Footsteps in Florence

15/04/2017

Find out about Italian food and traditions at Easter... Unfortunately, I'm going to miss out on my Italian mother-in-law's amazing cooking this year!

From festivals to food, learn about the time-honored traditions of la Pasqua, or Easter, in Italy.

12/04/2017

Doggy ice cream.... what will they think of next!

One of the simplest pleasures of an Italian summer is cooling off with a creamy gelato - and pets no longer need be deprived of the treat, thanks to what is probably Italy's first animal-friendly gelateria.

09/04/2017

Still undecided where to go on holiday this year?

There are plenty of beautiful places to explore in Italy, and now you can take a tour of the country from the comfort of your sofa. These 13 stunning drone videos will provide beautiful inspiration for travellers - armchair or otherwise.

08/04/2017

For all of those Italian language lovers...

Tuscany, and Florence in particular, is known as the home of the Italian language. The language spoken here in the 1300's was later adopted as Italy's national tongue - with a helping hand from Dante, who described it as the country's most beautiful language.

07/04/2017

There are Pinocchios on every street corner of Florence. The reason for this is because 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' was written in the 1880s by a Florentine called Carlo Lorenzini (or Collodi, his pen-name). He wrote it in a series of short episodes for the children's section of an Italian newspaper and called it 'La Storia di un Burattino' (The Story of a Marionette). Lorenzini died in 1890, unaware of the fame that awaited his fairy tale.. You can find his tomb in the monumental cemetary behind the Basilica of San Miniato in the hills overlooking Florence.

02/04/2017

One of several beautiful fountains found in the historic centre of Florence. This is the Fountain of the Marine Monsters and is one of two created in bronze in the 1620s that decorates Piazza della Santissima Annunziata. The monsters have their tails intertwined as they lean forwards and spew forth water into huge sea shells! The works of art were designed by Pietro Tacca and were commissioned by the Medici family originally for Livorno. Luckily they ended up in Florence instead!

29/03/2017

Florentine fashion designer Emilio Pucci gained fame for his colourful prints and abstract designs in the 1950s. He was inspired by Mediterranean landscapes and the exotic locations he visited. Today, the luxury brand is a leader on the global stage, with 50 boutiques worldwide that still feature the distinctive bright and often swirly prints.
The Pucci family is one of Florence's oldest and noblest... The first family members date back to the 13th century and were architects, merchants, and bankers. They were allies of the Medici family during the Renaissance and produced three cardinals. The Pucci coat of arms is rather unusual. It can be seen dotted around the city on their palaces and buildings they sponsored, such as the church of SS. Annunziata. The Moor's head was usually chosen to show a family's association with a victory over the Moors during the Crusades. However, the Pucci family probably adopted the heraldic device to represent their claim to be descended from Jacopo Saracino, a Florentine nobleman.

28/03/2017

Another 'No Entry' sign in Florence that has been doctored by French artist Clet Abraham...

25/03/2017

Where else could you find a public library like this! It is part of the Convent of the Oblate which was built in the 1300s for cloistered nuns who looked after the sick people in the hospital behind it. There is a secret passageway that runs underneath the street that connected the convent with the hospital, Santa Maria Nuova, allowing the nuns access without being seen. Underneath the hospital are a series of rooms and passageways where Leonardo da Vinci is believed to have dissected corpses and made his famous detailed anatomical drawings...