As the saying goes, "When opportunity knocks..." and until July 31, 2020, visitors will have the extraordinary opportunity to see the mosaic floors of the Duomo in Siena. If you're thinking this isn't a big deal, think again. Giorgio Vasari himself called them "the most beautiful, ...

When you think of Tuscany you think of lush, green hills and cypress tree-lined roads and of course, sunflower fields; sunflowers as far as the eye can see in some cases. If you haven't been to Tuscany, I wish I could tell you it was ...

Less than 30 km from the city of Siena lies one of the most mysterious and captivating places in all of Tuscany if not, all of Italy. I'm referring to San Galgano and the real story of the sword in the stone. Yes, it is ...

Most people don't know that the famous giant Sequoia trees native to California actually exist in other parts of the world. The largest specimen in Italy happens to be in a place called Sammezzano Park in Leccio (Reggello, province of Florence). Its castle is much ...

This article is geared toward the visitor that has possibly already been to Florence and elbowed and trekked his way through its top destinations (with blisters to prove it); or for the visitor looking for a different experience; or even for a local that has yet to stumble ...

What do the statues tell us? During the 1500s Cosimo I de Medici created a real open-air museum in Piazza della Signoria, for his own pleasure, but above all to impress with the statuary of the Medici collections. They are almost all originals, works of ...

In Tuscany alone there are officially 26 of the "Most Beautiful Villages in Italy" and the lovely Barga is one of them. This quaint, picturesque village is just 45 minutes north of Lucca in what is known as the Valle del Serchio (after the river Serchio) ...

In the heart of medieval Florence, south of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, we find Piazza della Signoria which for centuries has been the seat of political power. ©Diletta Masi Florence: the "Vertical" City Like all the other large squares in Florence, it is an ...

Florence, Firenze, Florencia, Florenz: even its name is beautiful in whichever language you choose. The Tuscan capital and one of the most important centers of art, architecture, and literature in the entire world is quite simply put- beautiful. There could be, and in fact, there ...

Just in time! The symbol of Florence- the iris, il giglio, la fleur de lis- is blooming now at the Iris Garden (Giardino dell'Iris) in the heart of the Tuscan city. If you've never visited, now is the time to take advantage of the COVID measures being lifted. The Garden ...