I love spending time in a place that was once occupied by someone rich, famous and/or notorious. In 16th century Florence, the Medici family was all of those things. So I was particulary intrigued by the idea of a holiday in the Villa Belvedere Campoli, which was built by that powerful clan.

A package offered by Dooley Vacations starts at $699 (per person, quad occupancy) for select dates and includes round-trip airfare between New York City and Florence, Italy; 6 nights at the Villa and car rental (manual shift) for a week. Various upgrades, including a broader selection of dates and departure cities are available at higher prices.

The villa, which has been beautifully preserved and transformed into a fine estate, is perched atop a hill amid olive groves and farmhouses in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. From the villa, it's easy to visit Florence (where the Medicis reigned), Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, Certaldo and San Gimignano.

For more information, call 877-331-9301 or visit www.Dooleyvacations.com.