LoveFlorence: Maggio / Giugno 2013

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l veFlorence pitti immagine Calcio Storico boboli gardens Events & exhibitions Restaurants, Nightlife & Wellness

may/june

2013

fashion

Pitti Immagine

Exhibitions

From the Fleur de Lis to the David The Springtime of the Renaissance The Dalì Universe Florence Various Exhibition

Events LoveFlorence Year #11 – Issue #3 May/June 2013 Free magazine for international students also published online at www.loveflorence.it Editorial office: info@megareview.it Advertising inquiries: commerciale@megareview.it Tel. +39.055.412199 The Publisher is pleased to acknowledge the authorship and author’s rights of any photos whose source it has not been possible to trace. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or changes in the information provided.

Published by MARKED srl Tel +39.055.412199 2

Odeon Cinema Original Sound Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Florence Design Week Various Events Classical & Pop Music

Folklore

Calcio Storico Fiorentino The feast of St. John the Baptist

itinerary

Boboli Gardens

gourmet

The Legend of Ice Cream Gourmet Reviews

nightlife

Nightlife Reviews

Wellness

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Wellness Reviews

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CIty MAP

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fashion

PItti immagine Pitti Immagine: Fashion in Florence

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PITTI UOMO 84° PITTI W 12° Fortezza da BAsso Viale Strozzi, 1

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itti immagine once again confirms the level of its proposals, thanks to the presence of over 1020 brand names, plus another 70 collections for women presented at Pitti W at the Dogana.

The greatest fashion houses choose Pitti Uomo and Florence to present their collections and special projects in order to consolidate worldwide strategies at the beginning of the season.

The next edition of Pitti Uomo will stage as usual many special events at the Fortezza, the ideal venue for meeting the world’s top buyers and members of the international press.

Scouting, research and keen focus on product quality are what make Pitti Uomo, and Florence, the event and the place that the world’s greatest names in fashion choose to show their new collections and special projects and to launch their global strategies at the start of the season.

Pitti W continues to keep ahead of the game by strategically launching previews, specific projects and capsule collections for women’s fashion at the beginning of the season when the buyers’ budgets have not yet been allocated. Pitti W aims to consistently offer proposals that are directed towards a high level target group of boutiques and stores with a high stylistic content. This is why the proposals continue to be across-the-board, from the world of fragrances to vintage, to contemporary jewelry.

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Pitti Bimbo More at: < www.pittimmagine.it >

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itti Bimbo rules as the only trade fair in the world that presents a complete overview of children’s fashions combining it with an extraordinary platform for presenting the new lifestyle trends for kids.

From the classic-elegant look of the big names at Pitti Bimbo, to the sportswear at Sport Generation, from the creativity of the brands in the New View and EcoEthic sections to urban couture at Super Street, plus design items and textiles for the young set, up to the avant-garde collections at Apartment – it’s all here at Pitti Bimbo and shown via the myriad links connecting contemporary art, food & design and fashion. The core offering of Pitti Bimbo is enriched with items that are part of the young set’s lifestyle: jewelry, fragrances, eyewear, furnishing items, bags and travel accessories.

June 27th-29th

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PITTI BIMBO 77° Fortezza da BAsso Viale Strozzi, 1

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Pitti Filati & Vintage Collection More at: < www.pittimmagine.it >

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itti Immagine Filati is the main international event for the knitting yarn industry, it will be held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from 3rd to 5th July 2013.

A research lab and an observatory on global lifestyle trends, Pitti Filati presents world scale excellence in yarns to an audience of buyers and designers and for the major fashion brands who come to Florence looking for new creative inputs. This edition of Pitti Filati will be featuring previews of knitting yarn collections for the 2013-2014 fall/winter season.

Pitti Filati will also host Vintage Selection inside the Stazione Leopolda, Vintage Selection is a research lab that looks to the past, a huge archive that designers dip into to find inspiration for their new collections a must-see for the huge audience of collectors and vintage-istas.

July 3rd-7th

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PITTI FILATI 73° Fortezza da BAsso Viale Strozzi, 1 VINTAGE SELECTION 22° STAZIONE LEOPOLDA Porta a Prato

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Exhibitions

from the fleur de lis to th Civic Art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance more at: < www.unannoadarte.it >

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From the Fleur da lis to the David Galleria dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Accademia Via Ricasoli 1 055.294883 8

n display, works of art originally commissioned to decorate the public buildings of Florence which housed the powers running the city: the halls of the various Arti, or guilds, Palazzo Vecchio (once Palazzo dei Priori) and the city gates and walls.

This exhibition offers visitors a new key to understand the works of art themselves, by underscoring the importance of images in the propaganda and communication strategy of the groups which ruled the city in the era of the Commune and the Republic, before the rise of the Medici family changed the city for good from both a political and an aesthetic standpoint.

The dividing line between sacred and secular is often hard to detect. For instance, in the Palazzo dei Priori, one was just as likely to encounter depictions

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of the mythological hero Hercules (on the city’s official seal) as one was of the biblical King David, whose statue

by Michelangelo (now in the Galleria dell’Accademia) is recognized to be one of the main symbols of Florence.

A selection of rare Renaissance drawings and a fresco showing the Expulsion of the Duke of Athens (from the former Stinche prison, but now in Palazzo Vecchio) illustrate the so-called Pittura Infamante, or Defamatory Painting, which consisted in commissioning murals in public places to depict, often in gruesome detail, either events or individuals viewed with hostility by the city of Florence.

Images boding well, on the other hand, were set up in the marketplace, Donatello’s statue of Abundance famously perching atop a column in the Mercato Vecchio. While the original has now been lost, we are familiar with the statue from numerous copies produced over the centuries, the most famous today is probably the one located in Piazza della Repubblica. Also, the decoration of the city gates and the heraldry adorning the city walls provided the city fathers with another opportunity to celebrate Florence and its allies. The exhibition devotes special attention to the Arti, the driving force behind the economic boom which Florence enjoyed in the era of the Commune and the true political power in the city at the time. Membership of one of the guilds was a precondition for playing an active role in the city’s political life. For the first time in two centuries, visitors will be able to admire in a single venue the entire collection of panels depicting the guilds’ patron saints, originally adorned the pillars of Orsanmichele, in the area of Ponte Vecchio, the “bridge of jewellers.”

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Exhibitions

The Springtime of the Rena Sculpture & Arts in Florence 1400-1460 more at: < www.palazzostrozzi.org >

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he “miracle” of the Renaissance in Florence analysed through masterpieces of sculpture: the art that it first interpreted and promoted.

The exhibition opens with a striking panorama that reveals the rediscovery of antiquity, illustrated by some fine examples of its “rebirth” between the 13th and 14th centuries, with works by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Arnolfo, Giotto and Tino di Camaino. The beginning of the “New Age” coincided with the new century; its greatest expressive heights that correspond with the founding of the early Renaissance are represented by the two reliefs of the Sacrifice of Isaac for the Door of the Baptistery, by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, and the model of the Dome by Brunelleschi. Donatello, Ghiberti, Nanni di Banco and Michelozzo

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aissance

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carried out masterpieces of public monumental sculpture for all the great construction sites in the city and these were the first and finest examples of a new, creative style of art.

This statuary was to exercise a profound influence on the painting of the greatest artists of the time, among them, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Castagno, Filippo Lippi

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The Springtime of the renaissance palazzo strozzi - Piazza Strozzi 1 - 055.2645155

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and Piero della Francesca.

This search for “rational” space, together with Brunelleschi’s invention of perspective, were in fact to find their most advanced formulations in sculpture. From the 1520’s, the new rules for sculpture developed by the great masters and illustrated by several masterpieces multiplied thanks to the enormous number of reliefs created for private devotion, which permitted a widespread distribution of a taste for this “new” beauty in all the social stratas. An incredible range of sculptural styles and subjects were therefore concentrated around the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, the city’s greatest symbol, represented here by a wooden model, and were decisive for the evolution of other figurative arts, in direct comparison with the previous classical examples: from the tombs of the humanists and their sarcofaghi

derivations, to the rebirth of the equestrian monument and the sculpted portrait. The latter, which saw its genesis in the marble busts by Mino da Fiesole, Desiderio da Settignano and Antonio Rosellino in the mid century, led to the transition from the

Florentine libertas, represented by public commissions, to private patronage, which already bore the signs of the domination of the Medici.

From March 23rd

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The Dalì Universe invading florence More at: < www.thedaliuniverse.com >

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special collection of over 100 works by the Master of Surrealism on display at Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

Bronze sculptures of soft watches and sensual and triumphant feminine figures, men with drawers, elephants, butterflies and angels, surrealist furniture such as the famous Mae West Lips mouth-shaped Sof, glass works, collages and illustrations of rare literary works. The exhibition highlights two lesser known aspects that are indeed particularly important about Dalì’s creativity: the three-dimensional sculpture and the rare graphic works that illustrate important themes in the literature.

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The sculptures represent his iconic images, often to be found also in his paintings. The themes on which the exhibition focuses more are mainly Time with the famous watches that seem to melt, and Sensuality and Feminine Universe, with the women represented with an almost bursting force. The collection of engravings shows Dalì, the little-known illustrator, as a highly educated and extremely curious person. His surrealist interpretation of the texts ranging from classic works, such as the spectacular Dante’s Divine Comedy to the modern literature. The variety of works showcased here highlights the different materials and techniques explored

by Dalí. A space is dedicated to the collaboration between Salvador Dalí and the prestigious glass factory Daum Crystal. Glass paste were considered by the artist as the perfect medium for “the expression of metamorphosis”. In addition to the sculptures, visitors will discover a series of original collages out of the Mystic Tarots, and some Surrealist furniture, such as the now legendary Mae West Lips Sofa, shaped like a red mouth.

Until May 25th.

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the dalì universe in florence palazzo medici riccardi Via Cavour 1 - 02 893 68922 Guided visit booking Tel. 334 1053262

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Paths of Wonder More at: < www.polomuseale.firenze.it >

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ith the opening of Palazzo Strozzi’s exhibit dedicated to the early Renaissance, the Bargello National Museum shows some of its important works, recently restored and all dating around the 14th and 15th centuries. Partners of the initiative, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, art restoration leader, and “Friends of Florence”, non-profit organization for the enhancement of the local cultural heritage. Panels and videos in the rooms explain to the public all the phases of the restorations and the collection, that includes a French-Flemish tapestry from the Carrand Collection; French ivory Mirror Cases; jewellery and enamels and a high relief in polychrome terracotta by Dello Delli, portraying the Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels.

Until August 18th

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Restored Works of the Bargello Museum on Display Museo del Bargello Via Proconsolo, 4 - 055.294883

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“Norma e Capriccio” More at: < www.unannoadarte.it >

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he Uffizi Gallery displays an exhibition devoted to those Spanish artists who came to Italy between 1500 and the 1520s and who became leading players in European ‘Mannerism’. The 1st section compares Berruguete’s works with his Florentine contemporaries, like Andrea del Sarto, Rosso and Pontormo. The 2nd section explores the role that Pedro Machuca played in Raphael’s workshop in Rome, also assessing Raphael’s influence on southern Italy through the work of Pedro Fernández, who had moved there. The 3rd section includes Bartolomé Ordóñez and Diego de Silóe’ sculpture created in their Neapolitan period, with comparisons showing their impact on the local culture. The final section displays these artists’ works after their return home and the impact that their experience in Italy had on their art.

Until May 26th

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Spanish Artists in Italy in the early Mannerist Period Uffizi Gallery Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 - 055.294883

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AN IDEA OF BEAUTY More at: < www.strozzina.org >

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n Idea of Beauty sets out to explore the work of eight contemporary international artists – Vanessa Beecroft, Chiara Camoni, Andreas Gefeller, Alicja Kwade, Jean-Luc Mylayne, Isabel Rocamora, Anri Sala and Wilhelm Sasnal – and will encourage visitors to reconsider the concept of beauty and to question not only the ‘need’ for it but also its function, value and purpose. Visitors to the exhibition will be confronted with works of art soliciting their physical and emotional participation. Through their work the artists seek to highlight the subjectivity with which a person views art, triggering individual responses that can become a tool for forging new connections with other people and with the world at large. On the one hand, they address and revisit such traditional artistic techniques and genres as the themes of landscape and the human figure while, on the other, it is almost as though they are attempting to listen to nature, capturing its moments and its fragments.

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An Idea of Beauty CCCS STROZZINA PALAZZO STROZZI Piazza Strozzi 1 055.2645155

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From March 29th

From Sky to Earth More at: < www.dalcieloallaterra.it >

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taly boasts one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest traditions in the fields of meteorological and seismological observations, perhaps because of the recurring earthquakes on its territory. In particular, Florence was one of the most active research centres in Europe, mainly between 1875 and 1940. Here was born, in the middle of the 17th century, the first meteorological network, which gathered monitoring stations collecting data from Italy and abroad.

This exhibits displays 140 pieces related to geophysics and meteorology, displayed along a chronological path. Various machines and plastic models will help visitors to explore and understand the disciplines of meteorology, seismology and even geomagnetism and gravimetry.

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Seismology & Meteorology in Florence from the 19th Century to Today Palazzo Medici Riccardi Via Cavour, 5 055.2760427

Until May 31st 21

Luxury & Elegance More at: < www.unannoadarte.it >

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he changes that the advent of the Napoleonic Empire introduced to the government of Tuscany were also reflected in the arts. The factory at Doccia played a prominent part in this new artistic fervour, absorbing the French influences for its research into new forms and decorative elements. In particular, under the enlightened direction of Carlo Leopoldo Ginori Lisci (1792-1838), the factory embraced the important technical and stylistic innovations from France, thus creating a form of decoration that remained in vogue right up until the third decade of the 19th century.

Until June 23th

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French Porcelain & the Ginori Manufacture Museo degli Argenti Palazzo Pitti Piazza Pitti, 1 055.2388601

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From Boldini to de Pisis More at: < www.polomuseale.firenze.it >

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ack to the Reali Poste’s the twelfth edition of “I Mai Florence hosts masterpieces from the Galleries of Modern and Contemporary Art of Ferrara whose historic home in Palazzo Massari was severely damaged in the earthquake last year. A selection of masterpieces by great masters of the 19th and early 20th century like Giovanni Boldini, Gaetano Previati, Achille Funi, Carlo Carrà, Roberto Melli and Filippo de Pisis. The exhibition follows a chronological path through two different locations: the Gallery of Modern Art at the Pitti Palace and Villa Bardini. Villa Bardini will host the historic Romanticism of Gaetano Turchi and conclude with Giovanni Boldini’s 19th century paintings, while the Pitti Palace will be showing Boldini’s 20th century paintings alongside the symbolist painting of Filippo de Pisis.

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Masterpieces from Ferrara VILLA BARDINI Costa S.Giorgio 2 GALLERIA D’ARTE MODERNA PALAZZO PITTI Piazza Pitti, 1 055.2388601

Until May 19th.

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in the splendor of the Medici More at: < www.polomuseale.firenze.it >

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in the splendor of the Medici medici chapel museum P.zza Madonna Aldobrandini, 1 055.2388651

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his exhibition will follow the life of Giovanni, the second son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, from his birth in Florence in 1475 until March 9th 1513, when he was elected Pope, and then his brief return to the city of his birth in 1515. Works by Botticelli, Andrea Sansovino, Granacci, Ghirlandaio and Perugino will illustrate this part of the route in a section dedicated to the education of the future pope. The years of Leo’s papacy were celebrated as a new “golden age” in which the capital of Christendom could bring the requirements of the classical world back to life again thanks to the work of artists and humanists. These were the years that gave life to the great building works in Rome, among them the Basilica of St. Peters, which Raphael followed up by producing his wonderful paintings.

Until October 6th

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odeon cinema original sound 

odeon firenze Piazza Strozzi 055.214068 a night at the opera in florence May 2, 8.45pm: La Traviata, G. Verdi May 16, June 13, 8.45pm: Gran Galà Verdiano, G. Verdi May 30, June 20, 8.45pm: ensemble san felice: Barocco Italiano, A. Vivaldi June 6, 8.45pm: La boheme, G. puccini 055.0130980 Booking Adviced ensemblesanfelice. com

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more at: < www.odeonfirenze.com >

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ne of the joys of Florence is the beauty of mixing old and new. This juxtaposition, apparent in both interior and exterior of buildings, is brilliantly expressed in the Odeon Cinema, located in Piazza Strozzi.

The Art Decò architecture, the entrance-way, and the artwork of the theatre bring you back to the glamorous atmosphere of Florence in the early 20th century.

The Odeon Original Sound programme returns with its long tradition of hosting the latest movies in their original languages – for the most part English, of course – with Italian subtitles. During March Odeon will display a selection of Oscar nominated films between the best in 2012 and a few new releases. For an authentic experience of cinema, nothing beats The Odeon!

NIGHT TRAIN TO LISBON

by Billie August A stuck in a rut Latin teacher in Berne changes his life when an incident propels him into a literary investigation which takes him to Portugal.

May 1, 4, 5: 4.30pm; 6.30pm; 8.30pm; 10.30pm / May 2: 5pm / May 3: 5.00pm; 10.30pm

IRON MAN 3

by Billie August Tony Stark is up against an enemy, the Mandarin, whose reach knows no bounds. Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

May 10: 5.00pm; 9.30pm / May 11, 12: 4.20pm; 7.00pm; 9.40pm

OLIMPUS HAS FALLEN

by Antoine Fuqua (En No Subs) Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack.

May 6, 8: 5.00pm; 8.10pm; 10.30pm / May 7: 5.00pm

MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN

by Satya Bhabha (En No Subs) A pair of children, born within moments of India gaining independence from Britain, grow up in the country that is nothing like their parent’s generation.

May 13: 5.00pm; 9.00pm / May 14: 5.00pm

VIAGGIO IN ITALIA

by Roberto Rossellini The disaffection, near break-up, then gradual reconciliation of a British couple during their visit to Naples and Capri. Often praised as ‘one of the most beautiful films ever made.’

May 7: 8.30pm

Les Amants du Pont-Neuf

by Leos Carax The passionate love story between Alex, fireeater and Michele, beautiful homeless girl from 1989 to 1991, with the background of the oldest bridge in Paris, the Pont-Neuf.

May 14: 8.30pm

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80 years of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino More at: < www.maggiofiorentino.it >

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maggio musicale fiorentino Various Location 2 May - 25 June 055.287222 28

years ago, the first Italian annual arts festival and one of the oldest in Europe was born in Florence under the name of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, a label destined to mark a turning point in the history of the Opera, and to last until today.

May 2013, the Foundation bringing the same name organizes the 76th edition of the festival, with the contribution of its official orchestra, chorus and corps de ballet.

This year’s programme includes 5 operas, from the Baroque to the 20h century. The first show is a tribute to Giuseppe Verdi: for the 200th anniversary of his birth Don Carlo will be on stage.

Then, Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Britten’s music - the latter on the first centenary of his birth.

Ballet will feature important works of contemporary choreographers, while the Orchestra and Choir will perform concerts of contemporary music dedicated to great Italian musicians, such as Luciano Berio and Bruno Maderna.

Florence Design Week More at: < www.florencedesignweek.com >

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ew ideas, innovative proposals, projects and installations from the world of design: the entire city of Florence is ready to become the cradle of Design, from May 20-26. Florence Design Week, international festival of design, attracts every year thousands of visitors to its prestigious locations, such as Historical Palaces and Buildings, Libraries, Villas, Grand Hotels, Contemporary Art Galleries, Temporary Shops, Art Cafè, Ateliers and Labs. Emerging designers and big names on the Italian and international design scene will be featured at the Festival, which is the result of important partnerships, like the ones with the London Design Festival, the Melbourne Design Festival and Design Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Autore.

A blend of conviviality and business, fertile and virtuous contaminations which will bring Florence back into the centre of aesthetic debate and reveal a visual beauty which is ethical and functional in the eyes of theworld. Entrance to all the locations is free.

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Florence Design Week Various Location 20 -26 May 055.287222

Florence Fantastic Festival fortezza da basso Viale Filippo Strozzi, 1 - 055.49721

Florence Fantastic Festival is bringing exhibitions, workshops, meetings, music, brand new products and many international guests to Fortezza da Basso. An example? Dragonlance illustrator Larry Elmore, and Monte Michael Moore, who worked with Marvel, Lucasfilm, Sony, and Harley Davidson. The entire city will be turned into a Fantasy world, with many entertaining activities, such as the Game of Thrones parades. Cosplayers will get a reduction on the ticket, online pre-sale: www.firenzefiera.ticka.it Mayr 10-12

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Artigianato e Palazzo Giardino Corsini via della Scala, 115 - 055.2654588

The annual showcase of handcrafted products takes place in the beautiful garden of Palazzo Corsini, on Via della Scala, 115. Here eighty selected artisans will show the public how they make their creations, accompanied by Tuscan wines and delicacies.

Daily guided tours to the beautiful palace will be offered by the local nonprofit CittĂ Nascosta, while on Friday and Saturday, a hot air balloon will ride over the area (booking: www.boxofficetoscana.it).

Entrance is free for children under 12.

May 16-19

74th Notturna Race

Deejay Ten Foot Race

Piazza Duomo www.firenzemarathon.it

Piazza Signoria

The annual Notturna race is set to take place this year on June 22 at 9pm, the night of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Patron San Giovanni.

The race, which begins and ends in front of The Duomo, is one of the oldest of Italy, involving around 1,500 participants (locals and foreigners) aged between 20 and 60, plus 1,000 more people who join the less intensive race Family Walking.The 10 km path (6.21 miles) includes superb sights of the most beautiful monuments and is preceded by a relay. More info and enrolling: www.firenzemarathon.it

The race, whose passed edition saw even mayor Renzi running among the other 7,000 participants, is organized by the Italian radio station Radio Deejay (audience share around 5,000,000) and offers two non-competitive options: a 5 or a 10km race - 3 or 6.21 miles.

Both paths start in Piazza Signoria and end in Piazza Santa Croce, the more intensive goes up the scenic hills of Piazzale Michelangelo.

Enrol at the points listed on www.deejayten.it/punti-di-iscrizione.

June 22

www.deejayten.it

May 26

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Classical Music

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Zubin Mehta & Christian Lindberg Maggio Musicale Fiorentino annual arts festival. Zubin Mehta (conductor) and Christian Lindberg (trombone), with Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino play Luigi Boccherini and Luciano Berio’s La ritirata notturna di Madrid, Berio’s Solo for trombone and orchestra and Igor Stravinskij’s Le Sacre du Printemps.

May 11 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Comunale - Corso Italia, 16

Daniel Barenboim Giuseppe Verdi Maggio Musicale Fiorentino annual arts festival. Daniel Barenboim (conductor), Anna Samuil (soprano), Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo-soprano), Johan Bohta (tenor), René Pape (bass) with Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino play Giuseppe Verdi’s Messa da Requiem for four soloists, double choir and orchestra.

May 16 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Comunale - Corso Italia, 16

Julian Prégardien & Michael Gees: Schumann, Liszt, Wolf & Schubert Maggio Musicale Fiorentino annual arts festival. Julian Prégardien (tenor) and Michael Gees (piano) play Robert Schumann’s Liederkreis op. 24; Franz Liszt’s Lieder Morgens steh ich auf und frage, Du bist wie eine Blume, Anfangs wollt ich fast verzagen, Du liebst mich nicht; Der Zwerg, Meeres Stille, Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Im Abendrot and Willkommen und Abschied.

May 15 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Goldoni Via S. Maria, 15

Benjamin Brittendal’s The Rape of Lucretia Maggio Musicale Fiorentino annual arts festival. Directed by Daniele Abbado, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by Jonathan Webb.

May 17, 21, 23, 24, 25 at 8.30p.m.and May 19 at 3.30p.m. Teatro Goldoni - Via Santa Maria, 15 Anna Caterina Antonacci and Donald Sulzen: Debussy, Fauré, Berlioz & Wagner Anna Caterina Antonacci (soprano) and

Donald Sulzen (piano) play Claude Debussy’s Mandoline; Claude Debussy’s Le promenoir des deux amants; Gabriel Fauré’s Clair de lune, Au bord de l’eau, Après un rêve; Francesco Paolo Tosti’s Quattro canzoni d’Amaranta; Hector Berlioz’ La mort d’Ophélie; Claude Debussy’s Chansons de Bilitis; Richard Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder on Richard Wagner’s 200th birthday.

May 22 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Goldoni Via S. Maria, 15 Antonio Vivaldi’s Il Farnace Directed by Marco Gandini; Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by Federico Maria Sardelli.

May 29 and 31 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Comunale - Corso Italia, 16 Daniele Gatti: Richard Wagner Daniele Gatti (conductor) with Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino play Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung; Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin, Prelude Act I; Richard Wagner’s Parsifal;

Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Prelude, act I).

June 6 at 8:30p.m. - Teatro Comunale Corso Italia, 16 Great choreographers: Balanchine, Forsythe, Kylián and Fonidakisdal Maggio Musicale Fiorentino annual arts festival. George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, music by Paul Hindemith; William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, music by Franz Schubert; Jiří Kylián’s Sechs Tanze, music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Andonis Foniadakis’ Les Noces, music by Igor Stravinskij.

June 10, 11, 12, 13 at 8:30p.m. Teatro Comunale - Corso Italia, 16 Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth Directed by Graham Vick; Orchestra and Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by James Conlon.

June 17, 18, 19, 21 and 25 at 8:30p.m; June 22 at 3:30p.m. - Teatro della Pergola - Via della Pergola, 18 33

Pop Music Rock Events Florence

Other Concerts in Italy

Joe Satriani May 31 - Teatro Obihall

Alicia Keys Girl on Fire Tour Turin, Palaolimpico Stadium - Jun 19

Mudhoney May 31 - Viper Theatre

Black Flag Milan, Milano Alcatraz - May 15 Rome Ciampino, Orion Live Club - May 17

SAXON Jun 14 - Viper Theatre SLAYER Jun 18 - Teatro Obihall SKUNK ANANSIE Jul 16 - Teatro Obihall Antony and the Johnsons + Franco Battiato Aug 31 - Nelson Mandela Forum

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Bon Jovi Milan, Stadio San Siro - Meazza - Jun 29 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Naples, Piazza del Plebiscito - May 23 Padua, Stadio Euganeo - May 31 Milan, Stadio San Siro - Jun 03 Rock in... Rome, Ippodromo delle Capannelle - Jul 11

David Byrne + St Vincent Sep 12 - Teatro Verdi

Depeche Mode Milan, Stadio San Siro - Jul 18 Rome, Stadio Olimpico - Jul 20

Local Natives Nov 12 - Viper Theatre

Elton John Barolo (Cuneo), Piazza Colbert - Jul 9

Iggy and the Stooges Rock in Rome Festival of Rome, Ippodromo delle Capannelle - 4 Jul City Sound Festival of Milan, Ippodromo del Galoppo - Jul 11 Jamiroquai Collisioni Festival 2013 of Barolo (Cuneo), Piazza Colbert - Jul 5 Kiss Codroipo (Udine) at Villa Manin - Jun 17 Assago (Milan) Mediolanum Forum - Jun 18 Korn + Bullet For My Valentine Milan, Ippodromo del Galoppo - Jun 24 Rock in Rome Festival - Rome, Ippodromo delle Capannelle - Jun 25 Padua, Gran Teatro Geox - Jun 26 Limp Bizkit Rome, Atlantico indoor arena - Jun 20 Milan, Alcatraz Disco - Jun 21

Morricone Sordevolo (Bi), Anfiteatro Giovanni Paolo II - Jul 4 Verona, Arena - Aug 22 Muse Turin, Stadio Olimpico - Jun 29 Rome, Stadio Olimpico - Jul 06 Paul McCartney Verona Arena - Jun 25 Santana Hydrogen Festival of Piazzola sul Brenta (Padua), Anfiteatro Camerini Jul 5 Milan, City Sound Ippodromo del Galoppo - Jul 26 Il Centrale Live of Rome, Foro Italico - Jul 27 Sting Verona, Arena - Jul 8 Rome, Foro Italico - Jul 9 Cattolica (Rimini), Arena della Regina - Jul 29 35

folklore

calcio storico fiorentino by the Roman army

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he folklore and the history of Florence is most represented with the celebration of St. John the Baptist which occurs every year in June. It is during this time that the annual tournament of “Calcio Storico“ occurs. Calcio Storico is a traditional game that many Florentines hold true to their heart. The game dates back to ancient times, when it was used as a method to train troops of the Roman army by testing their strength and endurance.

The tournament is now an all out battle between four different squads that represent different areas of the city. The sport is a mixture of soccer and rugby and the style of play attracts both Florentines and visiting tourists who admire the “anything goes” strategy of play. There are, in fact, no rules for this game which allows the players to do whatever they feel necessary to win for their neighborhood. The main purpose of the match is to score a “caccia“ or a goal, however there are fights during the game where the ball is nowhere in sight. Games are typically about 50 minutes long and there are 27 players on each team.

For the event, Piazza Santa Croce is filled with sand and transformed into the site of play for the tournament. There are two preliminary matches that are played and the championship takes place on June 24th concluding the festival. The matches 36

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torneo del calcio storico 2012 piazza santa croce June 15th: Bianchi - Rossi June 16th: Azzurri - Verdi June 24th: Final Match

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commence after a parade through the city of all the four squads donning Renaissance style clothing for their uniforms. The teams each represent four different quadrants in the city where the calcio players reside. The white team is from Santo Spirito, blue is from Santa Croce, red is Santa Maria Novella, and green is San Giovanni.

There are many differing opinions about Calcio Storico in Florence. Many believe that the fighting style of play represents the city of Florence in a negative manner, while many Florentines feel that it represents the history and cultural roots of the city. If you are in Florence for the celebration, head over to Piazza Santa Croce for the championship game. It is a sport unlike any other and is something you will not want to miss!

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the feast of St. John the Baptist

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oin the locals for Florence’s most important feast day on June 24th. St. John was chosen as the city’s Patron Saint in Lombard times, replacing its former protector Mars. The day opens with the solemn procession of the Cathedral clergy, followed by the offering of a candle for the feast of St. John, a tradition that has survived to this day.

Other events include the rowing regattas along the Arno and the San Giovanni Nocturnal Race, a marathon on Saturday June 23rd at 9pm. The traditional fireworks over the Arno date from the 17th century, they are always very popular among the Florentines, who crowd the bridges and the banks of the Arno to enjoy their own special event, though afterwards they are quite capable of saying that the fireworks were nothing like as spectacular as the year before!



st. John the baptist JUNE 24th

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itinerary

boboli gardens

Enchanted Gardens

more at: < www.uffizi.firenze.it >

W

e enter the magnificent boboli gardens from the great square dominated by the Pitti Palace, royal palace and home of all the reigning dynasties. The Medicis resided here, followed by the Lorraines and lastly the Savoy family, who lived in the palace when Florence was temporarily the Capital of Italy.It not only contains the Monumental Apartments but also boasts six other museum collections.

The magnificent Boboli Gardens lie behind the Palace, with Fort Belvedere, dedicated to St. George, at the top of the hill.

A stroll around the Boboli Gardens, especially on a sunny day, make a very pleasant change between museums. The name 42

of the Boboli hill probably derives from the “Borgoli” or “Borgolini” family, who owned houses and land in this part of the Oltrarno beside the Church of Santa Felicita. Luca di Bonaccorso Pitti however bought the area and the farm that stood here in 1418 from the De’ Rossi family in 1418 and then commissioned Filippo Brunelleschi to build the palace.

The spectacular gardens cover 320.000 square metres of land and are full of rare

plants, grottos, fountains and statues laid out along the slopes of the hill. The design of the gardens, carried out by architect and sculptor Niccolò Pericoli, known as Il Tribolo, was used as a basis for all the royal gardens in Europe, including Versailles. This artist had already shown his worth by carrying out the gardens of the Medici Villas of Castello and La Petraia, where he also proved to be a master of hydraulics, creating magical fountains 43

above:

Portrait of Amerigo Vespucci View of Palazzo Pitti from the Boboli Gardens next page: The 18th century Kaffeehaus center:

and plays of water. Il Tribolo created his masterpiece of “landscape gardening” at Boboli between 1550 and 1558, the year in which he died.

The garden of the late Renaissance transformed the small and intimate garden of the Middle Ages into a symbol of princely power.

It became a theatre for festivities and performances, somewhere for the Court to relax, while providing an allegorical itinerary through woods populated with statues, grottoes and fountains, many of them Mannerist inventions by Buontalenti. Typical examples are the Grotta Grande or Large Grotto, the splendid fountains and statues, among them the Fountain of Neptune or The Abundance (Joan of Austria, Cosimo I’s first wife was the original subject for this statue), by Ammannati, Giambologna and Tacca, and the recently restored Gladiator, a 17th century restoration of a Roman copy of Aristogitone, which was brought to 44

Florence from Villa Medici in 1616. The authors of the restoration of Aristogitone have been identified as being two brothers Domenico (1600-1656) and Giovan Battista Pieratti (1599-1662), Florentine sculptors, who worked in the Boboli Gardens for the Medici Court during the first half of the 17th century.

The two architects Giulio and Alfonso Parigi, father and son, carried out the stone Amphitheatre in the 17th century, the unique setting for many celebrated theatrical performances, the cypress alley known as the “Viottolone” and the square and the large square containing the pond of Isolotto, with Giambologna’s Fountain of the Ocean.

The last additions, built in 18th century, like the Coffee house (1774-76, today restored and functioning as a bar for visi-

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ď&#x20AC;Š

boboli gardens palazzo pitti Piazza Pitti, 1 055.2388786 May 8,15-18.30 June 8,15-19.30 Entry is permitted up to 1hr before closing time.

Closed 1st & last Monday of each month. left: Igor Mitoraj, Tindaro Crushed Boboli Gardens

tors to the gardens, who can admire a unique view of the city from its tables), the Lawn of Columns (1776) and the Lemon House (1785), were installed by the Lorriane family who, in the 19th century, transformed some areas in the grounds into an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;English gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, according to the latest romantic trends then in vogue. Pietro Leopoldo decided to open the garden to the public in 1776.

The Giardino del Cavaliere, or Garden of the Knight, a solitary and private area in the grounds, can be found at the top of the hill, close to Fort Belvedere, hiding the small palace that today houses the Porcelain Museum.

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gourmet

The Legend of Ice Cream In The True Story

W

hen the narrow streets of the city centre are transformed into flaming desert canyons by the summer sun, there is really only one solution: a whopping great multicoloured dripping and cool ice cream cone.

That is just what Florentine architect and military engineer Buontalenti must have thought while he was toiling under the scorching sun to build Fort Belvedere or some other villa in the countryside when invented ice cream.

Bernardo Buontalenti, apart from being a famous architect in his day, was also employed by the Medicis as their master of ceremonies at court. Tradition has it that a great banquet was held for a delegation of Spanish diplomats in the summer of 1565.

Buontalenti not only took care of the usual dining arrangements but also - wonder of wonders! - created a luscious new dessert that left the Spanish guests utterly amazed. According to this legend, it was the very first ice cream! Buontalenti, a genius of the Renaissance, would never have been able to create his ice cream (made with egg yolks, honey, milk, butter and a drop of sweet wine) if it had not been for his chemical expertise, for he also discovered how to freeze the fatty ingredients like milk, butter and eggs. Needless to say, word of this new creation soon spread all over Europe and it became popular.

Today there are an abundance of flavours and ice cream parlours and it is really hard to choose from the vast selection of colourful ices on display when buying a cone. There is almost always 48

nventor

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Who was Buontalenti?

Bernardo Buontalenti was born in Florence 1536. He entered the service of the Medici as a youth and remained with them the rest of his life.

His first known work is from 1568, the Palazzo di Bianca Cappello in Florence. His main achievements include the project for the new city of Livorno, the decoration of Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens with the famous grotto, as well as the Park of Pratolino. Buontalentiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills as a military engineer are shown by the fortifications of the port of Livorno, the Fort of Belvedere in Florence, the city walls of Pistoia, Grosseto, Prato, Portoferraio (Elba) and Naples; he also perfected designs for cannons, and devised a new type of incendiary grenade. Beside his activity as an architect he worked as a stage designer and possibly more important than the rest, he created ICE CREAM! Despite his successes, his prodigality led Buontalenti to financial ruin; he survived in his late life thanks to a pension given him by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He died in 1608.

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a choice of creamy, fruity or even vegetable flavours - though I would be somewhat wary of some of the newer brightly coloured ones in Chernobyl-orange, fluorescent green or Smurfs-blue...

Too much to choose from? The best start could definitely be the local specialty: flavour Buontalenti!

Indeed, in 1979, a Florentine ice cream maker won the contest that celebrated the inventor of this wonderful product, by creating the flavour (at base of egg cream and whipped cream) then named after him.

You will hardly be disappointed, but - just in case - do not forget that you can always buy another, and another, and another...

gelaterie gelateria della passera This delightful gelateria in tiny and characteristic Piazza della Passera serves delicious handmade ice creams that are made only with the freshest ingredients coming directly from local producers. The gelateria offers a select number of flavours, all freshly made every day. Try fior di panna with mint, served with fresh sprigs of mint, the mouth-watering sorbets, the innovative Mojito Ices or the Tine or Mango Ices: are all delicious. The pleasant lady owner takes pride in her ice cream, while offering a friendly service. From November 22nd Gelateria della Passera reopens with new delicious proposals, on a weekly basis you will be able to find flavors that recall the scent of tea and spices. Try the new “Profumi d’oriente” (scent of the East) with fresh ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron and a splash of lemon, which has digestive and antiseptic properties or “Carezze” (caresses) with almond milk, chamomile and honey sweet and velvety just enough to cherish you like a warm blanket in winter. You can enjoy this sumemr’s seasonal tastes: “Strawberry” and the refreshing “Mojito”.

Piazza della Passera Via Toscanella,15r - 055.291882 Open 12pm-12am 52

LA STREGA NOCCIOLA Have you ever felt like Alice in Wonderland? That’s the Strega Nocciola effect! Close to Ponte vecchio, Strega Nocciola Artisan Gelateria it’s a kind of magic: let the taste of Cremarancio-a traditional cream variegated with orange jam-charm you, or let yourself be enchanted by the luxurious scent of the Bergamot gelato. Not mentioning the organic Lavender gelato, a fresh, relaxing experience for all your five senses, or the classic and elegant taste of the Pistachio gelato: it’s the taste of a new, recovered time from the everyday hurry, the fresh taste of a renewed gelato tradition which Strega Nocciola brings every day in to the City’s beating heart. Strega Nocciola turns a premium selection of the finest seasonal ingredients into a unique, handmade ice cream. It’s all about the proper time that delicious ingredients need and the attention to excellence that make a bewitching experience out of a genuine ice cream. That’s the point: it always takes some magic to create good things, especially when it’s about gelato: Strega Nocciola’s gelato is a mix of artisan wisdom and passion for excellence, which will bring you back to the authentic,genuine taste of life’s pleasures.

Ponte Vecchio - Via De’ Bardi 51r - Tel. 055.2382150 Open Every Day 11.30am - 11.30pm 53

Flavours of Tuscany osteria santo spiritO

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(1)

In the heart of the Oltrarno District where you still can breath the ancient Florence of the craftsmen and the thousands workshop, the Florence of the common people and the markets, you can find Osteria Santo Spirito right at the corner of the most famous square of Santo Spirito, a meeting place for all international gourmands, for florentines in love with their city and foreigners discovering the taste of Tuscany possibly in a cosy atmospehere. Take a lunch or dine at the tables overlooking the enchanting Piazza Santo Spirito (the Osteria has a wonderful dehors one of the most fascinating in the city) or in the colourful rooms inside the Osteria. The menu includes typical and traditional Tuscan platters accompanied by some interesting new variations, you can start with land starters such as wildboar sausages and dry tomatoes and go on with rigatoni santo spirito with dry ricotta cheese and maybe close with a mixed meat grill or you can choose the fish menus with sea products always fresh and tasty. The wines and desserts are excellent.

Piazza Santo Spirito 16r - 055.2382383 www.osteriasantospirito.it Open daily 12-23.30

T

Le Antiche Carrozze (2) Try tasting some of the traditional recipes from the Italian cuisine in this ancient trattoria just off Via Tornabuoni and overlooking Piazza Santa Trinita. The warm and welcoming atmosphere in the recently restructured dining rooms still recall the mid 19th century when this venue was a regular stopping place for carriage drivers.

It is the ideal place to discover the real â&#x20AC;&#x153;Florentine Steakâ&#x20AC;? of genuine Chianina meat and perfectly prepared and cooked, as well as taste many other natural and healthy products, like the olive oil, dressed meats, vegetables and cheeses. The menu is based on the simple recipes typical of the local cuisine, but the Chef makes use of his wide experience to fully enhance the freshness and quality of the ingredients. All these traditional flavours in Tuscan cooking are accompanied by excellent pizzas prepared with care and experience. The pizzas boast a truly authentic flavour as they are cooked in a woodburning oven. The best wine to drink with your meal, either selecting it from the important Tuscan labels or from the excellent selection of the best Italian wines.

Piazza Santa Trinita corner with Borgo Santi Apostoli 055.2658156 - www.leantichecarrozze.it Open daily 11.00-23.00.

he legendary and extremely simple food of Tuscany is the result of centuries of poverty and therefore has been based on salads, legumes, cereals and meat since the Middle Ages. Olive oil is almost always used rather than lard, and vegetable soups rather than pasta.

All the food is bread related and of course the main drink is wine that lends colour to every glass. Although the modern trends in food have practically swept away many regional culinary traditions, Tuscany can still boast of an incredible historic continuity in traditional cooking and therefore has managed to preserve dishes that the present research into genuine foods is once more bringing back into the limelight, to the joy of all tastebuds, including those of its foreign visitors.

We should remember that most typical Tuscan dishes are linked to particular areas or the various seasons of the year.

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Pizza Pizza Pizza!

Mr. Pizza

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MR. PIZZA in Florence is a universe of delicious appetizers and offers its customers a wide choice of pizza cut, takeaway or home delivery. It ‘s open from morning until late at night to enjoy at any time of day the taste of true Neapolitan tradition. In the true Neapolitan pizza the cheese is soft and pan is thin but high-sided. The peculiarities of Neapolitan pizza is due largely to its pulp to be produced with a bread dough - that is completely devoid of fat - soft and elastic, stretched by hand in the form of a disc without touching the edges that will form in a typical kitchen “ledge “of 1 or 2 cm while the dough at the center will be high about 3 mm. A fast passage in a very hot oven must leave the pizza moist and soft, not overcooked. But at MR PIZZA, not only you can eat pizza awaits but also a large variety of salads, turnovers, croquettes, pretzels, washed down with a good selection of craft beers and more. EVERYTHING TO GO & DELIVERY Via Pietrapiana 82r - 055.3860311 Piazza del Duomo 5r - 055.213682 www.pizzerianapoletanamrpizza-firenze.com

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ostaria dei centopoveri (2) Ostaria dei Centopoveri is located in the historic centre of Florence, in via del Palazzuolo just steps away from Santa Maria Novella. Take a romantic walk through the ancient streets of the Santa Maria Novella neighborhood to discover this delicious restaurant and pizzeria. Its name is very old and comes from time when the nobility offered one hundred poor people a free meal on the last day of Carnival at the Church of San Francesco. Today the Ostariaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu is typically Tuscan, like the interior with its terracotta floors and wood-panelled ceilings, and the white ceramic tiles covering the counter. Ribollita and pappa al pomodoro top the menu, together with ricotta and spinach tortelli with Boletus mushrooms, sliced or grilled steaks or, alternatively, really fresh fish. The Restaurant has doubled itself adding a new area for Pizzeria, a most modern environment where dark wooden panels elegantly counteract to the white and orange elements of the room: from the chairs designed by Philippe Stark to the plain minimal curtains and the informal table clothes and coloured glasses.

The wine list Regional and Italian wines.

izzas come in thousands of variations and are certainly not just round pieces of flat dough with a little tomato and cheese slapped on top! If you prefer your pizza simple make sure that the ingredients are really fresh and that the mozzarella cheese is of the buffalo variety, by far the best!

A good pizza should also be baked in a proper wood burning oven to acquire just that perfect aroma and flavour desired by the true connoisseur! Pizzas can come thick and puffy, or thin and crunchy, and should overflow with flavoursome toppings.

Easily digested, they are a complete meal and a popular excuse for a gettogether among friends and, eaten in pleasant surroundings they taste even better.

Via del Palazzuolo corner with Via del Porcellana 055.218846 - www.centopoveri.it Open daily 12.00-15.00 & 19.00-24.00 57

Nightlife pitta m’ingolli

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The colorful and lively scene of Piazza Santo Spirito has just enriched with a new venue: a rustic style, charming bistrot, reminiscent of some French Bar au Vin. Freshly inaugurated, PITTA M’INGOLLI, which is Lucchese dialect for “may devil swallow you”, is just a few steps from the famous Osteria Santo Spirito, also owned by Chiara Tassi.

Open from morning to late night, starts with the breakfast, but stands out for a wide variety of sandwiches with cold cuts (ham, mortadella, finocchiona) cheese (goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, gorgonzola, honey and nuts) to fish specialities (butter and anchovies, salmon and arugula) combined with various sauces (tuna, tartare, mushroom sauce, walnuts, truffle) focaccia, baguette, various drinks, milkshakes, centrifugal fresh fruit, coffee for only 80 cents. and appetizers for 5 euro. Interior is coated in warm wood, with high stools and newspapers.

Piazza S. Spirito, 17r 055.264256 Open daily 6.30am - 2.00am

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A

salamanca

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With an entrance sunken in slightly from the street-front windows and doors, Salamanca draws you in almost seductively with its muted and rustic reds, cursive lettering above the door and calm dim lighting. Upon entering, a beautiful and engaging staff allows you to be guided wherever you choose to enjoy this intriguing bar and restaurant. You may enjoy a meal in one of the three dining rooms, including a more intimately themed one in the back. Or for a more casual evening, quaint two seater tables off to the right, a variety of tables in the front room to the left, a tapas bar in the back, or a traditional bar in the very front. With a full menu from tapas to meat meals, wonderful fish dishes to salads, amazingly decadent desserts and delicious drinks, the food alone entices any restaurant goer. With its atmosphere, its upbeat American and Spanish mix of music, wonderful staff, entrancing ambience, leaving Salamanca seems like not an option.

Via Ghibellina, 80r 055.2345452 - www.salamanca.it Open Daily 5.30pm - 2.30am

peritif comes from the Latin word â&#x20AC;&#x153;aperireâ&#x20AC;?, to open. You should remember that traditionally, Italians do not drink in order to get drunk: rather, alcohol fulfils a complementary role in the dining process. An aperitif is meant to cleanse your palate and whet your appetite for the upcoming meal. The typically French and Italian rite of aperitif offers a taste of la bonne vie for those who enjoy nothing more than raising a glass in the company of friends. Many bars in Florence now offer a sophisticated choice of finger foods and snacks to accompany your aperitif.

Arrive between 7pm and 9pm, buy yourself a drink and you can expect to stock up for free on a good spread of complimentary nibbles. Even the music mix is also specially chosen with smooth, soothing sounds providing a suitable backdrop for a relaxed chat among friends.

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Wellness palestra ricciardi (1) Founded 50 years ago, Palestra Ricciardi is the biggest gym in the Florence downtown, known as the coolest gym in town combining experienced staff with the most modern equipment. You can improve your physique in a pleasant and dynamic environment spread over a surface of 1600 sqm surrounding a lovely internal garden.

The space devoted to your training is composed of several areas which include: the cardio fitness area, the free weights area, rooms for isotonic equipment, two rooms for classes and the spinning room. After a hard training session you can choose to relax in a sauna or with a massage session. The gym offers 81 hours of classes weekly: Total Body Workout, Step, Spinning, Easy Dance, Corpo Libero, Yoga, Hip Hop, Power Pump, Body Sculpt, Pilates, Fit Box, Stretching, Gag, Soft Gymnastic, Capoeira. Personalised fitness programmes and fully qualified instructors.

Special membership fees for students.

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Borgo Pinti, 75 055.2478444 www.palestraricciardi.it

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re you a step machine addict or dreaming of perfect muscles?

Or have you just arrived in town and need to find a gym (possibly within walking distance) in the city centre?

There are an infinite number of gymnasiums.

It is worth hunting up one with the facilities you require nearest to your digs. Many also do courses in yoga or the martial arts pilates to FIt box or Capoeria (a brazilian way between a martial art and a dancing) or have a gymnasium attached. And obviously most of these gyms offer special relaxing areas with sauna, massages or spa. Florence also boasts many dance and ballet schools, though of course you have to select the type of dance course you prefer. Start looking for your ideal gym from our tips.

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