It’s a new year, which means it’s time to look towards new trendsetting styles, but it is also a time to look back upon past fashion that has made its mark in previous decades. For those who are retro enthusiasts, Vintage Selection #35 is an event not to miss thanks to a wide selection of clothing and accessories. The fair once again offers a “vintage haven” to fashionistas and aficionados alike from January 22 – [...]
Florence is commemorating the lost souls taken by the Nazis in Florence and sent to concentration camps in 1944, never to return, by commissioning approximately 50 stumbling stones (“pietre di inciampo” in Italian) for the sidewalks. A prologue to the Holocaust Remembrance Day was the placement of a number of square-shaped memorials on city streets throughout the month of January. These plaques, 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches), are the same [...]
As Irish literary legend Oscar Wilde once said “The best way to make children good is to make them happy.” Considering its super fun and child oriented calendar of special events, international projects and creative productions, the upcoming Pitti Immagine Bimbo is sure to bring a smile to the young as well as the young at heart. Held mainly at Florence’s Fortezza da Basso from January 16 to 18, and open only to [...]
Until February 2, residents of Florence, the city’s metropolitan area and the province of Florence can participate in free guided visits on Saturdays (5 and 6 pm) and on Sundays (10, 11, 5 and 6 pm) of the South Gate of the Baptistery at the Opera del Duomo museum (Cathedral Museum) and also visit the entire complex at a reduced admission of €6 instead of €18. The South Gate, created in 1330, a [...]
The flag of fashion is flying high above Florence this January thanks to the winter edition of Pitti Immagine. This semi-annual program explores the latest fashion tendencies and contemporary lifestyles in three not-to-be-missed trade fairs: men’s fashion at Pitti Uomo 97 (Jan. 7 – 10), Pitti Bimbo 90 (Jan. 16 -18) and Pitti Filati 86 (Jan. 22 – 24). Bringing a high quotient of Italian and international glamour to the city, organizers feel that [...]
Epiphany (January 6) commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem. It is also the day of la Befana, when gifts are once again exchanged according to local custom on this day, which marks the end of the holiday festivities. The Feast of the Epiphany on January 6 commemorates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Christ child. It is a [...]
As 2019 draws to a close, the city of the Renaissance gets ready to celebrate an ending and a beginning with a Florence New Year’s in grand lunar style. This year, mankind commemorates 50 years since landing on the moon, and the city has organized 20 events in 20 venues awaiting 2020, all inspired by the moon. The city of Florence and organizers of this special night invite Florentines and visitors of all [...]
This year, there is a new Florence ice rink at the Fortezza da Basso around the “Lago dei Cigni.” The rink, part of the Florence Ice Village, encircles the pond to provide 320 meters (300 yards or 1,000 ft.), the longest track to skate on in Europe. Hours are 10 am – midnight daily through February 28. Entrance is €8 for the first hour of skating, €5 for the second hour; children are [...]
The following is a guide to celebrating Christmas week 2019 in Florence. CHRISTMAS EVE IN FLORENCE The traditional Christmas concert of the Orchestra della Toscana (ORT) will be conducted by Paolo Bortolanameolli on December 24 at Teatro Verdi (5 pm). The program features Romantic works by Tchaikovsky and Dvorák. The concert begins with the popular Concerto No. 1 for the piano by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, known for its sequence of pounding chords opening the [...]
Until Sunday, December 22: GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET. Piazza Santa Croce. Open 10 am to 10 pm. The market is special because it not only sells German products, but also provides the opportunity of buying local English products such as teas and china in addition to gift items created by artisans from all over Europe. WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE MARKET? There are stands with ground spices from France; handmade scented and unscented [...]