Paula's Tour Talk

Why Visit Fiesole?

 

•  You are beginning to suffer from the dizziness and confusion that marks the onset of the Stendhal Syndrome. This malady strikes tourists in Florence, and  is brought on by seeing too much beauty, too much art until the sufferer is simply overwhelmed and near to fainting.

• You aren't going to Rome, but want to see Roman ruins.

• You are an archeology buff, interested in Etruscan, Roman, and Longobard artifacts

• You'd love to get away from bustling Florence and only have a few hours and no car. You want to photograph panoramic views of Florence.

• You haven't had enough art and want to see some fine examples of the pre-Renaissance Tuscan school.

• A lovely lunch on the terrace of a restaurant with magnificent views sounds just right.

• You'd like to see where the wealthy since the time of the Medici escaped the summer heat of Florence.

• It's summer and you'd love to see a concert in a Roman amphitheater.

These are just a few reasons to catch the number 7 bus (at the Piazza San Marco or at the stop outside the train station) and take the short trip up into the hills outside Florence.

Teresa and I love to take our clients to Fiesole, and we've often been told it was a highlight of the trip. It's included on the itinerary of longer tours and always an option for free time.

Although there are several good restaurants, we love the views --and the food and wine-- at La Regia degli Etruschi. 

Spending a day, or even a few hours, in beautiful Fiesole will enrich your experience of Tuscany.

Have you been there? What did you like best?

Bronzino's Portrait of Eleonora of Toledo

This famous portrait of Eleonora of Toledo, first wife of Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, depicts an arrogant aristocrat in sumptuous dress. It is the heavy brocade gown and jewels that dominate while poor little two-year-old Giovanni looks dazed and uncomfortable.

Cosimo married Eleonora to inject some blue blood into his line. Cosimo was the first of the Medicis to rule with a title, Grand Duke. His wealthy ancestors, bankers and financiers, had power without title and were scorned by European aristocrats as mere merchants.

Eleonora was a member of Castilian royalty and had ties to the Hapsburg dynasty-- more than noble enough to add luster to the Medici line.

She did her dynastic duty,too, as the mother of 11 children. Some died in infancy or childhood, but five of her sons lived. Both Francesco and Fernando became Grand Dukes in time, and Giovanni, the little boy in the portrait was Bishop of Pisa and a cardinal even though he died before he was twenty.

Bronzino lavished his attention on her dress; the faces seem almost indistinct by comparison. The elaborate pomegranate motif, symbolizing fertility, is painstakingly rendered. The focus on her  expensive dress emphasizes Eleonora's nobility.

In my research on this painting, I found an interesting tidbit: Eleonora is said to have started the fashion for pearl earrings. In portraits before this one, women do not wear earrings, but after you will see most with drop pearls in their ears.

But Eleonora was no mere decoration or fashion arbiter. Cosimo shocked his court when he made her his regent when he traveled, and all reports describe her as being extremely competent. She also engaged in many successful business ventures, and became wealthy in her own right. Eleonora died at age forty of malaria.

You can see this work and also Bronzino's lovely portraits of little Bia and of Lucrezia Panciatichi (shown here) in the octagonal Tribune room in the center of the Uffizi gallery in Florence. 

NOTE: Time of Your Life Tours is extending the $400.00 discount on our fall tour, The Best of Tuscany to May 1, 2010.

Of course, we'll be visiting the Uffizi.

Save $400 on The Best of Tuscany Tour

 Join us this fall for 10 glorious days in Tuscany.

With a lovely boutique hotel in Florence as our base (unpack once and settle in), you'll experience the treasures of Tuscany during the best time of year.

Highlights of the October 3-12th tour include:

• Michelangelo's David
• Botticelli, Da Vinci, and the masterpieces of the Renaissance
• Evening Art Talks with wine
• Hands-on cooking class in a villa
• Secret Shopping Tour
• A day in Tuscany mini-bus tour with stops in Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggione with a special lunch and wine-tasting at an agriturismo farm

Watch this video for more highlights.

Unlike other tours, you will enjoy a truly authentic experience in Florence and Tuscany at a relaxed pace.

And, all the experiences on the itinerary-- day trips, museums, most meals,and even the cooking class are included in the price of the tour--no hidden costs or extra charges.

All our tours are limited to 12 women, so you get a private tour experience with the fun and camaraderie of a small group.

See the full itinerary at The Best of Tuscany: October 3-12, 2010  and learn how you can save $400.00 if you act fast.

Spring 2010: Tuscan Treasures

I can't wait to board the plane that will take me to Milan for Living La Dolce Vita tour to Milan, Lake Como and Venice in a little over a month. But I'm also excited about the next trip after that.

 Tuscan Treasures: April 18-27, 2009 is a fabulous tour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, too.

This tour is going to be filmed by Carol Carini, videographer and owner of Billabong Studios and Billabong TV. You won't even know she is filming and the raw footage will be turned into a series of half hour segments for a food and travel pilot.

The potential exposure for you and your business is huge!

And there's more. Sandra Levitin, owner of the online magazine Kalon Women will be joining us, and several other high-powered savvy women are checking their calendars and hoping to come along, too.

Because of the filming and the networking, our accountant tells us that this tour could be partially tax deductible for business owners.  How's that for a bonus?

Tuscan Treasures is a 10 day tour, based in this beautiful hotel in Florence. Unpack once and relax. 

We'll fully explore this amazing Renaissance gem and its art treasures--with plenty of time for shopping and exploring too.

We'll also enjoy a hands-on cooking class in a villa outside the city, day trip to Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and tiny Montereggione, and much more.

Spring is a lovely time to visit Tuscany: the weather is mild, flowers are blooming, and menus feature fresh spring specialties like Pasta Primavera.

If you've been dreaming of Italy and would like to see it in the company of savvy, interesting women, this tour is for you.

I'd love to have you join us and be part of the filming, too.

This tour is strictly limited to 12 tour members, and I expect it to fill up fast.

Avoid disappointment and sign up now for this unique combination of pleasure and business.

You can see the full itinerary and all the details here.

Books Set in Florence and Venice

Thanks to author Michelle Lovric (more on her latest novel soon), I found a marvelous website: Fictional Cities.

Here, Jeff Cotton provides A-Z lists of novels set in Venice, Florence, and London. He offers clever, pithy, and short reviews of many of the books, too.  (Set off by itself,there's also a relatively new section on Berlin).

But that's not all. You will also find  a smattering of non-fiction books and a longer list of films.

Each city has its "extras" too. In the Venice section, Cotton gives you comics, and lovely pages on Vivaldi, and Venice and Cats, for instance. London offers bits on Cakes and also Postcodes.  And more.

It's a wonderful and beautiful site (he's also a website designer), simple and easy to navigate, ornamented with photos and art.

It's also a marvelously personal and eccentric work of love. Be sure to check out his Me page if, as he says "you're curious."

Can you tell I am completely delighted with this website? Check it out, I bet you will love it too.

Florence's San Miniato

 

I love to watch the sunset while sipping a glass of wine high above Florence on the Piazzale Michelangelo. It's a vantage point for some of the best (and most photographed) views of Florence, and home to a copy of the David and stands selling souvenirs and crafts.

It's a three mile, mostly uphill, walk from the Ponte Vecchio. Or, you can take the # 12 or 13 bus.

 If you go, I recommend stopping at the ancient church of San Miniato, just above the Piazzale.

San Miniato was begun over 1000 years ago (completed in 1207) on the site where several Christian martyrs are believed to have been buried. St. Minias was a 3rd century Greek, or perhaps  an Armenian prince, who converted to Christianity and ran afoul of the Emperor Decius and his troops outside the gates of Florence.

Some say he was serving in the Roman army when he decided to go AWOL and become a hermit; others say he was on a pilgrimage to Rome when accosted by the Emperor's men and denounced as a Christian.

All accounts agree that St Minias was decapitated for his faith. Legend says that the saint picked up his head, carried it across the Arno, and climbed up the hill to the site of his hermitage where he finally laid down and died.

First came a shrine and later the church of San Minato was built on the site. The Romanesque church was largely financed by the members of the powerful Arte di Calamala (the wool importers guild). You can find their symbol-a bronze eagle clutching a bale of wool in his talons--atop the facade. That facade is a stunning example of Romanesque geometric style in white Carrara and green Prato marble.

The church interior is quite unusual with a raised choir above the crypt. There are beautiful golden mosaics, interesting frescoes, and a magnificent chapel with ceiling decorations by Luca della Robbia.

My favorite bit is the floor with its large zodiac pattern of inlaid marble. The zodiac is frequently found in Christian churches, as the 12 signs were interpreted as symbolic of the 12 Apostles. This zodiac wheel was probably also a sun dial that captured the light from the high windows and showed the time.

Two last things to know: Carlo Collodi, author of Pinocchio is buried is San Miniato.

And, Michelangelo once hastily built fortifications around the church and its adjacent buildings when Holy Roman Emperor Charles V laid siege to Florence in 1530. He is credited with saving the life of a soldier stationed as a lookout in the bell tower. Because the tower would be a target for cannon fire, Michelangelo hung matresses all around it, to soften the blows. The city eventually fell to the siege, the fortifications are long gone, but the church still stands.

San Miniato is free to visit and open every day from 8 am until noon, and then from 2:30 until 6pm (hours change, so check before you go). The Olivetan monks who run the church sell their homemade liqueurs, honey, and tisanes from a small shop next door.

You can see a lovely panoramic image of the church lit up at night here.

Florence's Santa Maria Novella

Across town from Santa Croce in the Piazza which bears its name (as does Florence's main train station also located here) is the magnificent church of Santa Maria Novella.

Called "novella," new, because it was built on the site of a small church outside the city limits called Santa Maria del Vigne (of the vineyards).  The "new" church was begun in the late 10th century.

When St. Dominic sent a small group of Dominican friars to Florence in 1221, it was given to them and soon became a center of learning and culture. The Dominicans' chief role was preaching against heresy and teaching Catholic dogma. They were Inquisitors in later centuries.

Wealthy Florentines contributed vast sums of money and Santa Maria Novella was augmented and re-done many times. For centuries it was also the site of a university that drew students from all over Europe. Dante studied here.

It also played an important role in the cultural life of the city. Many popes and dignitaries were housed here when visiting. Processions and festivals took place in the vast open space in front of the church. And fiery preachers railed against heresy and error, most notably St. Peter Martyr (who was killed by members of the heretical Cathars near Milan in 1252).

The first sermon condemning Galileo for his scientific treatises was preached from the pulpit here.

But these are not the reasons for you to visit Santa Maria Novella today. You will want to see the many famous works of art, including  Masaccio's Trinity, the first painting to incorporate the new ideas of perspective.

(It's easy to see Jesus and God the Father, but hard to find the Holy Spirit. Look closely. What appears to be the collar of the Father's robe is actually a dove, the most common representation of the Spirit).

Santa Maria Novella is a treasure house of art. A guidebook or audio guide (available for a small fee at the entrance) is a good idea.

There are works by Botticelli (a Nativity above the door), Brunelleschi's Crucifix, frescoes by Uccello, Ghilandaio, Nardo di Cione and much more. My favorites are the Ghirlandaio frescoes in the Tornabuoni Chapel.

The gorgeous frescoes on the right side of the chapel depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.  What I love is that all the figures are dressed as 14th century Florentine ladies and offer a glimpse of life in the Renaissance.

There's so much more I could tell you about this church, about its treasures, gardens, marble facade, but space does not allow. Here's a link to the museum of Santa Maria Novella where you'll find more information and excellent images.

Of course, when you visit, be sure to take time see the nearby Officina Profumo di SMN. Famous for its soaps, perfumes and remedies, it's an unforgettable experience and a great place for gifts.

Both the church and the perfumery are favorites of our clients on Time of Your Life Tours.

5 Best Churches in Florence

When you visit Florence, of course you will see the Duomo, the cathedral. Although the magnificent marble facade and Brunelleschi's famous dome are far more remarkable than the cathedral's interior, a look inside is a must.

By the way, the word, duomo comes from the Latin word domus-- house, for house of God. All Italian cathedrals are called duomo, and the name has nothing to do with domes.

But Florence has other wonderful churches well worth a spot on your itinerary. Here are my top five:

  Santa Croce--Huge Gothic church with frescoes by Giotto in the Bardi Chapel, the Pazzi Chapel designed  by Brunelleschi, tombs of many famous Florentines including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and Rossini, and it's own museum and extensive grounds.

Santa Maria Novella--Masaccio's masterpiece, Trinita', fresoces by Ghirlandaio, Ucello, and Filippino Lippi, and a large crucifix by Giotto.

Orsanmichele-- a grain storehouse turned church, with statues by Donatello and Verrocchio in niches on the exterior, a monumental tabernacle, and a lovely Madonna and Child by Bernardo Daddi. 

San Miniato al Monte--Florence's only Romanesque church, perched high above the city near Piazzale Michelangelo. A dramatic and unusual interior trompe d'oeil effect of paint appearing to be marble inlay, fresco cycle by Spinelli Aretino.

Santa Maria del Carmine--famous for the brilliant fresco cycles by Masaccio and Masolino in the Brancacci Chapel. 

I'll be writing more about each of these churches in the next week or so (except for Orsanmichele, which you can read about here).

There are many many more churches well worth seeing in Florence, but these are truly must-sees when your time is limited. We visit all of these with our clients on Time of Tour Life Tours, and we hope you see them someday, too.

An Overlooked Masterpiece

This touching scene painted in gorgeously glowing colors is one of my favorite paintings. Mariotto Albertinelli's Visitation hangs in Room 25 of the Uffizi where Michelangelo's famous Doni Tondo captures the full attention of most visitors.

But this masterpiece of the early 16th century is certainly worth a few moments contemplation, and knowing the story from the Gospel of Luke will add to your enjoyment.

After the Angel Gabriel had given the Virgin Mary the shock of her life with the news that she was to bear the Son of God, he mentioned that her aged cousin Elizabeth was pregnant.

This pregnancy was also miraculous. Long past the age for childbearing, Elizabeth and her even more elderly husband Zachariah had accepted that theirs was a barren marriage. Then one day Gabriel appeared and told the astonished old man that his wife would soon become pregnant and that they should name the baby boy John.

This baby would grow up to be John the Baptist.

Perhaps because Joseph wasn't initially thrilled with the idea of his wife's holy pregnancy, Mary set off on an 80 mile journey to visit her cousin for a few months when she heard this happy and amazing news.

This painting depicts the moment of their meeting. Elizabeth rushes forward, grasps Mary's hand and embraces the younger woman tenderly. It is a moment of affection and deep connection between the two cousins. But it's also a moment of profound religious significance.

The Gospel says that when Elizabeth first beheld Mary, the babe in her womb "leapt for joy" in recognition, and Elizabeth understood that Mary's child would be her Lord. The words Elizabeth utters in greeting are those of the familiar prayer: "Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee..."

Mary replies with another prayer, called the Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour..."

These prayers were as well known in the Renaissance as they are to devout Catholics today. The scene also had a special relevance to the Florentines. John the Baptist was the city's patron saint, and all aspects of his story would have been instantly recognizable.

I always spend a few minutes with this painting when I am in the Uffizi and tell the story when we visit the museum with our tours. I hope you will seek it out--it's extraordinarily beautiful beyond what can be seen in reproduction.

Precious Salt

Since earliest times, salt has been used not only as a preservative, but also as a condiment at the table. It was expensive and usually heavily taxed, and so was treated with great respect. At the tables of the wealthy, salt was kept in ornate salt cellars.

It was customary for there to be two salt cellars at aristocratic dining tables: a large and highly decorated one, to the right of the hostess, and a smaller one at the other end of the table. Those who were seated beyond the small one were "below the salt," and therefore unworthy of notice by their betters.

Very beautiful and very large salt cellars were important table ornaments for the wealthy and the noble in Medieval and Renaissance times. This was particularly true in Italy, where many goldsmiths and artists created these unusual works of art.  Some salt came from mines, but most came from the sea, and many salt cellars were shaped like seashells, or even made from real Nautilus shells, and were often crafted in gold, silver, and crystal.

The fear of poison--salt could be laced with arsenic powder--even led to a fashion for enclosed salt cellars in the Renaissance.

You will often see large salt cellars in paintings depicting feasts, and you can see actual examples in many museums, like the lovely Museo degli Argenti in the Boboil Garden complex in Florence.

Of course, the most famous salt cellar, is Benvenuto Cellini's masterpiece shown here. In his autobiography Cellini says that it represents the Terra e Mare (the Earth and Sea), with Neptune, the god of the sea, and Ceres, goddess of the earth, joining together the two sources for salt.

(This most famous piece was stolen from a museum ion Vienna in 2003 and recovered in 2006. You can read an amusing piece about the theft here: Cellini's Stellar Cellar).