A 16th-century painting of a nude Mona Lisa formerly ascribed to Leonardo Da Vinci will go on show for the first time on Saturday as part of a extensive new exhibition opening near Florence. Over 5,000 works inspired by the master Mona Lisa including paintings, sculpts, engravings and new media figures crossing five centuries will get on exhibit at the Museo Ideale in Leonardo’s hometown of Vinci for the exhibit, the greatest ever held on the mystifying muse. Experts have succeeded in demonstrating that the nude Mona Lisa once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte’s uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch (1763-1839) – a major collector who also owned Leonardo’s painting of St Jerome now in the Vatican Museums. A different nude will also go on exhibit but investigations into its history are going forward.Curated by Agnese Sabato and Alessandro Vezzosi under the superintendence of the world’s top Leonardo expert Carlo Pedretti, the exhibition will also disclose the latest outstanding scientific data from experts searching the original Mona Lisa domiciliated in the Louvre in Paris.
Planning a trip to Florence is without doubt a smart decision, and while you stay there, you’re sure to spend a lot of time “on the walk”. But, when you need a rest you want to find a cozy place where they treat you like a special guest of the city. So, grab a pen and paper and take a note as we tip-check our Top 5 Florence Luxury Hotels.
1 – WESTIN EXCELSIOR
Located at the core of the city, this luxurious establishment provides easy access to places such as St. Maria Novella’s Church, the Statue of the David, the Via Della Scala, and Piazza del Duomo, among many interesting galleries, museums and other touristic attractions.
Tuscany is the best popular tourist destination in Italy and also in Europe. The Tuscany Villas provide an excellent way to discover why many tourists visit Italy. Tuscany rentals are huge business in Italy. Since time immemorial, people have been visiting Tuscany. It is a fascinating region with cities like, Florence, Pisa, and Cortona that have unique traditions and cultures. It has superb villas that holiday makers rent. Some common places in Tuscany include Siena, Arezzo, Florence and Lucca.
To celebrate the 400th Medici grand duke’s anniversary, Florence will host in the next days the following art exhibitions:
- Medici Chapels: show on life and times of Ferdinando I de’ Medici, powerful third grand duke of Tuscany, (1549-1609), marking 400th anniversary of his death; until November 1.
- Bargello: Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Living Marbles; until July 12.
- Palazzo Strozzi: Galileo show marking 400th anniversary of his first observations of the night sky; 250 exhibits including the middle finger from Galileo’s right hand; This 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of the telescope for astronomy is part of the justification for choosing this year as the International Year of Astronomy; until August 30.
One of the most artistically jewels in the world, Florence, Italy is the ideal holiday for anyone who values art, architecture and culture. Even now, centuries past the Italian Renaissance, it’s the Tuscany region of Italy, and Florence generally, where art is at it’s best. For that reason, many of the top 10 travel attractions in Florence, Italy are established in the sometimes epic, occasionally harmful, but always visually stupefying and amazing artworks of Italy’s top-quality artists.
1.) The Galleria degli Uffizi
Looking for that dream vacation? The getaway that is more romantic than the movies and perfect for you and your lover or even the entire family? Then you definitely need to look into booking a vacation to Tuscany. Tuscany villa rentals can be the ideal trip for anyone, no matter the size of your group or your budget. Le Torri is a vacation rental company that specializes in villas in Tuscany. They offer idyllic apartment rentals that allow you to experience that wonderful cottage lifestyle. Forget the hustle and bustle of overpriced and cookie cutter mega-resorts and take a stroll off the beaten path with a Tuscany Villa.
Looking for the perfect luxury hotel in Florence can be quite time consuming and stressful. Luckily there are a few options that will provide you with the most relaxing, romantic and luxury holidays in Italy than you could have ever imagined. One of your best options is the Lungarno Hotel in Florence. The hotel, as the name suggests, is located right along the bank of the Arno River between Ponte Vecchio and Ponte S. Trinita. The location is astounding in terms of the few and the proximity to some of the best shopping within all of Tuscany and Italy. Since 1998 the Lungarno Hotel Florence become part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Florence, Italy offers many exquisite dining facilities, as well as a host of authentic Italian accommodations and sights. Finding Florence restaurants that cater to every taste, while still offering an ancient feel while dining is not as difficult as it seems. The Trattoria Wine-Bar Il Porcospino alle Cappelle Medicee, located in the S. Lorenzo neighborhood is situated on the ground floor of the Benci Palace which was built during the sixteenth century. A wonderfully antique atmosphere in which diners can feast on authentic Italian cuisine. Tuscany tradition is virtually everywhere in this Florence wine-bar and restaurant. Florence, Italy dining immediately brings with it thoughts of savory dishes with an explosion of taste.
Florence, Italy has long been a favorite vacation destination. From the historical sights to the scrumptious Italian cuisine, visiting Florence offers many exciting thrills. Finding a Florence residence during your stay may seem like quite a quest, but it is actually simpler than you may think. Panella’s Residence in Florence offers a wonderful Florence accommodation in a quaint and traditional Italian setting. located on an ancient street in the famous Santa Croce district, this lovely Florence holiday accommodation offers many amenities that will make your visit to Italy one to fondly remember. From shopping to dining, you will soon find that there is a world of things to explore in this beautiful district.
The district called ‘Oltrarno’ in Florence means ‘across the Arno’, and living on the south bank of the river was once considered inferior. Here lived people who did not have sufficient wealth to build a palace within the centre of Florence. That stigma did not change until the house-hold of the Medici Grand Dukes moved to Oltrarno in 1550. The Palazzo Pitti became the base from which Tuscany was ruled for the next 300 years. Eleonora di Toledo, the Spanish wife of Cosimo I, purchased the Palazzo Pitti in 1549. Suffering from a wasting disease, perhaps malaria or tuberculosis, Eleonora persuaded Cosimo that her health might well improve if they lived in the relatively rural setting of Oltrarno.
“Villa Palandri”, located nearby Greve in Chianti (Florence), is the headquarters of the “Museum of the Florentine Peasant Culture”. In extending a warm welcome to its visitors, “Villa Palandri” would like to share some historical information pertaining to the property. History tells us that in 15th century these Tuscany villas were the property of the Palandri Family. It was later bought by the Medici family, cousins of the reigniting Grand Duchy at that time. It then remained in the Medici family for 4 centuries.
A trip to Italy does not stop with a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. One must soak in all that Tuscany has to offer in terms of scenery, food and wine. Ristorante Buca Mario is framed for the latter. Ribollita and soup were served along with wine in the Pallazzo Niccolini’s cellars in 1886. Word spread and soon Mario Corsini, the founder, found himself with many clients, some of whom were non-Florentine. In time, Corsini’s restaurant became famous for its typically Florentine taste and earned itself a place among the top restaurants in town. Buca Mario remains not only the best restaurant in Florence, but also one of the most unique places to dine, as it retains the original Florentine flavor and is even today situated in the cellars as per Corsini’s original idea.
Have you considered spending a great day out of the city on a bike in the Chianti wine region? Florence bike tours (part of Florence Tourism) are perhaps the best way one can sightsee the Tuscan countryside. Unlike a car or van which is closed on all sides, the bicycle ride gives the rider the feeling of being one with nature. Signing up for the bike tour is perhaps the best way to ensure you get your value for money. Priced at € 60 per person for a fully guided Florence day tour, the bike tour is available everyday from March to December.
Ever since the premiere of the delightful film ‘My Villa in Tuscany” people from around the world have made this Italian province a major European travel destination. The primary wine of Tuscany is a brilliantly potent Chianti with each vineyard casting their own magic spell on it’s label such as Brunello di Montalcino. These robust red wines are to be sipped and taken as a breath from heaven’s air as you travel from point to point. But you will never find the finest wines in Tuscany or the perfect spot to to lunch, without assistance from Italy’s finest personal wine tour service for area of Florence and Tuscany, Tuscan Wine Tours.
Hidden away in the center of Florence’s historic district is the extremely elegant Alloro Bed and Breakfast Often referred to as the Alloro B and B. This special three room hotel in Florence is located inside an ancient palace: Palazzo Castiglioni and offers a perfect balance of modern amenities and ancient elegance. Here the style of the Italian renaissance blends seamlessly with such needed comforts as air conditioning, luxurious private baths and for those who insist upon allowing technology to encroach satellite TV.
