Author: Lourdes Flores

An American living in Florence for over 10 years, Lourdes continues to explore and discover new places in Tuscany with the eyes of a tourist but with the experience of living in Italy. She shares her experiences on this blog and website, particularly offering lots of travel planning help on the Forum!

Section of Medieval Wall in San Gimignano Collapses

April 4, 2018

There was quite a bit of a scare in San Gimignano Tuesday afternoon (April 3rd) as an 8 meter section of the old city walls, dating back to the Middle Ages, collapsed about 6 meters down the side of the hill. The entire town of San Gimiginano is one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites…

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Green Brunches at Villa Dianella, from Fall through Spring

March 31, 2018

As Spring has arrived, so have a wide variety of events, especially on the weekends! This past Sunday was also a splendid sunny morning, perfect for spending time outdoors. We headed to Chianti, more precisely to the Chianti wine area to the west of Florence near Vinci, Leonardo’s birth home, to Villa Dianella. While there…

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Explore Tuscany on a Steam Train this Spring

March 23, 2018

A fun and interesting way to explore southern Tuscany – and, in particular, the Val d’Orcia area – is by traveling on a historical stream train! The Treno Natura program offers every spring and fall several full-day outings which depart from Siena and head to a different destination to explore a local festival or other…

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Total Relax, in just 2 hours

March 10, 2018

Do you think you need a full day off to be able to relax? I did, up to a few weeks ago, because with an 11 month old, I wanted a whole day off ;-)! Not yet possible, but I did manage to take a few hours off and decided the perfect destination was Asmana…

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Celebrate Valentine’s Day & Carnival at the Hard Rock Cafe

February 8, 2018

There is something for the entire family this month at the Hard Rock Cafe in Florence! Looking for something to do this weekend with the kids for Carnival? Trying to figure out where to head next week for Valentine’s Day? Here are two proposals, both being held at the Hard Rock Cafe in Florence. GET…

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Something different every day at Asmana

February 5, 2018

Enjoying time off at Asmana If you’re planning to relax while in Tuscany, a sure way to achieve that is to make a stop at Asmana Wellness World (read our presentation here if you haven’t yet)! The spa/wellness center located on the outskirts of Florence is super easy to reach by car wherever you might…

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Free Museums on 1st Sunday of the Month 2018

January 5, 2018

Time to remind everyone coming to Italy and Tuscany this year to make note that all the first Sundays of the month (#DomenicalMuseo) mean FREE ENTRANCE to all State Museums across all of Italy! Here’s a list of State sites in Tuscany I’ve compiled so you can just check ones in the region. If you…

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Best of 2017: Our top articles from the year

December 30, 2017

Our best content in 2017: make sure to read these if you’re planning a trip to Tuscany! We love sharing our knowledge and experience of living (and loving) Tuscany to help anyone planning their visits to Tuscany, whether as a first time or as a return visit. We constantly research new things to write about…

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Learning about Ambrogio Lorenzetti with the Family

November 8, 2017

Guided visits and workshops for the family for the Ambrogio Lorenzetti exhibition During the course of the temporary exhibit on Ambrogio Lorenzetti (October 22, 2017- January 21, 2018 EXTENDED till April 8th, 2018), the Santa Maria della Scala will offer workshops and guided visits to children and their families every weekend. The activities are centered…

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Outdoor Summer Concerts at the Chianti Sculpture Park

July 21, 2017

Summer music outdoors in nature Are you looking for a musical concert to attend one of these fine summer evenings in Chianti? Then take a look at the summer concert program organized by the Chianti Sculpture Park in Pievasciata. The concerts are held in their special outdoor amphitheater every Tuesday until the end of August….

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