Florence

Florence: authorities removed Clet's sculpture

24 April, 2020

A few days ago French artist Clet set one of his sculptures made of glass and metal on a bridge in Florence, but the artwork was almost immediately removed by the authorities since he had not obtained any official permission…

After the Just Cavalli Cafè in Milan, Cavalli Club in Florence in opens

21 April, 2020

The first Cavalli Club has been inaugurated in Florence, with Roberto Cavalli from Just Cavalli fashion house opening the fashionable club on Saturday. The project is from architect Italo Rota, who designed the Just Cavalli Cafè in Milan, and is…

Italian art exhibitions: impressionism at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence

17 April, 2020

Italy has been celebrating art from the 1800’s with Giovanni Fattori, and now at the Palazzo Strozzi, an exhibition on impressionism is running until September 28. The exhibition is called “Impressionismo. Dipingere la luce. Le Tecniche nascoste di Monet, Renoir…

Great Wine Capitals Florence Best of Wine Tourism awards

16 April, 2020

The Great Wine Capitals Florence branch announced the 2011 winners of the Best of Wine Tourism in Chianti last week, and DolceVita participated in the event and the subsequent tour of the winning locations. The awards were announced at the…

Florence: Donatello's David back on display after a lengthy restoration

13 April, 2020

After almost two years of painstaking restoration work and € 200,000 spent along the way, Donatello’s David, one of the greatest masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance is back on display at the museum of Bargello in Florence. This time, visitors…

Italy: row over ownership of Michelangelo's David

13 April, 2020

The city of Florence and the Italian state are furiously fighting over the ownership of Michelangelo’s masterpiece David. The famous statue has been Florence’s mascot since 1504 when it was put on display at the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio as…

Ferragamo launches the Andy Warhol shoe

12 April, 2020

The only pair of shoes that Salvatore Ferragamo ever created for a man during his life was the one that he specially made for Andy Warhol; itâ€™s well known that the American artist did not love to wear shoes at…

Pitti Uomo 75: Pirelli PZero sneakers

6 April, 2020

Pirelli Pzero has just launched a new type of sneaker called Pzero Rex; the new Icon model with its “vertebrated” sole undoubtedly aims to create a new kind of cool in the shoe industry. Pirelli Pzero really does know how…

Italian men: world champion diaper changer announced in Florence

4 April, 2020

Hand over the baby ladies, as the World Nappy Changer is a man! This could be the best news of recent years for truly desperate housewives, although it must be said that all participants in the World Diaper Changing Championship…

Weddings in Florence: Villa Le Piazzole accommodation and Tuscan wedding location

31 March, 2020

For a wedding location in Florence, Villa Le Piazzole is just outside the “city walls”, not far from the area of the Piazzale Michelangelo. It overlooks the surrounding hills of Tuscany and provides both Florence accommodation in a villa and…

Italian Fashion at Pitti Uomo, Florence: Cerruti 1881 18CRR81 Summer 2009

30 March, 2020

Cerruti’s new collection for S/S 2009 takes one to Africa; to this magical and enchanted land where everything seems still possible. The traveller, this the theme that inspired the whole collection, will make a journey through a landscape of warm…

Florence hosts art exhibition "Novecento seduced"

29 March, 2020

The 20th century has been celebrated in Milan with a major exhibition and now it’s the turn of Florence to get a closer look at it; but this time from an entirely different perspective. The exhibition “Novecento seduced. Seventeenth-century passions…

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione parades through Florence

29 March, 2020

The Italians have a saying about envy being a terrible thing - “l’invidia รจ una brutta bestia” - and here is just another example of where we can be jealous, at least of the owners of these beautiful Alfa Romeo…

The best in Italian Design: Italia Independent at the Pitti Uomo 2008, Florence

28 March, 2020

If you could name your favourite piece of Italian design, what would it be? Whatever it is, Italia Independent has got it all covered at this year’s Pitti Uomo 74, currently being held in Florence from June 17 to 21.The…

George Clooney to star in The Monster Of Florence

25 March, 2020

George Clooney will star in a movie based on Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi’s best-seller The Monster of Florence. The book tells the story of a serial killer who slew more than a dozen people over a period of 20…

Italian researchers to hunt inFlorence for the remains of Mona Lisa

24 March, 2020

The hunt for the remains of Lisa Gherardini, the woman who, according to many art historians, sat for Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa ,will start at the former convent of Sant’Orsola in Florence on May 9. The men from…

Naked Mona Lisas on display at Da Vinci, near Florence

23 March, 2020

The small town of Da Vinci is hosting a new and to some extent bizarre exhibition dedicated to one of the world’s most famous paintings: the Mona Lisa. The bizarre element I am referring to is the centrepiece of the…

Restored Giotto crucifix to be unveiled in Florence

23 March, 2020

After a long restoration, the Giotto crucifix (the attribution to the great Italian artist is no longer disputed) will be officially unveiled at the Church of Ognissanti in Florence on November 6. In the meanwhile, the famous cross will be…

A new Ridolfo Ghirlandaio masterpiece found in Florence

22 March, 2020

A lost masterpiece by Domenico Ghirlandaio’s son Ridolfo was found in a dusty warehouse and restored to its pristine beauty by a team of skilled restoration experts guided by Sabrina Cassi and Gianmaria Scenini. This “new work” depicting the Madonna…

Art in Italy: exhibitions at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence

21 March, 2020

Christmas in Italy is a great time to check out some special exhibitions around, and Florence for Christmas is living up to its status as the city of art. The Palazzo Strozzi in Florence has six art exhibitions on display…

Florence luxury hotels – Grand hotel Villa Medici

19 March, 2020

Situated in the heart of Florence, between the river and the old town, the amazing 18th century Villa Medici was converted into a five star hotel several years ago; despite the rearrangement of its layout, the place has retained all…

The best street food and snacks in Milano and Florence

15 March, 2020

After our piece on Italians and their salami sandwiches, it seems snacks and street food is all the rage. The Repubblica newspaper has dedicated a double page spread to the new Italian fashion: the bread roll and all its forms.…