After a morning of exploring Florence one of your most tantalizing decisions will be where to grab a bite to eat? As you explore the various corners in Florence you will find numerous ‘Ristoranti and Pizzeria” from which to choose. These Ristorantes are in the Piazza della Signoria. One may Read more…
Florence 1401, a competition was announced to design the baptistry North Doors. Seven sculptors competed, including Lorenzo Ghiberti, Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello and Jacopo della Quercia, with 21-year old Ghiberti winning the commission. At the time of judging, only Ghiberti and Brunelleschi were finalists, and when the judges could not decide, Read more…
Volterra is an Etruscan city of great architectural interest. Built on a high plateau, 1770 feet above sea level between the Rivers of Bra and Cecina, there are spectacular views of the surrounding hills. Enclosed by yellowy-gray volcanic hills, it has a bleak and isolated appearance. In the Etruscan period, Read more…
Firenze’s recorded history began with the establishment in 59 BC of a settlement for Roman former soldiers, with the name Florentia. Julius Caesar had allocated the fertile soil of the valley of the Arno to his veterans. They built a castrum in a chessboard pattern of an army camp, with Read more…
San Miniato sits at a historically strategic location atop three small hills where it dominates the lower Arno Valley between Florence and Pisa. Evidence indicates that the site of the city and surrounding area has been settled since at least the Paleolithic era. It would have been well-known to the Read more…