With these top tips for a trip to Florence, María Castellarosa helps you prepare for the holiday of a lifetime in one of Northern Italy’s most beloved cities. Florence is often called the ‘golden age city’ – and for good reason. What makes it my favourite is its stunning Renaissance cathedrals, elegant buildings, and charming […]
A painting often really does speak a thousand words and in this one, we get to dive into the mystical world of Dante Inside the cathedral in Florence, just before the presbytery, on the left aisle wall, there is a painting of Dante (1265-1321). It is a wonderful visual biography of this much-loved national icon. […]
Amanda Robinson shares her pick of the best places to eat and stay in Florence – plus a few special spots to visit on your next trip to this Renaissance treasure… Photos by Amanda Robinson & Lungarno Collection What to see & do Piazza del Duomo The complex of Santa Maria del Fiore is the […]
Staying in the heart of Renaissance Florence, by its oldest bridge, it’s easy to immerse yourself in the city’s magnificent heritage, says Amanda Robinson Photos by Amanda Robinson and Lungarno Collection Once the only Florentine bridge across the River Arno, built at the river’s narrowest point, the Ponte Vecchio is made of stern stuff […]
Florence’s Piazza della Signoria is named after its palazzo, which is now also known as the Palazzo Vecchio Photo by Getty Images The Duomo may be the more famous Florence landmark, but the Piazza della Signoria has at least as much historical importance to the city. The Signoria was the government of Florence at the […]
Jane Keightley stays at atmospheric Casa Guidi, the Florence apartment that Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett called home Photos by Jane Keightley Ever since my first trip to Florence I had always wanted to look around Casa Guidi, the home of the poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband Robert. I was now getting the chance […]
If you love opera, where better to hear it than in Tuscany? All summer long, you can enjoy beautiful music in lovely Tuscan locales. From great accommodation to top spots for food and drink, Adrian Mourby’s guide is your perfect travel companion Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby Where to stay Nido D’Amore Butterfly Hotel The Love Nest […]
There are many ways to see Italy, but surely one of the most unique has to be by steam train. Mark Nicholls enjoys a nostalgic steam train tour across the Apennines from Rimini to Florence, then to Siena, Pisa – and Pistoia, the home of Italian steam. The air dances, black smoke drifting on the […]
Incase you can’t decide on your ideal Italian city to settle in – we have made a list of the top cities for you to make the choice a bit clearer. 1. Rome – population 2,850,000 Italy’s brash, loud, vibrant capital is a confident, thick-skinned place, secure in its achievements and completely unsurprised to receive […]
Italy has a bounty of jewel-like cities – small-sized, liveable and packed with beautiful buildings. They make excellent places to buy a home, offering easy holidaymaking and superb rental returns, says Fleur Kinson. As if it weren’t enough to have heart-meltingly lovely countryside, celestial mountains and a glorious coastline, Italy also manages to squeeze in […]