Curiosities

Archive for the ‘History & Culture’ Category

Italy is bursting with history and culture, and the beautiful region of Tuscany is no exception. With the traditional village of San Gimignano and its incredible towers, the enchanting and compelling museums in beautiful Florence and the interesting history behind Pisa’s famous slanting tower, this part of Italy will not disappoint with its variety of historic tales and rich culture. Take a look at this category to get all the information you need!

Are you coming to Florence with your partner or are you simply keen on fascinating passed love stories and secret passions? Here you find a tour that you can’t absolutely miss!

We all visit the Accademia Gallery – an amazing museum – often forgetting that there’s another place in which we can admire Michelangelo’s sculptures in peace: the Medici Chapels.

Florence city centre is cosy but dense, full of churches, squares and history. Every time I stroll around my hometown I feel lucky, but I must admit I don’t know so much about my city… Sometimes you take a place for granted, just because you live there! This is the reason why I decided to [...]

Most of us are going to the Uffizi museum to see masterpieces such as The Birth of Venus and the Allegory of Spring by Botticelli. Yesterday I discovered an interesting story behind a painting I hadn’t noticed.

It’s September, but Florence is still crowded and museums are often packed. Far to be snob, I consider myself a Florentine, even if I’ve been living here only since 2013. Maybe, because I feel a local, sometimes you risk to take all this beauty for granted.. That’s why last Tuesday I visited the Accademia Gallery, [...]

The wonderful Florence Cathedral rose window has been recently restored and is finally ready to show all its astonishing beauty! This stained glazed window, an absolute masterpiece by Lorenzo Ghiberti – the great artist who cast the famous Gate of Paradise – will be displayed inside St. John’s Baptistery until the 8th of September, before to return on the Cathedral façade, [...]

Wandering in Piazza della Signoria is a full immersion in the past of Florence. The political message of Cosimo I the Medici shaped the square in which the imposing Palazzo Vecchio (the Old Palace) stands since 1299. But this lively square hides a sad chapter in the history of Florence..

The shooting of the film taken from Dan Brown‘s latest book Inferno has just finished and Florence has become the protagonist of the new work signed by the Hollywood director Ron Howard. The actor Tom Hanks could be seen walking along the Medieval streets of the old city and the major Dario Nardella who got [...]

If you are visiting Florence, there’s a place which is very well worth a visit: the Spedale degli Innocenti, an historical building located in Piazza Ss. Annunziata. Originally a children’s orphanage, the building was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century and it is probably the most ancient example of Renaissance architecture existing. The [...]

Did you know that the most remarkable collection of Renaissance sculptures and works of art, some of which by Michelangelo and Donatello, is hosted in a wonderful building which once was a prison?? That building is the Bargello and you really have to visit it!

The 07th of September takes place one of the Florentine most traditional and particular Festivals, the renowned “Rificolona”. During the itinerary, from Piazza Santa Felicita to Piazza SS. Annunziata, many Florentine children carry colorful paper lanterns, illuminated by a candle.

Florence is well-known for its beautiful architecture and famous works of art, that you can see all over the historical centre of the city. Tourists flock to these areas, but there are also several hidden treasures located here. If you’re keen to discover a little bit of Florence off the beaten path, then we have [...]

With so many beautiful sights in this wonderful Renaissance city, it is impossible to be stuck for ideas on what to see in Florence. One of the things that draws people here, is the number of beautiful churches in Florence. From the oldest church in the city, San Lorenzo, to the unique façade of the [...]

  Florence is full of great masterpieces; Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, to name just a couple. But there is one particular tale of Greek mythology that prompted the creation of not one but two masterpieces in Florence. The tale of Perseo and Medusa influenced Cellini’s Perseo and Medusa statue, located in the [...]

Many great artists and musicians throughout history hailed from Tuscany. One of the most famous Tuscan composers is undoubtedly Giacomo Puccini. Born in 1858, and whose full name was actually Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini, (it’s no wonder he was just called Giacomo!) this Tuscan is known as one of the greatest Italian [...]

There are many things to see in Florence. So many in fact, that it’s difficult to know where to begin! Whether you enjoy art, sculpture, architecture, history or shopping, there are numerous Florence attractions to suit all tastes! Here is our definitive list of 5 things that you must do whilst in Florence…

Siena is one of Italy’s finest and most beautiful medieval cities. There are a whole host of things to do in Siena, but a visit to the spectacular Piazza del Campo should definitely be at the top of your list. It is one of the greatest medieval squares in all of Europe, and functions as [...]

Pisa may be very well known for a certain leaning tower, but this Tuscan city is home to much more than that. As well as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of the most visited attractions in Pisa, Italy, is the Campo Santo Monumentale, or the Monumental Cemetery. This cemetery, which literally translates as ‘Holy [...]

Where can you find two of the most famous sex symbols in history? Those in question are of course Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Venus, and they can both be found in the beautiful city of Florence. Housed in Florence’s Accademia Museum and the Uffizi Gallery respectively, these Renaissance masterpieces are not only a joy to [...]

In a city like Florence, which is simply bursting with things to see and do, a nice place to stop for a refreshment is an absolute necessity. And luckily, Florence is full of great cafes and coffee shops! Some cafes in Florencego back a pretty long way, so it’s not only a delicious, frothy cappuccino [...]

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