September it’s harvest time in Tuscany so in this period of the year we can find by bakery a special sweet focaccia made with grapes called : schiacciata con l’uva ; just simple ingredients but very very yummy : ideal for breakfast or as a cake for a tasty snack . This could be your … More Florence cultural tours with yummy stops in harvest time
Have you ever seen “buchette del vino” in Florence? Maybe yes but you didn’t know what they were… In English could be translated in : “wine windows”, for wine lovers since the XVII century when , due to some export restrictions the Florentine noble families decided to sell wine produced in their countryside estates , … More “Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!
If you are in Florence you can’t miss the Basilica of Santa Croce , the Pazzi chapel and of course all the nice shops in the nearby, especially http://www.aquaflorfirenze.com in Borgo Santa Croce no.6 a lovely shop where you could find the best room fragrances, parfums and luxury soaps to bring home as gifts for … More Berberè in Florence : an authentic Italian pizza in the heart of Florence
What about having a taste of France in piazza della Santissima Annunziata in Florence? Not just food but even scented soaps ,parfums, herbal infusions , clothes , lovely hats, table cloths and much more. As soon as I ‘ve been arrived in the piazza suddenly I felt like being in France but on the back … More A bite of France in Florence
http://www.imosaicidilastrucci.it What a coincidence : about a month ago a gemmologist from Pistoia , Lucia Gori , told me about this place in Firenze . Two days ago a friend of mine Carmen , native from Canarie island but living in Florence since long time, brought me here and I immediately recognized the name engraved … More An amazing studio in the heart of Florence : a jump in the Renaissance
Have you ever tasted Colomba Pasquale ( Easter dove in English )? Not yet? Here follows some photos I took on the ‘backstage’ of Fratelli Lunardi bakery in Quarrata – Pistoia – http://www.fratellilunardi.it This special kind of soft pastry needs many rising hours to be ready for the oven in this case the Lunardi brothers … More Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!
Love markets like this : full of nice stalls with organic food & aromatic herbs coming from the countryside full of different kind of people, a real melting pot !any kind of food fresh straight from the producers , hard hands & tanned faces so different from the citizen ones I love the feeling they … More A typical Italian – freak – market in Florence
Vinicio Polidori : born in Pistoia same year as me ( so, a young man indeed !) met him first through its drawings explosed by Bar Nazionale in the library room & then met him personally through my friend Alessandra Vannetti who is the owner ‘s bar. Vinicio ‘s life is made of success & … More Pistoia : Vinicio Polidori an artist with a special touch
If your dream is to live a real Florentine experience & feeling like being part of the History, not just a visitor , this is exactly where you should stay. In an historical building , Palazzo Ciofi-Jacometti , old columns frame the palace dated midway through the 18th century, commissioned by the Papal treasurer Marquis … More Where to stay in Florence & feeling part of the History : Relais Santa Croce ~ Baglioni hotels ~
Yesterday I was strolling in the Florence city center & I’ve heard a drum sound …so I stopped: I thought it was like being in another century … then I saw a police woman on a horse & lots of people standing at the border of the Calzaiuoli street that leads to Piazza della Signoria … More Celebrating 300 years of Chianti Classico wine 🍷: 1716 September 25th & today 🍷2016
Are you travelling along Italy and are you going to stop in Firenze at Santa Maria Novella’s train station to change train and you have just one hour ? What a pity you have just such a short time to visit this beautiful city ,you are sad about it ,aren’t you? …😁😞☹️ I can … More What to see in Florence in just one hour!
Are you interested in knowing more about the Medici family ? Do you think you have read enough about it on guides & on history books ? or maybe you just heard about this surname but you didn’t really know what this family really represented for Florence & its prestigious heritage! I think you will … More Florence & the Medici Dynasty Show
Shoes are one of my passions since I was a child : my father was a footwear agent for the export market so I’ve had the chance to smell , see , touch & try many samples : from ballerinas to high heel pumps , sandals, boots, mules ….all of them made in Italy , … More MAASAI PROJECT sandals & bags by Pikolinos in Florence
Some sun, some nice mild weather & it’s time for shopping !!! Just some shots to show how is coloured our spring in Tuscany👏👍😍❤️
I had the chance to visit this luxury b&b www.tornabuoniview.comabout an year ago when it was under renovation together with my friend Victoria de Maio – blogger & writer from US – http://www.postcardzfromvictoria.com and we loved it sooo much to decide to choose it as one of our location for our Tuscany tour , in September. The view … More A room with a view in Florence, wherever else?
Firenze is beautiful sun or rain but with some chocolate to taste strolling in the street it’s even better! So have a look to these stalls just in front of Basilica Santa Maria Novella near the train station…
Live the literary life, Tuscan style! Yes, this will be my next tour in Tuscany : read the book , visit the setting! Brunelleschi’s Dome or Death in Florence, or Mona Lisa or Dan Brown’s Inferno….here they are now : are not only in your mind and fantasy but in the locations we will visit … More Book Club in Tuscany with …me!
http://www.nomination.it I have had the great pleasure to meet Monica Tiozzo – the Nomination president – during an happy hour in Pistoia planned by TO BE DONNA -an entrepeneurs’ women association of Confcommercio – to present her new book titled : ”How to be a mother, a wife and yourself as well as a president … More Nomination : a shining lady behind an Italian leader jewels brand
So many charming windows👏👏👏 Do you want to have a virtual tour with me now? let’s start!! Follow me, happy Christmas time !😍🎄🎅🏾☕️🎁
Sunday before Christmas in Florence is usually very crowded but … over the river Arno it’s another atmosphere! This is what I saw yesterday : a nice small market with different kind of products , from food to flowers to clothes : piazza Santo Spirito with its church & trees made me feel as … More Florence : Christmas market in Santo Spirito
From 23rd of September till October 2nd 2016 together with Victoria de Maio – blogger, tour leader ,travel consultant ,writer and newly published author from USA – and Molly Mcllwrath licensed Florence tour guide ( included among other guides all over the world as one of the worlds best tour guides !) I am proud … More Let’s discover Tuscany together !
Not just arts & fashion in Florence, it is also a city worldwide renowed for its goldsmiths shops on the Ponte Vecchio , the small artisans studios & also this kind of gold :genuine 23 kt gold & genuine silver available in flakes ( yes as corn flakes😂😂) crumbs ,powder & leaves to be … More MadeinFlorence : Manetti , edible gold to enrich your Christmas dishes
Pistoia is located 30 km from Florence & surrounded by hills & mountains filled with chestnuts trees, that’s why at the present they are full of these seasonal fruits that I really love! In the past chestnut trees were called : “bread trees” , just because from these small versatiles fruits – colesterol free + … More Made in Pistoia : castagnaccio a Tuscan chestnut cake
Have a look the great beauty lives here ….
Just behind the train station, in one of the most magic square of Florence , Piazza Santa Maria Novella, a 4 star hotel with a wonderful view on Florence ! Just have a look what I saw from the roof …. http://www.grandhotelminerva.com
In an historical beautiful palace that was the Florence Court , now hosts an exibition related to the Expo 2015 with Florentine excellent handcrafted products. Free entrance for a stunning location with different kind of items , from necklaces in leather to chocolate , shoes & much more, enjoy 😍😍😍😍 … More Firenze : “House of excellences” top quality temporary mall
Finally after many years I was able to visit this special museum I ‘ve only seen on internet . Such a great emotion to discover Elisabeth ‘s books, fornitures & letters, her bed & seeing frim the same view she could see from her balcony😍😍😍 The great love for her husband , the poet Robert … More Florence : Elisabeth Barret Browning house museum – love story & poems, an Italian life
Cannot resist to stop immaginating how can be the daily life behind the big doors & old gates : old buildings with an history , a prestigious past lived with noble duties & privileges … Nowadays how could be the life of people living inside these historical palaces? Just imagine the insides as I do … More Firenze : old portals & gates
Walking in Florence & falling in love with a street : yes it is possible if you just forget for a moment the most glam street & you cross the river Arno & just let you lead from the San Frediano quarter…your eyes will be full of beauty in a minute & your nose … More San Frediano : a charming street in Florence
http://www.volume.fi.it In piazza Santo Spirito in Florence you can enjoy a cup of coffee in an original setting : in the past it was a wood sculpturer atelier , now contains all the characteristic tools of the woodmaker & his sculptures, just amazing!! Great breakfast options : inside with a huge choice of books & … More Firenze by mouth : VOLUME an original setting for a tasty stop
Since I was a child my mother used to stop here for a cappuccino , an espresso or an aperitivo & for me a hot chocolate topped with swipped cream , if in winter time , in summer a fresh organge juice😉 I was very young but I was able to feel that it was … More Florence : Gilli Caffè since 1733 a must in Firenze
In Via del Parione, 28-32/R ,just at the beginning of this street almost on the corner with the most fashionable street , Via Tornabuoni ,near palazzo Spini Feroni that hosts the Ferragamo’s shoes museum & its boutique , you can find the Florian Café , founded in Venice in 1720. http://www.caffeflorian.com Daniel , the kind … More Florian café : not just in Venice but in Florence too!
The Tuscan compositor Giacomo Puccini born in Lucca in 1858 , was used to smoke Toscano cigar during his relaxing time & even when creating his operas such as la Bohème or La Tosca 😉and with a Toscano cigar you could see it in his statue in front of his birthhouse-museum in the heart of … More Made in Tuscany : 200 years of Toscano cigar celebrated with ‘Toscanello’
What a nice tour we had together in Pistoia ! Such a great group of people , all experts of food and really interested in knowing everything about Tuscan food and wine, of course, and extra virgin oil and plants! An unforgettable 4 days trip with Irish people that I feel so close to Italian … More Slowfood Galway , Ireland , visited & tasted Pistoia ‘s flavours with me
The English writer , John Ruskin ( art critic ,poet ,peinter ) , born in my beloved London in 1918, visited Pistoia in 1845 . He was really impressed by the Church of San Giovanni fuorcivitas ( this Latin word means outside of the city but at the present it is considered THE city heart … More Pistoia ,a hidden gem in Tuscany: John Ruskin loved (& wrote )about this Church
Pistoia city hall , Comunale palace ,An extraordinary open by FAI www.fondoambiente.it a sort of an Italian Heritage Trust that dedicates a springvweek end For special openings & guided Tours Of hidden places usually closed to public. Led by volounteers of Art students from Pistoia’s high School & from The Architecture University of Florence , dressed with … More Pistoia : hidden gem’s treasure in Tuscany
Winter is going to end & I need sun 🌞🌞 & New spring colours , no more Just black ! Have a ️Look ️to this Great choice The New Collection with brighter colours to celebrate ️many many years of bags’ production …since 1885 in The Italian fashion Market offering light & Nice shapes purses for … More Bags by Gherardini & Braccialini ~ made in Italy ~ in Florence , Tuscany
Florence at night is shining as a real gem This is Spini – Feroni ‘s palace in its magnificence🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 in Santa Trinita Square. Il Borro tuscan Bistro is on The Arno riverside , same building of Ferragamo’s headquarter ( Old Beautiful historical palace Spini -Feroni ) an elegant & typical Tuscan bistrot can offer you … More The fab 4 F : #Florence – #Ferragamo – #Food – #Fashion !
Last Thursday I ️was by Palazzo Borghese in Florence to celebrate ImmagineItalia & Co. http://www.immagineitalia.org 8th
Just 3 day left to the 8th edition of Immagine Italia & Co. http://www.immagineitalia.org the international fair dedicated to the preview collections of underwear, homewear and lingerie. In the stunning setting of Florence by Fortezza da Basso , from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th . Over 200 brands on show, among the most prestigious ones … More Immagine Italia & Co. – Florence – Lingerie,underwear & homewear opens in 3 days!
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Everything you need to know to enjoy your trip to Italy!
