Visiting Pistoia and its surroundings

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Posts Tagged ‘Timeout Tuscany’

A weekend among bears and puppets in Pistoia

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Pinocchio

July is at almost at its end and the heat in Florence is stiffling. So this weekend I am planning once again to take off and the destination will be Pistoia. I personally love this city because when I go there I feel like going back to my childhood since as a small child, my parents would take me to Pinocchio’s Park in Collodi on my birthday. So I want to go back to the Park and take advantage and also visit the Garzoni Garden, a beautiful example of a Renaissance and Baroque Italian garden, and the recently opened Butterfly House, both located next to the park. After Collodi I want to go to Pescia, a town famous for its flowers. It’s a delightful city with many things to see, including the Cathedral and the Palazzo del Palagio. Read the post »

Mercantia and more for the upcoming weekend

Friday, July 16th, 2010

san Gimignano Tuscany

I haven’t yet planned everything I will do this week end. The only thing that is certain is that I’m heading to Mercantia in Certaldo tonight. I’m going to go see this great Festival of Street Artists that I liked very much in the past. I’ll be in Certaldo around 8 pm and after taking a look at the market in the lower part of  Certaldo and dinner, I’ll climb up to upper Certaldo to go see all the events.

On Saturday I’m planning a morning of total relax. After lunch, I’m planning to go to Cerreto Guidi, a nice Renaissance town about 35 min driving distance from Florence. There is Medicea, an event about culture, food and wine. At 6 pm the “historical reconstruction of threshing”, as well as wineries will open, with wine tastings and art exhibits. At 9.30pm a guided tour will be offered within the beautiful Medicean villa of  Cerreto Guidi. This Renaissance villa, turned into the Museum of  Hunting and of the Territory, was built by Buontalenti as a hunting villa for the Grand Duke Cosimo I.

I have yet to decide what to do on Sunday. I’d like to go to San Gimignano, where a new and very interesting museum opened two weeks ago. The museum is called San Gimignano 1300 and is a spectacular and extremely detailed reconstruction of this beautiful medieval city in Tuscany at that time. It should be really impressive. On the other hand, I’d like also to go to Palazzuolo sul Senio in Mugello for the medieval festivalAt the Ubaldini’s Family Court”. The peculiarity of this festival is that this year it’s an historical reenactment of the heroic deeds of Roland. There will a free shuttle bus service from Florence and Pontassieve.

I think I’ll wait and decide on Saturday night what to do on Sunday. In the meantime I wish you a nice weekend!

Weekend in Lucca and Viareggio

Friday, July 9th, 2010

visti lucca walls

This weekend I want to escape from Florence. Maybe because this week has been really hot, but I need a break from Florence’s heat.

Viareggio on the coast. We’ll be there for dinner because I want to eat seafood on the beach at sunset. After dinner some night shopping along the “Passeggiata”, one of the most famous shopping streets in Versilia. I cannot avoid shopping because the sales season has just started in Tuscany!!! :) Read the full post! »

Finally July is here!

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

meonteriggioni medieval festival

Finally it’s summer with hot days, unfortunately the heat has also called given life to lots of mosquitoes as well. The gray rainy days of just two weeks ago are a memory and summer begins with the first Palio of the year. In fact, today July 2 is the Palio of Provenzano. I won’t go to Siena but I’ll watch it on TV while sipping something cold in the company of friends. Read more »

A Weekend in Livorno and Surroundings

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Mascagni Terrace in Livorno

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 »

Treasure hunt, wine tastings and more in Tuscany

Friday, June 4th, 2010

siena piazza del campo

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 »

Planning the weekend in Florence

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Florence gelato

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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