Theses attract tourists and a lot of visitors from all over the area. A great party is also organised in the evening, were you can go and do wine tasting or discover the great restaurants and caffes of Florence. This is a great exhibition puttogether by wellknown historians, and it is worth going and having a look. We highly recommend it if you are thinking of staying several days in Florence. This event should be on your list of places to visite,

The Madonna of the Goldfinch has recently been restored and accessible once more to public vue. The Madonna del cardellino or Madonna of the Goldfinch is a painting done between 1505-1506 by Raphael an Italien rainaissance painter. However the Madonna will not be displayed as “a masterpiece reborn” in a single appearance, that would have reduced it to the level of a fetish or venerable relic and not as many people would have been able to discover it. Instead, it will be kept with other eloquent, coeval works, that express, albeit with brevity. Certain aspects are useful in understanding the season of the painting’s birth and history and, shortly thereafter (in the wake of a dramatic catastrophe),of its resurrection.

An excellent 3 Stars Hotels in Florence is the Hotel Machiavelli which is a old palace built in the 18th century. All the rooms have Florentine style furnisher in order to recreate the atmosphere of the past while being modern and equiped with the most recent facilities. The hotel offers a good internet connection and Satellite television to relax guests from the begining until the end of there stay. There is an nice outdoor terrace where the guests can enjoy peacfully a breathtaking view from the rooftops of Florence. Guests can also relax and have a cocktail or drink from our wide selection or sunbath in the pleasant and warming sun of the summer.

The Hotel Paris is also very good, it has the real florentine styling. The building has an old chic charme. The rooms are of an excellent quality and equiped proprely for you needs. The views from the rooms and restaurant are splendide. It has a very relaxing atmosphere, you can therefore enjoy the endless pleasures of the fine city of florence and fell calme and peacefull. The hotel is located in Florence’s historic center. Right by the beautifull cathedral and the main museums of the city. It is easy to reach the hotel by foot from the Santa Maria Novella station which is only a few hundred metres away. From the hotel you can easily walk to all the exhibits and town center. The main attractions are only 5 minutes away. If you want to go by car you will have to go through the ZTL which stands for Zone Limited to Traffic and under video surveillance. To avoid fines you will have to inform the police of your car number plate.

The Palazzo Vecchio (old palace) is the most important civil building in the city of Florence. The town hall was built in 1299. The politicians of Florence ruled from inside this building therefore it is a very important part of town. The courtyard and the interior are especially worth seeing. Tourists can enter some of the rooms on the first and second floor, like the Lily Hall, the Living Room of Elenora and the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of 500).

The Basilica of San Lorenzo was built in 393 by St. Ambrose, but was renewed in 1423. Artists like Brunelleschi, Rosso Fiorentino, Desiderio da Settignano, Donatello and Bronzino worked on the renewing of the church. The Medici Chapel is part of the church San Lorenzo, which was the main church of the Medici and became their mausoleum. In 1520 Michelangelo began his work on the New Sacristy there. He worked on the sculptures of the sarcophagus to 1533, but did not complete all. Today one can see the statues of the Dukes Lorenzo and Giuliano, the allegories for dawn, day and night and the group of Madonna and child, as well as the statues of the two saints Cosmas and Damian.

San Miniatio al Monte can be found near the Piazzale Michelangelo and is regarded as one of the finest examples of Florentine Romanesque style. The church has a façade entirely made from green and white marble-clad. It is built on top of the tomb of St. Minias, who suffered under the Emperor Decius around the year 250. It is considered the most beautiful religious building in the city of Florence. In Brian De Palma’s thriller “Obsession” the church could be seen. Florence has many more historic sights to offer. Therefore a trip to Florence is really worth it.

Val D’Orcia in Siena is part of the most beautiful landscape in Tuscany and was appointed a World Heritage Site in 2004 by the UNESCO. There are many historical sites which were appointed World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO in Tuscany. Examples are the old town of Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Campo Santo, Baptistery of Pisa San Gimignano and Pienza.

The vineyards in Tuscany are world famous. The region with the most and probably best vineyards is called Chianti. Many small towns in the region are producing premium wine from Sangiovese grapes. Brunello di Montalcino is claimed to be one of the best wines from Tuscany. The wine is produced in the small town of Montalcino. Generally speaking the wine from Chianti is divided into four different types: the Chanti Classico, the Colli Fiorentini, the Colli Senesi and Chianti Rufina. Because of the long tradition of wine making, while visiting Tuscany wine sampling is one of the must-dos.

Relaxing on the beach, swimming and diving is also very popular in Tuscany. Dozens of fabulous beaches can be found at the coast side. The island of Elba also offers breathtaking scenery and is one of the places to go for people who are interested in diving. Holiday on the beach here offers relaxation, tranquility and lots of nature.

Two insider tips from the locals to tourists are the Palio di Siena, which is one of the toughest races, and the prison restaurant of Volterra. Both of which can be found near the capital Florence and can be easily reached by car.

Italy has always been an important part of Europe’s political history. Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire and is the capital of Italy today. The Romans influenced Europe’s development on many different levels. First of all the Roman Empire was the biggest and most powerful in Europe. Great inventions were made by the Romans, which still benefit people all over the world.

Many artists have their roots in Italy. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci or Raphael, are just a few examples. Italy has been the center of the Renaissance movement in the 15^th century. Until today, art enthusiasts from all over the world travel to Italy to see the great art work of these artists. Throughout the history artist from all over Europe came to Italy to be inspired by the beauty of the country and the lifestyle of the Italians. Writers, painters, sculptures and many other artists got their inspiration from the beautiful olive gardens in Italy.

The Italian food is famous all around the globe. Everybody loves pasta or pizza, which are originated in Italy. It is said that Italy has one of the finest cuisines in the world. Famous products from Italy include cheese, ham and wine. Italy has the perfect weather to grow grapes. The wine is said to be very good and wine lovers from all over the world order Italian wine. The Italian ice cream is also considered to be very delicious. Most ice creams recipes originate from hundreds of years ago and ran in the family. Therefore Italian ice cream is both, tasty and has a lot of tradition.

Most tourists also like the great weather in the summer and visit Italy to go swimming. Some Italian beaches are world famous and millions of tourists come every year to enjoy summer, sun and fun.

In the early Medieval there was the fall of the Western Roman Empire, which influenced the development of the city. During the Great Migration thousands of Ostrogoths invaded the city and Florence was involved in the Gothic-Byzantine War (541-44 AD). As a result of the war a lot of buildings and streets in the city were destroyed.

In the 11^th century Florence became more and more important in the Tuscany. The city was the center of the world’s attention during the Investiture Controversy, which was the struggle between the pope Victor the Second and Emperor Henry the Third. They were arguing about who has the greater power on earth. In 1115 Florence became a free commune and developed both, trade and industry. In 1125 Florence attacked the rival neighboring state Fiesole and brought it under control. In the 12^th century the city played a more and more important role in trade and industry throughout whole Europe.

During the 16^th Florence became more and more important in the art world, too. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael all left traces of them behind in the city. They not only created great art work which is still said to be changing history, but they also changed the thinking of the people in Florence in that century.

After two wars of independence Florence was named capital of Italy in 1870. The rebuilding of the city started and its importance in the world grew bigger and bigger. In the 19^th century Florence biggest problem was the steadily growing number of inhabitants. The old city did not have enough space for so many people. Therefore the old city wall was torn down and the city expanded. Until World War II the number of people living in Florence more than doubled. Until today the city is said to be one of the most important and worth visiting in Italy.

The second portrait is called “Monaca”, was produced by a master from florence, Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, who was the son of the great Domenico and a good friend of Raphael , they both had the same age, shows well the influence the young painter from Urbino had over his colleagues and friends on the banks of the Arno.

A small wooden panel, once used as a portrait “cover” and covered with grotesque motifs (it was thought that Raphael himself had done it, but it was later found out that it had been the work of Ridolfo), is a proof of the stylistic consonance between Florence and the master.Furthermore, if this “cover” seems to have been created precisely for the Monaca.

A glazed terracotta magnificant sculpture by the artist Girolamo della Robbia representing the Madonna and Child with the young Saint John the Baptist that it reproduces identically the La Belle Jardinière by Raphael which is exposed in the Louvre. This is a perfect example of the immediate diffusion and influence, in sculptures and in paintings, not only of the expressions, but also of the inventions of Raphael.

And appropriately the Parisian Madonna, which unfortunately was never finished by the artist from Urbino, was according reliable sources, finished at the demanded of Sanzio by the same Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio to whom the Monaca and its “cover” are now designated: this shows a strong relationship between the two artists. Their communion of affection and style appears strikingly as to induce the conjecture that it was precisely Ridolfo who undertook the restoration of the Madonna del cardellino, after it got damaged in it’s home which was an old palace, following a landslide in 1548. It is rather suggestive to see two works by Ridolfo in the same room in palazzo Medici: he  the first restorer beside with the last restoration.