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The extravagant residence Castello di Sammezzano sits on top of a hill in Tuscany, Central Italy. Originally it was built in the Moorish style in 1605 for Ximenes d'Aragona and then re-designed between 1853 and 1889. After the war the castello was used as a luxury hotel until closure in the mid to late 1990's. It was abandoned until April 2012 when the FPXA committee was formed, aiming to promote and enhance the castle. Photo source: Link Wikipedia (italian only atm): Link
Urbex has never looked so good. Atop a hill in a Tuscan oak tree grove, you'll find the abandoned Sammezzano Castle. The derelict building, built in 1605 with funds from Spanish nobility, features intricate Moorish designs and a breathtaking assortment of patterns and colors. Inside, the words "Non Plus Ultra" -- meaning "nothing further beyond" in Latin -- stands out above an archway. It alludes to a warning sign in Greek Mythology that demarcated the edge of a flat world for explorers; perhaps communicating the architect's vision to take visitors literally out of this world with jaw-dropping interiors. See more galleries: Eerie Urbex, Uplistsikhe Ancient Caves, Most-Visited Scared Sites
Throughout Italy, there are no restrictions on foreign ownership on real estate, meaning that buying and selling is pretty much a straightforward process.
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The most beautiful bookstores are places of communication, curiosity, and the new, but they never lose sight of the past
There’s something for everyone at these under-the-radar museums in Florence and Tuscany If you’re planning a trip to Tuscany, you likely already have stops at some of Florence’s world-famous museums, like the Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell’Accademia, on your itinerary. As the epicenter of the Renaissance art movement in Italy, where the wealthy and powerful Medici family were voracious art patrons and collectors, Florence is known for having some of the most preeminent art museums in Italy. What you may not know is that the whole region of Tuscany is full of lovely, lesser-known museums filled with unique collections worth exploring. And you don’t even have to be an art lover to appreciate a good museum. Are you shoe-obsessed? A soccer fan? A truffle lover? We’ve got recommendations for all of that and more! Whatever your personal preference and travel style, here are 8 hidden gem museums across Tuscany that are worth a visit: If you appreciate the finer things in life, tour the Truffle Museum in San Giovanni d'Asso Hidden in the cellars of a 14th-century castle, this museum explores one of the most prized food products on earth: truffles, or as we like to call it, tartufo. Come here for a multisensory stroll through the tastes, techniques and traditions behind truffles. Piazza Antonio Gramsci, 1, San Giovanni d'Asso If you have a walk-in closet full of shoes, visit the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence Shoe lovers can’t miss a stop at this museum dedicated to the designer who created iconic footwear for movie stars from the 1920s until his death in 1960. The cozy museum inside the company’s headquarters packs in thousands of pairs of gorgeous shoes from the company’s archives into its nine rooms. Piazza di Santa Trinita, 5R, Florence If you majored in anthropology like Giada, visit the National Archaeological Museum of Florence History buffs will appreciate the archaeological treasures to uncover within the Palazzo della Crocetta, where this museum is housed, like Etruscan and Roman artifacts found during archaeological digs in Tuscany alongside Egyptian hieroglyphics and mummies, ancient Greek vases, and more. Bonus: If you’ve also visited the Uffizi Gallery on your trip, entry here is free when you show your Uffizi ticket! Piazza Santissima Annunziata, 9B, Florence If you loved Gaudí on your last trip to Spain, see Il Giardino dei Tarocchi in Capalbio This sculpture garden in the small town of Capalbio might remind you of Barcelona’s Park Güell, but the whimsical works here were designed by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, whose expressive monumental sculptures were inspired by Gaudí’s approach to art after her own visit to the Spanish city. Località Garavicchio Pescia Fiorentina, Capalbio If you’re a football fan (the European kind), stop by the Museo del Calcio in Florence Soccer fans will score big at this museum, which explores the history of soccer in Italy and, particularly, their national football team. It’s located at the Centro Tecnico Federale, which is the training ground of Italy’s national football team, and the collection includes memorabilia like medals, cups, shoes, balls, and old kits (uniforms, for those who don’t speak soccer). Viale Aldo Palazzeschi, 20, Florence If you’re the handy one around the house, visit the Museo Leonardiano in Vinci Awaken your inner engineer and witness models of many of the machines that Leonardo da Vinci, the quintessential Renaissance man, invented himself. They’re all on display in his hometown of Vinci, alongside his paintings and sketches of machine mechanisms to showcase da Vinci’s inventive spirit. Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 26, Vinci Credit: Daderot | CC BY-SA 3.0 If you watch a little too much Grey’s Anatomy, see the Le Specola Anatomical Collection in Florence Considered the oldest public museum in Europe, this started as a personal collection held by the Medici Family and contains the largest wax anatomical collection in the world. If you’re in the health field or love medical dramas, the wax models’ exposed veins, organs and muscles are a sight to see. This one isn’t for the faint of heart! Note: The museum is temporarily closed for refurbishment but plans to reopen in late 2023. Check the site before planning your visit. Via Romana, 17, Florence If you’re still searching for your knight in shining armor, head to Museo Stibbert in Florence You’ll get a feel for medieval times when you see the collection of weaponry, artworks, and armor collected by 19th-century British businessman Frederick Stibbert, in whose former home this museum now lives. There are life-sized European and Ottoman knights staged in military formation and even Japanese armor and swords that belonged to real samurai. Via Federigo Stibbert, 26, Florence
Cooking classes: €25, free wine tasting in Chianti, vineyards, sunflower fields and prices that put Florence to shame - introducing Tavarnelle val di Pesa.
A look at London architecture and how it can inspire the details you add to your own home! You might try adding paneling, carvings, or a pop of color!
Aren't libraries just magical? The peaceful silence, the mysteries of hundreds of books, the smell of them... And if the library itself is a Baroque architecture masterpiece it sure helps to increment the fascination. In case that your community hasn't been blessed with a local library resembling the one in Hogwarts, we can offer a picture list of the most beautiful ones for you to dwell on.
Villa Demidoff, formerly the Medici Villa of Pratolino, is a Unesco World Heritage site and features one of the largest parks in Tuscany.
Prima parte: Trasporti pubblici a Firenze alla fine dell’Ottocento Gli inizi del nuovo secolo vedono notevoli cambiamenti nella gestione del trasporto urbano: nel gennaio 1906 fu approntata la nuova…
Sometimes it's hard to decide whether humans or nature make cooler stuff.
Firenze
Een adembenemend zeventiende eeuws kasteel verborgen tussen de Toscaanse heuvels.
A little guide for anyone coming to Florence for the first or second time. Discover the piazzas, monuments and museums that we recommend you see and visit.
Explore sanych_bonch's 11031 photos on Flickr!
With this dreamy travel itinerary, your first time in Florence, Italy will certainly not be your last.
Lo speciale multimediale del Corriere sull’alluvione che nel 1966 devast� il capoluogo toscano
My guide to the best art museums to visit and most delicious food to eat near the duomo and in the centre of Florence
