Home city of Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci is fantastic for museums and grub
The Tuscan town is named after its most famous resident
THE walled Tuscan hill town of Vinci may boast only one famous son – but he had genius enough for ten.
Artist, sculptor, architect, scientist, writer, map-maker, botanist . . .
The list of renaissance great Leonardo da Vinci’s accomplishments is as long as the perfectly rendered arm in Vitruvian Man, the famous sketch he did to illustrate human proportions.
Oh yeah, the Italian bearded wonder was an anatomist too.
You can learn all about Da Vinci at Museo Leonardiano, near Vinci in the Montalbano foothills.
In the village of Anchiano, it has models of some of the machines the great man invented — as well as high-definition reproductions of his paintings which hang in the world’s greatest galleries.
But the body needs nourishment as well as the mind — and the nearby Ristoro del Museo serves exquisite food.
Its balcony, with just a few tables, also boasts delicious views of the sweeping hills — and this restaurant was a visit we made more than once during our week’s stay.
Our base for our stay, 4H villa La Costa villa, in the hills six miles from Vinci, was the perfect place at which to unwind.
We booked through Interhome, one of the longest- established holiday rental firms with more than 34,000 homes and apartments in 31 countries.
Our large, rustic four- bedroom villa, tucked away behind large gates on a bumpy dirt road, afforded more stunning views — particularly at sunrise and sunset.
It has a large pool, sauna, table-tennis, pizza oven, barbecue — and loads of musical instruments.
It also has its own vast grounds — where discoveries include two abandoned, beaten- up vintage Italian cars.
The Italian gardener, who appears daily and does not speak any English, only adds to the feeling of authenticity.
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But while you feel secluded and away from the clatter of city life, you are far from stranded
A bumpy two-mile drive away are several decent restaurants. Ristorante Pizzeria il Pinone Marino, in the town of Carmignano, offers yet more great food — and views.
Or two miles in the other direction, there is a large supermarket where we bought supplies for the barbecue and pizza oven.
GO: Florence, Italy
GETTING THERE: CityJet has one flight daily from London City to Florence, from £99 return and £59 one way. See
STAYING THERE: Interhome villla La Costa, near Vinci, sleeps up to six people, priced £1,641.00 for one week. See
CAR: Provided by Rhino Care Hire. See or call 0845 508 9845
The world-famous medieval city of Siena is 35 miles drive away — and the equally celebrated Pisa just 27. Or it is only three miles to the Montelupo-Capraia train station, which is a short ride to Florence — and a snip at £5.70.
The rail station in Florence, Stazione Santa Maria Novella, is in the old town, so you arrive in an easy place to get everywhere on foot. And that is how you should travel this city because you don’t want to miss any of the architecture.
Almost every corner you turn reveals a beautiful renaissance building, church or monument.
For art lovers, the Uffizi gallery is a must. It has the world’s greatest collection of renaissance art, including works by Da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Raphael — and you will want to factor in plenty of time.
Just as, the longer you spend in Tuscany, you will want to factor in a return.
Five top trips in Tuscany
FROM a medieval hilltop town to a charming vineyard, here are five other trips to take in Tuscany.
- PAY a visit to Cortona. Perched on a hill in Arezzo, this medieval town overlooks the Chiana Valley and Lake Trasimeno and has plenty of shops and family restaurants to keep you busy if you ever tire of the views. See .
- STAY at La Verna, a Franciscan monastery overlooking the Apennine Mountains that’s not just a pilgrimage destination – there’s a guesthouse next to the monks’ quarters. See laverna.it/en.
- SEE the 15 medieval towers at San Gimignano, built during a status battle of nobles during the 12th and 13th centuries. It’s a small village with stunning architecture. See .
- BROWSE the art of Niki de Saint Phalle in the crazy sculpture garden, Giardino dei Tarocchi. It’s full of enormous figures covered in mosaics and mirrors that represent the mysteries of the tarot. See .
- VISIT a vineyard between Florence and Siena. This is the Chianti region, home of Italy’s most famous and best-loved wine and it is the perfect place to pick up a vintage bargain. See .