LIGHT MODE
DARK MODE
To say that the Polo Universitario Città di Prato (PIN) is a satellite campus of the University of Florence seems reductive, but it is the most immediate way to label this innovative educational structure. In truth, with more research labs than degree courses, PIN is a small university that,
As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Florence and the region of Tuscany have long had a ‘European calling.’ For this reason, Florence was chosen as the home of the European University Institute (EUI), which studies the activities and development of the European Union (EU). Now, Florence has
Florence is known for its traditional artisans who work leather, paper, and other materials—many of whom we have ‘met’ on the pages of The Florentine. Today, however, there’s a new type of nontraditional artisan whose tools include lasers and 3D printers. They’re
Italy is struggling with one of the most difficult recessions in the last 50 years. Unemployment has peaked at 11 percent, with youth and women, especially in the south, suffering the most from the stagnant economy and lack of jobs. But what about the almost 5 million foreign-born residents,
The Internet and the new interpretation of freedom of speech it offers has long been causing headaches to many different members of global society: governments, businesses and individuals. However, many are now learning to manage it rather than fight it. With some surprising results. Two years ago, TripAdvisor was
There are many students arriving this September anxious to explore a new city, culture, and nightlife options. But how many of them have considered the economic and cultural impact of their three- or four-month stay in Florence? Study abroad is an extended form of cultural tourism that, beyond personal
Sometimes the best innovation is right under our noses and we just need help seeing it. At a time when economists are desperately searching for sustainable business models that go ...
By now it's understood that if Italy's economy is going to have any kind of future, we have to make some pretty giant leaps in terms of digital acceptance, appreciation and infrastructure. The statistics speak loud and clear. We need to go digital, and we need to do
What would you say if a multinational company offered you a 60-million-euro investment when your country was on the brink of financial disaster? Pisa, despite being in Tuscany and being quite famous, is rather the forgotten corner of the region. It boasts an international airport (often inappropriately called ?
Recently, when I was in the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio for TEDx Florence, I realized that it had been nearly 1,000 days since my last visit to this marvellous place. I also realized that the theme of the conference, Innovation and Optimism, perfectly reflected my own thoughts
Although the peak wedding season is now over, an upcoming trade fair in Florence will keep brides-to-be, whether foreign or native, shopping around for wedding-related products and services the whole year long. At the Fortezza da Basso from October 29 to November 6, 2011, the Tutto Sposi
The next time you are on Google Maps, look at Italy in its entirety. You will notice that Florence is equidistant from the country's two largest cities, Milan and Rome. Then look at the geography of Italy and note that Florence is nestled just inside the great Apennine mountain
Once the Italians were the ones leaving home and arriving on someone else's shores, but now Italy is a major host country to the new immigrant populations. In the late 1800s, just around the time that Garibaldi was ‘inventing' Italy, Italians were the one of the world's
The Information Technology and Computer Aided Mapping knowledge centre, Itaca-M, the first of its kind in Italy, is housed at the University of Florence, uniting university professors and Google experts in creating innovative digital applications for the public sector. What might sound to some like an oxymoron-'
Never has Florence or Tuscany had to deal with the competition that it is facing today as new tourism markets open up on an almost daily basis: China; the ...
While some dream of a white Christmas (could this year be the year?), at this time of year the Italians look to the heavens for other reasons. Since late ...
?Give me a ring and tell me where you are.’ ?What time did you get there?’ ?Who’s there with you?’ All these phrases are destined to the fate of the ...
They are hanging in there, but Florentine markets are fighting the recession, too. They are a mainstay of the local economy, and in these dismal times, even these apparently thriving marketplaces are feeling the same pinch that other commercial enterprises know too well. The principal Florentine street markets are
Seen some long faces on Italian teens (and their parents) recently? Summer's the season when young students all over Italy learn the hard lesson of ?too little, too late.' At the end of each year, high school students (aged 14 and over) are promossi (permitted to pass to the
These days, Tuscany is everything but flexible in its effort to pull the local economy out of the doldrums. Traditional manufacturing sectors are on their knees, and the mainstays of the Tuscan economy, especially tourism, are suffering. Tourism has been hit with both the recent crisis of the American dollar
Florence's tradition of tripe dates as far back as the 1400s, and in 2010, it's still a growing industry. Everyone has seen the mobile kiosks in Florence's streets and piazzas advertising trippa and lampredotto in large, bold lettering. The number of these stands, collectively known as
The Tuscan economy is hurting, and it's hurting bad. Given, these days nearly every sector and industry in every country is in pain. But Tuscany has its very own personal agony. Why are things so bad for the region economically? The global economic crisis doesn't help, but
Social media used to make a statement, to observe and listen to the reaction, and re-qualify the original statement? Astounding change. There is no way that the ...
If you've been living in (or returning to) Florence for a while, you may have noticed that stores here have a way of disappearing practically overnight. One day you go out to get your carton of eggs where you've always bought your eggs, and instead of the friendly
