Villa Perelisa

In contrast to many town centres around Tuscany, Empoli's flat streets make for a leisurely passeggiata after dining at one of its fabulous eateries, which is just as well, given the splendid produce available in this rich agricultural area! As well as regional staples of grapes and olives, Empoli is famed for its sweet red Certaldo onions, Carciofi artichokes, fresh bread from Montaione and San Miniato's exquisite white truffles – accounting for a quarter of Italy's annual crop. Empoli's gelaterias and some of the finest around the picturesque Piazza della Vittoria will delight those with a sweet tooth.

Shoppers will have other attractions on their minds, with fabulous boutiques and the Centro Empoli offering a wide range of options for a holiday treat. You'll also find a wealth of galleries and museums in Empoli, close to the birthplace of legendary painter Leonardo da Vinci.
Also reachable in ten minutes is Vinci, where you'll have the chance to visit the Museo Leonardiano, housed in a former Guidi castle and dedicated to the inventive genius of Leonardo. Da Vinci's first home is in nearby Anchiano. Museo Ideale in the north of Vinci offers insights into Da Vinci's passion for viticulture, with the chance to pick up fabulous wines inspired by the great man himself.

Wine lovers flock to Tuscany each year and with good reason. The region's limestone soils and perfectly balanced climate provide the perfect canvas for centuries of wine-making heritage. Aside from the obvious pleasure of enjoying a glass or two with dinner, there are numerous ways to explore a viticulture that delivers some of the world's finest labels. Take an e-bike tour around vineyards, step into vast cellars housing the region's finest offerings, or take a cooking class and learn the intricacies of pairing Tuscan food and wine. You can even book tours of rural wineries with transportation provided – so you can sample as many wines as you like!

The artistic hub of Florence is just forty-five minutes away, where the Duomo (or the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower) towers elegantly over the city. Provided you can manage the nine-hundred-step round trip to the top of this fifteenth-century masterpiece and back down again, you'll enjoy staggering views over the city– and a wealth of options for a well-earned lunch afterwards! If a picnic on the banks of the Arno River is more your thing (you can even try your hand at paddle boarding), the spectacular Mercado Centrale has been home to a phenomenal food market since the nineteenth century. You'll find a sumptuous array of cheeses, meats, spices and more, and a food court upstairs with something for everyone, ranging from fresh pasta, fried fish and truffles to pizza and refreshing gelato. No day trip to Florence is complete without a visit to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where you can admire Michelangelo's David, joining the thousands who make the pilgrimage for their obligatory selfies with this five-hundred-year-old masterpiece.  

A leisurely drive of just over an hour will bring you to the beautiful coastline at Viareggio, with an incredible ten kilometres of sandy beaches. The velveteen beaches extend up to two hundred metres wide, so there's plenty of room for sunbathing, even at busier times of the season. The sea is shallow, making it ideal for children, with options to hire sun loungers and beach umbrellas. Plenty of shopping options exist in the centre, and seafood restaurants serve delicious produce fresh from the port.

Famed for its leaning tower, Pisa is just under an hour away from Villa Perelisa. A photo opportunity alongside the tower is noticed by many. Still, a walk along the bank of the River Arno brings a wealth of other attractions, not least the beautiful Palazzo Blu, a fourteenth-century palace that's now an art gallery.