The city of Siena hosts Divine Beauty: Discovering Siena from July 24 to September 30, a sensory experience in five acts that traces the history of the city and its famous cathedral. Designed to offer visitors a deeper understanding of the city’s history and people, the project uses video-mapping to bring Siena’s Duomo and its …

Christie Ann Barakat When in Florence or, more generally, in Italy, ignore any faint echoes of the American mantra, “the customer is always right.” Fail to and you’ll find yourself disgruntled by what most Americans would consider obvious breaches of sales etiquette. If you implore, “But what about customer service?” expect a long pause and …

Bottles simply labeled as Chianti (as in the photo) are made from a mix grapes from several regions in the Chianti region. The main difference with generic Chianti and the rest, is that the minimum percentage of Sangiovese allowed is 75%, with the rules permitting white grapes to be blended in. Adding white grapes to …

Researchers at the University of Florence have recently determined that Palazzo Pitti was equipped with an “air conditioning” system to make the sultry summer days more bearable for the Medici. The results of the study conducted by a team of of engineering and architecture experts of the University of Florence revealed that the fresh air …

The Gagliardi Contemporary Art Gallery is presenting the solo exhibition Pilgrims, Travelers, Wayfarer by sculptor Sergio Zanni. The exhibit, which was inaugurated on July 2 and will be on display until the end of the month, focuses on the figure of the pilgrim. Curated by Elisabetta Pozzetti, the showcase consists of 16 terracotta sculptures (one …

Aperitivo, club house music, and a fantastic view on Florence every day of the week. These are the main ‘ingredients’ of the Flo club, located on a terrace next to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The program of the week is the following: Monday: LATIN FLO’ Latin and Caribbean dances, cuban and Portorican salsa, merengue, samba and …

After 18 months of restoration, Filippo Lippi’s painting known as The Martelli Annunciation is back on display at the San Lorenzo Church. The restoration was made possible by the nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Florence’s history Friends of Florence and by the work of Lucia Biondi (painting), Roberto Buda (wooden supports) and project manager Monica …

San Gimignano ‘artisan of ice-cream’ Sergio Dondoli was awarded last month with the prize of Master of Art and Craft. Dondoli received the prestigious acknowledgment in Milan from the hands of President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella. The MAM prize, which is promoted by the Cologni Foundation of Craftmanship, is given every three years …

The Bargello and the Medici Chapels museums are offering guided tours conducted by English and Italian speaking academics throughout the whole summer. Guided tours are available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The English speaking tours are scheduled at 3 p.m., whilst the Italian tours at 4 p.m.. Admission is free as long you have a …

The Florence City Council is considering to build a terrace where a stretch of embankment collapsed last May due to the failure of two large water supply pipes. The idea is that of leaving the embank and using it as a panoramic terrace with a view on the Ponte Vecchio. The works to restore the …