Posted in: Day Trips Events Food and Wine Products & Specialities September
If you'd like to learn about the tradition of wine making and you love Italian wine, you should come here and enjoy this magical time of the year. Wine tourism during the harvest season is a splendid experience you shouldn't miss!

A lot of cities and towns all around Italy held fairs and “sagre” to celebrate the grapes and wine.

If you are planning to come in Tuscany on the last week of September, we suggest you to make a day trip to the town of Impruneta and take part to the oldest harvest festival in the area, “La Festa dell’Uva”.
Strawberry ice cream
Posted in: Events Florence Food and Wine Localities May Products & Specialities
The beautiful city of Florence is the birth place of renaissance, and is often referred to as the Athens of the Middle Ages. This capital of the Tuscany region of Italy attracts millions of tourists each year, and was ranked as the world’s 72nd most visited place in the year 2009. The city is also known as the fashion capital of Italy. Apart from the beautiful locales, grand history and friendly people, the city of Florence is also famous for the Firenze Gelato festival each year.

The Firenze Gelato festival will be held from May 23rd to May 27th, 2012 as part of the Florence International Handicrafts Trade Fair. The visitors can experience the process of ice cream making, and taste amazing craft gelato, made with authentic Italian ingredients.

You can also try fantastic cocktails with gelato. Bartenders can provide alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the drinks to provide a refreshing and delightful break to people of all ages. Ice cream lovers can taste and buy hundreds of varieties of 100 percent Italian products.

While there is no concrete evidence to prove it, most historians believe that the ice cream originated in Florence during the Renaissance period. Ruggeri, an amateur cook and poultry seller, won the food competition organized by the Lords of Florence in the early sixteenth century. The fame and taste of the recipe spread across the Tuscany area, and the modern ice cream desserts were born. Painter and sculptor Bernardo Buontalenti surprised his guests at the inaugural banquet of the Fortress of Belvedere with his own ice cream recipe in1559.
Volterra Panorama
Posted in: Day Trips Events March
Volterra is a town in the Tuscany region of Italy and it has many a tale associated with it, including the popular fictional works of Stephenie Meyer, called Twilight, where Volterra is home to a coven of ancient vampires called the Volturi. Unfortunately however, the movie was shot elsewhere in Montepulciano, so the sights that you will see on the big screen are not those of the real Volterra.
Mostra Internazionale dell’Artigianato
Posted in: April Events Florence Food and Wine Localities Products & Specialities
The Mostra Internazionale dell'Artigianato is one of the most famous Trade Fairs in Italy. Every year you can see the handcrafted products of the ancient Florentine Workshops and see some of the fantastic arts that are being rediscovered by this fair.

There is an abundance of culture, arts, handicraft and more new creative styles at this event. There are some unique pieces modelled by experienced craftsmen.

There are distinct areas that are divided up into pavilions such as: The Italian Regions, Region of Tuscany, Visions, Handicrafts, Slow Cities and much more.
Walking Eggs
Posted in: Events Florence Localities March
ARTOUR-O is a lovely spin on the classic Florentine art tour as it highlights the relationship between different types of art.

Taking place in March every year, it starts in Piazza Santa Maria Novella and goes through the entire city! This year -2012- it takes place from the 1st to the 4th of March.
From sculpture to performing arts and multimedia, ARTOUR-O covers it all. So if you would like to see Florence from a completely new and unique point of view then don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity.

We have home vacation rentals available inside Florence or outside in the wonderful Florentine countryside.