Dante Alighieri in 1331, in Epistle V to the Kings of Italy and to all Italians, defines himself as follows: Italian, Florentine and undeserved exile. Let’s see why Dante’s house, his neighbourhood Dante was born in the district of San Pier Maggiore, the most important of Florence at that time. Here is Dante will meet […]
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It is apparently very simple to connect via Tornuabuoni to the “made in Italy” concept. All you have to do is look at the names of the shop windows that are there. Via Tornabuoni is in all respects similar to one of the many other shopping streets that you can find in the major cities […]
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The 1401 competition for the Northern door of the Baptistery has been particularly important because it marked the beginning of the Renaissance. The situation in which Florence found itself in 1401 was extremely difficult both from a political point of view and also due to the recent plague that now cyclically afflicted the city after […]
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The church of San Martino al Vescovo and the shamed poor San Martino al Vescovo (Saint Martin of the Bishop) was among the oldest churches of the city, founded by the end of the 10th century. It was the parish church of Dante Alighieri (according to the tradition Dante’s wedding with Gemma Donati was celebrated […]
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Because of the 500th anniversary of Raphael ‘s death, in these days we all have certainly seen, read, admired the works of this excellent artist. I am more interested in the human story of Raphael Raphael is handsome Giorgio Vasari describes Raphael as the person who unites many graces and rare gifts in one person, […]
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Epidemic or rather pandemic are words that are now very familiar to us. Let’s go back in time and see how the problem has been addressed in the past and focus on the best look during the epidemic. The 1300 Pandemic in Europe The black plague of 1347-53 was probably the first major epidemic in […]
Read moreA very unusual Michelangelo in the Holy Spirit church. According to Vasari : “He made a wooden crucifix for the church of Santo Spirito, placed on top of the high altar.” Everyone in Florence knows that the Basilica of Santo Spirito (the Holy Spirit), in the Oltrarno quarter, was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi (like the Dome). Maybe […]
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If you happen to visit Florence in the next weeks you will be captured by a new contemporary monument in Piazza della Signoria. Believe it or not, together with the Michelangelo’s David, Ammanati’s Neptune, Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes you will see Jeff Koons’ Pluto and Proserpina, just in front of the Palazzo Vecchio.
Read moreWould you like to discover the true story of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper? You could say: “it’s in Milan, in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Which is the link with Florence?” The question is definitely correct, but the answer is that Leonardo, in order to realize it, took inspiration […]
Read moreIf you are planning to visit Florence in September you are doing it right. September is a great month to visit the city, after the summer tourists crowds and out of the heat of July and August. Also, there are some very interesting things you could do if you want to add something different to […]
Read moreOrsanmichele is one of the extraordinary buildings of Florence: it hosts a church on the ground floor and a museum on the first. The statues, that are placed inside the alcoves surrounding the church, have been realized by the most important artists of the Renaissance (Donatello, Ghiberti, Giambologna), in order to give authority and honor […]
Read moreFlorence has so many museums to visit that is impossible to get bored. But if you are a kid you could have a different opinion. The Uffizi Gallery, the Academy Gallery, the Bargello Museum are among the treasures of the city and they offer the best of the Italian Renaissance. To visit them is an […]
Read moreDo you think that to eat vegetarian in Florence is almost impossible? You are wrong. Ok, Florence is famous all over the world for its recipes and products made with meat, but since several years it’s also possibile to find high quality vegetarian restaurants or to order vegetarian dishes in non-specialised restaurants.
Read moreEvery year, in the days around the summer solstice, June 21th, a magic happens. It’s a ray of sunlight that clearly appears in the Duomo.
Read moreThis year is the 750th anniversary of Dante’s death and the city of Florence is celebrating it with many events. If you visit Florence in 2015 you’ll probably have the opportunity to take part to one of these events, but if you are not planning to come to Florence soon and you want to visti […]
Read moreHere’s one more thing that was born in Florence. After the story of the ice cream and the cologne, now it’s time for a must-drink Italian cocktail. Yes, it’s true: Negroni cocktail comes from Florence.
Read moreCan culture and entertainment coexist? We are tourists guide and we like to think that our tours are not just an opprtunity for a personal cultural enrichment but also an entertaining and emotional experience. Thank goodness the feedbacks we receive are encouraging! Probably the creators of The Medici Dinasty Show think the same: their show […]
Read moreThe Bargello Museum is a museum that in any other city would be one of the main cultural attractions. But in Florence, home of the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia, it can easily fall into the category of a forgotten monument.
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