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

Spring will arrive in less than 20 days but we had some really cold days during this week in Tuscany. The weather forecast for the weekend fortunately is pretty good and it seems we’ ll have rising temperatures in all the region.

This weekend precedes March 8, date that this year on which we’ll celebrate both Fat Tuesday (the last day of carnival before Ash Wednesday) and International Women’s Day.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, women have free entrance to all State museums and places of art in Tuscany (this initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, is valid for all State museums in Italy).

Throughout this weekend, March 5 and 6, celebrations of Carnival will continue which end this year on Tuesday the 8th. You can find a selection of major events dedicated to Carnival in this other post we dedicated to the events of Carnival 2011 in Tuscany.

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Piazza della Repubblica in Cortona

Counting on good weather, this weekend is certainly dedicated to enjoy Carnival and its masked parades. There are many nice events all around Tuscany and we have collected a list here in a post devoted exclusively to this Carnival 2011.

If you’ re not going to participate in one of the many festivals or parades in masks, you can choose to visit “Danza in Fiera” in Florence, a large event dedicated to dance, or the Chocolate Festival in Scandicci or maybe one of the antique markets around Tuscany happening this weekend.

Some details on the dance fair: Florence is hosting “Danza in Fiera“, a great dance festival organized in the Fortezza da Basso, from Thursday 24 to Sunday, February 27. Dance events, free classes, workshops and more for all lovers of dance. View the full program here.

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The weekend before St. Valentine’s Day, this year falling on Monday, has chocolate as one of its best protagonists. Love and chocolate are a perfect match, are they not?!

There are 3 chocolate-flavored events in Tuscany this Saturday and Sunday, February 12 and 13:

In Fiesole, a short distance from Florence’s historical center, on Sunday you’ll find the “Chocolate Festival”. The stands, located on the central Piazza Mino, will offer specialties prepared by master chocolatiers from all over Italy.

Piazza Santa Croce, in the historical center of Florence, hosts until Sunday the sweet temptations of the “Chocolate Fair”. The large square is animated by many stands full of sweets proposed by Italian and international master chocolatiers.

From this Friday until Sunday in Livorno you’ll find the sixth edition of the handmade chocolate festival called Chocolandia. Confectioners will involve visitors in tastings, new recipes and tips about chocolate.

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During the past few days, Tuscany has enjoyed an amazing climate: high temperatures reached about 15°C (59 °F) and it seemed to already be spring time!
But it’s still January and over the next few days, the weather forecast predicts a heavy fall in temperatures. Anyway, the weekend is almost here and it’s rich of interesting events in which to take part of.

To prompt our blog readers to get out of the warmth of their homes or rooms, here are some of the most interesting events in Tuscany and Florence we recommend this weekend:

Antiques Markets:

- In Viareggio (Lucca) throughout the weekend, January 22 and 23, visit “Il Tarlo al Mare”, an antiques markets organized every month in Piazza Campioni.

- Prato on January 23 awaits all antiques-lovers and collectors at the market “Collezionare in Piazza”, organized in Piazza San Francesco.

- On Sunday 23, the street of the historical center of Montevarchi will be filled with the stands of the market called “Mercato di Via dei Musei” offering antiques, collector’s items and handicrafts.

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Here we are, the last weekend before Christmas. Bells are ringing and weather forecasts predict snow… what better way to say Christmas than this? Joking aside, here are the main events in Tuscany for this third weekend of December if you’re fine with covering up well to deal with the low temps around here at the moment.

Florence:

On Saturday and Sunday, December 18^th and 19^th, you can head over to Piazza Santissima Annunziata to the Arts&Crafts market. There will be several craftsmen showing their works, you might find something interesting for a gifts or two.

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It’s almost mid-December but it’s still warm. After a couple of freezing days we came back to mild, gray weather. So let’s see the main events for this second weekend of December:

Florence:

This weekend, head to the German Christmas Market in Piazza Santa Croce, open every day from 10am to 8pm. Then visit Florence Noel at the Leopolda Station until Sunday.
In Piazza Santo Spirito on Sunday December 12^th there will be the monthly arts and crafts market, while within walking distance in Piazza Tasso, at the Ex-Leopoldine Mercanatale, you’ll find a market of local farmers selling only organic products.

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Wow! Today is December 1^st and the countdown for Christmas has started! Florence has been lighted up with thousands of Christmas lights all around the city. As usual during the Advent there are several Christmas markets and lots of events all around Tuscany.

Christmas markets are the ideal places for finding unique Christmas decorations, handmade gifts and for tasting Christmas sweets and local products. Here you have a list of main Christmas markets in Tuscany 2010:

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The cold winter has come all at once. After weeks of heavy rain, it suddenly became cold. The weather has become unpredictable, even here in Tuscany. Even though the weather forecasts will predict rain for this last weekend in November, today we still publish the main events in Tuscany for the upcoming weekend that will likely still happen rain or shine. If you’re willing to be out and about, here are some ideas of things to do this weekend.

Florence:

On Sunday November 28^th there will be the 27th Firenze Marathon, an appointment for thousands of runners coming from all over the world.
In Piazza dei Ciompi there will be the monthly appointment with the large Antiques market that spills out onto all of the streets around the Piazza. Read more »

Hoping that the weather will be mild and won’t rain, these are the main events in Florence and across Tuscany for this upcoming weekend of November.

Florence:

This weekend will finish Food and Wine Biennial 2010. The main event will be Florence Wine Event 2010 from Friday 19^th to Sunday 21^st November in the Ammannati Courtyard inside Palazzo Pitti. It’s an important appointment for wine lovers that will taste wine and oils purchasing the “tastings kit”, that includes a drink card, the goblet and a brochure.

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As I wrote last week, November is the rainiest month in Tuscany. This week I almost thought I would have become a mermaid .  It luckily seems that the weather will be better during the weekend but unfortunately it’s not predictable. Here you have a selection of the main events in Florence and Tuscany.

Tastings and typical products:

In Florence there is the Food and Wine Biennial 2010 and from Friday to Saturday there will be the Market of Flavors and Crafts in Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Strozzi from 9am to 8pm. There will also be the “Cantine del Leone”, free wine and oil tastings in several wineries of Chianti Colli Fiorentini. Read more »