One of the highlights of choosing a Lucca Villa Rental when you browse through the many Villa rentals in Tuscany is that the area is very proud of its medieval ancestry, in fact the region of Holiday villas in Tuscany had its Golden moment in the middle ages and as such re-lives their ancestry at every conceivable opportunity, a short distance from La Collina del Sole you find the newly and brilliantly restored Fortress of le Verrucole this fortress has just opened an attraction / experience guaranteed to appeal to young and old alike when they rent a villa in Tuscany As while enjoying villas for rent in Tuscany is about the sun, food , recreation and relaxation it is also about culture.La Fortezza delle Verrucole has not only been lovingly and painstakingly restored and commands the most spectacular views that have been enjoyed for centuries and been fought over by Florence and the Medici family, the marquises of Malaspina of Massa and the Dukes of Este from Modena. The Fortress of the Verrucole was often a centre for battles. The last battle was in the 1520 when, under the Estense control, in the second half of the 16th century it was besieged by the Florentine army. A couple of weeks ago a group of young Italian theatrical entrepreneurs has taken the fortress under their wing and created am “archeopark” For a modest fee you can see and feel what life was like in the middle ages, the group is dressed in typical costume, they also have recreated the feel of the times with food, medieval methods of cultivation, sewing and craft making they have started a Facebook page so you can follow them, all the feedback has been very positive. Now onto FOOD truly worthy of a medieval feast we recommend you go to the Osteria Vecchio Mulino one of the restaurants we love. It is on Via Vittorio Emmanuelle 12 Telefone 0583 62192 you do not need to dress in medieval garb, this place is perfect for a grown up foodie snack, If you do not want a full meal, but still fancy tasting a variety of typical Garfagnana food then we suggest you try the “Degustazione” of local cheese and cold meats at this historic Osteria, the cheeses are all topped with local sauces that enhance their natural flavour, the cheses here are mainly goat milk based, the cured meats all come from nearby farms and curing houses, from sweet Parma like cured ham to Biroldo the local Black pudding to coarse and fine salami and a delicious aniseed tasting salami you can also try the local wine or feast and try one of the many excellent wines that line the walls.