Florence things to do – Florence monuments

Florence tours


Cathedral, Baptistry and Campanile

The Cathedral complex, called Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, includes Baptistry and Giotto’s Campanile, began in 1296 designed of Arnolfo di Cambio (Gothic style) and completed with the dome of Filippo Brunelleschi. Today the three buildings are part of UNESCO and are a major actraction tourists visiting Tuscany region.

The Uffizi
The palace is one the oldest and most famous art museums of the world. The Uffizi was begun by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 at the request of Cosimo I De medici. It was completed in 1581 with intervention of Giorgio Vasari, Alfonso Parigi and Bernardo Buontalenti.
The museum contains works of artists Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raffaello, Rembrandt etc..

Boboli gardens and Pitti Palace
The Boboli Garden iso ne of the most elegant and largest italian gardens through several stages of resctructuring work and anlargement carried out at different time. The initial plan was drawn by Niccolò Tribolo, the work was completed by other architects including Vasari, Ammannati and Buontalenti.
Palazzo Pitti, probably designed by Brunelleschi in 1457, is the most imposing palaces in Firenze. The only decorative elements, on its almost severe facade, are the two crowned heads of lions.
The palace houses now is the Palatine Gallery, the Museum of Silveware and Moderh Art Gallery is the second museum in the city and contains many works of artists like Raphael, Filippo Lippi, Tizian, Caravaggio, Rubens and others.

Viareggio Carnival, let’s go!

Are you ready? This February, like every year, Viareggio is ready to give you his best welcome thanks to one of the most popular carnival of the world! Viareggio Carnival.

Every year for 133 years, this has been a main draw for locals and tourists alike. It is a three week festival that is a gala time for partying n February. The streets are filled with floats during the time and parades are held about 5 times over the period. Masked people and bands play throughout. The tradition started in 1873, and was originally a tax protest by citizens, but then what really happened, but to turn it into a festival later.

Cave of Wind – Grotta del Vento

Grotta del Vento
Cave of Wind - Grotta del Vento

It is close by the town and promoted in all the literature to go there. It is a cave, like many others. Open mostly during the peak tour season. It is called Cave of the Winds because of two entrances that allow the wind to come through and make howling wind noise. The caves ere formed after millions of years of siltation in the Tyreann SEa, and then 20 million years ago the ground rose up and the openings resulted from water erosion.
The entrance is about 1900 feet above sea level height. The cave was discovered in the 17th century, but exploration did not occur until late 1800’s. There is around 2 miles of caves that can be walked. The cost is 5 Euro one hour and 10 Euro for two hours.

Lucca Walls

Lucca Walls

Walking around Lucca Walls

The must see activity by definition in Lucca is a walk along the city walls. Built in Medieval Age and then upgraded in Renaissance, are one of the three examples of complete walking walls in the world (Carcassone and Avila the others, I think).
The Walls surround all the old town and, except for police, they are car-free; so people are used to have walk, take out dogs, do jogging or cycling in every moment of the day and in every season.
The walk along the Walls it’s about four kilometers long and about every 500 mt there is a fortified construction that is now used for one of the many association in town.
There are 6 main fortified gates to enter in old town; beside these there are many more small entrances called “sortite” that allow to reach more quickly the centre from a lot of spots (parkings, hotels, station…). Often these entrances let you admire the Walls from inside, but sometimes are not very well-kept; however always “different” from anything you’ve ever see.

Tuscany wine tasting tours

Tuscan wine cellar
Tuscan wine cellar

A magic tuscany winery tour…why not?
On leaving Florence, following the Chianti road, we can find many medieval villages.
The first is Verrazzano with its beautiful old castle, the second is Greve in Chianti with its small centre famous for ancient wine cellars.
Continuing the tour, we find Radda in Chianti, famous for  label called “Gallo Nero”. In a south west of Radda, from the top of gently hill, Castellina dominates an ancient holiday town; on the other side of the hill there are San Gimignano and Monteriggioni, two town of extra-ordinary beauty!
In these areas is possible to vsit many farms as Dievole, Verrazzano, Montagliari and many other.