Author: Lourdes Flores

An American living in Florence for over 10 years, Lourdes continues to explore and discover new places in Tuscany with the eyes of a tourist but with the experience of living in Italy. She shares her experiences on this blog and website, particularly offering lots of travel planning help on the Forum!

Visiting Siena in November and December

November 8, 2013

While the entire pavement of the cathedral in Siena is no longer viewable, if you’re in Siena this November and December there is still plenty to see! First, we highly recommend you still visit the Duomo to admire its incredible beauty. And you still have the opportunity to climb to the top for an incredible…

Read more

The beautiful town of Scarperia

October 17, 2013

This past weekend we went back to Scarperia, a small town in the Mugello valley to the north of Florence just a short drive away. Scarperia is part of the “Borgi piu’ belli d’Italia“, or “most beautiful villages in Italy” network and, despite the drizzle we had on Saturday morning, we once again fell under…

Read more

European Heritage Days on September 28 in Tuscany

September 23, 2013

This weekend is dedicated to celebrating and learning more about culture throughout Europe. In Italy, most events will be hosted on Saturday, September 28 but some places will also be open on Sunday. In Florence, only on Saturday, all of the state museums will be free – this includes the Uffizi, Accademia, Pitti Palace, Bargello…

Read more

Medieval Times in San Gimignano

September 12, 2013

Many who have visited San Gimignano sometimes miss going up to the very top of the town and thus end up missing seeing what remains of the small fortress called Montestaffoli in San Gimignano, the perfect site for a medieval fair, don’t you think?

Read more

UCI Road World Championships are coming to Tuscany!

September 11, 2013

Florence and Tuscany is preparing for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships 2013 which will take place between September 22 and 29. It is a great occasion to visit various locations in Tuscany and enjoy the exhilarating experience of seeing the cyclist racers speeding by! And if you’re already going to be in Florence and…

Read more

It’s time for the Rificolona!

September 6, 2013

The Rificolona, or Festival of Paper Lanterns, takes place tomorrow night, September 7. Today it is more of a children’s holiday but it has its origins way back in the Middle Ages, when everyone, including farmers in the countryside, headed into Florence to celebrate the birthday of the Virgin Mary on the 8th of September,…

Read more

Visit the Great Cloister at Santa Maria Novella

August 30, 2013

This weekend take the wonderful opportunity to visit the Great Cloister of Santa Maria Novella, not normally open to the public. Home to the school of Marescialli and Brigadiers of the Carabinieri since 1920, and as such is closed to the public, the Grand Cloister has a magnificent cycle of frescoes with scenes from the…

Read more

Renaissance Days in the Mugello

The tiny town of Scarperia in the Mugello heads back in time this weekend with its Renaissance fair! On Saturday, August 31, the Renaissance fair starts off at 6pm with everyone in period costume as the village hosts a market with stands of the many crafts of old, from candlemaking, book binding, blacksmiths, falcon masters…

Read more

The Fiera del Cacio in Pienza

August 29, 2013

This week is an exciting week for Pienza and anyone visiting this small hilltop village in the middle of the Val d’Orcia: its Cacio week! The town is famous for the local product made in the area, the Pecorino di Pienza DOP, also casually just called “cacio”. This year, the event’s committee has started a…

Read more

Enjoying Summer Evenings at Florence’s Museums

August 7, 2013

Botticelli’s Venus at the Uffizi This summer, you can enjoy art and culture and avoid some of the heat and crowds of the day if you go visit Florence’s museums in the evenings. The Polo Museale, is in fact, offering various opportunities for you to enjoy Florence’s magnificent museums just this summer at special hours….

Read more