Archive for 'Florence'

For art lovers who have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning on exploring the city, there are plenty of things to see and do. However, the Bargello is one of the best and most important art museums in Florence and should not be missed! As mentioned in our previous post, this is an excellent sculpture museum that is home to a large variety of pieces, including early works by great masters of the Renaissance such as Donatello and Michelangelo.

3. Donatello's Attys

Speaking of Donatello, the Bargello houses his Attys, a bronze work from c.1440 that has been named but not definitively identified. The young male figure bears multiple iconographical details but none have allowed for certain identification. Guesses have included Priapus, Mercury, Perseus, Cupid, Harpocrates, Mithra, Ebrietas, and the guardian figure Genius. However, none fit perfectly.

The Uffizi, the Accademia and the Duomo are probably the biggest artistic centers that most people head for right away upon finding a luxury villa in Florence. However, the Bargello is one of the best and most important art museums in Florence and should not be missed! Dating back to 1255, it was originally the headquarters of the Capitano del Popolo and later of the Podestà. In the sixteenth century, it became the residence of the Bargello (head of the police) and was used as prison during the whole 18th century. The building became a National Museum as of the mid-19th century and today it is an excellent sculpture museum, especially for early works by great masters of the Renaissance such as Donatello and Michelangelo.

1. Donatello's David

Donatello's name is one of the most enduringly famous of all Italian Renaissance artists.

Zuccotto is a delicious semi-frozen, chilled dessert made with brandy, cake and ice cream, said to have originated in Florence, though many Italians have not heard of it before. The name means "little pumpkin" in Italian and is so-called because of the shape of the mould used for making it. Thought to have been inspired by the “Duomo di Firenze”, Florence's main cathedral, topped by a distinctive dome. Another theory says that it was inspired by a cardinal's semi-spherical skullcap or zucchetto.

Originally a “semifreddo” dessert that contained ice-cream, this is now often replaced with fresh cream. Typically, however, you can expect to find semifreddo surrounded by sponge cake. The inside is usually of two colors, a white half, which sometimes has candied fruit or bits of chocolate, and a dark half, to which cocoa is added. Finally, ricotta, sugar and cream are added. It is served cold and can be served with the same liquor used inside the dessert or with a coffee liqueur.

In our final post in this series, we have some final, more practical, tips on staying cool and enjoying yourself despite the heat in Florence this summer. Once you have found a luxury villa in Florence, you want to be able to enjoy your holiday despite the potential heat waves and tourist crowds. So, in order to avoid having a wonderful trip ruined by discomfort, take note of our tips for making the most of summer in Florence.

5. Take precautions before leaving the house!

Make sure to close all curtains, shutters and windows before you leave your rental property. This stops the place from turning into a greenhouse during the day and will ensure that you have a lovely cool place to return to at the end of a long day of exploring.

As we mentioned in the last post, temperatures can soar in Florence in the summer and, in a big city full of tourists, wandering around can become particularly uncomfortable. If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are planning a trip there this summer, you may have to deal with beating the heat so we have compiled some tips to help keep you cool.

3. Visit a Church

Popping into a church is a great way to cool down and get out of the sun for a bit but you may want to avoid one with long lines and big tourist crowds. There are plenty of smaller, less famous but beautiful churches to discover around the city and these will offer you cool interiors to get away from the heat, while enjoying the art and history. Just be sure to have a sweater to cover bear shoulders or wrap around your waist if you are wearing shorts.