Just Google, “10 greatest geniuses of all times,” and it is highly likely that two of the names on that list will be Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei. Now, think about what you would do if you were put in charge of bringing their legacy into the 21st century, in all its complexity, as neither man can be reduced to one simple label, say “artist...
READ MOREMichelangelo has left us amazing masterpieces, adored in the entire world: the Pietà, the iconic David, Moses, Laocoön, the unparalleled frescoes for the Sistine Chapel, and dozens of other works. Yet it is impossible for us to really know his private life, what he felt and lived as an artist and man of his time. Perhaps an interesting and little-k...
READ MOREAs a travel writer, I often get asked, ‘What’s the best place you’ve been to?’ Always a difficult question to answer, I used to say something like, ‘Oh everywhere is different and each has its highlights.’ But more recently, the answer has been Italy. I just can’t get enough of this country. Maybe it’s because I’m dating an Italian, or maybe it’s t...
READ MORESaturnia is an ancient village in the south of Tuscany in the area known as Maremma. Although not yet commercialized, it attracts tourists because of its thermal baths which have been of considerable importance since ancient ages. The village is a little out of the way for most tourists but it does have a few good facilities for travelers. There ar...
READ MOREWe are on the terrace of Hotel La Costa in the 13th century hilltop village of Montefollonico, situated about 100 kilometres south of of Florence. George, along with his wife Linda and their daughter Whitney, are our wonderful hosts of Cook in Tuscany, a week of gourmet cooking classes run by local women, fine dining and excursions. We step inside...
READ MOREYears ago our family spent an idyllic summer in beautiful Florence, Italy, the heart of Renaissance art and architecture and literature — our vacation of a lifetime. One day we decided to drive to nearby Siena to see the Piazza del Campo and its Cathedral. As we drove through the outskirts of Florence, off in the distance lay a beautiful green trac...
READ MOREImportant restoration work on Michelangelo’s funerary monument in the Church of Santa Croce in Florence has been completed and visitors can now admire the Monument to Michelangelo in all its glory. The restoration project, known as ‘In the Name of Michelangelo,’ was carried out by the Opera di Santa Croce, the non-profit organization that has been...
READ MOREWant to understand the proposed future of Pimlico Race Course? One place to look would be to a race even older than the Preakness Stakes (G1) at a venue far more ancient than even Old Hilltop: Il Palio, the twice yearly horse race around the Piazzo del Campo, the central square in Siena, Italy. The Dec. 13 release of the second phase of the Marylan...
READ MORECertainly not lacking for cultural excellence, Italy is not only the cradle of Roman, Renaissance and Baroque art, but it also plays a rather important role in the international modern and contemporary art scenes. Museums, galleries, cultural institutions and the artists themselves are organized into collectives: art in Italy follows the flux of ev...
READ MOREEntering the holiday season (which we Americans kicked off on November 22 with our Thanksgiving), perhaps you’re looking forward to some time with family and friends, some good food, and maybe even a long-awaited vacation. For many of my fellow citizens, this vacation will be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Florence or Tuscany. It’s also a time to...
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