On June 29, the Tour de France, the world’s most prestigious cycling race, will start in Italy for the first time with the Florence-Rimini stage. For the first time in its 111-year history, the Tour de France will begin in Italy, with three initial stages crossing through Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. The start of the race, known as the Grand Départ, will take place on Saturday, June 29 in Florence. The first stage will wind its 206-kilometre way, including a 3,700 metre climb over the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to Rimini on the Adriatic coast. This opening stage will be dedicated to ..read more

When my wife and I recently took our ninth trip to Florence, a good friend asked, “Why go to Florence again when there is so much ‘real Italy’ to see?” A fair question and a cause for reflection. Can “real Italy” still be found in the city where Dante Alighieri gave birth to the Italian language, but where English is now default in the historic center? Wandering aimlessly in Florence. Ph. @marcobadiani By “real Italy,” I mean the essence of Italian culture, notwithstanding regional variations, as it relates to family, religion, language, food, art, community and many other areas of life. Des ..read more

It’s a common stress point for many expats, particularly if you’ve just moved abroad or been living abroad for some time, but, you don’t have to navigate these waters alone! On Wednesday, May 29, Chase Buchanan USA, in collaboration with Bright!Tax, is offering complimentary 30-minute, 1:1 consultations at the MH Florence Hotel & Spa. All Americans in Florence are welcome to come and ask any questions related to tax and financial planning situations as Americans living in Italy. Alex Ingrim, Chartered MCSI and Nicolas Castillo, CPA, the meeting facilitators, are expats themselves ..read more

Benheart goes beyond its quality crafted bags, belts, jackets and shoes. Visiting the store is an experience, all informed by the unforgettable story of its founder and namesake, Fes-born Hicham Ben’Mbarek, who left behind Morocco at the age of six to travel clandestinely with his mother across the Mediterranean Sea, finding themselves spending their first night at the station in Florence. His mother soon found work, and Ben attended school before later learning to work leather from a shoemaker near their home. His story took another dramatic turn when he had a heart attack while on a football ..read more

The former tobacco factory on via delle Cascine is set to transform an area of 4,800 m2 into 34 residential units, with an additional 1,530 m2 of rooftops, loggia gardens and terraces. Titled Zenit, the project is planned to be completed by March 2026. Architects David Lopez and Fanny Bauer Grung from the Quincoces Dragò & Partners studio worked to preserve the characteristic features while incorporating contemporary touches and ensuring sustainable choices, including exposed reinforced concrete structures and large windows to make the most of the views of the restored industrial complex ..read more

Manifattura Tabacchi (via delle Cascine 35) recently introduced guided tours of its Caveau space, encompassing the history and legacy of the former tobacco factory.  Visitors undertaking the hour-long journey through the manufacturing complex begin at the building’s façade, where the expert guide details the area, bringing participants through to the spaces of the Factory and the Officina Botanica hanging garden. Ph. Alessandro Fibbi Ph. Alessandro Fibbi Ph. Alessandro Fibbi The tour then heads to the Caveau, an exhibition space created to accommodate the unique heritage. Mach ..read more

If you’re looking for guarantees for your next hotel stay in Florence and Tuscany, turn to the Michelin Guide. New for 2024, the renowned restaurant experts have introduced One, Two and Three Key distinctions for the best hotels in Italy. Based on comprehensive research by the Michelin team, Florence boasts 4 Two Key and 7 One Key hotels, while Tuscany has 1 Three Key, 7 Two Key and 24 One Key hotels. Three Michelin Key hotels in Florence + Tuscany Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, near Montalcino, Tuscany Montalcino: Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco Two Michelin Key hotels in Florence + Tus ..read more

The American fast food chain Five Guys has opened at Santa Maria Novella train station. Benefitting from double access in via Alamanni and the concourse by platforms 1 and 2, the company started by the Murrell family in Arlington, Virginia back in 1986 continues its global expansion by serving burgers, fries and milkshakes in central Florence following the January opening at I Gigli shopping mall in Campi Bisenzio. The famous red and white chequered colour theme is on full display in what used to be a supermarket, while sacks of Dutch potatoes and cans of the company’s peanut oil fee ..read more

Left derelict for nearly 30 years, the former Teatro dell’Oriuolo in central Florence is now being brought back to life as a school for digital and visual arts managed by IED, Istituto Europeo di Design. The private design school founded in 1966 by Francesco Morelli has been awarded with the tender to develop the former theatre by Florence city council following a lengthy restoration campaign. The surface area has been tripled, removing the old stalls and instead adding outdoor areas and greenery. Now that the building work has been completed, IED will set up an intercultural and ..read more

The countryside is calling as the sunny season entices explorers out into the green outdoors. Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel, Tuscany is the perfect destination during your spring and summer meanderings. Surrounded by deep forests, rolling hills and quintessential gravel roads, the 1000-year-old castle offers a taste of the finer things in life with gourmet dining centred on local produce and the freshest picks from the on-site, all-organic vegetable gardens. Fine dining at Tosca Open for dinner six days a week (Tuesday to Sunday) from 7 to 10pm, new fine-dining restaurant Tosca rev ..read more