Don't want to bother with a rental car in florence ?
Don't want to risk getting a fine for bringing a car into the center of FLR without a permit? Florence now offers car sharing! Great for short term transport, and while the service is available in other locations in Italy, Florence is small enough for it to work. Click here for details.
MUSEUM DELL'OPERA DEL DUOMO REOPENS IN FLORENCE
In Florence, the Museum dell’Opera del Duomo, translated as the Museum of Works of the Duomo, dating back to 1891, has now been reopened after 3 years of restoration and expansion. This grand scale museum, approximately 65,000 square feet, 25 rooms on 3 floors is located just East of the Duomo and is spearheaded by Monsignor Timothy Verdon, an American Art historian as well as several Italian historical architects, houses spectacular masterpieces and an important collection of sculptures. For details, click here.
YES! YOU CAN SWIM IN FLORENCE! BOOK A HOTEL WITH A POOL
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi, Florence
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Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Are you looking for accommodations with a pool in Florence? The totally renewed Plaza Hotel Lucchesi with its new rooftop pool is between the Arno River and Santa Croce Church (where so many famous people are buried), AND the famous Leather School is also close by. At the school, you can watch artisans at work and see some of the incredible one of a kind purses for sale.
Grand Hotel Minerva Florence,
Grand Hotel Minerva
The Grand Hotel Minerva is a great place for families and is another property that has completed a major renovation of everything this winter. It is totally set up for families - rooftop pool, family suites, kids' menus, bicycles. Everything! And it is in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, just a hop, skip and a jump from the train station in Florence.
THINK YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT OLIVE OIL? THINK AGAIN!
Villa Campestri
Sitting high above the bowl in which Florence lies is Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort, about a 25 minute drive from Florence. The owner, Paolo Pasquali, invented the "Olioteca", similar to an enoteca but for olive oil. And more importantly, a place where one can learn how to distinguish a really good olive oil from more mediocre varieties.
Olioteca at Villa Campestri
Paolo had a dream about becoming the first olive oil resort and he has not only succeeded, he has established an olioteca at the Culinary Institute of America in California as well as in Austria and Spain. He has made so many media appearances and gotten so much press, there is hardly space to hold all the articles about him. He is the resident expert on olive oil and not just in Italy.
Villa Campestri
He has ramped up the restaurant at Villa Campestri to a very professional level and the spa at the hotel does treatments with........you guessed it! Olive oil!
LOVE GREAT FOOD AND WINE? HATE THOSE PESKY PIGEONS? WE HAVE A PLACE THAT IS PERFECT FOR YOU!
Nestled in the countryside outside of Cortona is Il Falconiere and yes! There is a resident falcon Leila who is the pet of Silvia Regi Baracchi, the genius behind the Michelin-starred kitchen and the decor on the property
Riccardo and Silvia Regi Baracchi with their chef Richard, and Leila, their resident falcon.
Silvia in the kitchen at Il Falconiere.
Her husband, Riccardo Baracchi, tends the vineyards and produces award winning wines. And is a well above average Karaoke singer! Two years ago, they opened a wine bar in the historic center of Cortona which is managed by their son Benedetto.
Left to right: Benedetto Baracchi, his father Riccardo and mother Silvia in the award winning winery at Il Falconiere.
The talent in this family is endless. Silvia and Richard, her chef, conduct cooking lessons regularly, wine tastings are held in their gorgeous enoteca on the property. And what does Leila the falcon do? No self-respecting pigeon would be seen within miles of Il Falconiere!
VILLA DI PIAZZANO NEAR CORTONA WILL REOPEN IN THE SPRING WITH 30 ACCOMMODATIONS
In the years since I first met the wonderful Wimpole family and visited their newly opened Villa di Piazzano (in 2001) outside of Cortona, they have gone from strength to strength. They started with an historic villa that was the hunting lodge of Cardinal Passerini in the 16th century. They built a swimming pool adjacent to the garden. Meal service followed with a very limited menu. Next they opened a wine cellar where they can easily accommodate a group dinner. And gradually, they bought up the ancient stone buildings that surrounded the principal villa. Cooking classes were soon offered by their very personable chef Gabriella. It is a wonderful family-like atmosphere they offer their guests. They are open roughly from Easter until late October.