When Filippo Brunelleschi had finished erecting his splendid cupola, he began all the finishing touches that were necessary for completing the masterpiece. One of these was the decorating of the octagonal drum located at the[…]
There are several strange stories surrounding the events of Palazzo della Signoria (called Palazzo “Vecchio” – The Old Palace – in order to distinguish it from the “new” residence of the Medici: PalazzoPitti). The most[…]
The year 1401 was a watershed date. In the winter of that year the wool importers’ guild announced a competition to select a designer for the remaining doors, with the result that some of the[…]
After visiting the Duomo, the next port of call is the battistero (baptistery). In exile, Dante fondly referred to this building as his “bel San Giovanni” and described it as “ancient” – a word[…]
The Palazzo Medici Riccardi stands today as the seat of the Florentine council and one of the focal points of the city. The history of the building is a story that goes all the way[…]
Central Market of Florence Venture on down to the Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Via dell’Ariento, there’s a market for you to see. A market, which is split into two – half indoors, and half outdoors[…]
Gardens Not To Miss in Florence 1The Boboli Gardens is one of the largest gardens in Florence, and the best place in Florence if you’re looking to get yourself some fresh, fresh air. Boasting of[…]
A Day Trip in Lucca Lucca is another of those smaller towns that is relatively close by to Florence, still in the region of Tuscany. It’s the city of 100 churches. Yes, one-hundred of them.[…]
The Medici Balls The Medici coat of arms and the remains of the family’s rule over Florence most notably can be seen in Palazzo Vecchio. Look above and you may see the family’s coat of[…]
Who were the Medicis? We are back with another series of brief history lessons! The Medicis were a family in Florence. Probably the most influential families of the Italian Renaissance, and perhaps one of the[…]
Libraries in Florence, Part 2. Welcome to the second part of our series, ( to read about the first part you can click HERE ) where we show you the locations and recommend some of the[…]
The Giglio Symbol of Florence If you’re walking around Florence at any point just observing your surroundings, you may notice a few recurring symbols. One of the most notable symbols is known to be the[…]
Calcio Storico Fiorentino June is a surreal old time in Florence. What is bound to make you agree, is if you find yourself attending the Calcio Storico. Translated literally into English as “historic football”, this[…]
Brief History of Tuscany Tuscany is the region of Italy to the West that contains its capital city Florence, and many other wonderful cities such as Pisa, Siena, Livorno, Arezzo, and Lucca. As the birthplace[…]
Libraries in Florence, Part 1 Florence is one of the most praised centres of cultural excellence in the whole world. This breeding place of such awesomeness makes for some amazing reading spots, and places to[…]
Gardens Not To Miss in Florence series: Rose Garden In 1865 as Florence was set to become the capital of Italy taking the mantle from Turin, Giuseppe Poggi was commissioned to design the left bank[…]
Brief History Palazzo Strozzi _____________________________________ Palazzo dello Strozzino is another one of those huge attractions in Florence. Formerly known as the Palazzo della Tre Porte for its three doorways, the Palazzo Strozzi was a place[…]
Boboli Gardens So you’ve been trawling the streets of Florence, visiting all of the required places to go to. You’ve seen an almighty load of Italian sculptures and paintings, you’ve been amazed by the architecture,[…]
Florentine History Lesson – Santa Croce The Santa Croce, or Basilica de Santa Croce, is another one of those places in Florence that is steeped in history. A church which story goes all the way[…]
All Amazing San Miniato Church One of the places that tourist usually misses in Florence is San Miniato al monte, San Miniato Al Monte is the full name for a Romanesque basilica and shrine[…]
