During the lockdown, especially the initial one last year, perhaps the most shocking part of it was the lack of human touch. We Italians, being a rather warm and affectionate people, felt this deeply. But sometimes the most beautiful things arise from the darkest moments ...

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. Witnessing the blooms is truly a wonder of Mother Nature. Under normal circumstances*, the gardens would be open between late April and ...

The Torre del Vicario and Ca' di Scheta are two evocative and fascinating accommodation facilities with different characteristics connected by the "Viae Florentinae", a more than 100-year-old commercial road that linked Romagna to Tuscany since the early Middle Ages. This hiking trail truly makes for an ...

Italy's cities are not giving up despite the enormous difficulty faced in 2020. Cities across the country, big and small, have decided to light up their historic centers for the Holiday season bringing cheer to their citizens. Florence's Firenze Light Festival is back again this ...

The Tuscany region is one of the most visited and desirable destinations on earth and at the top of every wanderlust's bucket list. It isn't any wonder why with its Renaissance art cities like Florence, Siena, and Pisa and medieval hilltop towns like San Gimignano. ...

Palazzuolo sul Senio is a small medieval village on the border between Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, halfway between Bologna and Florence. The delightful hamlet, surrounded by the greenery of the Apennines, is one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in Italy" and has obtained the title ...

Really close to the Duomo in Florence and to Piazza della Repubblica, there is a little church called Santa Margherita dei Cerchi, one of the most ancient churches of the old town center. Named after Santa Margherita d'Antiochia (patroness of women in labor) and the Cerchi ...

Figline Valdarno is nestled in the green hills of Chianti in Tuscany and known for its well-known artists (such as Masaccio). This town is part of the municipality of Florence, but in recent years, it became part of Figline and Incisa Valdarno.  Collegiate Church of Santa ...

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 ...