Will you marry “moi” ?

Tuscany’s beauty is matched by only a few places on Earth. The region is a natural marvel of ever-changing scenery from golden meadows of sunflowers with cypress trees on the horizon, green rolling hills, dusty grey olive groves and the glistening waters of the seas under an azure sky. But Tuscany is more than sweeping countryside, as its villages and spectacular hilltop towns also contribute to its distinctive character.

Film-makers have long been enchanted by Tuscany. We all remember James Ivory’s “A room with a View”; this was a huge success which launched the region to stardom. There are many other movies featuring locations in Tuscany or Italy. The most obvious is “Under the Tuscan Sun” or the interior Florence scenes in “Tea and Mussolini” and the award winning “Life is Beautiful” with Roberto Benigni who has become the most beloved comic-actor in the world. And let’s not forget the region’s foremost and gifted Tenor, Andrea Bocelli whose voice has been praised as the most beautiful in the world.

Florence or Firenze is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, this city is also considered the birthplace and “cradle of Renaissance” (la culla del Rinascimento) for its monuments, churches and buildings. It was long under the de facto rule of the Medici family who were also bankers to the Pope which contributed to their rise.

SITES OF FLORENCE

Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio

Florence’s most famous square is Piazza della Signoria, the heart of the historic center and a free open-air sculpture exhibit. The Loggia della Signoria holds some important statues including a copy of Michelangelo’s David. The piazza has been Florence’s political center since the middle ages and Florence’s town hall, the medieval Palazzo Vecchio, sits on the piazza. The palazzo contains elaborately decorated public rooms and private apartments.

Il Duomo – Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence’s most popular site is its Duomo (cathedral), la Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. The huge Gothic cathedral holds 20,000 people. Its exterior is made of green, pink, and white marble, and has several elaborate doors and statues. Inside, Brunelleschi’s Dome is a masterpiece of construction.

The Baptistery

The Baptistery of John the Baptist, from the 11th century, is one of Florence’s oldest buildings. Its exterior is made of green and white marble and has three sets of amazing bronze doors. Inside, you can see beautiful mosaics and a marble pavement of the zodiac.

Campanile – Bell Tower

The Campinile, bell tower, is in Piazza del Duomo. The first story was designed by Giotto and it is commonly called Giotto’s Campanile.

Ponte Vecchio

Hanging off either side of this ancient bridge over the Arno are strings of tiny shops selling gold and jewelry, some of them dating back to the Renaissance.

Galleria degli Uffizi

This is one of Europe’s oldest galleries displaying priceless paintings and sculptures from the world’s most important collection of Renaissance art. Artists whose works you’ll see include Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Perugino, and Raphael.

Galleria dell’ Academia

The gallery is home to Michelangelo’s David, need I say more?

Boboli Garden and Pitti Palace

Florence’s largest and most opulent palace was once the main seat of the Medici family. It now contains the Galleria Palatina with Florence’s most important picture collection after the Uffizi. Behind the Pitti Palace you will find beautiful gardens and fountains and a great view of Florence from the Forte Belvedere.

Santa Croce

The largest Franciscan church in Italy, reputedly founded by St. Francis himself, incorporates one of Brunelleschi’s most important works, the Cappella dei Pazzi.

Accommodations

Who among us has not dreamt of owning a Villa in Tuscany!!! Okay we may not be able to own one but we can surely stay at one….While in Tuscany you can choose from world-class hotels in historic buildings , ultra chic boutique hotels or family-run pensioni that haven’t changed much in 30 years or rent a villa, stay on a farm or track down a village room for rent. On the whole, accommodation is more expensive in Tuscany than in many other parts of Italy, and is in high demand from May till late September. In our next article we will explore a destination wedding at a famous villa, stay tuned…

Gastronomy

Eating is definitely one of life’s pleasures in Tuscany as it is all over Italy. Tuscan food is fresh, seasonal and, above all, local. There is no such thing as Italian cooking but rather regional cuisine, and generally you will eat the best of Tuscan produce cooked from Tuscan recipes. Expect to find magnificent meat, beans and hearty bread and fruity olive oil. Antipasti include crostini toscani, sliced bread rounds topped with a chicken liver-based pâté, and sliced meats (mainly prosciutto and salami, often served with melon when in season). The typically saltless Tuscan bread, obtained with natural levain frequently features in Florentine courses, especially in its famous soups, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, or in the salad of bread and fresh vegetables called panzanella that is served in the warm summer. Of course let’s not forget the luscious frothy capuccino as well as sinful Ice creams so popular throughout Italy. Buon appetito!

Wines

Florence is one of the great wine-growing regions in the world. The Chianti region is just south of the city, and its Sangiovese grapes figure prominently not only in its Chianti Classico wines but also in many of the more recently developed Supertuscan blends. To the west is the Carmignano area, also home to flavorful sangiovese-based red wines. The celebrated Chianti Ruffino district is also a few miles east of Florence.

Climate

Although usually said to have a Mediterranean climate, Florence is sometimes classified as having a humid subtropical climate. It has hot, humid summers with little rainfall and cool, damp winters.

Weather averages for Florence
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high °C (°F)	10 (50)	12 (54)	15 (59)	18 (64)	23 (73)	27 (81)	31 (88)	31 (88)	26 (79)	21 (70)	14 (57)	10 (50)
Average low °C (°F)	1 (34)	3 (37)	4 (39)	7 (45)	11 (52)	14 (57)	17 (63)	17 (63)	14 (57)	10 (50)	5 (41)	2 (36

Transportation

By Plane
If you arrive in Florence by airplane, you are going to land at Amerigo Vespucci Airport. Although this is not in the center of town, there are several services (public and private) that connect the Florence city center with the airport of Florence (Amerigo Vespucci airport). There are also several services (public and private) that connect the Pisa International Airport with the Florence city center and with the Airport of Florence.

By Train
The train station Santa Maria Novella is in the center of the city, Trenitalia runs trains between the railway stations within the city, and to other destinations around Italy and Europe. Long distance buses are run by the SITA, Copit, CAP and Lazzi companies. The transit companies also accommodate travelers from the Amerigo Vespucci Airport which has scheduled services run by major European carriers such as Air France and Lufthansa.

Other Notes of Interest

Florence has some of the finest shopping in Europe. In Florence you’ll find leather goods, paper goods, and jewelry as well as nice souvenirs and art productions. Florence has a number of open air markets selling food, clothing, and antiques. The most famous is around Piazza San Lorenzo where you’ll also find leather goods.

Some of the most famous clothes designers in Italy now located in Milan were founded in Florence. Gucci, Prada, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli and Chanel have large offices and stores in Florence and its outskirts. The legendary Salvatore Ferragamo, shoe designer to the stars also started in Florence. So ladies, pretend you are playing the role of “Carrie” Bradshaw,( the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, played by actress Sarah Jessica Parker) and hit the shoe stores!!

A Wedding Destination in Florence

Our next article will focus on a superb Restaurant and Villa outside of Florence along with its adjoining Church for your Destination Wedding Ceremony. Stay tuned, its magnificent!

References: www.wikipedia.org, The Knopf Guides, www.fodors.com, The Official Guide to Italy