Tuscany, the picturesque region in central Italy, is the perfect place for a road trip. If you’re looking for rolling hills, sloping vineyards, olive groves, quaint medieval villages, and outstanding art, you’ll find it all here. After all, Tuscany was the birthplace of Michelangelo, Botticelli, da Vinci, Dante, and countless other masters whose wo...

In 1443, Paolo Uccello – a Tuscan painter and mosaic artist who played a major role in Florence’s 15th-century art scene – painted the face of the clock on the counter-façade of the Florence Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore. He included four heads colored in fresco at the corners, as Vasari wrote, whose identity is still the object of debate amongs...

This year, friends of Florence (FoF) celebrates its 20th anniversary. The U.S. non-profit organisation based in Florence, Italy, is supported by individuals from around the world who are dedicated to preserving and enhancing the cultural and historical integrity of the arts in Florence and the Tuscan region. Since its founding by Renée Gardner and...

Il castello di Sammezzano ha due facce, proprio come la bellezza: una rallegra, l’altra genera angoscia. E’ un gioiello prezioso e inestimabile, un gioiello che racchiude in sé la Toscana e l’India, la follia e la saggezza. Un gioiello abbandonato a se stesso da più di 20 anni, quasi dimenticato dalle nuove generazioni. Quasi. Questa è la storia di...

Truffle fairs and truffle hunting tours have attracted some 120,000 visitors to Italy this year so far. Truffle hunting season is in full swing in Italy, and famous fairs and festivals dedicated to the unique flavour of the tartufo bianco, or white truffle, are held everywhere from Piedmont to Tuscany this month. Across Italy there are some 115 reg...

The legendary Leaning Tower of Pisa is stable and has slowly lost a tiny bit of its trademark tilt, a group of researchers monitoring the Tuscan monument has said. The tower lost a reported 4cm of its tilt in the past 20 years and its health is better than forecast by an international committee coordinated by Michele Jamiolkowski between 1993 and 2...

On 1-2 December 2018, Siena will return to its origins for a weekend, bringing medieval customs and traditions back to life with the historical re-enactment of the “mercato grande” – the Tuscan city’s main marketplace at the time. Immersed in this Medieval atmosphere, Siena’s excellent culture, food and wine and craftsmanship will take center stage...

Il pulpito della chiesa di Sant'Andrea, capolavoro di Giovanni Pisano datato 1301, sarà restaurato grazie alla donazione dell'associazione americana Friends of Florence, che dopo il restauro del Cenacolo di Ghirlandaio alla Badia a Passignano, si impegna in questo nuovo progetto. Il pulpito sarà anche sottoposto ad una analisi della struttura, che...

Il Sassicaia 2015 è il miglior vino del mondo secondo Wine Spectator, la vera e propria “Bibbia” del mondo del vino. Quello che è considerato cioè una sorta di Nobel enoico è stato assegnato poche ore fa secondo la consueta usanza di svelare per diversi giorni consecutivi ognuna delle posizioni che compongono la Top Ten. Per il vino made in Italy l...

The PDO extra virgin olive oil is the result of careful experimentation and assessment, requiring great commitment and technical precision to achieve its excellence. Its age-old tradition began in the 14th century AD, and olive growing began to spread starting from this era, both for religious (Catholic rituals and ceremonies) and nutritional re...