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

With February, Carnival season 2012 comes alive and Tuscany prepares to celebrate with big masked parades and events dedicated to Carnival.

Have you already prepared your fancy costume and bought some confetti and streamers?

If you answered “Yes”, then you have only to choose the destination to celebrate! Otherwise, do not worry, you still have a few days to find a pretty carnival costume .

In the coming weeks in Tuscany you will find many fun Carnival events, both in small towns and larger cities.
Read full article >>

Starting January 17, the Vasari Corridor will once again be open for special visits. This is a wonderful opportunity to get into and view the special art collection along the corridor, as well as experience the view of Florence as the Medici saw it! The special visits are offered directly by the Superintendance of the Florence State museums several times a week up until April 27 at a very low rate of € 10,50 per person.

The visits are for small groups of less than 5 and are perfect for couples. They are, unfortunately, only in Italian, but if you don’t mind this or know a bit of Italian, this is the best way to get into the Corridor as it isn’t open all of the time nor to everyone. The only way to generally see the inside of the Corridor is with tour groups that cost from € 80-100 per person, so this opportunity is really good for this reason.

To reserve your spot (better do so quickly as they often get booked quickly), you need to call +39-055-294-883. Days for the visits are: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9am and 11:30am; Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm and 4:30pm.

Learn a little more about the Vasari Corridor here.

So once again this weekend we have another holiday coming up: New Year’s Day! Practically everything will be closed on Sunday, even those museums usually open on that day.

Like last weekend, on New Year’s Eve most everything will be open but closing about an hour earlier than usual. This includes the Uffizi and Accademia.

So after your late-night celebration on New Year’s Eve (see our post from yesterday offering suggestions of what to do), you might want to sleep in a bit on Sunday. No problem at all! But eventually you’ll get hungry and then after a meal you might want to do something in the afternoon, like see a little more of Florence .

Don’t despair – not everything is closed!
(more…)

Grapes and wine are the stars of many events planned these last few days of September in Tuscany.
The grape harvest is almost complete throughout the region, so it now the moment to celebrate the end of the harvest and taste the new, good wine from this harvest, but not only.

The Bacco Artigiano and the Carro Matto

In the village of Rufina, just 20km from Florence, the traditional Bacco Artigiano, an event dedicated to wine and local crafts, will be taking place from today Sept. 22 through Sunday the 25th. There will be music, wine tastings and local food products.

On Saturday 24 the “Carro Matto” (literally Crazy Cart) leaves from Rufina to reach Florence. At 3pm, accompanied by a historical procession, the cart will start from Piazza Duomo and arrive in Piazza della Signoria. Here, with a symbolic cerimony, the new wine will be presented to the government of Palazzo Vecchio.
The cart, pulled by 2 powerful oxen, carries an original pyramid built with over 1500 stacked flasks of wine.

Look at some nice pictures of the carro matto !

Read more about the events dedicated to grapes and wine>>

Did you participate in the recent White Night in Florence? It was a really special night for the city, full of events and performances that accompanied both Florentines and tourists until late into the early hours of the morning.

This weekend Florence is going to dress in a new color: it’s time for BLUE! On May 7 and 8, in fact, Florence is preparing to live a “Blue Night”, 27 hours of events and exhibitions starting from the afternoon of Saturday 7th.

Piazza della Repubblica, in the historical city center, will host some of the most interesting events. Saturday starting at 4pm, the square will be the setting for a set of different short concerts that should have something for all tastes. From the tango music of the Alma Migrante group at 4pm to the rock music of Dinamo at 9pm to the pop-swing of the female trio of The Sixters at late night.

Saturday starting at 5pm up to 6:30pm at the Old Bridge and in the surrounding area you’ll find a curious performance of street theater on bicycle.

Saturday starting at 5:30pm, you can enter with free entrance at the Alinari National Museum of Photography, which will remain open until 11pm.

Read about the events on Sunday 8 »

The night between April 30 and May 1, 2011 in Florence will be a fun “notte bianca”, a “white” all-night arts festival all around the city.
This year, the city of Michelangelo’s David will live a long sleepless night with special opening of several museums until midnight and entertaining events lasting until the early hours of the morning.

Palazzo Vecchio will be open all night until 6am with guided visits to the walkway of the Tower of Arnolfo available.

The Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Strozzi (where the exhibition dedicated to Picasso, Mirò and Dalì is currently taking place), the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, the Marino Marini Museum, the Castle of Acciaioli in Scandicci (with an ongoing exhibition to the Ghirlandaio artistic family) and many other art sites will be open until midnight with free admission.

See a map of all the Florence museums and sites with special opening: Open museums – Map

Read about open air events »

Just a few days to Easter and Easter celebrations throughout Tuscany start tomorrow, Holy Friday.

Friday 22 and Saturday, April 23

According to Christian tradition, the Friday before Easter, called Holy Friday, commemorates the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. For the occasion, many Tuscan cities organize processions and small religious celebrations.
In Castiglion Fiorentino (Arezzo), tomorrow night (Friday), more than one hundred people will recreate the main scenes of the last days of Christ until his crucifixion. On the following day, a statue of Jesus will be rushed in a procession to the Collegiata Church for the midnight mass.
In San Gimignano, Chianciano Terme, Seravezza, Grassina and Montespertoli – just to mention some of main events – the streets will be the backdrop to the religious processions and celebrations organized by the inhabitants.

In Florence, in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, on Friday at 5.30pm the Passion of Christ and Adoration of the Cross will be commemorated. On Saturday at 10.30pm there will be a vigil of the holy night for Easter.

Continue reading more about Easter celebrations and museum openings »

Trees are in bloom, the sun is shining bright and temperatures are very pleasant: Spring has finally arrived in Tuscany!

Take a look at all the events organized in Tuscany for this first weekend of Spring, the calendar is full of many various types of proposals.

It starts with VerdeMura, an exhibition of plants, flowers, garden furniture and products organized within the town-walls of Lucca. The exhibition starts today and continues until Sunday 27.

Then several events dedicated to sweets or flea markets and antiques. While sports fans, particularly motorbike-lovers, will have the chance to participate in the Mugello Motor Fest at the Mugello International Circuit in Scarperia. On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 visitors can also have the chance to test bikes by the most famous worldwild motorcycle manufacturers. You’ll find all the information on the official website of event.

Read full article >>

Every March 25, Florence celebrates the Florentine New Year. On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and, in honor of the Virgin, from the Middle Ages up until 1750 this date decreed the beginning of the civil year in Florence.

To celebrate Florence’s New Year, several events takes place in the city historical center.
As in the past, the celebrations center around the majestic Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata, facing the square of the same name. Inside the church, a famous fresco of the mid-1200s representing the Annunciation is venerated. According to tradition, every year on the occasion of the Florentine New Year the inhabitants of Florence and surroundings come to visit and venerate it.

Tomorrow starting from 3:45pm the parade in historical costume of the Florentine Republic will go through the streets of the historic center of Florence, from the Piazzetta di Parte Guelfa to reach the Basilica of SS. Annunziata, accompanying municipal authorities. At 4:30pm, the authorities will pay tribute to the ancient fresco of the Annunciation, preserved in the Chapel of the Holy Effigy. Throughout the day, a small fair with candy stalls and stands selling small craft items will take place in Piazza SS. Annunziata.

The Association Centro Guide Turismo organizes guided tours in the morning and early afternoon, reservation required, to the Church of Santa Maria Novella, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella and of the Duomo. The visits will be held in Italian. For information and reservations, call 055.2616056.

Happy New Year Florence!

This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy and for this occasion the 17th of March has been proclaimed a national holiday. Schools and public offices will be closed all over Italy but whether shops and restaurants close is up to the owners to decide.

There are events planned at all levels, in Florence and Tuscany and throughout Italy. In Florence, the city is organizing several initiatives to commemorate this important anniversary and at the same time involve all citizens in the celebration.

The night between March 16th and 17th will be a “Tricolor night” in honor of the white, red and green Italian flag. Many events will start at around 7 pm on Wednesday the 16th all over Florence, from special colored lighting of iconic buildings to open-air concerts.
For the occasion, all the city and state museums in Florence (including the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia) will be open until 1 am.
Three central important Florentine squares have been designated to celebrate three Italian “talents”: the beautiful Italian language, art and craftsmanship.

- In Piazza Santa Croce the Italian language will be celebrated with public readings of Dante’s Divine Comedy. At 9pm within the beautiful Basilica of Santa Croce you can attend the concert by the Cherubini Conservatory.

- In Piazza Duomo, the celebration of Italian crafts starts at 7pm with stands that showcase the excellence of Florentine craftsmanship.

- Piazza della Signoria will be dedicated to Italian art. The Philharmonic Rossini will perform in front of Palazzo Vecchio starting at 8:30pm while at 10:30pm the square will host a performance by the dancers of Maggio Danza.

An occasion for a special vacation to Florence

The arrival of spring and these interesting events organized for the Unification of Italy offer a special occasion to spend a few days in Florence.

Continue reading the article >>