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Let me show you an easy way to get to know the Tuscany region and with this, different tuscany villas rental holiday homes.

+ Reliving in Renaissance Times- can be found in the towns or cities of Cerretto Guide , Vinci, Montelupe Fiorentino and Empoli. I stayed at the Poderio Zollaio apartments on the outskirts of Vinci. There is a choice of four completely different holiday home styles typical in tuscany.

There was a mini-apartment with wooden beamed arches which separated the bedroom from the rest of the living quarters. There was another which was a duplex having the living room, sitting room and kitchenette on the ground floor and the bedroom up a winding staircase. There was still another with a nice balcony for outdoor dining in the warm summer months and a smaller living area. Leonardo Da Vinci is said to have been born a few kilometres from this picturesque village and to have brought it fame.

+ The Maremma Zone ' This area takes in the coast from Grosseto to the south of Lacio and going inland are the towns of Sovana, Sorana and Pitigliano, all known for the Etruscan remains. For some fantastic tuscany tours with or without a tuscany car rental, you can find canoe and horseback riding and rental of mountain bikes near the Regional Park of Maremma. In this area there are not luxury villas but just some comfortable hostels with good food like the Albergo Scilla in Sovana.

+ The region of the Upper Tiber ' The town of Sansepolcro is where the Italian painter Piero della Francesca was born and is a great tuscany tour as far as artistic value is concerned. The Albergo Fiorentino has a very warm feeling and the food is prepared daily as its owner says he will never have a freeze in his kitchen.

+ Mugello Mountainous region ' Here you can find traditional farm holidays in tuscany and enjoy learning the old way of making Chianti wine. This area is abundant in luxury villas which once belonged to the Medicis family but unfortunately none have been made into hotels, just for sightseeing.

+ Coast of Etruscan Findings ' where you can find city such as Livorno, or Piombino and a nice tour to the Island of Elba. Livorno is fine for visiting museums and huge fortress and has some nice accommodations for staying.

Time Out for Tasty Tuscany Italy Recipes

In all of Italy and of course in the tuscany region, Chianti wine is one of the most used wines, either for drinking or for cooking. Let me take you to the north-east part of tuscany to try -:

Rice with grapes and Chianti Wine
You Will Need-:

- 200 grams of Rice
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 large chopped onion
- 33 cl of young Chianti Rufina wine
- 33 cl of chicken broth
- 10 to 15 slightly smashed Sangiovese grapes
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan and slowly fry onions until light brown and soft. Add rice and let it soak up the onion and better liquid and then add the wine and chicken broth and cook approximately 15 minutes and then add in the grapes and let cook about 5 minutes more ( taste to see if it is not hard). Remove from fire and add the parmesan cheese, stir and let stand another five minutes.

This and so much more can be learnt from your magnificent holiday home stays in Tuscany Italy.