tuscany holiday villas - Holiday Villas in Siena, Italy

SIENA: HOME OF IL PALIO
The Palio Horse Race is a horse race like nowhere else, and it is run in the central square of Siena on July 2 and August 16. Since the 11th century AD, Siena has conducted the festivals every year, when the city’s 17 contrade (quarters) compete in contests such as flag throwing, horseracing and even fistfights. Though the fistfights are a thing of the past, the spirit of competition between the contrade is still fierce. But Il Palio is not all that Siena is famous for, as you will discover during your visit. And while in Siena, allow us to arrange your accommodation for you. We guarantee that you will not regret it.

Siena is a former medieval city in Tuscany, located about 70 km south of Florence. A proud, wealthy, and warlike independent state during medieval times, Siena was finally defeated by Florence. Medieval Sienese art is unique and of historical importance, and the Sienese are still fiercely proud of their city.

Today, Siena primarily depends on tourism for its economic sustenance and, because it remained economically backward for centuries after its defeat by Florence, you will find that it hasn’t experienced extensive urban development. That is the main reason that its medieval buildings were never torn down and replaced with modern structures, and today, the law decrees that new buildings within the city walls must be built to look medieval, so as to maintain the city’s beauty.

Adding to the beauty are such sites as Piazza del Campo, which turns into a racetrack during the Palio. The Palazzo Pubblico and the museum inside contain the famous frescos on good and bad government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and the Duomo, Siena’s magnificent Italian Romanesque cathedral including the Libreria Piccolomini, Baptistery, and an attached Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Other attractions include the Pinacoteca, which is full of medieval paintings, and Palazzo Salimbeni, built in 1472, and today the world headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the major banking corporation which monitors much of the economic and cultural life of the city.

You can also take wine and sightseeing tours for Siena and Florence, or indulge in a bit of ballooning, riding, trekking, and mountain biking. Or you could take a tour of an Etruscan tomb, sample some regional food, and visit a local village. Accommodation in Siena is varied and abundant. But we give you the best offers (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Siena.htm) of Siena hotels, bed & breakfasts, town house suites, apartments, and residences. We link you directly with the accommodations, and make sure you get the best deals possible.

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!

Discover more:  

• apartment for rent in tuscany
• Siena bed and breakfast
• country homes farmhouses tuscany
• hotel accommodation in tuscany
• tuscany holiday villas
• ancient villa in tuscany
• apartment for rent in tuscany