Florence stands in a pleasant valley surrounded by hills and crossed by the river Arno. This city is rich in monuments, historical buildings, galleries and museums, expressing all its magnificence of its ancient civilization.

Its world famous promenade along its monuments up to the wonderful Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is lined with characteristic goldsmith’s shops.
Which will be the perfect accommodation solution for visiting this marvelous city and the countryside all around? Certainly one apartment offered by the Hotel Antica Sosta dei Viandanti.

In Florence you will have to see and visit many monuments and  masterpieces, Giotto’s Tower, the Pitti Palace, the courtyard of Ammannati, Buonarroti house with some paintings of Michelangelo, Forte di Belvedere, the famous Uffizi Palace, Loggia della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and so on.

Florence in the history has became one of the most important cultural and economic centers of Europe.

Rent an apartment in the cradle of the Renaissance, visit the Antica Sosta dei Viandanti: houses to rent in Florence.

Antica Sosta dei Viandanti offers many solution for you accommodation in Florence: seven houses to rent for several numbers of people, well furnished and well equipped.

A luxury accommodation solution in the heart of Tuscany, but not too expensive.

Versione Italiana

The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles) is an open-road endurance race that has been taking place in Italy since 1927.
Since 1977 the name was revived as the Mille Miglia Storica, a parade for pre-1957 cars that takes several days.

Every May, Brescia becomes the meeting place for the rich, famous and passionate as they prepare to do battle over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Italian roads.

This edition of the race will start on May 14th in Brescia, will pass by Florence, Siena, Rome, Ferrara, San Marino and many other cities, coming back in Brescia in few days.

The history of the Mille Miglia is traced in all its glory at the Mille Miglia Museum in Brescia. This collection is a must for all amateurs of the automobile and its history and includes a fine collection of books and photographic works.

The Mille Miglia has the reputation of being the “the most beautiful road race in the world”, don’t miss it!

Info taken from wikipedia.

The “Museums Open Night” is an European initiative that will take place on 16 May.
Rome is the city with the highest number of museums partaking in this initiative. The Italian capital offers a wide range of events, including musical entertainment, and will open museums free of charge from sunset until two o’clock in the morning.

As regards other events, at Milan the Sforza Castle will offer guided visits to its secret passageand an exhibition of painting techniques, while Florence’s Oblate Gallery hosts “The poetry night”, a poetry reading given by both notable and emerging actors.

Montesiepi’s Round was built around 1182 on the hill where the knight Galgano placed his sword in the stone, giving over with violence. This event brings us back to the Arthurian Saga, and maybe there are connections with that legend.

But who was San Galgano?
Sir Galgano Guidotti was an untamed knight, vicious an full of lust. One day, Archangel Michael appeared to him, showing the way to salvation and the exact place where to go.
The day after Galgano announced that he was going to become a hermit and took up residence in a cave.

After the Saint’s death, his scalp continued to grow for a long time, and his miraculous head was adored. The crowds of pilgrims were so numerous that the Cistercians were authorized to build another monastery named after Saint Galgano a short distance away.

They built one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings of Italy: the St. Galgano’s Cistercian Abbey.

The San Galgano’s sword in the stone is still safeguarded in Montesiepi’s Round, the Hermitage near the San Galgano’s Cistercian Abbey, but the Abbey also has a big particularity: it hasn’t got the roof.
The walls of the abbey are still standing, it is suggestive and beautiful: a field of green with the walls reaching up to the sky…

San Galgano is also the name of the place, about 30 km southwest of Siena.

An unforgettable holiday in one of the most beautiful Italian place? In the heart of the amazing Tuscany countryside there is a Luxury Villa for rent for the organization of meeting, weddings, anniversaries and events, Villa Belsole.

In Villa Belsole you can relax enjoying the beautiful hills scenery, and the many facilities offered, such as the pool and the sun beds or you can participate to the various activities that are organized on demand and according with the customer wishes.
In Villa Belsole you can have Italian cooking courses and grape harvest, in the Chianti hills. This is a beautiful location for the perfect organization of events and a perfect choice to pass a luxury and relaxing holiday in Italy.
Near to Florence, Pisa and Siena, in the Chianti hills, Villa Belsole is a luxury accommodation with 18 sleeps in 9 rooms perfectly furnished in the Tuscany style and with the most modern facilities.
Your holiday will be perfect and unforgettable, have a look to the Villa Belsole website and discover the beauty of this luxury accommodation in a Tuscany Villa to rent.

Versione italiana

If you are planning a weekend or an holyday in Florence here you’ll find a very useful idea of a particular place to visit, a very beautiful leather shop where all the items are produce according with the most ancient techniques for leather production.
Near Ponte Vecchio, in the very heart of the city of Florence, there is this small shop, a place where tradition and innovation have been developed respecting the medieval leather tanning methods and pursuing the most recent and innovative styles for leather clothing and leather accessories.

Davide Cerasi leather Factory is a typical Tuscany and Italian leather shop: the leather jackets are avaliable also custom-made, the leather handbags and accessories are produced only with the best chamois and lamb skin selections.

The leather that Davide Cerasi uses for his production is only the so well known leather typically used for the production of gloves, because of its softenss.

So this shop is a place where you can find leather clothing and accessories for eveybody of all ages, for men, women and kids.
For an unforgettable Italian leather wear have a look in to Davide Cerasi leather Factory, very near to the most famous Florntine places to visit.

Versione Italiana

The 19th of April 2009 in Florence there will be the Vivicittà Firenze Half Marathon.
A lot of people will run through the city, a sport fair for young and old that will enjoy everyone.

There are 3 possible courses, and all start and finish in Piazza Santa Croce: the 21 km competitive run, the 10 km not competitive race and the Tommasino Run for children and families.

This is the course: via Magliabechi, corso Tintori, via Dei Neri, via della Ninna, piazza Signoria, via Calzaiuoli, piazza San Giovanni, via Roma, piazza della Repubblica, via Strozzi, via Vigna Nuova, piazza Goldoni, Borgo Ognissanti, via Il Prato, via Magenta, via Montebello, via Curtatone, lungarno Vespucci, ponte alla Carraia, lungarno Soderini, lungarno S. Rosa, via della Fonderia, via Cavallotti, via Pisana, Borgo S. Frediano, via dei Serragli, Porta Romana, via Romana, via Maggio, Ponte Santa Trinita, lungarno Acciaioli, Ponte Vecchio, lungarno Torrigiani, via de’ Bardi, piazza de’ Mozzi, via dei Renai, via S. Niccolò, piazza Poggi, lungarno Serristori, Ponte Alle Grazie, via dei Benci, via dei Neri, piazza dei Cavalleggeri, Corso Tintori, via Magliabechi e piazza Santa Croce.

So, like Sheryl Crow says: Run baby run baby run baby run…

We all remember Hoke, the driver, and we all dreamt of being Miss Daisy for a while…

If you are coming in Italy, for a business travel or an holiday, you need to think about your movements: why not hiring a driver?

Tusci Car Service is a Florence-based company that offers car rental with driver services.
If you are traveling for business you can get a high class chauffeur, both for individuals or small groups.
Tusci Car Service will be very useful for you free time too, because they organize sightseeings and tours to the main Tuscan and Italian cities. But, if you don’t like their tours, you can ask them to organize a Personal Tour that suits your needs.

The chauffeur services include transfers to and from airports, ports and railway stations, personal taxi service for trade shows or events, cultural and sporting events, festivals, shopping in the best Tuscan Outlets, external business gatherings in Tuscany and in Italy.

Let Hoke drive you everywhere…

Versione italiana

If you are in Italy and you want to go to mass, preferably understanding what you hear, you have to find one in English.

Mass in English in Florence: in the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the cathedral church)
Every Saturday at 5:00 pm

Mass in English in Rome: in S. Silvestro in Capite church at 10:00 am and 5:30 pm and
in San Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi church at 10:00 am

Mass in English in Venice: in San Zulian church at 11:30 am

These are just 3 of the main Italian cities, anyway contact me if you need further info.

The Handicrafts Trade Fair will take place in Florence (at Fortezza da Basso) from April 25th to May 3rd 2009.  This fair is about the art of making and has reached its 73th edition.

It is an event that can’t be missed by who loves Arts and crafts: it has become one of the most prestigious shop-window of high quality artistic handicraft, both on a national and international level.

There will be a lot of products and sectors, as “fashion and precious scenarios from the world”, “territories and interiors scenes” or “heart, Ricliclarte, Artmotion”.

The fair is open from 10.00 am to 11.00 pm: there you can walk, take a look, buy and also eat!
Enjoy the creativeness of artisans from all over the world, while discovering Florence’s history and traditions inside the wonderful Fortezza da Basso.