For all the curious people who want to discover the many episodes that involved the local authorities and Florentine citiziens in the past centuries, are invited on September 12th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to the extraordinary opening of the Archives of Florence, showed with guided tours and the exhibition of documents dating back to the 19th century. Visitors can see the different rooms and stores of Palazzo Bastoni, seat of the city archives which houses a rich documentation that will bring to light old stories and disputes of other times. But there are various interesting appointment that Florence has organized for you…

Taking about art events Palazzo Strozzi Foundation is always in the front row to present its gems, in September there are three exhibitions starting  from September 24  “Bronzino. Artist and Poet at the court of the Medici” with more than sixty works of the painter symbol of the splendor and beauty during Renaissance. “Portraits and Power. People, politics and structures” this is the exhibition will take place at the Strozzina the florentine contemporary art space and last but not least, on October it will be exhibited the large cube mirror of Michelangelo Pistoletto.The three exhibitions will close January 23, 2011.

The Alinari National Museum of Photography- MNAF – from September 10th to October 24th organized the exhibition  “The Praise of negative.The beginning of  paper negatives in Italy from 1846 to 1862” with the first examples of uses of paper negatives.

September 10th at the Bargello’s National Museum opens also the exhibition   The large bronzes of Baptistery. Ruhstici and Leonardo. The most important work is the masterpiece of  Giovan Francesco Rustici, called  The Baptist’s preaching, a group of sculptures made by three gorgeous bronze figures that were projected and realized with the help of  Leonardo and were put above the North Gate of florentine Baptistery in 1511. The exhibition will close the 10th January 2011.

“ Annigoni and the XX century. The discovery of XVII century” a project proposed by Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze to enhance a chapter in the history of art of Florence. The exhibition  will start November 20th to end  March 27, 2011 with the purpose to investigate and show the Florentine cultural environment at the time of Annigoni training .

In Tuscany, as throughout Italy, 25th and 26th September  will be celebrated the  European Heritage Days, with a lot of events, while October 9 will be celebrated the Contemporary Art Day.

Meanwhile,there are always opened the following exhibition: Caravaggio and Caravaggeschi at the Uffizi Gallery and Pitti Palace until 17 October,Virtue of Love in the  Gallery of Accademy fine Arts until November 1, Vinum Nostrum – art and science of wine in the myths of ancient Mediterranean civilization at the Silver Museum in Palazzo Pitti until May 15, 2011.

Second in importance among the national events of this kind, the floats parade in Impruneta (Florence), it is a parade of four floats, one for each district, accompanied by beautiful choreography. At the Grape Festival, each district develops a different theme linked  metaphorically to the grape and wine…

… The so called Rionali, are teens and adults, who organize the  non-profit party, where the only “interest” they have is to spend a month of joy and friendship. Infact during the whole month of September, they meet them to build floats and accompanied by a glass of wine they wait for Sunday, September 26, the parade day, during which it will be declared the winner.

Programm:

Sunday, September 26:

15.00 The Philharmonic Giuseppe Verdi opens the 84th Grape Festival.

Parade floats of four districts: S.Antonio, S.S. Marie, Fornaci, Pallò.

19.00: Prize Competition “29th Grape shopwindow” – contest for the best shopwindow that have as theme: grape.

District Winner awards.

For more information:

Tel 055 2313729

Email: proimpruneta@rtd.it

From Certaldo to San Miniato, from Massarosa to Capalbio, from Fucecchio to Campagnatico, these are the places that during September Tuscan autumn offer to their citizens (but also to the tourists and curious) delicious feasts.

For all lovers of mushrooms, Certaldo (Florence) from September 9 to October 10 from Friday to Sunday at Centro Polivalente, hosts the Festival of steak and porcini mushrooms, with an exceptional menu: fried mushrooms and cuts of the traditional Florentine ( Information: Swimming Certaldo, 333 411 494).

But before to go there, do not miss the appointment with the Festival of the white truffle and porcini mushrooms, which will be held from Friday 24 to Sunday, September 26 at La Serra village of San Miniato (Pisa), your evening will be accompanied by lasagna with truffles,  steak with grilled porcini mushroom chapel and  fried eggs with truffles (For information: 339 1639542). To Pievescola back the expected tournament Mushroom Festival now in its 37th stage, after 3 and 5 September following replication September 9 to 12, accompanied by dishes of mushrooms, musical entertainment, and handicraft market ( For information: 388-9296883). With a menu based around truffles, Girone ,village of Fiesole (Florence), hosts the 26th Truffle Festival September 3 to 19 (Information: 055 659.37.12 055  659.39.69).

For lovers of pasta here comes a series of festivals named Pasta & Polenta, we start from the Mugello Festival Tortello Scarperia (Florence), scheduled for 12 September 4,5, 11 and among specialties potato ravioli with Mugello meat sauce or mushrooms and steak Florentine.  Saturday 11 and Sunday, September 12 Fucecchio appointment with the traditional feast of bread with soup dishes and music (For information :0571-23454). Not to be missed, September 9 to 12 Pontassieve (Florence) in the Casa del Popolo of Santa Brigida the Toast festival, with more than 50 different types of crostini (For info: 055-8300035). In Caparbio (Grosseto) from 8 to 12 September Feast of the Boar, a dive into the flavors of the Maremma: pappardelle with wild boar and polenta, and wild boar but also the typical soup Maremma acquacotta and spicy sausages “ammazzafegati” (For Information: 0564-89701).

A day dedicated to two local products are offered at Vernio (Prato),  Sunday,  September 12th do not miss the Festival of tripe and Lampredotto (For information: 338 / 8086116).

San Miniato (Pisa) after the Truffle Festival, until Sept. 19 offers the Fisherman’s Festival, with specialty of grilled and fried fish (For information: 346 / 8783818).

For those who want to taste something “special” do not miss Ambra (Arezzo), the Snail Festival of Amber, with stewed and fried snails and many other specialties, to be held September 9 to 12 (information: 055 – 996,701). A menu with original dishes like penne with fig or figs with salami and cheese wait for you in Bacchereto small village of Carmignano (Prato), as well as traditional Tuscan pappardelle with hare sauce, rigatoni with lamb, tripe, polenta with mushrooms and wild boar, pasta and chickpeas, at the Sagra del Fico from  September 4 to 12 (information: 055-8717175). And after being in at least one of these magnificent festivals Buonconvento (Siena) is organizing the Village of Beer, with scheduled guided tasting of various beers, dishes of meats, pork, cheese and Siena caren barbecued (For information: 0577-807077).

Until September 11th Marina di Carrara (Massa Carrara) will  host the Septemberfest, the festival in German style with rivers of beer and luna park (for information www.september-fest.it). Borgo San Lorenzo (Florence) will also organize the Beer Festival 10-12 and 17 to 19 September, during which you can taste many kinds and variations of beer (For information: 055 8490072). And at the Casa del Popolo of Strada in Chianti (Florence) selection of ales and dark beers from all over Europe with” A whole BEER! ” from September 24 to 26 and October 1 to 3.

Have you ever thought what life was like the marriage during the Renaissance, which were the roles within the couple and what people should do,  in order to be considered virtuous? To these questions will answer the exhibition Virtues of Love, that have two different location: the Horne Museum and the Gallery of Accademy of Fine Arts in Florece.

The exhibition opened 8th June, offers more than forty tables of the fifteenth century from prestigious Italian and foreign museums, where visitors could recall the wedding celebrations and  the rituality that accompanied marriage, from engagement to the wife’s entrance into her husband’s house, during the Renaissance. These painted panels originally part of bedrooms furniture (such as chests, headboards, and beds) celebrate the marriage and the parentage . The bedroom was the fulcrum of the Renaissance home: the most intimate and protected place where the wedding was consumed, children were born, and one died. The exhibition is inspired by the so-called Cassone Adimari that was painted by Scheggia, the Masaccio’s brother; visitors can also see  the Palio di San Giovanni chest, painted by Giovanni Toscani, part of the Museo Nazionale del Bargello collection. The last exhibition’s section is dedicated to the family pride, which is affirmed through tales narrating the  foundation of  famous parenteages like that of Aeneas and David.

Gallery of Academy of Fine Arts, opening hours: 8.15 – 18.50 (closed on Monday)

Museo Horne, opening hours: 9.00 – 13.00

8th June – 1st November 2010

Quite everybody have seen the city centre of Florece under the shining sun, but not everybody know Florence by night and a very few people have knowledge of its more curious and less known aspects.

Florence under the stars is an initiative born of the partnership between Florence’s Tourism Agency and the Tour Guide Association of Florence and surrounding areas. The evening lecture tours are conducted by professional tour guides with the aim to illustrate an hidden and original Florence, following the footsteps of famous figures, historical memories and myths to narrate under a starry sky.

Choose your tour, book and enjoy the charm of Florence’s summer evenings!

How to join:

The evening tour-lectures take place every Wednesday and Friday from September 3rd to October 20th.

Meet your guide at 8.50pm. Each tour-talk begins at 9pm. Estimated time: 2 hours.

The guided tours are free of charge and will operate even with few participants. No more than 50 persons are allowed for each tour. All participants are provided with head-phones for listening to tour commentary without disturbing the evening quiet.

To book a tour-lecture, call (+39) 331 2053049  Mon – Fri from 6pm to 8pm.

The tours are in Italian. If there are any foreigners taking part, each guide will offer a brief introduction and answer any questions in the language indicated next to their names.

Friday 3rd September – Piazza della Signoria, under the equestrian statue of Cosimo I

Death penalty in Florence during the modern age and the Compagnia de’ Neri – Rima Amalo (French speaking)

Wednesday 8th September – Piazza della Repubblica, under the Column

The origin of Florence and the woolwork  – Serena Galigani (French speaking)

Friday 10th September – Oratorio di San Martino, in San Martino square

Sant’Antonino Pierozzi and the San Martino Buonomini association – Chiara Migliorini Fantechi (English speaking)

Wednesday 15th September – Santa Maria Novella square, in front of the main entrance

Leon Battista Alberti in Santa Maria Novella between tradition and modernity – Fiammetta Sordi (Spanish speaking)

Friday 17th September – Piazza della Signoria, under the equestrian statue of Cosimo I

Leonardo da Vinci in Florence – Luciano Niccolai (English speaking)

Wednesday 22nd September – Bargello’s Museum

Crime and justice in the history of Florence – Ghislaine Tiozzo (French speaking)

Friday 24th September – Piazza Santa Croce, under Dante’s monument

Giovanni da San Giovanni and the Antella Palace’s façade in Santa Croce square – Giovanni Tenucci (Spanish speaking)

Wednesday 29th September – Giotto’s bell tower, at the entrance

The mechanic arts that make the success of Florence: a track discovering florentine arts and craft-guilds – Wanda Pattacini (English speaking)

Friday 1st October – Pitti Palace, main entrance

Dostoevskj in Florence – Sonia Davila (Spanish speaking)

Wednesday 6th October – San Lorenzo square, in front of the church

Cosimo called the Old  – Arianna Marconi (English speaking)

Friday 8th October – Piazzale Michelangelo, under the Michelangelo’s monument

Florence under the siege in 1529 – Ugo Primadei (English speaking)

Wednesday 13th October – in front of  Dante’s home

Dante among literature, history and folklore – Barbara Vestrini (English speaking)

Friday 15th October – Uffizi Loggia in front of San Pier Scheraggio, via della Ninna

Giorgio Vasari, artistic entrepreneur of Cosimo I – Laura Amerighi (English speaking)

Wednesday 20th October – Duomo square, in front of  Baptistery (Paradise Gate)

Ginevra degli Almieri – Francesca Gargani (French speaking)

(Source: Apt Firenze – the image is owned by APT Florence)