Province of Florence

Greve in Chianti is a beautiful town located in a flat area among the Chianti hills in the province of Florence, which is about 30 km away. Greve in Chianti was born on the edge of the important communication networks that headed the via Volterrana and the via Francigena. Originally, in the 11th century, a small settlement was established on ...

Located along the road that connects Tavarnelle Val di Pesa to Castellina in Chianti and just 6 km from the splendid Badia a Passignano, San Donato in Poggio is located 418 meters above sea level immersed in the typical Chianti countryside made up of hills with olive groves and vineyards. San Donato in Poggio is a walled village of ancient ...

The small village of Tignano, located on a hill facing the medieval village of Barberino Val d’Elsa, is a small castle dating back to the Middle Ages. According to some studies it seems that its existence has been established since the year one thousand. Of its ancient structures, the circular medieval plan is recognizable. Inside the small village you enter ...

Written by Marco Ramerini. My friend Marcello Marcucci introduced me to a corner of our land that I did not know. With a splendid walk in the Chianti of almost 10 kilometers we crossed the area that is located between the provincial road 101, which connects San Donato to Castellina in Chianti, and the regional road 222, the Chiantigiana. This ...

To reach Badia a Passignano, from Florence take the SGC Firenze-Siena (this road starts from the Firenze-Impruneta exit (ex-Florence-Certosa) of the A1) towards Siena, exit at Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. After the exit, turn right and after about 100 meters, after crossing the bridge over the Pesa river, turn right. Then continue along this road until you start to see ...

Scarperia was founded in 1306 by the Republic of Florence, which decided to create a military outpost to guarantee connections from Florence to the north. The design of this new fortress was entrusted to the architect Andrea Pisano, it seems that he took part only in the construction of the palace-fortress seat of the vicars. The castle became the most ...

Florence is an absolute masterpiece of Renaissance art. The city is one of the most famous and known tourist destinations in the world. Here are unique masterpieces such as the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, built by Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi’s dome has been for hundreds of years the largest dome in the world, and has been surpassed only in modern times ...

The Medici Villas are among the most original architectural structures of the Italian Renaissance. These villas were built between the fifteenth and seventeenth century by the lords of Florence, the Medici. The Medici Villas represent a kind of new building for its time, which differed both from the typical farms from the stately castles. The Medici Villas are an example ...

What do you really expect from a vacation in Tuscany? Are you ready to discover a charming territory, the authentic aspect of this land? So, let us guide you through the real Tuscany and explore the countryside between Montaione and Castelfalfi, the enticing area surrounding Villa Ciggiano and the Castelfalfi golf club, the best course in this region. Let’s start ...

Certaldo is divided into an upper part, medieval, called Certaldo Alto, surrounded by fortified walls, and a modern part located in the valley below. The town is the birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio, and still retains its ancient part of the original medieval structure with the Praetorian Palace, monasteries, churches, towers and fortifications, characteristic of the village are the red brick ...

To reach the Pieve of Sant’Appiano from Barberino Val d’Elsa, coming from Tavarnelle Val di Pesa you through the entire village of Barberino and near the end of the village turn right towards Linari, after about one km, turn left to Sant’Appiano-Linari, still a 1 km and you reach the Pieve of Sant’Appiano. AN ANCIENT ROMANIC CHURCH IN VAL D’ELSA The ...

Barberino Val d’ Elsa is a fortified village situated on a hill over the Elsa River valley at 373 meters of height, the village lies half way between Florence and Siena in the north-western area of the Chianti hills. Barberino Val d’Elsa was founded by the Republic of Florence as a castle in a strategic position along the Via Cassia, ...

A few km from the Autosole A1 Valdarno exit, between Florence and Arezzo it is possible to admire an interesting erosive phenomenon known by the name of Balze. The Balze are one of the most beautiful and fascinating landscape aspects of the Valdarno. These strange natural formations can be seen in the municipalities of Terranova Bracciolini, Loro Ciuffenna, Castelfranco di ...

The Church of Santa Maria del Carmine was begun in 1268, and unfortunately damaged by fire in 1771. The interior has a nave, and was re-decorated in the eighteenth century after the fire. Fortunately the fire spared the absolute masterpiece of the church which requires anyone visiting Florence a visit to this church: the beautiful Brancacci Chapel, a masterpiece of ...

The great square on which overlooks the Basilica of Santa Croce is surrounded by some buildings of historical interest such as the Palace dell’Antella (seventeenth century) – with beautiful frescoes by Giovanni da San Giovanni and Filippo Napoletano – and the Palazzo Cocchi Serristori (XVI century) by Baccio d’Agnolo. Basilica of Santa Croce is the principal Franciscan church in Florence ...

Michelangelo Buonarroti’s Tomb is the work of Vasari (1570). The tomb is located at the beginning of the right nave of the church of Santa Croce, as soon as you cross the main door of the Basilica. Above the tomb there are three sculptures that represent the personifications of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. These figures appear saddened by the disappearance ...

The Vasari Corridor it’s a covered way which connects Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) to Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace), passing through the Galleria degli Uffizi (Gallery of the Uffizi) and crossing the River Arno above the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). The Corridoio Vasariano, more than one kilometer long and 3.50 mts large, was constructed, in only five months, by Giorgio Vasari ...

Among the statues present today in the Loggia della Signoria or dei Lanzi, the Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini is probably the most important and extraordinary work from an artistic and technical point of view. This statue is considered a masterpiece of Italian Mannerist sculpture and one of the most famous statues in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. The famous bronze ...

The Loggia della Signoria, also called Loggia dei Lanzi because of the guard of German mercenaries (lansquenets) who stood here in the sixteenth century, was built in the fourteenth century thanks to the work of Simone di Francesco Talenti, Lorenzo di Filippo and Benci di Cione. This structure was originally used to host indoor public popular assemblies and official ceremonies ...

The oldest monument in the Piazza del Duomo, is situated right in front of the facade of Florence Cathedral and is the Baptistery of Saint John. A first building was built already in the fifth or sixth century, this served as a baptistery and should already be octagonal as the present one. In the mid-eleventh century, the baptistery was reconstructed ...

Originally, in the area where it is today Orsanmichele was the oratory of San Michele in Orto, which was demolished in 1239. In its place, around 1290, Arnolfo di Cambio built a loggia for the sale of grain, then according to tradition the image of the Madonna painted on a pillar began to make miracles, and the place became a ...

The Galleria dell’Accademia (Gallery of the Academy of Florence), one of the most visited museums in Florence, is located on the premises of the fourteenth century Ospedale di San Matteo and the women’s monastery of S. Niccolò di Cafaggio. The gallery was founded in 1784 by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine as a teaching collection for students of the ...

Giotto’s bell tower is one of the most beautiful Italian bell towers. This structure is the bell tower of the Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The bell tower is detached to the right of the Duomo. This position represents the intention of the designer to highlight the importance of the bell tower compared to other surrounding buildings. The ...

Piazza della Signoria is an open-air museum which, at every step, offers glimpses and panoramas of particular beauty. In this square there are testimonies of a thriving past and architectural treasures of enormous value. Which, then, are found a bit all over Florence. Famous in the world since ancient times, and probably the most important cultural center in Italy. Cradle ...

Florence has not, unfortunately, a major international airport – as would be desirable given the tourist importance of Florence in the world – but only a small city airport. To reach the airport in Florence from intercontinental destinations you need to stop and change your flight, in European airports such as Paris, Rome, Munich or Frankfurt. Let’s see how to ...