As Florentine tourist tracks go, the streets encircling the Accademia’s entrance are some of the city’s most congested. Constantly filled with art-frenzied visitors, all of whom are eager to get an eyeful of Michelangelo’s David, the surrounding shopfronts reflect the surge in multinational chains and corporations pervading Florence. Yet amid this contemporary chaos, one blink-and-you’ll-miss-it […]

For many a seasoned Florentine sojourner, artisans of little- or largely-known status are as crucial a part of the city’s fabric as its best-loved landmarks. From the long-frequented jewellery purveyors lining the Ponte Vecchio to the tucked-away cabinet makers in San Frediano, such high-calibre craftsmanship is integral to the Tuscan capital’s DNA.       […]

Little can be said on the subject of Michelangelo Buonarroti that has not already spawned centuries-long discussions and analyses. Michelangelo’s career inaugurated “the cult of personality” that elevated the role of artists to unprecedented grandeur, transcending age-old principles that previously veiled painters and sculptors in anonymity. This accomplishment was aided by the effusions of Giorgio […]

Comfortably nestled in the character-filled surroundings of their via della Dogana workshop, the extraordinary Vettori family are weaving a sonorous tale of their inceptive ties to violin making. “Our grandfather Dario was a violinist and guitar player, band director and player of wind instruments. He had the idea of making a violin by himself, so […]

Florence’s intrinsic ties to slow design make it an optimum base for sustainable fashion makers. Whether you consider yourself a fast-fashion aficionado or a trend-following neophyte, even the briefest of news-feed browsing will prove that sustainable fashion is on a rapid ascent to mainstream popularity. Yet despite its newfound omnipresence on social media channels, the […]

Entertain your little tykes and teenagers with this eclectic mix of campi estivi. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FLORENCE Rooted in the expertise and commitment to student-centered learning that characterizes the International School of Florence, this year’s ISF kids’ camp (fully conducted in English) is designed for the sports enthused and the creatively inclined. Cleverly merging work and […]

An Ephemeral “Museum” of Fashion may be entering the rankings of the city’s “must-see” attractions, but Florence’s position as a fifth fashion capital is anything but transitory. In an age that has championed consumer immediacy above all other attributes, it takes little scratching beneath the surface to uncover the visible cracks forming in fashion’s “see-now-buy-now” […]

Whether perusing the inside of a fresco-filled palace or visually absorbing the Uffizi’s jewel-toned artworks, there could be little doubt in the minds of visitors and locals that Florence is inherently brimming with colour. And yet, unlike the multi-hued terraces of Notting Hill or Montmartre’s pastel rue Cremieux, such vibrancy is seldom reflected in the […]

From eco-kidswear purveyors to long-treasured toymakers, these children’s boutiques seamlessly balance modern-day innovation and old-school charm.

In a city long celebrated for its inherent abundance of familial artisans—from multi-generational bookbinders to dexterous father-and-son marblers—it comes as little surprise that a new epoch of fratelli creativi is emerging with increasing vibrancy onto Florence’s independent-design industry. Equipped with a penchant for artistic innovation and holding court streets away from the city’s main tourist […]