Tuscany Villas

Authentic Italy offers Tuscany Villas for holiday rental in all areas of Tuscany. Book your villa in Tuscany, with or without a pool, from our wide selection of villa accommodation.Tuscany is renowned for its beautiful rolling countryside and mediaeval hamlets with cypress tree lined driveways leading to picture-book villas. These villas in Tuscany are often sympathetically restored with natural materials such as stone and wood, tiled roofs and terracotta floors. They evoke an atmosphere of a relaxed countryside retreat for the Noble families escaping the towns from a past time.

Tuscany villas are many and varied in size, shape, decoration and gardens. However, they are normally unique and therefore give the feeling of being in the Authentic Italy without mass production and rows of similar houses. Often the villas in Tuscany contain frescoes and antiques as well as a rustic style of furniture. Sometime they contain very fine furniture and give the feeling of being palatial. One thing is for certain though, you will feel that you are having a holiday in Tuscany which is a home from home.

Most of the villa gardens are well tended and they frequently have been styled with that essential element of Italian flair. How is it that they can make ordinary gardens look so beautiful? Why not find out for yourself and book a holiday in a villa in Tuscany?

When you are looking for a great range of Holiday Villas Tuscany can offer something for everyone. There are many famous and some less well known areas worth visiting in Tuscany. For example, everyone has heard of Florence which is the Art city of Tuscany. In this lovely historic town we have some beautiful apartments in Old Palazzi. Of course you can also stay in one of the country villas surrounding Florence and travel into the city on a day basis. If so, then just try our Tuscany Villas in the Florence area using the link Florence Villas.

One of the best areas to use as a base for your holiday in northern Tuscany is the Mediaeval town of Lucca which is in reach of all the key places to visit such as Pisa, The Tuscany coast, Florence, San Miniato, San Gimignano, Volterra and even Siena in the south of Tuscany. You can either rent an apartment in the old walled town Lucca Apartments or one of the lovely properties in the surrounding Lucca countryside Lucca Villas.

Some other places worth visiting for your Authentic Tuscany holiday could include Greve in Chianti Villas or Montepulciano Apartments for wine lovers, San Gimignano Villas or San Miniato Villas for the historic mediaeval towns, the lovely bustling Tuscany Coast resort of Forte dei Marmi Villas or the undulating countryside around Siena and stay in Siena Villas and visit this wonderful Tuscan city.

Sourcelink:- http://www.authentic-italy.co.uk/tuscany_villas.php

Loft Apartment on Chianti Estate Between Florence & Siena

A Dream vacation in Tuscany villas - ' Chianti ' - few miles from Florence and Siena - a landscape of vineyards, silvery olive groves, vast forests, colorful macchia and solitary estates like the 16th century privately owned 'Poderi Val Verde' with its various accommodations - awaits you.

'La Bellavista' an airy, spacious 1 bedroom apartment with kitchen, living room with open fireplace (1 double sleeping sofa) and en suite bathroom with shower. Its magnificent roof and beam structure still shows is origine as a hayloft. The large and very intimate courtyard guarantees maximum privacy.

The 16th century estate Poderi Val Verde with its various farmhouse accommodations is situated only 2 kilometres from the famous wine town Castellina in Chianti with shopping facilities and restaurants. Other famous towns and cities such as Florence, Siena, Greve, Radda, Gaiole, as well as San Gimignano, Lucca, Pistoia, Arezzo are only a one hour away.

If you drive a bit more, you will find Cortona, Perugia or Pisa; even day trips by train or car to Rome, Milano or Venice are possible. In this small family style hamlet our sophisticated guests will find undisturbed and unspoiled nature, silence, sun, good food (cookery courses) fantastic wines and lots of peace.

Set in the middle of extended well cared gardens with hundreds of flowers, pots with lemon and orange trees lies the large swimming pool (11 x 5.5 meters), set aside the children's playground and sports facilities.

Sourcelink:-http://www.vrbo.com/175429

Happy Vacations Announces New Luxury Villa Portfolio

Happy Vacations is launching a new villa rental division December 1, 2008 named The Tuscany Villa Portfolio.This new division will be directed by renowned villa industry expert Robert Eastman.

Eastman has been a pioneer in the field of luxury villa rentals for over 30 years, as founder of one of America's first luxury villa rental companies in 1988.With extensive expertise in both property management and travel services,Eastman brings a wealth of experience to The Villa Portfolio.Eastman was most recently awarded the Conde Nast Traveler's "Top Villa Specialists" award.

Eastman has visited and inspected thousands of rental villas and is intimately acquainted with the finest and most luxurious villas in the world. Enjoying a close working relationship with properties,Eastman routinely speaks with the management and owners of villas and estates all over the globe, including Barbados, St. Martin, St. Barts,

Anguilla, St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mustique, Provence, the French Riviera, Tuscany and the Greek islands.Happy Vacations will be adding to The Villa Portfolio collection, with villas in the South Pacific including Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji.

"Contrary to popular belief, a private villa vacation can prove to be very cost effective," states Eastman. "By renting a villa or luxury condominium, featuring all the trappings usually associated with only the most luxurious of vacations, one may actually maximize their vacation dollar." Located in the world's great resort areas,villas typically cater to those seeking luxurious accommodations in a private location."This dream vacation can become an elegant and memorable reality thanks to the products and services offered by

The Villa Portfolio," adds Eastman. "We have put together a unique collection of luxury Tuscany villa rentals where value is as important as luxury."

Holiday Villas Tuscany

Source Link :- http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Happy-Vacations-Announces-New-Luxury/story.aspx?guid={F1D41535-A86B-4305-9B66-21B44CB50FE0}

Tuscany and Italy in the movies - Bond

It seems every time I am in Tuscany Villas my relatives are excited about an American movie being filmed there. The time before last, everyone was talking about Spike Lee filming "Miracle in Sant'Anna" in the area around and above Camaiore near my home town of Viareggio. This last time, everyone was watching the news clips of the new James Bond movie being filmed in various parts of Tuscany.

Bond - James Bond. I have lost count of the number of times I have heard different actors use that phrase. Whether in California or in Italy, it has always been a great escape for me - almost a tradition - to see a 007 movie. Starting with "Dr. No" and "From Russia, With

Love" (remember those great scenes in Venice?), I have been a fan.

My all-time favorite James Bond is Sean Connery but I did enjoy Daniel Craig's more edgy Bond in "Casino Royale." So, I was looking forward to "Quantum of Solace."

Although the movie itself was not the traditional Bond fare (it featured an angry and vengeful Bond), I had a great time watching all the Italian scenes in the movie. The action opens with a car chase along the edge of Lago di Garda (Lake Garda) in northern Italy. The chase continues in the marble quarries of Carrara in the Apuan Alps in Tuscany where Michelangelo obtained his marble (and where I have taken many groups). From there, we pick up the action in Siena in the midst of the Palio, the famous bareback horse-race that has been held there twice per year since 1650. Ten racers and horses chosen from among the 17 Sienese Contrade (districts) compete fiercely to win the palio (banner).

There is a great chase scene over the red tile rooftops of Siena although I actually cringed as they knocked down those beautiful hand-made tiles, broke through glass ceilings, and fought in a museum full of precious artwork.

Later in the movie, Bond approaches breathtaking Talamone on the Southern coast of Tuscany (Maremma area) by sea and visits Giancarlo Giannini in a villa (originally a tower used for defense against the Saracen invaders).

The final Tuscan influence in this movie is the opera La Tosca by composer Giacomo Puccini. A performance which took place last year in Bregenz, Austria, is carried out in front of the backdrop of a huge winking eye on the open air stage. I can't imagine what Maestro Puccini would think of this rendition!

There are many movies featuring locations in Tuscany or Italy. The most obvious is "Under the Tuscan Sun" and the list goes on. For example, the interior Florence scenes in "Tea and Mussolini" were filmed inside the Pensione Sorelle Bandini in Florence which was owned by my first cousin Marisa and her husband. "Life is Beautiful" (with Roberto Benigni) was filmed mostly in Arezzo.

Holiday Villas Tuscany

Source Link:- http://www.examiner.com/x-854-Tuscan-Living-Examiner~y2008m11d25-Tuscany-and-Italy-in-the-movies--Bond-James-Bond