Our family loves the Montepulciano Mercatino di Natale (Christmas Market). We think it’s one of the best Christmas markets in Italy, and we gladly make the drive out to the Val d’Orcia to visit it. It’s not just a market for families, though. We always see plenty of couples and groups exploring the town, wandering
If you’re visiting Tuscany, you may not have ‘visiting a zoo’ at the top of your list. But, the Zoo di Pistoia (Pistoia Zoo – you’ll hear it called by both names) is a small, intimate zoo worthy of a visit. It makes a nice break from visiting Florence’s famous museums and stomping around the
EXPLORING THE PISTOIA ZOO (ZOO DI PISTOIA) – All You Need To Know For Your Visit Read More »
Sure, it’s not talked about like San Gimignano, Montepulciano, or other Tuscan villages, but the charming village of Cerreto Guidi has plenty to see for a couple of hours and is the home of one of my favorite restaurants in Tuscany. Where is Cerreto Guidi? Cerreto Guidi is a tiny village in Tuscany. It sits
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Montefioralle is officially one of Italy’s borghi piu belli (most beautiful villages) and if you have a chance to visit, I’m sure you’ll agree. Though it’s less than 30 kilometers from Florence, in the Chianti region, it seems like it’s in another world. Its stone buildings and cobblestone walkways are decorated with flowers, and it
MONTEFIORALLE – My Tips for Visiting the Bellissimo Borgo in Chianti Read More »
The Leonardo Interactive Museum in the historic center of Florence, Italy is a permanent exhibition (there are traveling exhibitions around the world). Leonardo – the Renaissance Man – was a painter, sculptor, inventor, architect, musician, and more. Leonardo’s museum in Florence contains wooden models of his inventions that you can interact with. In fact, the
LEONARDO DA VINCI MUSEUM (Florence) – Is It Worth a Visit? Read More »
The temperatures in Florence can get toasty in the summer! It’s not uncommon to see temperatures rise into the high 30’s and low 40’s (Celsius) – into the 100’s (Fahrenheit). Good To Know: An easy (but not exact) way to calculate Celsius to Fahrenheit is to double the Celsius and add 30. So, for example,
HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT IN FLORENCE – Surviving the Hot Summer Days Read More »
Italian Supermarkets– different types of supermarkets in Italy, important things to know about shopping, helpful tips, useful words and phrases for shopping at an Italian supermarket and more! Ah, grocery shopping in Italy. Is it really romantic like they show it in the films? Skipping along cobblestone streets, stopping in at the jolly bakery and
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You’ve climbed the Torre Grossa in San Gimignano, stared at Michelangelo’s David in Florence, and explored Siena’s contrade (neighborhoods). These places are gorgeous, interesting, and… full of visitors. If you’re looking to see a small Tuscan village (like you daydream about, or see in films), enter ‘San Donato in Poggio’ into your rental car’s GPS
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Florence can be HOT in the summer, so it’s nice to take a break and head to the beach. Are you ready to cool off and recharge but you’re not sure where to go? You’ve got plenty of options, depending on what type of beach experience you’re looking for and whether or not you have
12 BEACHES TO VISIT NEAR FLORENCE (+ Map, Transport, & a Local’s Tips) Read More »
Where to see the Art of Michelangelo in Florence.This was written in collaboration with Sashia Scalvini – see her bio at the end of the post. Michelangelo was an Italian Renaissance Man with a multitude of skills – he was an architect, a sculptor, a painter, and a poet. Born in Tuscany, Michelangelo spent his
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