THINGS TO DO

Manifattura Tabacchi gives guided tours of the Caveau

Explore the archive of the former tobacco factory. 

ART + CULTURE

The Tre Porte palace

Art Deco architecture and details make this landmark worth a visit.

ART + CULTURE

An international future lies ahead for Teatro della Signoria

The old Teatro Nazionale theatre is being given a new lease of life.

ART + CULTURE

The history (and future) of theaters in Florence

Entertaining the 30,000-plus tourists that come through Florence every day

ART + CULTURE

Viareggio Carnevale celebrates 150 years

Viareggio Carnevale is a multimillion euro enterprise. We go behind the scenes to see the floats in the making

ART + CULTURE

The queer history of Florence

During the Renaissance, the city was known for having a widespread culture of homosexuality.

ART + CULTURE

Galleria Romanelli: a visit to the past

When walking down the narrow street of borgo San Frediano with small shops on each side, it is easy to miss the beauty that is hiding in the shadows of ...

ART + CULTURE

Palazzo Budini Gattai: Waiting for love

Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai stands on a corner of the Santissima Annunziata square. And there's an incredible love story behind the partially open shutter.

ART + CULTURE

Gatecrashing: Florence’s old gates

My family have a framed map of Florence in the bathroom. I think my Dad gave it to me a few years ago, and I gratefully gave it back to ...

NEWS

New lighting for Florence’s monuments

The bronze David at piazzale Michelangelo, the Badia Fiorentina bell tower and the facade of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella all now boast new permanent lighting. The update was ...

THINGS TO DO

If Dante were here now: a self-guided tour of Florence

Retracing Dante’s steps means setting off on a unique journey into the art, history, culture and spirituality of Florence in the mid-1300s. In this self-guided tour of Dante’s Florence, we ...

ART + CULTURE

Permanence, functionality and delight in Florentine architecture

When thinking about three iconic Florentine buildings that best exemplify its architecture, these words come to mind, which were used by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius to set the standard ...

ART + CULTURE

Other bridges are available

Venice has the Rialto, Florence has the Ponte Vecchio. The bridge that famously survived the war is surely the sight most snapped in all the city. Yet perversely, of the ...

ART + CULTURE

Medici: The Magnificent Season Three | analysis

The series presents itself with enough historical truth to be just shy of historical fiction.

ART + CULTURE

Palazzo Tornabuoni: caring for centuries of cultural heritage

Italy’s only private residence club, Palazzo Tornabuoni, has made it its mission to conserve, restore and protect Florence’s cultural heritage. Once home to the Medici family, the private club honours ...

ART + CULTURE

The most feminine of cities

Florence has an immortal soul.

NEWS

Ramps revamped

The restoration of Giuseppe Poggi's ramps, which began in July 2018, proved to be one of the most complicated in the last 50 years in Florence.

ART + CULTURE

The US Consulate in Florence down the centuries

This year marks the bicentennial of U.S. diplomatic presence in Florence, making it the second oldest continuous U.S. diplomatic establishment in Italy—after Naples, where we set up shop in 1796. ...

ART + CULTURE

Catherine de’ Medici: hostess with the mostest

2019 has been hyped as the year of Leonardo, with initiatives planned to mark the 500th anniversary of his death. But the Renaissance man has some competition in Catherine de’ ...

ART + CULTURE

San Lorenzo Church in Florence

The Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the oldest churches in Florence, said to have been consecrated by St. Ambrose on Easter day, 393 CE, even though the building we see ...

ART + CULTURE

A short history of the tramvia in Florence

At 5.38am on July 16, a sleek silver tram set off on its full maiden voyage. It marked the inauguration of Florence’s new T1 Leonardo tramline, extending the service between ...

ART + CULTURE

The maverick’s ministry

It’s Orthodox Easter Sunday and a small group has gathered for a celebratory meal in Florence’s Swiss-owned “English” cemetery. Julia Bolton Holloway, the space’s longtime resident tenant, holds up a ...

ART + CULTURE

Fountains in Florence

Whether constructed to encourage respect for leaders, to celebrate a wedding or just to enhance a piazza, Florence’s eclectic collection of fountains has long been appreciated by residents and tourists ...

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