Five of the best Tuscan gardens

Tuscany garden

Tony Bassett of Tuscan Secrets explores a few of his favourite green spaces in Tuscany… how many have you visited? Images by PG Media; Getty Images 1 Villa Reale, Lucca Once home to Napoleon’s sister Elisa. It has several different gardens including camellias, which flower during February and March, as well as a Spanish garden, and a lemon […]

Tuscany regional property guide

Tuscany, italy

Fleur Kinson explores the property potential of different parts of Tuscany – still one of the most popular areas of Italy among foreign buyers (with good reason!) Photos by Getty and iStock   Tuscany remains the most popular of Italian regions and is loved by tourists and would-be property buyers for many reasons, not least […]

Homes in Tuscany

Tuscany farmhouse, Italy

Long adored for its lyrical countryside and its jewel-like cities full of art, Tuscany is the first choice of many homebuyers in Italy. Prices and market conditions are currently very favourable, says Fleur Kinson There was a time, within the last couple of decades, when one in three visitors to Italy was a visitor to […]

Florence: Home of Poets

casa guidi florence

Jane Keightley stays at atmospheric Casa Guidi, the Florence apartment that Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett called home Photos by Jane Keightley Ever since my first trip to Florence I had always wanted to look around Casa Guidi, the home of the poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband Robert. I was now getting the chance […]

Il Cedro villa, Tuscany

Il Cedro Italy

Set in a stunning hillside position, this detached 3-bedroom villa outside Fivizzano enjoys panoramic views over the surrounding countryside towards the hills and peaks of the Apuan Alps from its large terrace, upon which there is a hot tub/jacuzzi. The villa, which is of 115 sqm, is accessed via the upper level, where are the […]

Siena: what to see and do

Jane Keightley brings us six highlights of this magical Tuscan city… the things not to be missed when you visit Siena… Photos by iStock Piazza del Campo The shell-shaped piazza that is the centre of Siena was completed in 1340 and all manner of activities have taken place here, including boxing matches, bullfights and even […]

Siena’s Palio: the Thrill of the Race

Siena Palio, Tuscany Siena

Having failed on previous occasions to see the actual races, Jane Keightley finally experiences all the pride and pageantry of Palio week in Siena… Photos by Jane Keightley This was far from the first time I had visited Siena, but never before had I actually been there to experience the Palio. On one occasion I […]

Viewpoint: Ponte della Maddalena

Bridge of Mary Magdalene near Borgo a Mozzano (Lucca), Italy

The Devil’s Bridge is one of Italy’s most beautiful, and most strange… The Ponte della Maddalena, otherwise known as the Ponte del Diavolo, straddles the Serchio river at Borgo a Mozzano, in Lucca, Tuscany. No one knows for sure who built it, but the legend goes that it was St Julian, who required the help […]

Italia! Guide, Tuscany & Florence on sale now!

The latest edition of the Italia! Tuscany Guide from the publishers of Italia! magazine is crammed with 132 pages of expert travel inspiration, advice and itineraries to help make the most of your next trip to this much-loved region of Italy. For the independent and curious traveller, Tuscany offers a wealth of destinations from magnificent […]

Tuscany travel guide for opera lovers

Lake Massaciuccoli, Tuscany, Italy

If you love opera, where better to hear it than in Tuscany? All summer long, you can enjoy beautiful music in lovely Tuscan locales. From great accommodation to top spots for food and drink, Adrian Mourby’s guide is your perfect travel companion Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby Where to stay Nido D’Amore Butterfly Hotel The Love Nest […]