When you visit the Uffizi Gallery, the statues are not exactly on your mind. You would rather think of paintings by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and divine Michelangelo.

Yet imagine that in the 18th and 19th centuries, people were coming to the Uffizi mainly to see one statue, the Medici Venus, the most celebrated statue of the goddess of beauty and love.

Many other statues, reliefs, and sarcophagi from the Medici collection were also attracting scholars and aristocrats from all over Europe.

This year, until June 30, is a good opportunity to admire the Uffizi's most beautiful statues. Don't forget to take a careful, awe-inspiring look before rushing to see the paintings. 

INFO: Divina Simulacra - Uffizi. Until 30 June 2024

Tuesday to Sunday, 8.15 am- 6.30 pm

Included in the ticket.

The museum of Fashion and Costume in the Pitti Palace in Florence has recently reopened after being closed for three years.

The museum started in 1983 with a collection of about 6000 historical costumes and accessories, which has grown over time thanks to public and private donations. The museum was closed due to COVID, and this forced stop allowed its modernization.

For now, the museum only presents clothes from the 20th century, arranged chronologically and in rotation. 

The section on historical dresses and costumes from the 16th to the 19th centuries will also reopen in spring 2024.

Among the dresses on display are creations by Giorgio Armani, Prada, and Elsa Schiaparelli, as well as Coco Chanel and John Galliano. 

 Info - Closed every Monday.

The most photographed places in Tuscany? Definitely Val d'Orcia with the small chapel Vitaleta and the Gladiator’s movie set.

Good news: you can visit both places surrounded by amazing silence and beauty in just one day. I'm talking about the hiking trail of 16 km starting from San Quirico in Val d’Orcia or Pienza. It's recommended to do this hike only from October until June. During the summer months, it's too hot.

Points of interest: Medieval town San Quirico in Val d’Orcia, Chapel of Madonna of Vitaleta, Pienza - a medieval town transformed into a Renaissance jewel on the commission of the pope Pius II born there. Pieve Di Corsignano, a medieval church with Romanesque reliefs on the entrance. Gladiator's movie set where one of the most known scenes were shot.

There is a one must see in Florence, if you are passionate about science. It is located next to the Uffizi and dedicated to Galileo Galilei.

The extraordinary collections of the Museum, among the most important in the world, include ancient scientific instruments dating back to the 11th up to the 19th century, with all Galileo’s original instruments still preserved nowadays.

The first floor displays the instruments collected by the Medici family and boasts some of the best ancient, known astrolabes. In the center of the room, the unique armillary sphere from 1593!

No need for reservation, the museum is kids friendly and free app with explanation is available.

http://www.museogalileo.it

3 restaurants in the historical center of Florence you should try for a local experience. Be aware, no English menu available.

Trattoria le Mossacce - A family ruled trattoria just a few steps from the cathedral. They propose Florentine cuisine with the menu changing daily with low prices and in a very informal setting. Try their ribollita, tortelli, tripe or steak and obviously red wine della casa.

Trattoria Mario - An informal restaurant opened in 1953 which recently won the popular program in Italian tv. Popular dishes: Tuscan antipasto, florentine steak, soups, tripe, beans.

Trattoria Gozzi - Usually quite crowded but more spacious and comfortable than the previous ones. They are known for pasta, steak, and cutlets. Try their peposo, crespelle or fried polpette.

The Bargello museum, almost unknown to most tourists, contains real treasures of painting, sculpture, medieval art, Islamic art, frescoes, ceramics. 

Amongst them: the sculptures by Michelangelo, Donatello and Benvenuto Cellini. In addition, all this beauty is housed in a 14th-century building inextricably linked to the city's history. So much more deserves to be discovered at the Bargello, which is never overrun by tourists and tickets can be easily purchased on the spot.

Discover this hidden gem in Florence.

The historic Odéon cinema in Florence has been reopened recently after an extensive restoration. The style of the place has been preserved, with every detail beautifully refinished. Blue carpet on the floor, armchairs covered in yellow velour, decorations imitating bas-reliefs, mascarons, brass accessories, fountains, mosaics, etc. The ground floor has been converted into a bookshop. The café has also been renovated. The cinema is to host many events, such as exhibitions, conferences, screenings and the like. 

Hidden gem in Lucca - Palazzo Mansi in Lucca, a real Museum-Residence and a remarkable example of a silk merchant’s house.

Between 1686 and 1691, Raffaello Mansi commissioned some renovation works to Luccan architect Raffaello Mazzanti: pre-existent tower houses were connected, while the rooms on the first floor were decorated in sumptuous Baroque style and frescoed with allegorical representations alluding to the glory of the family. Further modernization works were carried out by Luigi Mansi in the 18 century. The building was sold to the State in 1965 and became a National Museum in 1977. The State recovered the original furnishings, frescoes and tapestries on the walls. 

Florence is truly a picture book, as Hans Christian Andersen called it. 

What can you see while walking through the streets of Florence? Street art, wine windows, Clet Abraham's street signs, coats of arms, plaques with famous people who have stayed in the city, flood plaques, medieval saints, beautiful shops and more.

There are also tabernacles around, one of the famous things in the city. You can always discover something new, even after so many years. Remember to walk with your head up in Florence.

Don't throw away your Uffizi ticket! Few people know this, but with the Uffizi ticket, you can visit two other museums in Florence: the archaeological museum and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. Especially the second place is worth a short visit. It is located near the Accademia and illustrates the Florentine mosaic technique. There you will find many works made of semi-precious stones and the technique and materials explained. Check the opening hours before going.

The adjacent church of San Miniato al Monte is one of the oldest churches in Florence. It was built over 1,000 years ago in a Romanesque style with mosaics and a beautiful pavement. The entrance is free and the panorama over Florence is overwhelming.

Hidden gem in Florence: The church of Orsanmichele reopened recently after the restoration. In the past it was an open loggia and a grain market. On the first floor, you will find the original statues from the external niches commissioned by the medieval guilds to the main artists of the time such as Donatello, Ghiberti, Verrocchio, and Giambologna. While, on the second floor, the amazing view over Florence awaits you. I strongly recommend visiting this place.