy a cooking class, taught by professional teachers experienced in the regional cuisine; hand crafted meals, exclusive tours, and a stay in a luxury villa. Attention to detail and impeccable service is what you can expect at Live Tuscan. We have the highest standards, and each day our goal is to surpass any expectations that our guests might have. We truly enjoy making people happy! You will be treated to a week of beauty, culture, food and you will leave having lived like a Tuscan fully for a short time.
Castello di Casole: Luxury in Tuscany
Castello di Casole is one of the finest hotels in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is a completely five-star experience, from the hotel rooms to the restaurants to the spa to the bar. Truly classic experience in one of the iconic regions of Italy.
Follow along all my adventures at
Guided walks in Tuscany
A brief introduction to WalkABoutTuscany services
Ancient villa with pool for sale in Cortona Tuscany
Ancient villa for sale located very close to Cortona, Tuscany, with parkland and swimming pool.
This completely restored building is presently used as a tourist accommodation. It consists of 15 bedrooms, 18 bathrooms and 6 ha of plot, one of which is a vineyard.
Ref. TCR-025
Property Name VILLA MECENATE
PLEASE NOTE: Rolling Hills mainly deals with the PROPERTY FINDER service, that is, the property search in Tuscany and Umbria upon specific requests. Please visit our website rollinghillsitaly.com and write to info@rollinghillsitaly.com to describe the characteristics of your ideal home. We will be glad to help you realize your dream!
Hiking the Chianti Wine Region from San Gimignano to Certaldo, Italy
clubgeographic.com - We begin our hike by exploring the magical town of San Gimignano. We make our way along the winding roads through the hundreds of acres of vineyards and past the olive groves until we reach the charming (and under-rated) medieval town of Certaldo approximately 15 kilometres away.
Tuscany Tours presents: An Interview with Tom & Leslie Carter, Walk & Talk Tours with Tom & Leslie
Tuscany Tours ( presents: An Interview with Tom and Leslie Carter from Walk & Talk Tours with Tom and Leslie.
One of the things we love to do at Tuscany Tours is plan travel for private groups. Today, Tuscany Tours co-owner, Pam Mercer is speaking with Tom and Leslie Carter, of Walk & Talk Tours with Tom and Leslie, about their experience using our service.
If you are coming to Italy with friends or family, we can help you make it the ideal vacation! From the Amalfi Coast to Rome, from Tuscany to Venice to the Isle of Capri, from Five-Star hotels to rustic country villas, we'll help you put together the perfect trip!
Trip costs vary based on the itinerary you choose, the number of people in your group, and the price range of the accommodations you prefer.
Contact us without obligation to discuss your dream vacation!
Our private planning service, much like our small-group immersion journeys are full of cultural enrichment, wonderful food, authentic immersion experiences, lively conversation, and plain old fun! Come join us!
Visit our website for full information on our private planning service:
Or, if you prefer information on our small-group, immersion journeys in Italy, France and Spain, please visit:
#BestofTuscany #TuscanyTours #ToursofTuscany #ItalyTours
Castle in Tuscany Montecchio Vesponi Castle
One in a series of films produced and published by Alessandro Sorbello with original musical composition from Jaider
Castiglion Fiorentino Tuscany. Castiglion Fiorentino offer a traditional medieval city in central Tuscany, located in the verdant countryside of this beautiful and historic region. High on a hilltop overlooking both the Chiana and the Chio Valleys, holidays in Castiglion Fiorentino offer wonderful views across fertile agricultural land, and out across to the Appennine mountains. Located between Arezzo and Cortona, Castiglion Fiorentino holidays are ideally placed to tour the Tuscan region, with the city positioned 60km from Siena and less than 100km from Florence.
Taken from the air which show the area around Cortona and include, Under a Tuscan Sun and Flying Over Lago Trasimeno, Umbria and Incorporates Tuscany Villas and landscapes whilst flying over Flying over Castiglion Fiorentino, Tuscany
Holidays in Castiglion Fiorentino - Rich in history, an ancient walled city for info check out
An ancient city with a rich history, Castiglion Fiorentino boasts a wealth of sights in its well-preserved centre. Dating back to 600BC, with Etruscan and Roman roots, today the city maintains a distinct medieval character, with Castiglion Fiorentino holidays offering plenty of churches, art and Renaissance architecture for the visitor to enjoy. The city walls, built back in the 13th century, still stand, and the centre is dominated by the imposing tower of the towns' ancient castle (the Torre del Cassero). Interesting sight to see whilst on holiday in Castiglion Fiorentino include the churches of Saint Angelo and Saint Francesco, from the 12th and 13th century, the Pinacoteca, home to numerous famous pieces of art, and the Montecchio Castle, just outside the city. Also on display in town are Etruscan objects unearthed in recent excavations.
Castiglion Fiorentino - Visit neighbouring Arezzo and Cortona
Whilst on holiday in Castiglion Fiorentino, visitors will find a range of shops and services, and several restaurants and cafes to choose from. To the north, Arezzo offers a livelier city scene, with plenty to see and do, and great shopping in its streets and markets, while the medieval town of Cortona presents an unspoilt charm with wonderful views. Castiglion Fiorentino holidays boast classic Tuscan landscapes to explore, and the area is popular with walkers, hikers and cyclists as well as lovers of art, history and culture.
The Municipal territory of Castiglion Fiorentino, in the Val di Chiana, extends over an area of 111,25 square kilometres comprising the Alluvial Plain of the Chiana canal and a hilly zone between the hillock which separates the Val Tiberina from the valley line path of the Umbro-Casentinese highway. A feudal centre, then a liberal municipality, then a Podesta office, it became a community in 1774.
Noted for the first time in the X century with the name of Castiglione, it was originally a feudal of the Marquis di Monte Santa Maria ; only towards the end of the XII century the name of Aretino would have been added to indicate its affiliation to the diocese of Arezzo, even though the castle remained under the direct authority of the Empire, as was proved by a certificate of Emperors Enrico VI in 1196 and Federico II in 1225. Already in that year Castiglione seemingly governed as a free municipality with its own district stipulating treatise and covenants, such as that of 1198 which predicted, in exchange for peace and protection by Arezzo, an annual payment per head by the men of Castiglione. If consequences of the battle of Montaperti aggravated the intervention of the centre by the Arezzo Ghibellina, after that of Campaldino in 1289 Firenze assumed the role of interested protector, sending a stable military garrison and Fiorentini Podesta. In 1303, Arezzo with Bishop Guido Tarlati managed to re-conquer the castle and his brother Pietro Saccone governed with the office of Imperial Representative from 1313 until Castiglione, in 1336, returned under the dominion of Firenze. In 1343, after the exile of Duke d'Atene from Firenze, the Fiorentini Regents then in office sold Castiglione to Pier Saccone of the Tarlati for 7,000 florins ; but soon after the Perugini became Lords and occupied and maintained Castiglione until 1370, when Pope Urbano V placed the castle under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See. Castiglione assumed its present name definitively in 1384, when it passed, with all the Arezzo territory, under the dominion of the Fiorentina Republic.
Plundered in 1409 by the troops of Ladislao di Durazzo, at war with Firenze, it was thus partially reimbursed by the Government of the dominant Firenze in the form of a reduction in taxes, and in 1432 it acquired from the Fiorentini the lake of Brolio. It suffered grave damage again in 1452 caused by the permanence in the territory of the troops of Alfonso King of Napoli in war against Firenze ; other warlike episodes marked the history of Castiglione: after a revolt by the peoples of Castiglione against the Fiorentino Government in 1502, in 1529 it resisted at length before being tricked into surrendering to the Imperial troops of Carlo V, and in 1554, during the war which brought on the capitulation of Siena, it fell briefly in the hands of the antifiorentine forces led by the exiled Piero Strozzi. From then on it followed the general destiny of the Mediceo State, marking it as one of the most important centres of the Arezzo territory, also under the cultural aspect, as demonstrated by a small group of illustrious Castiglionese (some even expatriates) who lived in the XVII and XVIII centuries.
Places to visit :
The Central Piazza, in the renaissance stamp and embellished by the Logge del Vasari of the XVI century. Decorated with coats of arms in stone or terracotta of Commissioners and Podesta, and by an antique fresco. In front of the Logge is the Town-hall erected in 1500 and renewed in 1935.
The Municipal Art Gallery , housed since 1991 in the antique Cassero (XI-XII century), it is a rich collection of works coming from the local churches. The building includes the Church of S. Angelo, enclosed in the museums path, where, other than the paintings from 1200 to1400 one can admire three masterpieces by a medieval goldsmith. for hotel options have a look at
S Lazzo in S . Stefano, ex church, the building goes back to 1350 and its interior is entirely covered with frescos.
Parish Church of Rétina , built on a previous installation of the XII -XIII centuries and has a renaissance form with three naves.
Montecchio Vesponi Castle, positioned on the road which connects Castiglion Fiorentino to Cortona, it was donated by Firenze to the leader of the mercenary troops Giovanni Acuto after the battle of Campaldino.