Weekend in Italy

Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan has opened reservations for December today! Don’t miss the unique oportunity to visit one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of art, located in the refectory of the 15th century Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, so highly requested that tickets are already getting sold out.

In Florence, LAST CHANCE to visit the Vasari Corridor. The corridor will be closed from the end of this year a major restoration work scheduled to last about 3 years. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to view Florence and its artistic pleasures on this exclusive aerial way, thought to allow the granduques to move in safety without escorts, from their private residence to the government palace, and was a prestigious reason for the Medici. It contains now a collection of portraits and important collections of paintings of the 17th and 18th Centuries.

In addition, Florence state museums will be opening the 2010 reservations next Monday November 16th. Please remember early booking avoids you finding sold out dates and gives you higher chances of getting the exact time you wish, so you can perfectly program your schedule while in Italy. State museums include the Uffizi and the Accademia Galleries, and Palazzo Pitti with all its galleries and gardens.

Summer has just ended and with it is coming the last chance to join the so-called high-season services. If you are coming to Italy before middle Autumn, here is a list of charming services you might enjoy joining, not available in low season:

In Rome, available until the end of October: book a guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel; another version of the tour includes also the visit to Saint Peter’s Basilica. If you prefer an open air tour, you can choose our Historical Walk to Baroque Rome, that will show you the legendary Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, or Historical Walk to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, (the political, military, and civic center of the Roman Empire), as well as the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Constantine.

In Florence, available until the end of November, you can experience the real Italian cuisine: Cooking hand-made fresh pasta following ancient Italian traditions, both using a rolling pin and a pasta machine,  followed by lunch with the dishes you have prepared, accompanied by a good Tuscan wine. Also for Italian food lovers, the Medieval Florence Gastronomic tour, until October 31st: discover the part of the historical center where it is still possible to imagine the life of Florence in the fourteenth century with the kiosks selling the old and tasty “street food”, like “trippa” and “lampredotto”, “panino con il Peposo”, “crostini fiorentini”, “pappa al pomodoro”,  “ribollita” and “coccoli fritti”.

And, for those of you willing to take advantage of the last warm days of the year, available until the end of October the Panoramic trekking in Florence: wear a comfortable pair of shoes and discover the city from another point of view! A local guide will take you along routes unbeaten by mass tourism among the green of the hill that is closer to the historical center. It is a walk in contact with the art, history and nature of Florence enjoying a wonderful and unforgettable view of the city.

The highlight of the tour is to visit a traditional chocolate maker and taste the different flavors (Bitterness, acidity, sweetness, astringency and saltiness) exalted by different Italian wines… to delight your palates to the fullest! Inclusions: Chocolate “carre Criollo”, chocolate with 65% of pure cocoa, dark cremino with hazelnut, vanilla and cream pralina ganache accompanied by Vin Santo di Sticciano, chocolate and hazelnut cantuccino biscuit, cane sugar biscuit, filled chocolate with giunduia cream, plain chocolate with 85% of pure cocoa accompanied by Barolo Chinato, different creams with chocolate and fruit, Panforte and Panpepato accompanied with Prosecco della Valdobbiadene. You can join here!

The exhibition displays, for the first time, the results of the most recent archaeological researches, performed by international teams and by the Florence University mission for more than 20 years in Jordan in Petra and Shawbak sites, one of the most important historic areas in the world, scenery of extraordinary discoveries in the last 15 years.

Here you can book your tickets for the exhibition and the Boboli gardens

The exhibition, named after Ferdinando I’s personal saying (maiestate tantum), focuses on two emblematic events, both linked to the dinasty affirmation policy followed by Ferdinando: the wedding with Cristina di Lorena, belonging to the France royal family, and the precious altar-ciborium for the family mausoleum, the princes’ chapel, chosen for the exhibition.

From May 2nd 2009 to November 1st 2009 in Florence

http://en.firenze.waf.it/museo_dett/27-state-museums/121-medici-chapels.html

Florence, during the last Christmas holidays, was one of the most crowded destinations, confirming what anticipated by IlSole24ore about Florence as ideal city where everybody would love living.

The most visited museums in Florence have always been the Uffizi, the Accademia Gallery and the Bargello, but in the last years Palazzo Vecchio has had an important increase of visitors. In the first days of January, more that 50% visitors more than last year have entered the Palace: 7385 during the first days of 2009 against 4865 on 2008.

This important result is due to a higher coverage of the staff and a bigger diffusion about museums openings, in order to have a shorter line at entrance (thanks also to the possibility of purchasing by internet the museum tickets) . In addition, Palazzo Vecchio was one of the municipal museums open on January 5th, opposite to state museums in Florence.

In the last years, Palazzo Vecchio is standing out for the excellent job they are doing on guided visits and specific workshops and itineraries, many of which thought for children too: Museo dei Ragazzi, in fact, offers visits for children with entertainers, puppets, treasure hunt and play activities. And more activities are being created to promote one of the most fascinating monuments in Florence.

For example, it is being discussed about inserting in the Room of Cinquecento some panels telling the story of the Anghiari’s battle.  Coming soon also the guided visits to the communication trenchs.

Book the Secret Passages of Palazzo Vecchio.

This is the favorite period of the shopaholics: end of season sales!

Many shopping lovers anxiously wait for this moment of the year to make their purchases, perfectly knowing the sales calendar (varying from region to region). After Christmas time, everybody knows Epiphany is the sales starter.

The outlet, “discount shops” for shop addicted, are full of clients and curious strolling along shops.

Tuscany is one of the favorite destinations for shopping lovers, as it is full of outlets: Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, the majestic The Mall with shops by Gucci, La Perla,  Loro Piana, Marni, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sergio Rossi, Tod’s, Valentino e Yves Saint Laurent.

Book nowthe Tuscany outlet tour, allowing you to visit in a single day the most important outlets around Florence

2009 begins with a surprise: a nice long weekend to spend in an Italian art city (Rome, Venice, Naples, Florence)

In fact, the Epiphany (January 6th) is on Tuesday, so taking holidays on Monday you can have 4 days for a cultural mini-vacation.

Where shall you go?

A good idea would be the long weekend in Tuscany, especially in Florence, where on January 6th is program a huge costume event.

Piazza del Duomo in Florence will be the scnenery of a historical commemoration: the Florentine Feast, with the Wise Men Ride using Renaissance costumes, as represented by Benozzo Gozzoli in the Cappella dei Magi in Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

In addition to the walk-ons of the Historical Procession of the Florence Republic, we will find the official flag-wavers: the Uffizi’s flag-wavers, performing the flag-waving for more than 40 minutes. A not to miss show for adults and children.

If you are planning to make the Christmas Holidays in Florence and you want to visit twoof the most famous museums in the world, named the Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor, this is a not to miss oportunity.

Don’t worry about long lines and opening times of the Uffizi Gallery during Christmas holidays. Book an exclusive visit, just for you!

There are still some places available for the guided visit, a visit thought for small groups (6 people minimum) with a professional guide in Italian or English, to visit both the Uffizi and the Vasaro Corridor. Useless mentioning the quantity of masterpieces inside the Uffizi Museum, they are well known: from Botticelli to Leonardo da Vinci, from Raphael to Michelangelo and Giotto…it is more difficult knowing what hides inside the Vasari Corridor, as it is closed most of the time and hard to visit.

This is why it is a special occasion to do so, choosing the time you prefer!

Thursday December 30th 2008 at 10:30

Saturday January 4th 2009 at 10:30

Tuesday January 6th 2009 at 10:30

book your places for the guided visit to the Uffizi and the Vasari Corridor

One of the most important art cities for Christmas and New Year Holidays is certainly Florence. The richness of artistic teasures inside its museums, the beauty of the city, and the good cuisine, attract thousands of people  for the holidays.

One of the most famous and photographed paaces in Florence is Palazzo della Signoria, also known as Palazzo Vecchio. An imponent and majestic Medicean fortress, symbol of the power of Florence rulers, starting from the Medici family.

But not everybody knows that Palazzo Vecchio is a huge museum with itineraries and visits for adults and families.

The Quartieri Monumentali of the palace, the secret passages, the visit with an exceptional guide: Vasari, the private audience with Cosimo I de’ Medici or his wife, Eleonora di Toledo, are just some of the many possibilities offered by the museums of Palazzo Vecchio.

Guided visits of about an hour, taking place also for Christmas and holidays, allow visitors to dive into ancient Florence between intrigues and secrets of the most famous court during the Renaissance.

Special itineraries for the families: guided visits to show Palazzo Vecchio to kids from 4 to 8 years old, from 8 to 10 years old, and from 10 to 18 years old.

Not to miss: the secret passages, when you can discover hidden passages and doors behind a painting, or the recent discovery of Roman Florence, where once was the Temple.

For more details about the secret passages>>