April 18, 2026
A series of extraordinary guided tours of the Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence is scheduled to 13 November.
Free guided tours every Thursday until 13 November
This autumn the Museum will be open every Thursday afternoon from 14:00 to 18:00 until 13 November, and its professionals will illustrate to visitors the history of the Museum and the works on display with free guided tours for which there is no need for reservations.
The ancient Medici art of the commesso technique
The Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence is today recognized as one of the most authoritative restoration centres in the world. Founded in Florence by the noble Medici family for the decoration of the Princes' Chapel in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Opificio has for centuries combined expertise in restoration and the art of inlaying semi-precious stones. The Museum bears witness to the art of the Florentine commesso, a particular technique that consists of inlaying precious and semi-precious hard stones to create detailed and colourful images, similar to paintings.
An itinerary for the visually impaired
This year, for the first time, two events dedicated to the blind and visually impaired will be held during the afternoon openings of 18 September and 2 October. This will be a tactile and descriptive itinerary for groups of four or five people that will allow visitors to touch some of the works, the stones and the ancient tools used to create the masterpieces on display at the Museum. Visits for the blind and visually impaired and their accompanying persons can be booked by writing to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Part of the cycle of Giotto’s mural paintings
From 9 October to 13 November, the extraordinary openings of the OPD Museum will also be enriched by six concerts organized by the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory. And up to 1 November, the Museo will host, as part of the cycle Caring for Art. Restorations on show, the Vatican Fragment, the only remaining part of the cycle of mural paintings that Giotto and his team created in the first quarter of the 14th century in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. This work of great historical and artistic value, can now be admired thanks to the restoration carried out by the OPD between 2016 and 2019.
Published in Cities & Regions
The Festa dell'Uva di Vo', Vo' Grape Festival, kicks off in the Veneto region from 19 to 21 September.
Vo’s 3 days of art, wine and traditions
The Veneto town will be the stage for three days of art, wine and traditions with wine tastings, floats, and events. The most awaited moment of the event will be 21 September, with the double parade of allegorical floats, at 15:00 and 20:30. In the evening, the floats will parade illuminated to the sound of music and with a range of events.
A tourist train stopping at five wineries
The floats are true works of art in motion, handmade by the Master Carristi with real grapes, they tell of mythological stories, current events and rural traditions. For the 2025 edition, more than 22 quintals of grapes will be used, distributed over five carts. The biggest novelty of the 74th edition of the festivla is the Calici in Carrozza which will allow visitors to travel on a small train on an itinerary with five stops at five historic wineries in the area. Each stop includes a 30-minute break that will allow visitors to discover each winery in depth and participate in tastings guided by expert oenologists.
Padua is famous for its devotion to Saint Anthony
Enriching the programme is the DiVino Village, the venue for tastings of Serprino and DOC/DOCG wines, as well as dawn and evening concerts, DJ sets, workshops for children, artistic events and a cinema. Vo' is just 30 km from Padua, a destination rich in history, art and spirituality, and it is not far from Verona and Venice. Padua Urbs picta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich cycle of 14th-century frescoes, including the famous Scrovegni Chapel, decorated by Giotto. The city is also a destination for pilgrimages, such as the one that can be made along the Path of Saint Anthony.
A mini cruise of the Palladian villas
A tour of the city walls of Padua offers a full immersion into more than five centuries of history. The route along the Medieval and Renaissance walls can be enjoyed on foot, by bicycle or by boat. Furthermore, from March to October, the Burchiello tourist boat departs from the small port of Porta Portello for a mini art and history cruise that passes the Palladian Villas on the Riviera del Brenta, from Padua to Venice and vice versa. Padua is also home to the oldest university botanical garden in the world, dating back to 1545.
Published in MICE & Events
On the weekends from 22 November to 14 December, Candles at Candelara and the Christams market return to the Marche region.
Nine days of Christmas festivities
The origins of this Christmas event date back to over two decades ago, and every year it puts the spotlight on the ancient medieval village of Candelara, in the hills seven kilometres from Pesaro on the coast of the Marche region. With nine days of Christmas markets, shows, guided tours, and fun for young and old in an evocative atmosphere, thousands of candles will light up the village streets.
Candlelit processions, food stalls and handcrafts
Artificial lighting will be switched off every day from 17:30 to 18:30 and will last 15 minutes per interval allowing the candles to accompany the townspeople through the events along the entire festival circuit in total safety. The Advent Tower will be placed at the entrance to the festival, while the walls of the Medieval town will be decorated with the four Advent themes: prophets, shepherds, angels and Bethlehem. Visitors will be welcomed by food stalls and the market with some seventy wooden huts selling handcrafts, gifts and candles of all shapes and scents.
A tourist train, candlelit dinners and guided visits
There is a lot of entertainment on the programme, from stilt-walkers, travelling musicians, jugglers and choirs to elves who will accompany the public. Local artisans demonstrate the crafting of beeswax candles using medieval techniques, while installations of candle-lit wrought-iron sculptures create nativity scenes along the village streets. The Trenino delle Candele tourist train does guided tours and there are optional guided visits to the 18th-century Villa Berloni (where you can have lunch, or dinner by candlelight), the Gothic church Pieve di Santo Stefano, and the Loom and Embroidery Museum. Candles at Candelara will take place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November; Saturday 29 November and Sunday 30 November; Saturday 6, Sunday 7 and Monday 8 December. The last scheduled weekend is Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 December. Admission: €3 until 1 p.m., €6 after 1 p.m., free for children under 10.
Published in Experiences & Tips
The end of summer is the right time in the Aosta Valley to enjoy foliage, castles and vineyard experiences.
Forests and lakes, and spotting ibexes, deer and eagles
Autumn is the season of foliage. And one of the most striking corners to explore it are the Val Ferret and Lake Arpy, at the foot of Mont Blanc, the woods of Valsavarenche in the Gran Paradiso National Park, the beech forests of Fontainemore and the lakes of the Mont Avic Natural Park. In October, the Gran Paradiso National Park is tinged in autumn hues, ibexes and chamois descend the valley, and marmots and eagles are easily spotted.
A perfect time of year for visiting castles
At this time of year, far from the summer crowds, the castles in the Aosta Valley can be visited at a different pace. They include the famous Castle of Fénis, the Castle of Issogne with its pomegranate fountain, entrance decorated with fine lunettes and fully furnished interior. The recently restored Castle of Aymavilles, in 19th-century Baroque style, is also worth visiting. September marks the season of the grape harvest in Valle d'Aosta, but Italy's smallest region has much more than just wine tastings to offer. The high-altitude vineyards of Morgex and La Salle in the Mont Blanc valley - they are among the highest in Europe – offer a unique context for wine tourism experiences and discovering the excellent Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle wine.
Vine trekking and guided cellar visits
Local wineries offer immersive activities such as trekking between the rows of vines, cellar visits and guided itineraries. Among the more dynamic proposals, the Climbing Park Balteo combines via ferrata walks with tastings of typical local products. The Climbing Park consists of a via ferrata and three crags, specifically intended for those taking their first steps in rock climbing.
A cycle tour of vineyards and wine cellars
For an active approach to the area, the Tour of the Cellars is a cycling itinerary of medium difficulty through the vineyards and wine cellars of the towns of Villeneuve, Aymavilles, Gressan, Jovençan, Aosta, Sarre and Saint-Pierre, with the possibility of visiting the area's wine cellars by prior booking. The Booking Valle d'Aosta portal is the tool for booking stays managed directly by the Regional Tourism Office and has a list of accommodation facilities in Valle d'Aosta (hotels, RTAs, B&Bs, farm holiday establishments and apartments). It is possible to book online without intermediaries and without any booking fee, selecting according to the area or type of experience desired in the Aosta Valley.
Published in Experiences & Tips
In Italy’s northern Veneto region, the Belluno Dolomites welcome hikers and cyclists.
Challenging trails and vie ferrate
The area has over 200 kilometres of well-marked trails, relaxing walking paths, challenging trails and via ferrate. Then there is the famous Tre Cime tour, from Misurina up to the Malga Maraia which has wonderful views of the Marmarole and Cadini di Misurina.
Cable cars and chairlifts
From Taiarezze, in Auronzo, a cable car takes you to the Monte Agudo refuge, at an altitude of 1,573 metres. The refuge is the starting point for the walk to the Pian dei Buoi plateau, at an altitude of about 1,750 metres. Another panoramic walk is the one that connects the Col de Varda Refuge, which can be reached by chairlift, to the Città di Carpi Refuge.
Some important precautions
The Consorzio Turistico Tre Cime Dolomiti recommends experiencing the mountains in safety and with common sense, respecting the territory and bearing in mind some important precautions. It is good practice, before and during an excursion, to check the weather conditions. If there is a threat of bad weather the Consortium suggests descending immediately. If you find yourself unable to continue, the advice is to find shelter and crouch down with your feet together, insulating yourself from the ground with your rucksack or dry branches. 
Consorzio Tre Cime ph credits Nicola Bombassei
Always bring the right equipment
It is also essential to have the right equipment: a waterproof jacket, water and snacks, a first aid kit, a power bank, an offline GPS app and of course suitable boots. Ideally, you should then share the route with other people, or at least let someone tell you the route you intend to take.
Consorzio Tre Cime
High-altitude cycle paths
The Tre Cime cycle path, one of the most suggestive in the Dolomites, links Lake Auronzo to Lake Misurina on a 30-kilometre route through the woods and clearings of Pra Longo, Somadida and Valbona. There is also a 7-km-long circular route that allows you to cycle along the Misurina and Antorno lakes, starting from the Col De Varda ski lifts. With an altitude difference of just over 170 metres, this route is easy and suitable for everyone.
Published in Experiences & Tips
Michelangelo's secret room is a treasure hidden under the New Sacristy of the Basilica of San Lorenzo in the centre Florence.
Visits are strictly limited to 15 minutes
Containing charcoal drawings attributed to Michelangelo, and discovered in 1975, the room has only recently been opened to the public. It can only be visited by appointment and with a maximum of four people per group. The visits, lasting a maximum of 15 minutes, take place at specific times four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday and on Mondays. Measuring just ten metres by three, the little room was probably Michelangelo's refuge in 1530, during a period of high political tension that forced the Maestro to hide there for weeks or, perhaps, months. The room's environmental conditions have remained unchanged for centuries, contributing to the conservation of the drawings. For this reason access was for decades reserved exclusively for scholars. Only after lengthy studies and monitoring was it possible to open the room to the public, with a calibrated route to ensure the protection of the works and the safety of visitors.
On the walls sketches and drawings by Michelangelo
On the walls there are 76 charcoal sketches depicting classical and mythological figures, anatomical studies of humans and animals, bodies in torsion, as well as afterthoughts on works already completed, new ideas and even a hypothetical self-portrait of the artist. These include the depiction of a face reminiscent of the David, and the hands of the Creation of Adam, which Michelangelo would paint years later in the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo’s room is under the Sacristy in the Basilica of San Lorenzo where the Museo delle Cappelle Medicee represents one of the most significant monumental complexes of the Italian Renaissance. Consisting of two funerary chapels of the Medici family, the museum includes the New Sacristy, designed by Michelangelo in both architecture and sculpture, and the Chapel of the Princes, a mausoleum of polychrome marble, symbol of the Medici power. The underground crypts complete the exhibition itinerary.
Hotel Botticelli is close to art and shopping
In the centre of Florence, just a few steps from Piazza del Duomo and the major Florentine attractions, Hotel Botticelli welcomes its guests in an ancient Renaissance palace, for a 4-star stay with historical vibes. The hotel is close to the famous Uffizi Museum art gallery which contains the largest existing collection of works by Raphael and Botticelli. Dating back to the 13th century, the Basilica di Santa Croce, a few minutes from the hotel, is one of the largest Franciscan churches in Italy and houses, among others, works by Giotto. The Basilica is also the burial place of personalities such as Galilei, Foscolo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Just around the corner from the hotel, the Mercato Centrale has food stalls with typical Tuscan products while, along the adjacent narrow streets there are numerous leather goods, handicrafts, clothing and souvenir outlets.
Published in Experiences & Tips
The Traditional Autumn Festival in Tirolo, South Tyrol, celebrates events and the area’s cultural heritage.
Decorated floats and marching bands
With typical flavours of the period, from wine, to apples, to chestnuts, this year's edition of the auturmn festival is set for the weekend of 13-14 September. The celebrations will begin on the Saturday evening with a torchlight procession through the streets of the little town. This will be followed by music and dancing in the Event Park, adjacent to the office of the Tyrol Tourism Association. The climax of the event will take place on Sunday, with a parade through the old centre, featuring decorated floats and marching bands, and with the participation of local associations.
An Alpine landscape dotted with fortresses, churches and castles
Tyrol Castle, now home to the South Tyrol Museum of History and Culture, dates back to the 12th century. Of crucial importance for the history of the area - to which it gives its name - the museum has a permanent exhibition with archaeological finds and contemporary works. In June and July every year the Knights' Hall hosts musical evenings with Italian and international artists.
Flight demonstrations in the Bird Rescue Centre
A short distance away we find Fontana Castle, built in 1250, a fortification which was the residence of the American poet Ezra Pound and today houses the South Tyrol Agricultural Museum and cultural centre. The Bird Rescue Centre in Castle Tyrol is dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured birds of prey and wild birds, with flight demonstrations taking place twice daily from the end of March to the beginning of November.
The Earth Pyramids are millenary clay formations
Nearby we find the Earth Pyramids, clay formations originating from millennia of erosion in the Rio della Muta gorge, near Castel Tirolo, and in the Finele valley, near Caines. Located on the slopes of the Muta, the Cesta Hochmuth is a viewing platform offering views of Merano and the Adige Valley. Its basket-like structure recalls local farming traditions and provides information about the mountain peaks and the history of farming at high altitudes.
Castles and blooming apple trees in spring
The area’s ecclesiastical heritage includes the churches of San Pietro and San Ruperto, while noble residences such as Castel d'Aura and Castel Thurnstein complete the historical context. And looking towards the beginning of next year, the blooming of the apple trees is an important seasonal event for spring tourism.
Published in MICE & Events
Fiesole’s Festival with historical enactments, music and garden tours.
The Estate Fiesolana in Tuscany with historic enactments, festivals garden tours, music, theatre, dance and cinema under the stars will run until 11 September.
In Fiesole’s Roman Theatre close to Florence
The village of Fiesole is 10 kilometres from Florence, a small Etruscan town perched above the capital, among the Tuscan hills. The festival, now in its 78th edition, finds its fulcrum in the Roman Theatre, built in the 1st century B.C., which will host concerts ranging from classical music to jazz, prose and dance performances, themed evenings and a selected open-air film festival.
FH55 shuttle buses to and from the city
The FH55 Hotels Group will provide a free shuttle service, running 7 days a week until 31 October, which will allow guests of the Villa Fiesole Hotel to easily reach the centre of Florence, and those staying in the Calzaiuoli Hotel to go to the Villa Fiesole for a gourmet meal at the Serrae Villa Fiesole Michelin restaurant. Housed in two historic palazzi, both properties are elegantly styled 4* boutique hotels where period charm meets modern comfort, in the city and in the hills.
Guided tours of a Medici garden
To complete the cultural offer, the historic Garden of Villa La Quiete in Florence has recently reopened to the public. Closely linked to Medicean history, this 18th-century garden can be visited with guided tours lasting one hour, at a cost of €5. The visit also includes a tour of the frescoed rooms, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the 17th-century pharmacy and works by masters such as Botticelli and Ghirlandaio.
One of the world’s oldest botanical gardens
The Giardino dei Semplici in Florence is another green oasis in the city. One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, it is rich in centuries-old trees, flowers, rare, tropical, carnivorous and poisonous plants which are housed in large greenhouses dating back to the 19th century. The garden has been at the service of the community since the 15th century, when Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici made it available to medical students, and today it offers families and children a wide range of sensorial and cognitive paths to learn about nature.
Published in MICE & Events
Tenuta de l'Annunziata is a 5-Sunflower Farmhouse wellness oasis close to Como and Lake Como.
21 guestrooms and suites and a penchant for wellness
Just 20 minutes by car from the historic centre of Como and the shores of Lake Como, and less than an hour from Milan and Lugano airports, the Tenuta de l'Annunziata is surrounded by the largest bio-energy forest in Europe. A true benchmark for high-profile wellness tourism, it perfectly balances comfort, nature and sustainability. Classified as a 5-Sunflower Farmhouse, the highest recognition in the sector in Italy, the historic complex has been meticulously restored and has 21 guestrooms and suites in natural colours and materials, designed to blend in with the natural environment.
The Quercus Restaurant has a Michelin-starred chef
The gastronomic experience is helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Domenico Ruberto who champions local culinary traditions in the Quercus Restaurant, while the Tree Cocktail Bar & Bistrot is another culinary gem. However, the jewel in the Estate's crown is the new wellness area of over 1,500 square metres, which recently underwent a major restyling. “In little more than a year, we built the new outdoor infinity pool and renovated the wet area inside our wellness centre,” says the owner Guffanti-Pezzoli family who strongly desired a project expressing authentic wellness in tune with nature.
An indoor and an outdoor infinity pool
The wellness centre has a sensorial path with an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor infinity pool, a Kneipp path, hammam, Turkish bath, two saunas (one Finnish and one herbal), emotional showers and an ice fountain. Guests can enjoy the relaxation room and herbal tearoom where they are offered infusions with flowers and plants gathered from the estate's grounds. Particularly innovative are the facial and body treatments based on flowers, fruits and wild herbs gathered in the estate's woodland. For couples, the private Spa Suite allows for a personalized experience with Turkish baths, hydromassage and treatments in a private setting. For information: www.tenutadelannunziata.it
Published in Hospitality
Florence is not only one of Italy’s trifecta of great art cities together with Rome and Venice, it also stands out as a city of arts and crafts
The old centre has many artisan workshops
The streets of Florence’s historic centre have many historical workshops in which artisans produce unique crafts and the FH55 Grand Hotel Mediterraneo is the ideal starting point for a stay dedicated to traditions like the production of prestigious fabrics, unique jewellery, perfumes, leather and high-quality ceramics.
One of the richest craft cultures in the world.
Among the most original workshops in Florence, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, having opened over 800 years ago. It is here that the famous Acqua della Regina was produced for Catherine de' Medici, and this bergamot-based fragrance is still on sale today.
The production of precious silks
Don't miss the Antico Setificio Fiorentino, founded in 1786 and still active. One of the world’s most renowned textile workshops, it produces fine silk on 18th-century looms, including one based on a design attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.
A master goldsmith who creates unique pieces
In a historic building overlooking the Arno, jewellery becomes sculptural art in the atelier of Alessandro Dari. An internationally renowned master goldsmith, Dari creates unique pieces inspired by Gothic and Renaissance pieces as well as alchemy, with many of his works on display in leading museums.
Published in Cities & Regions
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