Florence bejewels Tuscany, bringing its special beauty into full flower. The city is also overlaid with extravagance and the visitor is easily overwhelmed by its so many masterpieces, beautiful buildings and splendid shops. Show me properties in Florence and Arezzo
Florence
High above Florence close to Piazzale Michelangelo is the beautiful church of San Miniato al Monte, one of my all time favourite – it has an archaic mystical feel, like many medieval churches, in which the mystery of the liturgy was paramount. It sits on one of the highest points around Florence, with a beautiful view towards the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, with the Fortezza Belvedere to the left. The facade is an intricate intarsia of black, green and white marble started in the 11th century.
The interior is similarly decorated, with more marble, intricately painted roof beams and rafters and richly decorated walls.
The columns are re-used from old Roman structures, as was common before the 13th century, and are all different heights and width.
The present church dates mainly from the 11th and 12th centuries – work is said to have started in 1013 – though there has been a shrine here since the middle of the 3rd century.
The site is said to have been picked by Minias (San Miniato) himself, an Armenian prince who was beheaded for his Christian beliefs by the Roman Emperor Decius. Minias is said to have picked up his head and walked up the hill of Mons Fiorentinus to his hermitage.
In the third week of June Florence revives a 16th century form of football, known locally as Calcio Storico (historical football). The pitch is the square of Santa Croce, made into a giant sand pit with a goal that is the whole width of the end of the pitch. Each team has 27 men and the ball must be kicked or carried to your adversaries’ end of the field. It has the vigour and energy of rugby and carries the same penalties for the players – some of whom have had ears bitten off and noses broken!
Florence has a number of opera and music festivals throughout the year, the most well-known of which are probably the ‘estate fiesolana‘, with concerts held in the Roman theatre in Fiesole, and the ‘opera festival‘.
Check the following websites for more information and dates: Festival Opera / Eastate Fiesolana
Arezzo
Set on a steep hill rising from the floodplain of the Arno river, Arezzo is believed to have been one of the twelve most important Etruscan cities—the so-called Dodecapolis.
The Saracen Joust (Giostra del Saracino) is a festival originally started in the Middle Ages held in Arezzo the first Saturday of June and the first Sunday of September. It originated from the Crusades and represents the Christian Crusaders battling with the Islamic tribes or the Moors in an attempt to drive them out of Europe. After a procession which winds its way down to the Piazza Grande, eight knights representing the four quarters of the old city, compete for the Golden Lance. The knights, cheered by the town’s people dressed in Medieval costumes charge at a wooden target attached to a carving of a Saracen king and score points according to accuracy. Exciting and exhilarating, this medieval festival displays facets of its old world charm, its famous history, tradition and its tasteful cuisine.
Combine wine-tasting and a country drive through magnificent Tuscan landscapes on an afternoon wine tasting excursion.
