Discover Tuscany’s Blog: exploring Tuscany and all its hidden corners…

We usually think of Florence as a city of art, but in the next few days it is going to turn into the city of wine!

On Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18, from 3 to 11pm, Florence will be hosting the 4th edition of WineTown, a manifestation focused on excellent, high quality wines and great food, along with cultural and musical events taking place over the historical center in piazzas and historical palazzos.

WineTown has become one of the most awaited food and wine events in Florence, one that wine aficionados and lovers of great food cannot miss.

Taking part of the event are important historical brands such as Antinori, the Consortium of Chianti Classico and Chianti Ruffino but also small producers of high quality labels.
Keep reading more »

Between May 7 and 12, Florence is host to the European Festival with over 100 cultural events, shows and more to celebrate Europe.

Among the events you should not miss out on: the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performs Verdi’s Don Carlo on May 12 at 3:30pm while on May 11 at 8:30pm there will be a concert conducted by the great Zubin Metha.

The Festival closes with a Blue Night that lasts 72 hours all across Florence, starting the morning of Saturday, May 11.

The events are numerous so the difficulty is just in deciding what to see, where to go! The majority are within the historical center so that will make it easier to participate in several of them, even if they take place at around the same times.

Concerts

Whether you love classical, jazz, raggae or latin music, you will find something for all tastes.
Piazza della Repubblica will be the center for musical events taking place over the weekend, although not the only one.
Read the full article on the Blue Night >>

Whether you’re a cyclist aficionado or not, prepare yourselves for an exciting Sunday as the Giro d’Italia passes through Tuscany and Florence this weekend!

Sunday, May 12 marks Day 9 of the cycling race across Italy. The day will start in Sansepolcro in southeastern Tuscany, about 40km to the east of Arezzo, and pass through Anghiari.

It then heads north to Bibbiena and through the Casentino valley. Then the route takes cyclists on up through the Pratomagno mountains passing by Castel San Niccolò, Montemignaio and breaking through at the Passo della Consuma. The route heads down to Pelago before heading up to Vallombrosa, then back down toward Pontassieve before making its way north to Vetta Le Croci, Fiesole and finally Florence.
Keep reading »

Would you like to spend a special evening listening to some of the most famous operas in the world, without the need to go to a full opera?

The Odeon theater hall just off Piazza Strozzi and the Ensemble San Felice present a new initiative for lovers of classical music. A “Night at the Opera” offers a series of evenings of concerts and famous Italian operas in a reduced scenic stage (singers with accompanying piano) but with full screen video projections within the splendid art decò Odeon theater that offers exceptional acoustics.

Try it out – starting tonight. wotj Gioseppe Verdi’s Traviata! Here’s the program:

May, Thursday 2: 8.45 pm
Giuseppe Verdi: LA TRAVIATA (Semi-staged Highlights from the Opera)
One of the most popular operas about the tormented and overwhelming love affair between the courtesan Violetta and the young Alfredo Germont. His father, Giorgio Germont, is against their marriage. Will they be able to be together?

Keep reading »

Wednesday is May 1 and International Labor Day so most everything is closed as everyone takes a well deserved rest off… but if you’re visiting Florence and Tuscany, you’re likely wondering what you can do. The Uffizi and Accademia galleries will be closed but don’t despair, there is still plenty of other places you can visit.

Actually, this is the perfect occasion to visit some of those spots that are less well known even if not less fascinating, such as the Medici villas just outside of Florence (such as the one in the photo above, the Villa La Petraia).

Those that prefer to remain within the city’s boundaries can head to Piazza della Signoria around 3.30pm to watch the Trofeo Marzocco, where groups of flag-throwers from all over Italy will be competing against each other for the Marzocco trophy. The fascinating competition should end around 5.30pm with the declaration of the winning team.

Last day of the traditional Flower Exhibition in the Giardino dell’Orticoltura, here you can also visit the ancient Tepidarium just restored.

If you wish to visit a museum, these are the ones that are open on May 1*:

• Last Supper of S. Salvi (8.15-13.50)
• Archeological Museum (8.30-19)
• Palazzo Davanzati Museum(8.15-13.50)
• Bargello Museum – (8.15-16.50, reservations required)
• Boboli Gardens (8.15-18.30)
• Opificio delle Pietre Dure (8.15-19.30)
• S. Maria Novella Museum (9-17.30)
• Palazzo Vecchio (9-24) and the Arnolfo tower (9-21)
• Museo dei Ragazzi of Palazzo Vecchio (9-17)
• Casa Buonarroti (10-17)
• Casa di Dante (10-18)
• Opera del Duomo Museum (9-19.30)
• Palazzo Strozzi, with its exhibition “The Spring of the Renaissance” (9-20)
• Galileo Museum (9.30-18)

The Galileo Museum offers also guided visits (in italian) to the collections at 10, 12pm and 330pm. Reservation needed by calling the number 055 265311.
Keep reading »

If you’re a prince or princess or not but have the funds to finance a beautiful, dream wedding in Florence, Palazzo Vecchio will work with you to make your dream come true!

This week, the daughter of the king of plastic Aloke Lohia, one of the wealthiest men in the world according to Forbes magazine, decided to make Florence her dream wedding destination. Starting tomorrow and through the weekend, several locations in the city will host the over 900 wedding guests. Keep reading »

Are you in Florence this Easter weekend? Go see the Scoppio del Carro, of course!

If you also want to visit some museums, we have official confirmation (finally!) that the Uffizi and Accademia, among other Florentine museums, will be open this weekend and on Easter Monday!

The Uffizi Gallery and Accademia will be open on Monday, day in which they are generally closed.
Other museums will either be open on Sunday or Monday (the Medici chapels on Sunday, the Bargello on Monday, for example). For complete details with hours and for online bookings, see this post.

If you want a printout to carry around with you, print this.

The Galileo Science Museum located right behind the Uffizi will also be open on Monday and will offer free guided visits (for those that visit the museum, of course) focused around the instruments of time through the centuries at: 10.30am, 3pm and 4.30pm. If you’re planning on including this in your day, we recommend you book by calling 055.265.311 or send an email to info@museogalileo.it by this Saturday.

If we learn of other museums open this weekend, we’ll update this post!

Happy Easter!

The bronze doors, weighing over 4 tons each, leave their home

As we recently shared on our Facebook page (make sure “Like us” to keep up to date with latest happenings in Florence), the Northern bronze doors of the Baptistery created by Lorenzo Ghiberti are about to undergo a complete restoration for the first time ever in over 600 years!

The removal of the doors from the Baptistery was completed yesterday. The Baptistery was closed since February 27 when the doors started being taken down. The doors, created between 1402 and 1424, do not receive nearly as much attention or admiration as Ghiberti’s own Eastern doors, known as the “Gates of Paradise” and which were commissioned right after he finished the northern doors.

Keep reading more about the removal of Ghibertiìs doors »

In what has become an annual tradition, the city of Florence honors the last of the Medici, the Electress Palatine Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, on February 18, the day she bequeathed all of the family’s immense art collection to the Tuscan state to be enjoyed by all.

Anna Maria became Electress Palatine upon her marriage to Elector Johann Wilhem II but produced no heirs. Upon extinction of the family, she established the “Family Pact” in which all of the Medici treasures, including the Uffizi collections, Palazzo Pitti and Medicean villas, were to remain in Florence as the Lorraine family prepared to take over power of the Tuscan state.

Read more about the initiative>>

Tomorrow, Friday February 1, is the opening day for the beautiful exhibition dedicated to Spanish artist Salvador Dalí being put on at Palazzo Medici Riccardi called “The Dalí Universe in Florence“.

The exhibit includes lesser known works by Dalí, a real genius in surreal art. The Dalí’s world as recounted by this exposition reveals many aspects not generally known about the maestro who was not only a painter but also a sculptor, designer and illustrator.

The exhibition includes over 100 works of art, including sculptures in bronze, objects in glass, furniture and the famous “melted watches” he is known for.

“The Dalí Universe” in Florence will take last until May 25, 2013, being open everyday from 9am to 7pm.

Ticket costs 10€, reductions 8€.

Palazzo Medici Riccardi is on via Cavour 1 in the Florence historical center.
You can read additional details on the official website.