old villa for holidays in tuscany - Holiday Villas in Viareggio, Italy

VIAREGGIO: CARNIVAL COUNTRY
Viareggio is a town in the province of Lucca, situated on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the north of Tuscany, Italy. With a population of around 60,000, Viareggio is a highly popular tourist resort with a historic fishing harbour. Among its other industries is the manufacture of luxury motor yachts. To international tourists, Viareggio is known as the site where the body of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was cremated. Indeed, in 1822, Shelley’s body was cremated on the beach of Viareggio in the presence of Lord Byron and Leigh Hunt.

The name of the city derives from Latin Via Regis (kings’ road), the name of a road built in the Middle Ages along the coast, and still existing as Via Regia. The city was created in the mid-16th century, when it became the only coastal base of the Republic of Lucca. Today, Viareggio is one of the most famous and traditional seaside resorts in Tuscany. Its wide, spotlessly clean beaches, excellent seafood-based cuisine and exciting nightlife in the ‘Versilian discos’ have made Viareggio a popular holiday resort for international tourists. Among its other attractions are a Puccini opera festival held at nearby Torre del Lago, and one of Italy’s most famous carnival celebrations, featuring enormous floats that sometimes satirize current political events.

The town is also known as the home of Lorenzo Viani, composer Giacomo Puccini and writer Mario Tobino and is surrounded by the Apuan Alps and the lake of Massaciuccoli. Pinewood, a colourful harbour, shipyards and a three-km long promenade with superb shops, cinemas and a theatre are also part of the landscape.

Until the 19th century, Viareggio was a small fishing village. Its claim to fame was the daring of its sailors and the skill of its shipbuilders, who created the most beautiful wooden ships in the Mediterranean area. As the city began to spread toward the north, it developed its bathing and tourist activities until it became famous all over Europe and the world for its tourist facilities and its unparalleled natural beauty, beautiful beach, and luxuriant pinewoods.

Today, you can walk along the jetty, which runs alongside the Burlamacca Canal and extends into the open sea for almost a kilometre. The city has two pinewoods. One is located in the urban centre and known by the name of Pineta di Ponente. The other is called Pineta di Levante, begins at the docks and extends for six km as far as Torre del Lago.

Accommodation in Viareggio has grown parallel to its growth as a tourist resort. Our selection (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Viareggio.htm) of Viareggio hotels, exclusive apartments and bed & breakfasts offer the best deals for a great stay during your trip, so why not check us out?

TUSCANY VILLAS: YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Tuscany is justly famous for its wine, food, warm and hospitable people, and dazzling natural beauty. However, in our opinion, Tuscany should also be celebrated for its beautiful villas, because the Tuscan countryside is dotted with some of the most superb villas dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, and almost all of them are perfectly preserved, so that they can still be inhabited with ease. And guess what? We would like to invite you to stay in one of Tuscany's independent villas, which we have carefully selected for the discerning tourist. We can guarantee you every home comfort that you can ask for, in the luxurious and elegant atmosphere of these beautiful villas.

Without exception, the independent villas of Tuscany that we have chosen for you are located amidst some wonderful natural scenery. Take the Villa Ginestra, situated near the top of a hill in the Tuscan countryside, delighting guests with a magnificent view of the city of Florence. Also within view is the tiny village of Cercina. On a nearby hilltop, you can see the ruins of a great house that once belonged to a medieval bishop. The scenery is, in a word, magnificent. At Villa Ginestra, you will enjoy the best Italy has to offer – the timeless beauty of Tuscany’s rural countryside, and quick and easy access to Florence.

An orchard of half-century-old olive trees surrounds Villa Ginestra, providing visitors with a crown of green and silver. To the west is the still deeper green of a forested mountain, webbed with well-marked trails for the adventurous hiker. To the east is a superb view of the medieval town of Fiesole.

And that is just one example of what we can offer you. There are numerous independent villas in Tuscany that find place on our list, spread all across this beautiful region of Italy. Can you actually imagine staying in a place called the Villa Buonaparte? Well, we have it on our list too, and it is situated on San Miniato’s hills, about five km from San Miniato. It is a 16th-century building, carefully renovated and maintained to remind you of the charms of medieval Italy.

As we keep saying, these are mere samples. For a detailed list of independent villas in Tuscany, come to us and we’ll take you on a free and infinitely rewarding tour!

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