tuscany holiday apartments - Town House Suite in Empoli Area, Italy

VISITING THE EMPOLI AREA? WE KNOW WHERE YOU’LL STAY!
When we say the Empoli area of Tuscany is a stone’s throw from Florence, we mean it. For those wishing for some quiet moments away from the magnificent splendour of Florence, Empoli, a mere 30 km from the bigger city, offers peace and solitude, with plenty of accommodation facilities to suit all pockets.

For those who don’t know, Empoli is located about 30 m above sea level, on the main railway line from Florence to Pisa, to the south of the River Arno, in a plain formed by the river that has been used for agriculture since the Roman era. Though the plains make way for hilly territory the further you go from the river, Empoli continues to enjoy a reputation as an agricultural region, and has even lent its name to a local type of artichoke.

However, Empoli is also famous – justly so – for its crystal ware, and its many historical remains. In 1119, Empoli came under the Guidi counts and in 1182 went under Florentine rule. In 1260, after the Battle of Montaperti, Empoli was the seat of a famous council in which Farinata degli Uberti opposed the destruction of Florence. The castle of Empoli went on to become an important fortress, and was sacked a number of times. In 1530 its fall marked the end of the independent Florentine Republic.

A fountain by Luigi Pampaloni marks the centre of the Piazza Farinata degli Uberti, also called Piazza dei Leoni (Lions’ Square). Here you will find the Collegiata di Sant’Andrea, the Palazzo Ghibellino, built by the Guidi counts in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 16th, and the Palazzo Pretorio, which served as Empoli’s town hall. The Palazzo Ghibellino now houses an auditorium, the Museo Paleontologico, and the Archivo Storico. Next to the Collegiata, an ecclesiastical museum built in 1859 has a gallery with paintings dating back to 1336, including works by Filippo Lippi and Della Robbia. Near the Piazza is the 14th-century Chiesa di Santo Stefano, and next to the church is a 16th century convent. Also in the Empoli area is the village of Pontorme, birthplace of painter Jacopo Carrucci, known as Il Pontormo.

For those worrying about accommodation in the Empoli area, we can assure you that there are plenty of good hotels as our list (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Empoli-Area.htm) tells you, restaurants, and other modern amenities. Away from its historical centre, Empoli is a modern town and a very good base from which to visit Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Volterra, and the birthplace of Leonardo, the town of Vinci.

TOWN HOUSE SUITES IN TUSCANY: STAY IN ONE!

Imagine living in a 14th-century home that looks stuck in time, yet offers every comfort that the modern age has invented. The Palazzo Torriani is a town house suite in Tuscany that is actually a historic home dating back to the end of the 14th century. It has always been owned and lived in by the ancestors of the present-day proprietors. The current owners have recently completed a thorough and careful restoration of the building, returning the mansion to all its former glory.

As a result of the restoration, the town house suite has three apartments furnished with antique furniture but endowed with every modern convenience, meant for guests who are keen on spending their holidays in an old world atmosphere, in the tranquillity of a small, charming village in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. And for the lovers of motor sports, the Imola racetrack, home of the San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix, is close at hand. Can you think of a greater contrast?

This is just one example of the Tuscany town houses that await guests who find these beautiful accommodations through our site. Our comprehensive and all-encompassing list of Tuscany town house suites would, we are confident, put all other choices in the shade, so why don’t you check them out? We put you in touch with the owners of all our properties, of which the Palazzo Torriani is only an example.

Our properties boast such amenities as air-conditioning, swimming pools, barbecues, and truly spectacular natural surroundings. The "Azienda Agrituristica" Lucignanello Bandini is an example. Situated on the southernmost tip of Tuscany, in the tiny village of Lucignano d’Asso, it is a half-hour drive from Siena. The hamlet consists of two stony roads, two churches, a castle, a quaint little store and a number of smaller houses that look out across rolling fields and patches of woodland towards the reassuring outline of Mount Amiata, a visual point of reference for many miles around. The muted pinks, beiges and pale ochers of Lucignano’s ancient walls perfectly harmonize with the palette of the Crete Senesi, the Sienese Claylands whose rich, pliant soil forms the body of those warm-hued terracotta pots and urns that are a feature of the area.

As you can see, therefore, wherever you go in Tuscany, you will come across one of our town house suites. So without delay, see them for yourself here.

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