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DISCOVER AND ENJOY
This month’s round-up of shows and events in Florence and in Tuscany.
Trofeo Marzocco HISTORICAL REENACTMENT
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Piazza della Signoria • 1 May
Donatello, il Rinascimento ART
Palazzo Strozzi-Museo Nazionale del Bargello • until 31 July
International Iris Competition EXHIBITION
• 9-14 May
Oscar Ghiglia. Gli anni del Novecento EXHIBITION
Palazo Medici Riccardi • Until 13 September
Pas de deux. Marino Marini-Igor Stravinskij
EXHIBITION Museo Marino Marini • until 30 May
OUT OF TOWN
GREVE IN CHIANTI • Il Pagliaio. Organic and Crafts Market • 22 May
DICOMANO • Magnalonga • 1 May
SCANDICCI • Festa di San Zanobi •10 May
... and more about several locations and not-to-be missed experiences in Florence such as the Mercato del Porcellino, the Secret Tours at Palazzo Vecchio, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, the new layout of the Gallerie dell’Accademia and the Museo Galileo.
GIARDINO BARDINI
THE ENCHANTED GARDEN
SIGHTSEEING Four hectares of woodland, garden and orchard flanked by the city’s medieval walls: the Bardini Garden is not only nature, but culture, art and history and offers the most beautiful view of Florence. Located between Costa San Giorgio and Borgo San Niccolò, it preserves an unspoilt place in the city centre. The Bardini Garden integrates three gardens, different in age and style: the Italian-style garden, with its magnificent Baroque staircase; the English-style woodland which, with its exotic elements, represents a rare example of an Anglo-Chinese garden; the agricultural park with a new orchard and splendid wisteria pergola, which offers the spectacle of flowering every year between April and May.
Giardino Bardini
Costa San Giorgio, 2. www.villabardini.it Open daily, 10am-4pm
PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA, 1 MAY
TRADITIONAL FLAG-WAVING COMPETITION
HISTORICAL REENACTMENT The Marzocco Trophy is a flagwaving competition that takes place annually in the center of Florence. Four teams present their aptitudes in period costumes that captivate the crowds almost as much as the competition. Accompanied by musical performances, this colorful event is a great pride of the Florentine community. The event is animated by the Bandierai degli Uffizi, the only ones to represent Florence due to the precise historical significance of their costumes and insignia. The group boasts many presences and has a reference to the history of the city, representing the main magistracies and offices that existed in the Florentine Republic in the 16th century.
Trofeo Marzocco. Piazza della Signoria. www.bandieraidegliuffizi.it - www.trofeomarzocco.it
CELEBRATING DONATELLO
EXHIBITION Coming this spring to Florence, this exhibition dedicated to Donatello aims to reconstruct the extraordinary career of one of the most important and influential masters of Italian art of all time, also comparing it with masterpieces by artists such as Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Raphael and Michelangelo. The project was conceived as a celebration of Donatello in dialogue with museums, collections and institutions in Florence and throughout Italy, as well as through fundamental international collaborations, broadening the reflection on the materials, techniques and genres of his universe. >> In the following months the exhibition will move to the Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst in Berlin (autumn 2022) and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (spring 2023).
“Donatello, il Rinascimento”
Palazzo Strozzi-Museo Nazionale del Bargello. www.palazzostrozzi.com - www.bargellomusei.beniculturali.it
PIAZZA DEL MERCATO NUOVO
A FAMOUS MARKET EXPERIENCE
Mercato del Porcellino
Piazza del Mercado Nuovo, at the intersection of Via Porta Rossa and Via Calimala. www.mercatodelporcellino.it MARKET Enjoy a fun shopping day at the Mercato del Porcellino, a daily market that is one of the oldest markets in the world. The market is known for its Tuscan leather goods and central location, as well as its Italian silks, scarves, embroidered tapestries, and souvenirs. Make sure not to miss the market’s namesake, Il Porcellino, the bronze statue of a wild boar under the medieval arches. For good luck, make a wish at the same time you rub the statue’s nose and drop a coin from its mouth.
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GIARDINO DELL’IRIS, 9-14 MAY
GLOBAL FLOWER COMPETITION
EXHIBITION Since 1954, the annual International Iris Competition has been a pillar of Florentine tradition. The event is held at the botanical garden Giardino dell’Iris, which specializes in the cultivation of iris flowers, symbols of the city since 1251. This year is the competition’s 64th edition. Each year, over 150 varieties of irises from across the globe are analyzed by international judges. An anonymous competition, the judgment of the flowers is completely impartial, and the competition results in prizes for the winners. The rhizomes of each variety are sent to Florence by hybridisers from all over the world in June-September and are cultivated in the Iris Garden in Piazzale Michelangelo for three years before being judged by the International Jury.
International Iris Competition.
64th edition. Giardino dell’Iris, Piazzale Michelangelo
PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI, UNTIL 13 SEPTEMBER
ITALIAN PORTRAITS AND STILL LIFES
EXHIBITION Oscar Ghiglia was a great 20th-century Italian artist with Tuscan roots, but profoundly linked to the European artistic events of his time. The exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi presents over fifty of his works, from prestigious private collections and important public museums, including the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Palazzo Pitti, presented in a narrative that interweaves themes and chronologies. Ghiglia also contains hints of the “Realismo Magico” around which so many artists gathered in the 1920s: research into objects and forms that is sharp but enigmatic, perfect but unresolved, which still enchants us today.
Oscar Ghiglia. Gli anni di Novecento
Palazzo Medici Riccardi Via Cavour, 3 www.palazzomediciriccardi.it
MUSEO MARINO MARINI, UNTIL 30 MAY FAMOUS ARTISAN DISPLAY
EXHIBITION Fifty works, many of which have never been exhibited before, trace the friendship and bond between two of the most influential artistic personalities of the 20th century, Marino Marini and Igor Stravinsky. Their collaboration was marked by works ranging from the etchings of the “Marino to Stravinskij” series to the lithographs “Personnages du sacre du printemps” and the only magnificent set design ever created by the artist, that for Stravinskij’s “Le Sacre du Printemps”, performed at La Scala in Milan on 8 December 1972. Marino Marini had refused many times to work for the theatre, and it was only the deep affection for his friend who had died the year before (Stravinsky had died in New York in April 1971) that persuaded him.
Pas de deux. Marino Marini Igor Stravinskij
Museo Marino Marini. Piazza San Pancrazio museomarinomarini.it
FREE SUNDAYS AT THE MUSEUM
Free Sundays are back! The Galleria dell’Accademia announces that every first Sunday of the month - 1 May, 5 June, 3 July, 7 August, 4 September, 2 October, 6 November and 4 December 2022 - admission to the museum will be free and reservations will no longer be required on Saturdays and public holidays.
MASSIMO SESTINI © PH
NEWS FROM THE “DAVID” MUSEUM
COLLECTION A new layout has marked the reopening of the Galleria dell’Accademia in recent weeks: from the Gipsoteca to the Sala del Colosso, from the Sale Bizantine to the Dipartimento degli Strumenti Musicali. Six hundred works have found a new location in the museum with the largest number of Michelangelo’s sculptures in the world, in particular the ones placed along a path that accompanies the visitor to Michelangelo’s “David”. Work will continue in the coming months to make the vast Florentine collection of masterpieces of painting, sculpture and musical instruments even more attractive.
Galleria dell’Accademia. Via Ricasoli, 58/60. www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it
PALAZZO VECCHIO DISCOVERING THE SECRETS OF FLORENCE
Percorsi Segreti.
Palazzo Vecchio, Salone dei Cinquecento, Studiolo di Francesco I. musefirenze.it/attivita/ percorsi-segreti/ EXPERIENCE Guided tours of Palazzo Vecchio allow you to visit a series of particularly precious rooms, including the staircase built at the behest of Gualtieri di Brienne and carved into the thickness of the wall, the Studiolo di Francesco I de’ Medici, a refined treasure chest “of rare and precious things”, and the Scrittoio of his father Cosimo I (better known as the “Tesoretto”), and finally the imposing truss structure that supports the coffered ceiling of the Salone dei Cinquecento.
IVORY MASTERPIECES
Sala degli Avori.
Museo Nazionale del Bargello. Via del Proconsolo, 4. www.bargellomusei. beniculturali.it SCULPTURE Rethinking the exhibition itinerary, improving conservation methods and enhancing the works on display: this was the aim of the complete renovation of the Sala degli Avori in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, which alone covers a time span of fifteen centuries, from rare Etruscan and Roman objects to 19th century artefacts. This is undoubtedly a collection that in terms of the abundance and prestige can be considered in line with some of the great European museums, such as the South Kensington Museum in London and the Musée de Cluny in Paris.
© ANTONIO VISCIDO PHOTOS
FIRENZECARD
www.firenzecard.it
“Firenzecard” costs €85 and allows access to 60 museums and is valid for 72 hours from the initial entry to a museum on the Circuit. It can be purchased online or from one of the authorised sales points in Florence. Firenzecard includes: • 1 entry ticket + 1 exhibition supplement + 1 priority ticket for each museum on the Firenzecard circuit • Priority access to museums without booking, except for the Dome, Galleria degli Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia, where the booking is required but free. • When purchasing the Firenzecard, you can add “Firenzecard+” to use the city’s public transport (Ataf &Line buses and tramway) and the dedicated commercial offers. Firenzecard+ is valid for 72 hours from the first validation. • Finally, with “Firenzecard Restart” you will be able to visit the museums of the circuit that you didn’t manage to see on your first visit to Florence; you will be able to add another 48 effective hours to your expired FirenzeCard.
FROM GALILEO TOWARDS THE MODERN SCIENCE
Museo Galileo
Piazza dei Giudici, 1. www.museogalileo.it SCIENCE Don’t miss a visit to the Museo Galileo, an extraordinary collection of scientific instruments collected over nearly three centuries by the Medici and Lorraine families, including the only original telescopes by Galileo Galilei in the world. This is a precious testimony to the progressive improvement of observation and measurement instruments that favoured the enormous advancement of scientific knowledge in the 16th and 17th centuries, a decisive contribution to the affirmation of modern science.
OUT OF TOWN
GREVE IN CHIANTI, 22 MAY
HISTORICAL ARTISAN MARKET
MARKET Happening every fourth Sunday of the month, this historical organic and artisan market is a magnet for culture. The piazza fills with locals and tourists alike looking for goods from gardens, kitchens, and workshops. Take a stroll through to find bargains, music, and taste testing opportunities with the Tuscan countryside in the background.
Il Pagliaio. Organic and Craft Market
Greve in Chianti (40 minutes from Florence) Piazza Matteotti. Open 9am-6pm
OUT OF TOWN
DICOMANO, 1 MAY
HIKE FILLED WITH TRADITIONAL DELIGHTS
Magnalonga
Dicomano (1 hour from Florence) EVENT Get your adrenaline pumping with this hike filled with local delights. Trek through the town of Dicomano, located just outside the city of Florence in the Mugello area, and explore its ancient architecture and Tuscan lifestyle. Enjoy traditional food tastings at each of the four predetermined stops, including wine, desserts, cheese, and fruit. Participants have the option to take the long route (20 km) or the medium route (10 km). Instead of being a competitive race, this hike is an opportunity to explore a part of Tuscany in a unique way.
WELCOME | WHAT TO DO OUT OF
TOWN
SCANDICCI, 10 MAY
CELEBRATION OF PATRON SAINT
Festa di San Zanobi
Scandicci (30 minutes from Florence). FESTIVAL Each year, the town of Scandicci celebrates Festa di San Zanobi to honor its patron saint. The festival includes several religious events, such as the pilgrimage to the nearby cave of San Zanobi. Visitors can also enjoy a historical parade through the city center, complete with entertainment and historical costumes. In the Acciaiolo Park, witness a medieval field with activities that range from dances to pony rides. See the Florentine lifestyle and take part in a piece of Italian tradition with this celebration.
MANET eSIM: DIGITAL AND SMART
Are you looking for a reliable and fast connectivity in Florence? Today, you can easily surf the web, even if you are travelling. Discover the Manet eSIM platform, an innovative technology that is revolutionizing mobile connectivity. • WHAT - The Manet eSIM is a virtual SIM which allows you to connect to the Internet without putting a physical SIM card in your device. • WHERE - The Manet eSIM offers you affordable mobile data, even abroad, directly on your smartphone. • WHEN - You can buy online the Manet eSIM and activate it on your personal device at any time, also before the departure. • WHY - Manet eSIM is a quick, flexible and affordable solution, that can be activated at any time from any place in the world. Moreover, it’s fully digital so zero waste.
Discover more on esim.manetmobile.com/where_florence
2022 EVENTS IN ITALY
MAY
2-15/5 | Rome | Tennis. Internazionali BNL d’Italia. www.internazionalibnlditalia.com 6-29/5 | Several locations in Italy | Giro d’Italia (105th edition). www.giroditalia.it 12-14/5 | Turin | Eurovision Song Contest. www.eurovision.tv 28/5-5/6 | Venice | Salone Nautico Venezia. www.salonenautico.venezia.it 29/5 | Mugello (Tuscany) | Moto GP. Gran Premio d’Italia. www.motogp.com
JUNE
7-12/6 | Milan | Salone del Mobile. Milano. www.salonemilano.it 15-18/6 | Brescia-Rome-Brescia | Mille Miglia 2022. www.1000miglia.it 16-19/6 | Milan and Monza | Milano Monza Motor Show 2022. www.milanomonza.com 17-21/6 | Milan | Milano Moda Uomo. www.milanomodauomo.it 17/6-4/9| Verona | Arena di Verona 99th Opera Festival. www.arena.it 24/6– 10/7 | Spoleto (Umbria) | Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi (65th edition). festivaldispoleto.com
JULY
3/7 | Siena | Palio. www.ilpalio.org 8-17/7 | Perugia | Umbria Jazz. www.umbriajazz.it 15/7-11/12 | Milan | 23rd Triennale Milano. www.triennale.org 16/7 | Venice | Festa del Redentore. venice.whereitalia.com
AUGUST
16/8 | Siena | Palio dell’Assunta. www.ilpalio.org 31/8-10/9 | Venice | International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art. www.labiennale.org
2022 EVENTS IN ITALY
SEPTEMBER
10-18/9 | Milan | The Italian Glass Weeks. www.theveniceglassweek.com 11/9 | Monza (Milan) | Formula 1. Italian Grand Prix. www.formula1.com 15-17/9 | Verona | World Tourism Event. www.wtevent.it 16-19/9 | Terni | Umbria Jazz. www.umbriajazz.it 17-25/9 | Venice | The Italian Glass Weeks. www.theveniceglassweek.com 20-26/9 | Milan | Milano Moda Donna. www.cameramoda.it 22-27/9 | Genoa | International Boat Show. www.salonenautico.com
OCTOBER
8/10– 6/12 | Alba (Piedmont) | International Alba White Truffle Fair. www.fieradeltartufo.org 9/10 | Trieste | Barcolana. www.barcolana.it
NOVEMBER
3-6/11 | Verona | Fieracavalli (124th edition). www.fieracavalli.it 8-13/11 | Milan | EICMA International Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition. www.eicma.it 16-20/11 | Milan | BookCity Milano. bookcitymilano.it 18-19/11 | Milan | Ospitiamo 2022. ospitiamo.eu 21/11 | Venice | Festa della Salute. www.whereitalia.com/venice End of November | Venice | Teatro La Fenice. Opening of Opera and Ballet season. www.teatrolafenice.it
DECEMBER
7/12 | Milan | Teatro alla Scala – Opening of the Opera Season with the "Boris Godunov". www.teatroallascala.org
[ WELCOME TO ITALIA ] Dream experiences
To discover the beauties of the city or to try out special experiences, Welcome to Italia offers you some unmissable opportunities. Choose whether to take part in exclusive city tours or book the experience you’ve been dreaming: www.welcometoitalia.com
ALL ABOUT FLORENCE!
You will have the opportunity to enjoy a guided tour of the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi and to walk around the city center.
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TOP MUSEUM TOUR
Visit the two most important museums in Florence which host some of the greatest art pieces of the Italian history. The guided tours include the skip the line tickets.
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[ WELCOME TO ITALIA ] Dream experiences
FLORENCE BY NIGHT PRIVATE EXPERIENCE
Explore the city center with a private tour: you can enjoy a pleasant walk with an expert guide.
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EXCLUSIVE TOUR AT THE ACCADEMIA
Don’t miss an original tour discovering the stories of the “David” by Michelangelo.
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DUOMO SMART PRIVATE TOUR
Enter the fascinating church of Santa Maria del Fiore with skip the line access. One hour tour with a private guide.
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[ WELCOME TO ITALIA ] Dream experiences
THE SPECIAL ONES
MARKET TOUR AND TUSCAN COOKING EXPERIENCE
Let’s visit the Sant’Ambrogio Market with a chefguide and buy all the necessary for a cooking class. Enjoy your meal with a wine tasting.
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SPECIAL HUNT FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
Learn about Florence’s past in a fun and entertaining way in an intriguing quiz and animal art hunt. Two itineraries are available: Medieval and Renaissance.
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