Author: Lourdes Flores

I'm from California but have called Florence my home for over a decade. I love to explore Italy; it is a lot of fun to try to see everything like I'm seeing it for the first time, keeping you, our readers, always in mind. I enjoy sharing what I know and helping others as they make their travel plans for Tuscany through our Forum. If you have itinerary-related questions, please post them there and I'll answer!

Merry Christmas from the Duomo of Florence

December 20, 2016

Visit the monuments around the Duomo in Florence at reduced rates this whole Winter If you’re in Florence this winter, take advantage of this special deal: the Grande Museo del Duomo has launched for the first time ever a special deal for tickets purchased ONLINE for visits between December 21, 2016 and March 21, 2017…

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String City: 14 hours of music across Florence

December 1, 2016

On one day only, this Saturday, December 3rd, the city will become the setting for string musical concerts, the first edition of the String City festival. From the Niccolini theater to the Marino Marini museum to the ex-prison Le Murate, the 40 concerts will bring guests to many cultural locations generally off-the-beaten path, as well…

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Contemporary Art in Florence this December

If you’re looking for a bit of contemporary art in Florence during your visit this December, look no further than the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Strozzi and the Museo Novecento! The city of Florence is an open air museum and most of the art and masterpieces date back centuries. But in an attempt to ever be…

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McDonald’s Sues the city of Florence

November 9, 2016

So imagine this now: McDonald’s is suing Florence for €18 million after it was blocked from opening a restaurant on one of the Italian city’s most historic piazzas, Piazza del Duomo! The bid was stopped in June, then upheld by a technical panel in charge of preserving the city’s ancient character. The historical center of…

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Ai Weiwei at Palazzo Strozzi

November 1, 2016

Ai Weiwei: Libero (Free) Palazzo Strozzi, September 23, 2016 – January 22, 2017 This is Italy’s first major retrospective exhibit dedicated to one of the world’s most celebrated and influential contemporary artists, Ai Weiwei. Showcasing both old and new works, the exhibit includes monumental installations (just head to the outside of Palazzo Strozzi to see…

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Remembering the Flood of 1966

October 27, 2016

The entire region of Tuscany is celebrating the 50th anniversary this year of the last terrible flood that hit Florence on the night between November 3 and 4, 1966 and devastated the city, from centuries-old homes and palazzi to masterpieces of artwork. Special exhibitions to commemorate the anniversary as well as conferences, processions, tours and…

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A burger for Amatrice… and a new Veggie Menu at the Hard Rock Cafe

October 24, 2016

While the Hard Rock Cafe is not your traditional trattoria or restaurant in Florence, we often end up recommending it to lots of travelers who are seeking a pace of change from pasta or pizza during their trips in Italy. While their specialties are American style dishes, and in particular, burgers, it is interesting to…

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Explore the new Botticelli rooms at the Uffizi

October 20, 2016

The latest rooms to be reopened at the Uffizi Gallery this past week are the Botticelli rooms and rooms dedicated to the Early Renaissance – and we are super excited to see the changes! First, as you might all already know, the Uffizi Gallery is the most visited museum in all of Italy and it…

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Explore the Bargello and Medici Chapels

October 13, 2016

This October, you can continue to enjoy the special guided visits offered every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Bargello and Medici Chapels. The itineraries focus on unusual aspects or lesser-known works within the two museum’s collections. These visits are perfect not just for adults, but for families with kids as well.

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Ardengo Soffici at the Uffizi Gallery

October 10, 2016

Discoveries and Massacres: Ardengo Soffici and the Avant-Gardes in Florences Uffizi Gallery, September 27, 2016 – January 8, 2017 Most people will never have heard of Ardengo Soffici unless you’re in the art world in one way or another. Soffici was a Tuscan painter and intellectual from the early 20th century. He was an art…

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