Archive for 'Florence'

  

Friday, June 9, 2017
Santa Croce
Continuing on from our last post, we are still following along Google's automatically generated itinerary for a day in Florence. Having just crossed the Ponte alle Grazie, a quieter bridge over the Arno, just a stone's throw from the busier and more famous Ponte Vecchio, we were on our way to the next attraction…

4. Santa Croce (Travel: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Approx. time to spend here: 1 hour)

This stunning Gothic church is a lovely polychromatic 13th century Franciscan basilica that is the final resting place of the likes of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli among others. Packed to the rafters with incredible frescoes, stained glass, sculptures and other objets d'art, there is plenty to see and do. In fact, there is too much to take it all in entirely in a single visit but the experience of stepping inside this jewel box of culture and history is worth the minor sensory overload.     Read More
Posted in: Churches & Religious Buildings, Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, June 9, 2017
Piazzale Michelangelo
Google seems to have the answers to all of life's questions, right? Whether you are looking for directions or somewhere good to eat, want to know when a museum closes or when to avoid peak crowds, having the internet at your fingertips takes the work out of holiday-making and makes your life a hell of a lot easier.

In fact, they've gone a step further now and Google has even compiled all of their data to generate automatic itineraries of destinations based on the post popular attractions, their locations and the distances between them. Based on the amount of days you will be in the place you have chosen, there are a variety of itineraries to choose from and one can't help but wonder at how well an algorithm might plan a trip.

So, here is Google's suggestion for what to do with 24 hours in Florence. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and see for yourself how suitable it might be.     Read More
Posted in: Architectural Gems, Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Must See Attractions, Tourist Attractions

  

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Birth of Venus
If you are planning a visit to the Uffizi Gallery, or Galleria degli Uffizi, in Piazza della Signoria, we suggest that you seek out the works of Botticelli in the gallery, in particular.

The collection is home to some of his most famous and beautiful works that he ever produced and, as such, is a particularly good place to visit for both Botticelli fans and those with a casual interest alike. Just find a wonderful holiday rental in Florence and drop by.

The Uffizi is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in Europe and was originally begun under Vasari for Cosimo I de' Medici in 1560. The name comes from the Italian word for “offices” which is what the building was intended to house when it was first constructed. More and more space was dedicated to the display of artworks over time until that became its primary function and, in 1765, it was officially opened to the public.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Negroni
There are several reported stories of the origins of the Negroni cocktail. One of the most popular and supported stories recounts that it was, supposedly, invented in Florence in 1919 at Caffè Casoni (now called Caffè Giacosa). Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender, Forsco Scarselli, to strengthen his favourite cocktail. His regular Americano, was suddenly transformed by adding gin rather than the normal soda water. To help differentiate between the old and new, the bartender also added an orange garnish rather than the typical lemon garnish of the Americano.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, Food and Wine, Localities, Recipes

  

Friday, May 12, 2017
Piazza Della Signoria
In our previous posts in this series on vacation rentals in Tuscany with incredible views, we have shined a spotlight on several properties with incredible views across the typical and beautiful Tuscan landscape, as well as over the Tuscan coast but, in this final post, it is time to focus on urban views. Here are some of the loveliest cities views Tuscany has to offer.

9. Piazza Della Signoria

Set right in the heart of Florence's town centre, in an incredibly exclusive location, surrounded by huge and famous cultural and artistic monuments, this property boasts a pretty special view. Located on the first floor of a priceless, historical building, it directly faces the Piazza della Signoria and is just a few steps from the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, Localities, Siena, Top 10 Lists, Villa Spotlights, Villas and Farmhouses