Florence is the Next Florence – again! (still)
The folks at The Florentine English newspaper asked me to reduce my summary of Giuliano da Empoli’s document  to 1000 words (and to remove the personal commentary …

This is the Grand Prize winning essay in the arttrav writing contest. The author is Mari Punakivi who resides in Sweden. I love the way she weaves in art historical information with personal experience. The professor in …

Last week, Giuliano da Empoli published the draft of a document called “Florence is the Next Florence: a strategy for contemporary art and culture in Florence” on the BarCamp website. In the spirit of crowdsourcing, …

My friend Alberto at the Together Restaurant just told me about the SUNDAY BRUNCH events that he’s starting this week at Together Florence Inn, a modern hotel in Bagno a Ripoli.
Starting this Sunday October 4 2009, a …

September 25-27 2009: At this year’s Florence wine event, Italian and Tuscan wine companies will be presenting their wines such as Chianti, Bolgheri, Brunello, Nobile and the whites from the north. These wines will be …

Finally some good news to balance out yesterday’s bad news about the Uffizi. The museum at the top of Orsanmichele – that contains the restored original statues from the outside of this building – is …

I just got my amici degli uffizi members newsletter and read that the Tribuna will be closing for restoration. I confirmed this information from the Uffizi press office. 
The Tribune is the nucleus of the Uffizi …

The Province of Florence is offering guided visits of some of Fiesole’s private gardens on Thursdays in September and October 2009. The cost is 5 euros per person, 3 euros for kids, kids under 6 free.
Reservations have …

The constant question “what’s the best gelateria in Florence” has a new entry- Le Parigine on via dei’ Servi.
On a touristy street a stone’s throw from the Duomo is this recently opened retro-styled artisanal ice …

Here’s a funny sign in piazza Strozzi, on corner of building right above the used book vendor cart. It’s dated 1762.
Here is the Italian transcription – English translation below:
Gl’Ill.mi SS. Capitani di Parte della Citta’ …

I was in piazza Strozzi in Florence last night and saw this new public sculpture (at least, I guess that’s what it is intended to be) with no sign. Apparently, we are to guess… “what …

(italiano sotto)
 

Public service notice of relevance to tourists too! On Saturday September 12, we can all participate in cleaning up Florence with our own broom. Apparently the idea was proposed to our mayor Matteo Renzi by …