The possibilities seem endless in a city like Florence; from true Sicilian recipes that delight the palate and bring the sea to land to deep red Bistecca Fiorentina, Florence offers any lover of Italian food as many options as you can imagine. We have traveled across Italy for over forty years. Some of our old [...]
On April 27, 2018, the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte will initiate a year of events to celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of its founding. On April 27, 2018 the Archbishop of Florence, Betori, will celebrate with the opening of basilica's Holy Door and then will celebrate Mass. Facade of San Miniato [...]
View of Marcialla's village square and the Church of Santa Maria The news came quietly. The art world was stunned to learn that a fresco in the church of Santa Maria in Marcialla, not far from Florence, had been attributed to none other than Michelangelo. Residents of Marcialla, a tiny village south of [...]
On Easter Sunday, the Medici Grand Duke's Villa Demidoff, near Pratolino, is reopening. The spectacular gardens are among Tuscany's largest. With the estate's well tended woodlands and open fields, and visits to the various buildings within the park, it is a wonderful easy day excursion from Florence. The trip by bus takes about forty-five minutes, [...]
Visitors to Siena now have the unique and very special opportunity to visit one of the most critically important music centers in the world, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana. Founded in 1932 at the behest of Count Chigi Saracini, the Accademia has become a world renowned center for musician and composer instruction and performance. Since its founding, [...]
In the past few months, increased visitor security screening was initiated at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo, in Florence. As with most of the other museums in the city (Uffizi, Bargello, Museum of the Works of the Duomo and many others), visitors are security checked before entering sites. The result of [...]
On a recent visit with our Annual Art Tour in Tuscany, we stopped in to Bistro Olivieri, a recently opened restaurant in the village of San Gimignano. The establishment's tag line, Cucina Toscana Contemporanea, Contemporary Tuscan Kitchen, is reflected in the varied and fairly priced menu. We all agreed that the exceptional modern Italian interior design was a perfect [...]
For those of you who will be traveling in Florence in late March, please make note of the following world cultural conference to be held in the city. Hotel rooms are at a premium, if you can find them (!) and the city will be extremely busy. An unprecedented culture-focused meeting of the seven major [...]
The program for the exhibit available from Casa Editrice Sillabe The great treasure of the arts in Florence is shared in yet another unforgettable program at the Medici Riccardi Palace. Artifacts and memories from the Flood of 1966, La Bellezza Salvata, are shared in this exceptional show. From now until March 26, 2017, [...]
Technology and gorgeous art come together once again in the de-consecrated church of Santa Stefano al Ponte in Florence. The church, located just steps from the northern edge of the Ponte Vecchio, is a fabulous location for the exhibit. The Klimt Experience brings over 700 images, projected by 30 laser systems, in an intimate exploration [...]
