Discover Livorno and Surroundings

Finally It’s Summer!

Yes! Finally it’s hot and since I’m 100% Florentine this weekend I go to the coast. In addition this weekend take place the Blue Night from Livorno to Piombino.

For all weekend there are guided tours, concerts and lots of events all along the Tyrrhenian coast, called from Livorno to Piombino the Etruscan Coast. I intend to be in Livorno on Saturday late morning, before 11 am because I’d like to take the tour of fossi by boat (fossi are the water canals built by the Medici to defend the city). Next I have walk by the sea and take some picture to the stunning Mascagni Terrace. Of course I want to take some sun and turn red before dinner. Before dinner I want to visit the Giovanni Fattori Museum, who is one of my favorite Tuscan painter. Then I go near Castiglioncello to Caletta where there is the annual Festa del Pesce (Festival of Seafood). It’s a nice festival on the beach where you can taste good fried fish cooked in a huge frying-pan. The night ends with lovely and romantic fireworks. Read the full post »

After the great success of the extraordinary openings in May, Palazzo Vecchio goes on burning the midnight oil and for the month of June.

Palazzo Vecchio opens every day from 9.00 am to 12.00 am, except on Thursdays and June 24th (9.00 am to 7.00 pm). There are guided tours to Rampart walk running every 30 minutes from 8.00 to 10.30 pm. For reservation and information contact directly Museo dei Ragazzi.

Don’t miss the chance to burn the midnight oil in Palazzo Vecchio this June!

A year is passed and June has come. On the third Saturday of June there will take place a great medieval festival, very famous in Italy: La Giostra del Saracino or the Saracen Joust of Arezzo.

The Saracen Joust takes places twice per year (June and September) in Piazza Grande, beautiful square in Arezzo. This year it’s on June 19th at 9.30 pm. But the festival starts on Friday 11th when Captains take the inaugural oath and the draw of sequence of carriere (charges). Every day from Saturday to Tuesday there are the heats around 7.30 pm. Read the full post »

Finally June has arrived! From the weather you wouldn’t say it, but I’m not worried for my plans for this weekend in Tuscany. Yes, this weekend I don’t plan to stay in Florence but plan on going around Tuscany. So, these are some of my plans.

Saturday morning early wake up, about 9.00, because I want to go to local markets. First I want to go to Impruneta and then to Greve in Chianti. I want to have a “light” lunch in Greve eating some schiacciata (Tuscan bread) filled with sbriciolona (a typical ham) at the Macelleria Falorni in the main square. Then I’ll head to Siena, have to be there before 5 p.m., because at that time starts a big treasure hunt in the historical center. The event is the conclusion of the great wine festival Chianti è. The treasure hunt will also meet the traditions of the Palio and will end with a typical dinner in Contrada. English speaking staff will assist you and reservations are required. Read the full post »

Today is Thursday and I’ve started planning this last weekend of May in Florence since from the next one we Florentines generally like to leave the hot city for the seaside or the countryside, even if I personally am fine with a little bit of warm sunny days.

My attention is focused on the eagerly awaited Florence Gelato Festival. It looks like Florence will turn into the international capital of ice cream from May 28th to 31st. The last 4 or 5 weeks the event has been advertised and sponsored everywhere, from newspapers, magazines, blogs, ads on streets and on buses. The festival takes places in different areas in Florence’s city center, in Piazza SS. Annunziata, Piazza Repubblica, Piazza S. Giovanni and Palazzo Vecchio. There are local, national and international ice cream makers, that means lots of ice cream to taste!

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If you happen to see a Fiat 500 around Florence making sounds like a rooster, don’t worry, it isn’t a maniac out driving having fun. The cars making the rooster’s cock-a-doodle-do are actually promoting an upcoming event in Chianti’s wine region, Chianti Classico, whose symbol is the black rooster.

Starting May 29th and continuing on to June 5th the event “Chianti è” is an important wine festival organized this year to promote the wine and culture of Chianti Classico, the most regulated and traditional of the various Chianti denominations. Eight days of wine tastings, open cellars, exhibits, concerts, guided tours, cooking classes and much more. Read the full post »

What do I do in Florence on weekends?

Today is Thursday and I’m planning my weekend in Florence. Of course as a Florentine I have lots of Florentine friends and several of them always complain that they can’t find anything interesting to do in town, from events to night-life. Well I want to prove that Florence has so much to offer and I’d like to share with you my plans for this weekend.

My weekend starts tomorrow night after work with the Friday happy-hour at the Oblate Caffè on the roof-terrace of the Oblate Library that stays open until midnight from Tuesday to Saturday. Then me and my friends will got to visit Palazzo Vecchio, that is extraordinarily open at night during the whole month of May. After a bit of culture, a bit of fun so we’ll probably get a gelato as we wait for the upcoming Gelato Festival next week, and then go to Jazz Club Firenze (Via Nuova de’ Caccini, 3) to listen to some good music.

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Palazzo Vecchio burns the midnight oil!

After the great success during Florence White Night 2010, Matteo Renzi, Florence Mayor, decided to open Palazzo Vecchio at night.

From May 2nd to 31st Palazzo Vecchio is open every day from 9am to 12 am, except on Thursday (9 am to 2 pm). It means that you can have a nice dinner out in Florence, then wandering around the city center, maybe eating ice-cream, and then you can visit the beautiful rooms and apartments of Palazzo Vecchio.

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From May 1 to 16 there is the beautiful initiative – Museums as Friends: Spring Visits – that sees several different activities in lots of Tuscan museums.

During these two weeks in May, many museums in Tuscany will be opened and offering guided tours, lectures and many activities for children.

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After Florence’s White Night, Florence turns blue with Florence’s Blue Night 2010. It will be a night dedicated to Europe and its traditions, as well as cultures and differences.

There will be many events from 3 pm Saturday, May 8 to 6 pm Sunday, May 9. More than 24 hours of concerts, dances, performances in the streets and squares of Florence, but also in stores, libraries, restaurants and cinemas in the city center and in its surroundings.

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