Valentines and The Interior Design Walk

A Valentines Day Treat...Experience some of the most beautiful and unique interior design shopping, picturesque squares, streets and vistas in the world....do one of our tours, or have one of our private guides show you Florence's best, window shop with us!

See Florence's most famous artisans' at work on our Artisans Work shop Tour…
The Artisan's Workshop Tour takes you into a world long lost anywhere else but the antique streets of Florence. You will find exquisite jewellery made by master craftsmen with workshops classified as museums, Europe's most famous antique tapestry dealer, magnificent renaissance furniture replicas, painstaking exacting gilders going about the work of centuries past, descendants of the famous Medici family selling oggetti d'arte to Windsor palace, Italy's most famous wood carvers…

Photo taken from the newest florist in town…Fiorile

Getting Married in Italy?

Contact us about great tours and event planning, locations, the best wedding planners, rentals of fiat 500s and other classic cars and more

Experience the Best of Tuscany

See beautiful views on our original Best of Tuscany tour...
No large buses, small groups only

http://www.italy.artviva.com/tours/13/best_of_tuscany

Carnevale in Italia!

Carnevale is a big celebration in Italy- Many towns start the festivities around the beginning of February and the big finale is on Fat Tuesday.

Almost all Italian cities have some sort of Carnival celebration but the most famous ones are Viareggio and Venezia.

In Venice, Carnival celebrations start February 5th until February 16th (Mardi Gras this year). For a list of full events click on the Venice Carnival Italy link below:
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http://www.venice-carnival-italy.com/

Florence News: City developments!

This year on February 14th, Florentines will not only be celebrating Valentines Day- they will also be introduced to the much-talked about Tramvia system.
At 6:30 a.m. the Tramvia will open and to celebrate this occasion, city officials are giving vistitors and residents a full week of free rides!
The tramvia Line 1, which will 7 times an hour, will connect Florene (near Porto al Prato) to Scandicci. There will also be a line 2 and 3 but ever since the Duomo became pedestrian-only, plans have been delayed.

www.ataf.net has more details.

Arriving In Italy?

What could be more wonderful than arriving home to Italy and being whisked away to the closest good restaurant for a ‘welcome back to Italy’ lunch?
The restaurant: Pasucci al Porticciolo, close to a tiny harbour near Fuimicino airport; Rome’s main airport. Porticciolo means small and pretty harbour.

This restaurant follows the Slow Food movement credo and holds Slow Food classes.

The region is the home of a movement to celebrate and protect a local delicacy called ‘Tellina’; a tasty small shellfish. Try the “calamari fritti in composta di arancia e cipolla” . It was creative and delicious. Lightly battered in a tempura like paste, the calamari cut in thin strips and served with a side sauce of red onion rings cooked in a reduced orange sauce.



For more food sensations see our gourmet focused tours such as our evening tour, or our Best of Tuscany tour with local Tuscan treats for lunch and a visit to a great wine estate, or our bike tour that tastes fabulous wine and lunches at a famous restaurant...




See the restaurant's web site at www.alporticciolo.net


Other Delicious Dishes:

A Tuscan view...

This weekend, one of our office staffers ventured out into the heart of Tuscany, to take photos and view the gorgeous rolling hills and mountaintop towns.

If you asked any of us living in Florence, chances are we'll tell you the city is so amazing, with so many events, festivals and fun things to do, we sometimes forget to leave and explore all the beauty outside of the city!

But there's a reason Tuscany is world famous...as you can see from the photos. These were taken in San Gimignano. If you're visiting Italy this year, why not consider taking our Best of Tuscany Tour, which takes you into the heart of Tuscany to Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggione. It includes a small group guarantee, a private driver and your own guide who will recount the fascinating history of the Tuscan area along the way. The guide will also be at your disposal to offer suggestions on what exactly you would like to see in each town- so whether you are looking for a view for photos, or some local wine shops, you will be fully informed. Once you arrive in each town, we'll give you time to explore on your own. A mouthwatering lunch and wine is included, at a special place only we know about. We guarantee this tour won't leave you disappointed.

*There are a few tour operators who offer a generic form of this tour, and we are often asked what is the difference between their tour and ours. ArtViva Walking Tours was the first tour operator to offer this tour in Florence. We are different because of the quality and group size of our tours. Our tour guides are mother-tongue English speakers who are extremely knowledgeable about the area. We also refuse to allow more than 14 people maximum per group- though usually the group size is much less. To ensure your spots are reserved, book now! If you're looking for a more exclusive tour, and wish to travel to Tuscany with your own personal guide, check out our private Best of Tuscany option.

Florence News: Digging up Da Vinci?

According to the Timesonline.co.uk, a group of Italian scientists are asking for permission to dig up the remains of one of Tuscany- and the world's- most famous artists, Leonardo Da Vinci.

The Times says, "A team from Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage, has asked to open the tomb in which the Renaissance painter and polymath is believed to lie at Amboise castle, in the Loire valley, where he died in 1519, aged 67.

Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist, said the project could throw new light on Leonardo’s most famous work. “If we manage to find his skull, we could rebuild Leonardo’s face and compare it with the Mona Lisa,” he said.

The identity of the Mona Lisa has been debated for centuries, with speculation ranging from Leonardo’s mother to Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant."

What do you think? For the full article, click here.

Craving La Dolce Vita?

Are you planning your trip to Italy this summer? Does it seem as if your exciting itinerary is back-to-back tours, shopping, excursions, and nonstop sight-seeing?

Imagine being whisked away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, to a Renaissance Villa. Although only about 15 minutes from the centro storico of Florence, this Villa, up in the hills, will give you the impression that you have escaped the hustle and bustle of the city center. The gorgeous Italian garden, adorned with statues and beautiful views will leave you breathless. As you lay by the pool that is surrounded by olive groves, you view the Tuscan hills stretched out before you, you can truly savor the experience what is like to be under the Tuscan Sun.


Spend the day lazing by the pool, then enjoy a delicious gourmet Tuscan lunch paired with a crisp glass of wine- and just relax. This is what the La Dolce Vita is all about.

Walking Tours is the only tour operator to offer this exclusive experience. To learn more, or to book, click here.

Off the Renaissance Path: (other) things to do in Florence

Are you looking for a break from the amazing and exhausting collection of Renaissance art? Sometimes spending all day at The Uffizi or Accademia can be a bit overwhelming. Although at times it is hard to separate the city from the amazing art it has to offer, there are different activities to participate in and various museums to visit- you just need to know where to look. And we guarantee you won't be dissapointed-For example, did you know Florence's Museum of Natural History is the oldest in Europe? Museo dello Specola is now displaying the Giazotto collection of 500 pieces of crystals from all over the globe. So if you'd like to see a dizzying array of gorgous crystals, you're in the right place. For more info visit the website here.