Archive for 'Florence'

  

Tuesday, February 7, 2017
One of the most enjoyable things about spending time in Tuscany, and Florence, in particular, is enjoying the slower pace of life. Even amidst the slew of tourists that descend upon the city and run around, trying to see it all, the Tuscan way of life remains intact - unhurried, relaxed and intent on enjoying things. Any holiday there should be taken and enjoyed in the spirit of the locals.

Don't just try and see it all but take time to revel in the space you're in and be really present in the moment. One of the best ways to do this is to spend time in the various piazze, sipping on a coffee and watching the world go by.

We've rounded up some of Florence's best, most famous, oldest, newest and coolest cafés for you to choose from so you can do just that. So, why not find a luxury villa in Florence and try living like a local.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, Food and Wine, History, Localities, Restaurants & Cafés, Top 10 Lists, Tourist Attractions

  

Monday, January 9, 2017
Tuscany is known for her delicious food and it is, of course, one of the main highlights of any trip to the region. However, as much as most dishes involve cheese, tomatoes, pork, pasta and other lovely ingredients, some have components that may seem strange or unappetising to some of us from other parts of the globe. Yet, the Tuscans swear by these dishes and, if they say it, surely they are worth a try on your next trip?     Read More
Posted in: Florence, Food and Wine, Localities, Products & Specialities, Recipes

  

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Ghost
A city like Florence is old enough and so rich in history that it has to be at least a little bit haunted. If you are to believe the reports, it appears to actually be rather haunted, indeed. From windows left open for a ghost still awaiting her lover to piazzas still haunted by executions that happened long ago, there are many buildings and spaces around the city that are said to be plagued by the dead. However, there is one ghost that is thought to haunt two different locations in the city. If you feel like going ghost-hunting, just find a luxury villa in Florence and follow him around the city.

Once the Palazzo Vecchio closes for the day, all the tourists have filed back out the door in search of dinner, all of the staff returns home and night falls, the sound of footsteps and squeaking in the supposedly empty building is not uncommon. It is said that there are many ghosts in the Palazzo Vecchio, but one is more famous than others: Baldaccio d’Anghiari.     Read More
Posted in: Castles & Palaces, Florence, Legends, Localities, Tourist Attractions

  

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
The Birth of Venus
If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning to take in the art and culture for which the city is so famous, you have, no doubt, pencilled in a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi Gallery, or Galleria degli Uffizi, in Piazza della Signoria is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in Europe and the world 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.     Read More
Posted in: Florence, History, Localities, Museums & Galleries, Renaissance, Tourist Attractions

  

Tuesday, December 20, 2016
St. Catherine
You may be planning a trip to Tuscany and looking at the kinds of activities that you can enjoy while there. There are plenty and a rather wide variety to choose from but you probably haven't considered mummy spotting as one of them. Yet, there are a few that can be found in rather unlikely spots. Here are two that you might find interesting if you're intrigued by history and the more macabre things in life.

Catherine of Siena was a Dominican tertiary, philosopher and theologian. Born in the 14th century, she began having visions of Christ at the age of five or six. At seven, she had decided to devote her life to God. She resisted marriage as a young woman until she was eventually allowed to join the Dominican Order.

She was known for helping the sick and poor and launching reform campaigns among the faithful. Catherine even went so far as to become involved in political matters like swaying the loyalties of cities back towards the papal armies.

Her writings spread her word further and gained more followers but she also became known for extreme devotion, eventually dying due to her refusal to eat. In 1461, she was canonised by Pius II and is now one of the two patron saints of Italy.

Siena, her birthplace, still remains the best place to see evidences of her life and works. The most intriguing of these is her head, which was separated from her body after her death in Rome when followers wished to return her to Siena. Unable to sneak her full body past guards in Rome, they settled for just her head which they smuggled out of the city. It is set in an ornate reliquary in the Basilica San Domenico (also known as Basilica Cateriniana, after the Saint) in Siena.     Read More
Posted in: Churches & Religious Buildings, Florence, History, Legends, Localities, Siena, Tourist Attractions