Florence & Tuscany Blog Guide
Firenze Casa features more than 480 articles about Florence and Tuscany, organised into thematic guides and detailed individual articles. We recommend starting with our Complete Guides for an overview before exploring each topic in greater depth8
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Explore the history of Florence through the events, powerful families and turning points that shaped the city – from its ancient origins and medieval republic to the Medici, the Renaissance and modern Florence.
The Most Famous Families
The Most Famous Families: Discover the powerful Florentine families whose wealth, rivalries and ambitions shaped the city’s politics, economy, architecture and culture.
- The Most Famous Florentine Families – Complete Guide
- The Medici Family
- The Frescobaldi Family
- The Antinori Family
- The Strozzi Family
- The Albizzi Family
- The Pitti Family
- The Pazzi Family
- The Rucellai Family
- The Tornabuoni Family
- The Guicciardini Family
- The Gondi Family
- The Corsini Family
- The Peruzzi Family
- The Bardi Family
- The Acciaiuoli Family
- The Salviati Family
- The Pucci Family
The Birth of Modern Banking
Discover how Florence’s merchants and banking families transformed finance and helped make the city one of Europe’s great economic powers.
City Walls and Fortresses
Discover the walls, gates and fortresses that defended Florence and reveal how the city expanded and changed through the centuries.
Historic Cemeteries
Discover Florence’s historic cemeteries, where art, architecture and the stories of remarkable people preserve the city’s memory.
Historic Palaces & Villas
Discover Florence’s magnificent palaces
- Historic Palaces of Florence – Complete Guide
- Palazzo Marucelli-Fenzi
- Palazzo Rinuccini
- Palazzo delle Cento Finestre
- Palazzo Capponi all’Annunziata
- Palazzo Pucci – Historic Noble Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Corsini al Parione – Baroque Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Gherardesca – Renaissance Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Gianfigliazzi – Historic Palace on the Arno
- Palazzo Borghese – Neoclassical Palace in Florence
- Casa Vasari Florence – Giorgio Vasari’s Home and Studio
- Palazzo Vecchio – Florence’s Historic Seat of Government
- Palazzo Pitti – Grand Ducal Palace of Florence
- Palazzo Medici Riccardi – Renaissance Palace
- Palazzo Strozzi – Renaissance Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Rucellai – Alberti’s Renaissance Palace
- Palazzo Castellani – History and Architecture in Florence
- Palazzo Bardini – Historic Palace in Florence
- Bargello Palace – Medieval Justice and Power in Florence
- Palazzo San Firenze – Baroque Florence and the Oratorians
- Palazzo Guicciardini – Historic Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Gondi – Renaissance Palace in Florence
- Palazzo Portinari Salviati in Florence
Foreign Influences
Discover how foreign communities, travellers and cultural exchange helped shape Florence’s history, architecture and identity.
- Foreigners Who Shaped Florence – Complete Guide
- The British in Florence – Writers, Artists and Collectors
- The Swiss in Florence – Entrepreneurs, Cafés and Confectioners
- The Germans in Florence – Artists, Scholars and Renaissance Culture
- The French in Florence – Politics, Art and Cultural Influence
- The Americans in Florence – Collectors, Writers and Historic Villas
Florence Capital
Discover how Florence became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy and how this brief but transformative period reshaped the city.
Important Figures
Discover the remarkable people whose ideas, ambitions and achievements helped shape Florence and its place in history.
- History of Florence – Important Florentine Figures
- Girolamo Savonarola – The Preacher Who Challenged Florence
- Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Magnificent Ruler of Renaissance Florence
- Cosimo I de’ Medici – The Duke Who Transformed Florence
- Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici – Florence’s Art Legacy
- Galileo Galilei – Science, the Medici and Florence
- Amerigo Vespucci – The Florentine Who Gave America Its Name
- Antonio Meucci – Florence and the Invention of the Telephone
Historic Hospitals
Discover Florence’s historic hospitals and the institutions that shaped the city’s traditions of medicine, charity and public care.
- Historic Hospitals of Florence – Complete Guide
- Santa Maria Nuova – Florence’s Historic Hospital
- Misericordia di Firenze – Centuries of Caring for Florence
- Ospedale degli Innocenti – Florence’s Foundling Hospital
- San Giovanni di Dio – Florence’s Historic Vespucci Hospital
- Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer – Florence’s Children’s Hospital
Society & Religion
Explore how faith, social structures and diverse communities shaped Florence’s history, identity and cultural life.
Historic Villas
Discover Florence’s magnificent villas
- Historic Villas of Florence and Fiesole – Complete Guide
- Villa di Fontallerta – Historic Villa near Fiesole
- Villa del Poggio Imperiale – Medici Villa in Florence
- Villa di Maiano – Historic Villa in the Hills of Florence
- Villa Le Balze – Historic Villa and Gardens in Fiesole
- Villa Medici a Fiesole – Renaissance Villa near Florence
- Villa La Pietra – Florence’s Historic Acton Family Estate
- Villa Medicea di Castello – Medici Villa and Gardens in Florence
Discover Florence beyond its famous landmarks. Explore neighbourhoods, squares, churches, gardens, hidden stories, traditional craftsmanship and the surrounding hills. Open a topic below to discover our Complete Guides and related articles.
Hills & Views
Explore the hills, viewpoints and historic places above Florence, from panoramic Piazzale Michelangelo to Fiesole and Settignano.
Bridges
Cross the Arno through centuries of Florentine history, from the iconic Ponte Vecchio to the elegant Renaissance lines of Santa Trinita and the city’s other historic bridges.
- Bridges of Florence: The Complete Guide
- The History of Ponte Vecchio: Florence’s Most Famous Bridge
- Ponte Santa Trinita – Florence’s Renaissance Bridge
- Ponte alle Grazie – Florence’s Historic Arno Bridge
- Ponte alla Carraia – Florence’s Historic Arno Bridge
- Ponte San Niccolò – Florence’s Eastern Arno Bridge
Hidden Florence
Discover the lesser-known side of Florence through lost places, curious street names, old traditions and stories hidden behind the city’s familiar façades.
- Hidden Stories of Florence
- Via dei Malcontenti – Florence’s Dark Street
- Florence’s Lost Roman Amphitheatre
- The Lost Mercato Vecchio of Florence
- Florence’s Lost Jewish Quarter
- Via delle Terme – The Roman Baths Hidden Beneath Florence
- Via dell’Inferno – The Story Behind Florence’s Street of Hell
- Florence’s Medieval Trades Hidden in Its Street Names
- Via delle Belle Donne – The Story Behind One of Florence’s Most Curious Street Names
- The Porcellino of Florence – The Story Behind the Lucky Boar
- The Buchette del Vino in Florence – Historic Wine Windows
Florence Cathedral
Explore the heart of Florence’s cathedral complex, from the history of Piazza del Duomo to Brunelleschi’s extraordinary dome and the story of the city’s most famous landmark.
Traditional Workshops
Discover the craftsmanship that has shaped Florence for centuries, from silk weaving and leatherworking to goldsmithing, pietra dura, marbled paper and the city’s historic perfume tradition.
Florentine Crafts
Discover the craftsmanship that has shaped Florence for centuries, from silk weaving and leatherworking to goldsmithing, pietra dura, marbled paper and the city’s historic perfume tradition.
Churches
Discover Florence through its remarkable churches, where medieval devotion, Renaissance architecture and masterpieces by some of the city’s greatest artists come together.
- The Most Beautiful Churches in Florence – Complete Guide
- Basilica of Santa Croce – Florence’s Monumental Church
- Basilica of Santa Maria Novella – Art and Architecture in Florence
- Basilica of San Lorenzo
- Basilica of Santo Spirito
- Basilica della Santissima Annunziata
- Orsanmichele
- Basilica di Santa Trinita
- Santa Maria del Carmine
- San Miniato al Monte
- Badia Fiorentina
- Chiesa di Ognissanti
Fiesole
Explore Fiesole above Florence, from its Etruscan origins and Roman remains to historic churches, monasteries and centuries of life in this remarkable hill town.
Squares
Experience Florence through its historic squares, from grand civic spaces and cathedral landmarks to lively neighbourhood piazzas that have shaped the city’s public life for centuries.
Gardens
Escape into Florence’s green spaces, from grand Medici gardens and panoramic terraces to romantic parks, seasonal flowers and lesser-known retreats across the city.
Neighbourhoods
Explore Florence neighbourhood by neighbourhood, from the historic centre and artisan quarters of the Oltrarno to residential districts where everyday Florentine life continues beyond the city’s best-known sights.
More to Discover
Discover a few more sides of Florence, from peaceful corners and local markets to hidden landmarks, Renaissance heritage and one of the city’s most distinctive historic traditions.
Explore Florence through its museums, artists and writers. Discover world-famous collections, Renaissance masters, literature, theatre and the creative figures who shaped the city’s cultural identity.
Museums
Discover Florence’s remarkable museums – from world-famous Renaissance collections to intimate galleries, historic houses and lesser-known treasures waiting to be explored.
- Florence Museums – The Complete Guide
- Uffizi Gallery
- Accademia Gallery
- Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
- Palazzo Pitti
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Bargello Museum
- San Marco Museum
- Museo Galileo
- Museo Novecento
- National Archaeological Museum Florence
- Museo Casa di Dante
- La Specola
- Stibbert Museum
- Casa Buonarroti
- Museo dell’Opificio delle Pietre Dure
- Palazzo Davanzati
- Museo Bardini
- Museo Horne
- Museo degli Innocenti
- Museo della Misericordia
- Museo Marino Marini
- Centro Pecci Prato: Contemporary Art Near Florence
- Small Museums in Florence Worth Discovering
- Free Museums Florence: First Sunday Free Entry Guide
Literature
Explore Florence through the writers, poets and literary works that have shaped – and been inspired by – the city.
- Florence in Literature
- Dante Alighieri and the Divine Comedy
- Giovanni Boccaccio and the Decameron
- Niccolò Machiavelli and The Prince
- E. M. Forster and A Room with a View
- Dan Brown’s Inferno – Florence Through the Novel
- Magdalen Nabb and Marshal Guarnaccia
- Marco Vichi and Inspector Bordelli
- A Literary Walk Through Florence
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning Florence Life and Work
- Books to Read Before Visiting Florence
- Aldo Palazzeschi and Florence
- Gabriele D’Annunzio and Florence
- Carlo Collodi – Pinocchio and Florence
The Great Artists
Meet the painters, sculptors and architects who made Florence one of the world’s great centres of artistic innovation.
Theatres & Opera Houses
Explore Florence’s historic theatres and opera houses and discover the city’s enduring tradition of music, drama and performance.
The Birth of Opera
Discover how late Renaissance Florence became the birthplace of opera and transformed the history of European music and theatre.
Movies Filmed
Discover Florence through the films and television productions that have used the city’s streets, palaces and landscapes as unforgettable settings.
Food & Drinks:Discover the flavours of Florence and Tuscany – traditional dishes, local wines, historic cafés, markets and culinary traditions that tell the story of the region.
The Wines
Discover the wines of Tuscany, from historic vineyards and native grape varieties to the traditions that have shaped one of Italy’s great wine regions.
- The Wines of Tuscany – The Complete Guide
- Tuscan Wine for Beginners – Complete Guide
- The Antinori Family: Wine, Tradition and Renaissance Influence
- The Frescobaldi Family: Florence’s Banking and Wine Dynasty
- The Ricasoli Family: Wine and Chianti
- Antinori nel Chianti Classico
- The Mazzei Family: Wine and Chianti
- The Biondi Santi Family: Brunello and Montalcino
Italian Pasta
Discover the history, regional varieties and traditions that have made pasta one of Italy’s most celebrated culinary treasures.
- Italian Pasta: History, Types & Traditions
- The Origins of Pasta: Myth vs Reality
- Classic Italian Pasta Sauces Explained
- Italian Pasta Etiquette: Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Durum Wheat – The Secret Behind Italian Pasta
- Short Pasta Explained: Types, Uses & Best Sauces
- Long Pasta Explained: Types, Uses & Best Sauces
- Why Italians Eat Pasta al Dente
Tuscan Food
Discover the flavours, traditional dishes and simple ingredients that define Tuscan cuisine and reflect the region’s rural heritage.
- Florentine and Tuscan Food – Complete Guide
- Cucina Povera in Tuscany: Tradition and Simplicity
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina: A Complete Guide
- Understanding the Traditional Italian Meal
- Lampredotto: Florence’s Iconic Street Food
- Tuscan Cheese: A Guide to Traditional Cheeses of Tuscany
- Tuscan Bread – Why Tuscany’s Bread Has No Salt
- How the Medici Shaped Florentine Cuisine
- The Role of Bread in Tuscan Cuisine
- Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A Guide to Tuscany’s Liquid Gold
- Italian Coffee Culture – How Florence Enjoys Coffee
- Italian Spirits – What to Drink in Florence and Tuscany
- Best Gelato in Florence: Local Favorites & Hidden Gems
- Tuscan Salumi: Traditional Cured Meats of Tuscany
- Tuscan Herbs and Flavours: Traditional Ingredients of Tuscany
- Traditional Tuscan Desserts: Sweet Specialties
- Tuscan Antipasti – The Perfect Start to Every Meal
- The Art of the Italian Aperitivo
- The True History of Italian Gelato
Food Markets
Discover Florence’s historic food markets, where fresh ingredients, local flavours and everyday traditions bring Tuscan food culture to life.
- The Historic Food Markets of Florence – Complete Guide
- Mercato Centrale – Florence’s Historic Central Market
- Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio – Florence’s Authentic Food Market
- Mercato delle Cascine – Florence’s Largest Open-Air Market
- Mercato di San Lorenzo – Florence’s Historic Street Market
- Mercato di San Frediano – The Neighbourhood Market of the Oltrarno
Drinks
Discover Florence and Tuscany through their traditional drinks, from historic aperitifs and local spirits to the stories and customs behind them.
- The Drinks of Florence – Wine, Cocktails and Tuscan Traditions
- The Negroni – The Florentine Story Behind Italy’s Famous Cocktail
- Vin Santo – Tuscany’s Traditional Dessert Wine
- Chianti Wine – The Wine That Shaped Tuscany
- Vinsanto, Vermouth and the Florentine Aperitivo Tradition
- Tuscan Grappa – From Vineyard Tradition to Digestivo
- Coffee in Florence – From Historic Cafés to the Italian Bar
Historic Cafés
Discover Florence’s historic cafés, where writers, artists and intellectuals gathered and generations of Florentines shaped the city’s social and cultural life.
- The Historic Cafés of Florence – Coffee, Culture and Literary Life
- Caffè Gilli – Florence’s Historic Café on Piazza della Repubblica
- Caffè Paszkowski – Music and Café Culture in Florence
- Le Giubbe Rosse – Florence’s Café of Writers and Futurists
- Rivoire – A Historic Café on Piazza della Signoria
- Caffè Michelangiolo – The Lost Café of Florence’s Macchiaioli
- Procacci 1885 – Truffles, Wine and a Florentine Institution
Historic Restaurants
Discover Florence’s historic restaurants, where traditional Tuscan cuisine, local stories and generations of hospitality preserve the city’s culinary heritage.
- Historic Restaurants of Florence – Complete Guide
- Trattoria Sostanza – Historic Florentine Trattoria Since 1869
- Buca Lapi – Historic Florentine Restaurant Since 1880
- Buca San Giovanni – Historic Restaurant near Florence Cathedral
- Buca Mario – Historic Florentine Buca Since 1886
- Trattoria Cammillo – Historic Family Trattoria in Florence
- Ristorante Il Latini – Historic Tuscan Restaurant in Florence
- Trattoria Sabatino – Traditional Florentine Trattoria in San Frediano
- Antico Fattore Florence – Historic Artists’ Trattoria
- Ristorante Natalino Florence – Historic Tuscan Restaurant
- Trattoria Mario Florence – Historic Market Trattoria
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