By Laura Mongillo in Florence— Tuscany is world famous for its wine, so it make sense that every restaurant, bar, cafe, bottega, supermarket and even hotel in Florence is trying to sell you a couple of bottles. But how do you know the good stuff from the vinegar? Here are a few tips for navigating » Read more

By Marc Justin in Florence— Pizza and pasta may be cornerstones of the Italian diet, but there are plenty of alternatives should these co-stars of the Italian kitchen be wrong for your body. Read on to find out how to negotiate Florence minus the usual suspects of dairy and wheat. Gluten-Free Restaurants Pizza and pasta » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence— With so many must-see museums, churches and palaces, Florence is a treasure trove for art and history lovers. It’s almost impossible to visit them all in a lifetime, much less a weekend trip! How do you choose which museums are worth your time–and budget? There are a few ways to » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence— If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, than when in Florence why not do it the Italian way and start your morning with some pastries? Pastries for breakfast? That’s right. I’m not talking about the old doughnut and drip coffee ritual (although you can simulate that with » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence—Feel like catching a movie in fair Firenze without having to first get a degree in Italian? Ha! This can prove to be more difficult than getting into the Uffizi on a Saturday. Most movies in Italy are shown almost exclusively in the Italian language, meaning they are dubbed and translated » Read more

By Marc Justin in Florence—No matter what type of traveler you are, at some point you will feel the urge to visit that very special European (no pun intended) monument: the toilet. And when that happens in crowded downtown Florence, you’ll want to find free and functional public washrooms. Here are my top picks for » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence— Winter in Florence is an amazing time. Without the snow and ice of colder spots in Europe, Florence remains cool enough to still feel like winter. Florence fully embraces the holiday season and all the joys associated with it. The holiday lights, combined with smaller crowds, really brings out the » Read more

By Marc Justin in Florence— There are a couple of well-kept secrets about Florence’s contemporary art scene: 1) It exists, and 2) a lot of it is free. You may now fold up your wallet, unzip your artistic inhibitions and check out these suggestions for partaking in the Florence art scene of today: 1. Le » Read more

Laura Mongillo in Florence— When people think of Italian fashion their mind usually goes straight to Milan and Rome. But it’s actually Florence that is the birthplace of many of Italy’s most famous designers and fashion houses such as Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and the up and coming Patrizia Pepe. With all » Read more