Forte Belvedere : open again!

On 14 March 2008 the Forte Belvedere has inaugurated a new edition of 15x15, 15 galleries 15 artists. Last year, in 34 days of its opening, the exhibition has recorded a turnout of over 12,000 visitors, getting at the same time and flattering broad consensus by the critics. Following this success, including in 2008 the event is again keeping unchanged the idea behind the project.

Some of the major art galleries in the exhibition Tuscan propose a selection of important works of one of its most important living artists, a master contemporary ever presented in previous editions.

15X15. 15 galleries, 15 artists
14 March'08 - May 4'08
Forte di Belvedere, Via San Leonardo
Open from Tuesday to Sunday - Hours 14.00 - 18.30
Admission free
Info: +39055 .0516361 - 055.516378

Forte Belvedere is open only for these exhibitions. In other moments you cannot visit it.

Fattori and Naturalism in Tuscany, at Villa Bardini, Florence

Florence, Italy: on the 19th of March has inaugurated the Fattori exhibition at Villa Bardini.

Vast landscapes and untouched nature, working in the fields and placid oxen, woods and hills, many horses, soldiers and common people, country girls, urban life. Late 19th century Tuscany extraordinarily glows with light and colours in the very special exhibition that inaugurates the year of Florence for Fattori at Villa Bardini, where the most famous of the Macchiaioli painters is compared with the most illustrious artists who inherited the innovative legacy of the Macchia and interpreted its themes and aspirations in a naturalistic – middle class way, in tune with the evolution of French and European culture.

With the 35, mainly large-sized works, some of which have never been seen in public, the exhibition in perfect harmony with the Villa Bardini garden, highlights affinities, suggests influences, shows differences, even big ones, and thus restores the true relationship between the master, the leader of the movement who never aspired to be so, and his brave art companions, that is between the protagonists of a beautiful and fleeting painting season where the Risorgimento idealism was to grieve for the disillusions of the post unity period and the idea of an imminent progress that was soon tinged with longing.

To help visitors enjoy this florentine exhibition better, it is divided into 5 sections (Painting in the Fields, ‘Courtly’ Naturalism, the Maremma, Urban Views and A Great Painter of Nature limited to Fattori’s paintings), according to the most common themes found in these artists’ works.
They portray the Tuscany of small but important things, a humble everyday life, beautiful virgin lands, anonymous labour, busy streets and squares, rustic idylls, the “wild Maremma west”. Moments of life caught in their immediacy and often magnified to eternal glory with a striking visionary power and incredible technical skills.

From the 19th of March to the 22nd of June
Firenze, Villa Bardini Costa San Giorgio 2 (near Forte Belvedere)
Opening hours from 9 am to 7 pm
Closed on the first and last monday of the month
Tickets: € 6,00
Info and booking: Tel. +39 055 243140 prenotazioni@cscsigma.it

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Frecce tricolori in Florence

Next monday the Air Force will celebrate in Florence, on March 31, at the presence of the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano, the 85 years of its establishment. The ceremony will open at 11.00 am and will end after about 45 minutes with the overflight of the "Frecce Tricolori" above the sky of Florence in front of Michelangelo square. It will be also present the Minister of Defence, the Mayor of the city of Florence and several institutional civilian and military.
For the event there will be a free bus service from 9.30 am to 2.30 pm to get to Michelangelo square.

The China exhibition in Florence

Today fortunately it was not raining!

I visited with my aunt the exhibition "China: at the Court of the Emperors. Unknown masterpieces from Han tradition to Tang elegance (25-907)" at Palazzo Strozzi.
It was great. Good exposure, gorgeous masterpieces and the correct lights let you admire these products coming from ancient China. The exhibition it's not big, it occupies 8 rooms, therefore it takes about 1 hour to see it.

Explanations available in italian, chinese and english.
The exhibiton costs 10 euros.
On thursday you can visite it until 11 pm.
Until june.
For more info: the official site.


And now... HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OF YOU!

Easter in Florence

Next sunday it's Easter: even if the weather forecast says it's going to rain we want to be optimist! Weather in Italy, in March, is very changeable. So.. what's on for Easter in Florence?

In the morning (about 10.00 am) in Piazza Duomo there will be the 'Burst of the Carriage': the most famous ceremony of Florentine Easter that goes back to the times of the first crusades and mixes the Christian rite to the pagan tradition with the worship of fire. The Holy fires comes on a carriage hauled by six white Ox. Than the carriage is fired with a special fuse called the “colombina”. And if the “explosion” (fireworks) is well done, it will be a good year for Florence. Free entrance. Information: 055 2769703/4 Email: turismo1@comune.fi.it

Not far from Florence, in Grassina (10 minutes from Florence): every year the citizens of the village of Grassina participate to the celebration of the Holy Friday with the famous historical parade. More than 500 people in a realistic Historical Commemoration Of Good Friday. The whole village becomes a stage for the popular actors dressed in Roman and Palestinian costumes. The Passion of the Christ is realistically rebuilt on the beautiful hills that surround the village. One of the most renown manifestation of Italian Easter. Not to miss! Information: urp@comune.bagno-a-ripoli.fi.it

Don't know where to have lunch for Easter? try the great Easter brunch at Rifrullo's (an italian restaurant near Ponte Vecchio): for 20 euros you can eat as much you can. Info: info at ilrifrullo.com

The Easter Monday in Italy is called "lunedì dell'angelo" (monday of the angel) or even "pasquetta" (pasqua is the italian word for Easter). It's a tradition to have a ride outside the cities, and have lunch together with friends and relatives.

On th 24th March, in Greve in Chianti (30 minutes from Florence) there's "The Little Market of Things from the Past" (Mercatino delle cose del passato). One the most traditional markets in one of the most beautiful squares (piazza) of all Chianti and Toscana. An opportunity to visit of Chianti and maybe have a good stop in one of the restaurants, trattorie or wine shops of the Chianti country. From 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Information Office: 055-8545227.

Vintage fashion show in Florence

Tomorrow night at Yab disco (via de' Sassetti, close to Piazza Repubblica, Florence) there will be a vintage show. From the '50s to the '80s there will be a presentation of style and glam from the past.The show will be long about 30 minutes.

In this fashion show you will see a parade of vintage outfits (clothes, jacktes, dresses), both for man and woman, put together by the young owners of "officina vintage" store, in Florence.

The show will start at 11.45 pm. You can even have dinner before.
Dinner + show = 20 euros (men) or 15 euros (women)
After dinner = 13 euros
for info: Alfio (3341378986)

Galileo Exhibition in Florence

Another big exhibition that opened few days ago is "Galileo's telescope. The Instrument that changed the world"

The telescope introduced an entirely new mode of observing the sky. This premise is indispensable for understanding the colossal impact the instrument was to have on seventeenth-century science and society.
In the summer of 1609 Galileo Galilei received news that some Dutch opticians had developed a curious optical instrument: a tube provided with lenses at both ends, which made distant objects observed through it appear to be closer. As soon as he had been informed of the structural details, Galileo dedicated himself to perfecting the instrument. Toward autumn of 1609 Galileo accomplished a truly extraordinary feat. Urged on by scientific curiosity, he turned his own perfected instrument toward the sky. The known stars and planets revealed unexpected physiognomies, and new heavenly bodies were added to those of the old Ptolemaic Cosmos. Galileo immediately realized the inestimable value of his telescopic discoveries and the fact that they constituted new observation points for promoting the Copernican doctrine of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun.
Now, 400 years later, the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza holds an exhibition on Galileo’s telescope and the observations he made with it. The displays will consist of rare and precious instruments (among them the objective and the only 2 existing telescopes by Galileo), manuscripts and ancient books. Comprehension of optical and astronomical principles will be facilitated by interactive exhibits and multimedia. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience through their own eyes the extraordinary Galileo’s experience.

Florence, Institute and Museum of the History of Science. 4 March - 31 December
Information Tel. +39 055 265311 imss@imss.fi.it
Opening Hours of the museum
WINTER HOURS October 1 - May 31
Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Closed all other Sundays and on the following holidays: November 1, December 8, 25 and 26, January 1 and 6, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, April 25, May 1
SUMMER HOURS June 1 - September 30
Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Closed on Sundays and the following holidays: June 2 and 24, August 15
Tickets: Full price € 4.00 age 0-6 free


Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

See also other events during the summer in Florence

Events in florence italy during summer 2008

This year probably there won't be Italia wave, the big music festival of last summer.

But we will have Estate fiesolana, free concerts in the main squares of Florence, the "festa dell'Unità" at the end of July (a week of cultural and culinary events staged at Fortezza da Basso) and maybe the opening of Forte Belvedere. One of the most famous elements in the Florentine cityscape during the summer is open for locals and visitors alike for parties with music and refreshments, bar open all summer, exhibitions...
The fortress of Belvedere, lying at the back of the Boboli Gardens, is considered the most beautiful balcony overlooking Florence. If you walk along the ramparts of the perimeter, from the various natural terraces you can enjoy a magnificent close-up view of Florence.

What about culture?
In these days (7th of March) will open a great exhibition about China, that will last until june, the 8th.
The exhibition China: at the Court of the Emperors. Unknown masterpieces from Han tradition to Tang elegance (25-907) will bring, for the first time to Europe, masterpieces of the Chinese Golden Age. The Tang dynasty is considered the Golden Age of Chinese history: its art represents one of its cultural zeniths, comparable to the Florentine Renaissance.
Florence, Palazzo Strozzi, piazza Strozzi

7th March - 8th June 2008

Exhibition hours:Daily from 9.a.m to 8 p.m,Thursday from 9 a.m to 11 p.m
Prices of the tickets: 10 euros.
15% off if you are ATAF single or monthly bus ticket holder

Free:Children up to 6 years of age, people escorting the disabled or groups, teachers with classes, journalists with press card, Florence tourist guides

Original sound movies in Florence in March

A rich planning for Original Sound movies in Florence. In March, in Florence, there will be many Oscar-winner movies, starting with hotly-tipped No Country For Old Men (4 oscar: best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, and best supporting actor for Spain's Javier Bardem), the Coen brothers’ adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel, a hard-hitting and violent tale of a 1980s drug bust and vendetta impeccably told in the brothers’ typical style, with outstanding performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem (Bardem won this year's best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of a psychopathic killer).

Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood with Daniel Day-Lewis (best actor Oscar) gives a stunning display as early 20th century Californian prospector turned oilman Daniel Plainview in an intense, innovative and memorable movie destined to be an American classic.

Johnny Depp has a star turn as the legendary demon barber in Tim Burton’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.

Julie Christie is the star of Away From Her, along with Sarah Polley, the writer-director in a story about coping with Alzheimer’s.

In 30 Days of Night vampires attack an Alaskan town in a graphic novel adaptation of a bloodthirsty gorefest, while Roland Emmerich’s 10,000 B.C. is a prehistoric adventure epic in which the ‘first hero’ confronts mammoths, sabre-toothed tigers and rival tribesmen.

Original Sound movies in Florence at Odeon Cinema
March 2008

Tu 4 and Th 6 NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (USA – 122’) by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen with Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly MacDonald Shows: 3.30 – 5.50 – 8.10 – 10.30 pm

Mo 10 and Tu 11 THERE WILL BE BLOOD (USA – 158’) by Paul Thomas Anderson with Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, Dillon Freasier Shows: 3.30 – 6.30 – 9.30 pm

Th 13 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (NEW ZELAND/USA – 113’) Sam Raimi present a film by David Slade with Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Mark Boone Jr., Mark Rendall Shows: 4.00 – 6.10 – 8.20 – 10.30 pm

Mo 17 and Tu 18 10,000 BC (USA/NW ZELAND – 148’) by Roland Emmeric with Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, Cliff Curtis Shows: 3.30 – 6.30 – 9.30 pm

Th 20 BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD (USA – 117’) by Sidney Lumet with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Rosemary Harris, Albert Finney, Brian F. O'Byrne Shows: 3.30 – 5.55 – 8.20 – 10.45 pm

Tu 25 AWAY FROM HER (CANADA - 110’) by Sarah Polley with Julie Christie, Michael Murphy, Gordon Pinsent, Stacey LaBerge, Olympia Dukakis, Deanna Dezmari, Alberta Watson
Shows: 4.00 – 6.10 – 8.20 – 10.30 pm

Th 27 SWEENEY TOOD:THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (USA - 125’) by Tim Burton with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Laura Michelle Kelly Shows: 3.30 – 5.55 – 8.20 – 10.45 pm

Mo 31 VANTAGE POINT (USA – 90’) by Pete Travis with Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt Shows: 4.30 – 6.30 – 8.30 – 10.30 pm

A regular ticket costs Euro 7,20 but you can buy the Club Card which gives you a 40% discount for 8 admissions of your choice. The card costs Euro 36,00 and expires at 31 st of July 2008. It admits up to two people at a time (i.e. 2 admissions). It can be purchased at the Odeon Cinema box office.