Pitti Uomo strikes a pose - The Florentine

Anno 2 numero 35 - Firenze 

Uffizi 

Lucks out 

Pitti Uomo strikes a pose 

Are you looking for the newest 

look? Then there’s still time to 

jump on the fashion bandwagon. 

This month Florence rolls out the 

red carpet for vogue looks as the city 

prepares for one of the most famous 

trade fairs of the fashion industry. 

From June 21-24, Florence will welcome 

Pitti Uomo, the world famous 

international event showcasing contemporary 

men’s fashion. This farreaching 

project, organized by Pitti 

Immagine and sponsored by the Florentine 

Centre for Italian Fashion, has 

transformed the city of Florence into 

the capital of menswear creativity. 

Trade fair organizers expect 23,055 

buyers, of which 39.5 percent will 

come from abroad. The main foreign 

VOLVO XC70. 

DON’T STOP TO EXPLORE. 

Trouble with 

Taliban 

Florence tradeshow 

reveals the future of 

men’s fashion 

Foto di Francesco Guazzelli from www.pittimmagine.com 

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An art walk on 

the Oltrarno 

By Vicci Recckio 

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Thursday 15 June 2006 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 

Mediterranean 

Diet and the 

Italian Paradox 

By Victoria Miachika 

 

 

 

 

see pg. 5 see pg. 6 

see pg. 17 see pg. 20 

markets are Germany, France, the 

United Kingdom, Spain, Holland, Japan, 

and the United States. Expanding 

markets for menswear include 

Russia, Turkey and India. Florence’s 

male fashion extravaganza will host 

719 exhibiting firms, and will display 

up to 823 brands at the-59,000 

-square meter Fortezza da Basso. 

Fashion aficionados can look 

forward to style-related, city-wide 

events such as ‘New Beats,’ an exhibit 

devoted to fashion debuts that 

focus on total research brands involved 

in style experimentation. The 

Lyceum in Florence will be hosting 

exclusive previews of 14 collections 

with names including Og (a completely 

Italian clothing project), 

Pseudohero (a British label with a 

caustic rock spirit), Ocha and Garth, 

and Pun Chi Man. Designer Roberto 

Cavalli will return to Florence as a 

special guest to celebrate this edition 

of Pitti Uomo. A spectacular event 

on Ponte Vecchio on June 21 will 

reaffirm the stylist’s Florentine roots 

by presenting Cavalli’s ‘hometown’ 

collection. 

June 22 is a key day for the Pitti, 

when Classico Italia will celebrate 

20 years of ‘Made in Italy’ products. 

There’s also a garden party given by 

Gianmarco Messor called ‘30 years 

of Passion for Fashion’ at the Villa 

Finaly. The Messaggerie will sponsor 

another exclusive fashion show 

which flaunts its new men’s collection 

in the Sala Ottagonale of Florence’s 

Istituto Statale d’Arte. 

Pitti Uomo’s growing interest in 

more informal styles and the link 

between fashion and sport is highlighted 

in its alternative exhibition, 

‘Human games: winners and losers.’ 

Over the last 15 years, sport 

has become one of fashion’s most 

important driving forces, with clothing, 

accessories, equipment, photos, 

videos and advertising campaigns all 

showcasing the mark sport has made 

on the fashion industry. The monthlong 

exhibit, ‘Winners and Losers’ 

invites visitors to reflect on sport 

and its central role in contemporary 

society. The show focuses on the 

metamorphosis of sport from play 

to competition, from discipline and 

body care to a universal sector that 

see pg. 3 

OVER THE 

COUNTER 

CONTROVERSY 

Commission vetoes 

medicine in supermarkets 

edicine means money.’ The 

‘Mcost of good health is not 

a new issue and has become a 

heated source of local controversy 

in recent months as many 

citizens have strived to promote 

a proposition which would allow 

for the sale of non-prescription 

drugs in local Coop supermarkets. 

Increased convenience and 

lower costs were the key concepts 

behind the petition for liberalization 

of the medicine market, 

signed by more than 800,000 citizens. 

Their pleas fell on deaf ears, 

as the Tuscan Region’s Health 

Commission recently vetoed the 

popular proposition, prompting 

prolonged debate on the pros 

and cons of protectionism. Sale 

of over-the-counter drugs has 

become a difficult issue to ignore 

due to the tremendous profits 

generated. 

see pg. 3

2 

Thursday 15 June 2006 www.thefl orentine.net 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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baby clothes 

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May 30-31, June 1 

Alda Baby cordially invites you to the 

presentation of its Spring/Summer 2007 

collection at 

Hotel S.Gallo Palace – sala ‘Lorenzo’ 

via Lorenzo il Magnifi co, 2 – Firenze 

tel. 055-463871 

For reservations please call or write to us 

(tel. 0573/532777, alda@aldababy.it). 

Walk-ins welcome 

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editore 

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direzione: via dei Fossi 14c. 59100 Prato 

direttore responsabile 

Fabiana Ceccarelli 

editor in Chief 

Nita Tucker 

managing editor 

Linda Falcone 

contributing editors 

Marco Badiani, Elia della Chiesa, 

Giovanni Giusti, Antonio Lo Iacono, 

Kate Bolton, Amy Gulick, Tony Tucker 

cultural editor 

Jane Fortune 

 

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Leo Cardini - Cathy Gale 

agilelogica.it 

printer 

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iscrizione al ROC 

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n. 9927 reg. trib. di Prato 

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Caffeteria 

Pasticceria 

Recognized in many travel guides 

as one of Florence’s fi nest cafe’s. 

Robiglio offers daily lunch and 

dinner menus, as well as serving 

a‘true’ American breakfast! 

Steps away from the duomo, 

at Robiglio, you will fi nd elegant 

pastries, candies, and beautiful 

gifts to take away. 

News 

Pitti Uomo strikes a pose 

Cafe & Pastry Shop 

Via Tosinghi 11/R 

Daily 8:00 to 20:00 

Restaurant 

continued from pg. 1 

encompasses technology, fashion, art, business, medicine and communication. 

From June 21 to July 21, Stazione Leopolda will promote fi ve different 

sport and fashion themes: limits, games, mutation, tradition and freedom. 

The Pitti’s hunger for high fashion doesn’t stop with menswear. Style-mongers 

can also enjoy Pitti Immagine Bimbo hosted at the Fortezza from June 

30 to July 2, which features an international preview of 2007 spring-summer 

collections of clothing and accessories for children and teens (ages 0-18), 

maternity wear and childcare products. Those who love warm winter sweaters 

can stay tuned for Pitti Filati which previews the 2007-8, autumn\winter 

yarn collections for the knitwear industry on July 5-7. 

OVER THE COUNTER CONTROVERSY 

continued from pg. 1 

Tuscan Aldo Soldi, president of the National Association of Consumer 

Coops in Rome, sent a scalding letter to the Florentine daily La Nazione in 

which he protested the stance taken by the Tuscan Health Commission’s 

Regional Council and its chairman Fabio Roggiolani, who has long opposed 

the sale of medicine in supermarkets. ‘We have never asked for the liberalization 

of prescription medicines; our initiative includes only non-prescription 

drugs. Of course, it is necessary to practise caution. In the proposal that the 

Coop presented in February, it would be prohibited to advertise medicines on 

the premises or participate in any sort of promotional activity with regards to 

the drugs for sale,’ Mr Soldi asserts. 

The Coop-piloted proposal also foresees the presence of licensed pharmacists 

within its supermarkets during opening hours, as well as the employment 

of special cashiers and stockers. The proposition’s objective, Soldi argues, is 

to create a ‘protected market that caters to the needs of citizens.’ According to 

Coop’s estimates, liberalization of the over-the-counter market would reduce 

the cost of pharmaceuticals anywhere from 25 to 50 percent, a statistic that 

cannot be overlooked by even the initiative’s staunchest opponents. This signifi 

cant reduction of medicinal costs would bring Italy in line with the cost of 

medicine in the rest the European Community. 

Local Health Councillor Enrico Rossi continues to hold his ground, however. 

‘It is dangerous to sell medicine in supermarkets,’ he declared recently. 

For Rossi, the Region needs to search for other ways to make medicines more 

available to the public. ‘In Tuscany, we are prepared to open at least 50 new 

pharmacies in areas that have a shortage of chemists,’ he added. 

Ristorante 

Gelateria 

Via de Medici 

Daily 12:00/15:00 19:30/23:00 

Typical Tuscan Menu, 

specializing in Vegetarian dishes. 

3 


Florence NEWS 

Table of CONTENTS 

1 

4 

5 

6 

7 

9 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

FLORENCE NEWS 

Pitti Uomo 

strikes a pose 

Over the counter controversy 

Tram in a jam 

Housing hikes hit home 

Meet the new ‘natives’ 

Palace room raided 

Uffi zi lucks out 

Footballers’ brawl 

endangers calcio storico 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Trouble with Taliban 

Vatican sees red 

SPORT NEWS 

Germany 2006 - World Cup 

Italy kicks off with win 

TOP PICKS & 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

Events Highlights 

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL 

An interview with 

Francesco Piccininni 

CULTURE & CUSTOMS 

ITALIAN VOICES: 

A Window on Language 

and Customs in Italy 

Heard the latest about 

the Carabinieri? 

THE ARTS 

An art walk on the Oltrarno 

TRAVEL & LEISURE 

It’s summertime and 

the living is easy 

You meet the nicest 

people in a cemetery 

FOOD & WINE 

The Mediterranean Diet 

and the Italian Paradox 

FOODIES CORNER 

A piece o’ pie 

BOOK REVIEW 

Trouble in Paradise 

USEFUL NUMBERS 

CLASSIFIED ADS

4 

Thursday 15 June 2006 News 


Florence NEWS 

News in BRIEF 

Tuscany aids tsunami victims 

Florentines are lending a helping 

hand to tsunami victims in 

Sri Lanka thanks to a 130 thousand 

euro project sponsored by 

the Misericordia di Firenze. In the 

Bellera-County Florence Project, 

which started in May 2005, 

Tuscan volunteers joined forces 

with local citizens to rebuild 13 

homes, a medical clinic complete 

with equipment, and the meditation 

room of the village’s Buddhist 

temple. Reconstruction has been 

carried out in accordance with 

new laws created by Sri Lanka’s 

government. 

The hole story 

We love her, but she’s high maintenance. 

The city of Florence, bearing 

the brunt of both bad weather and 

heavy vehicles, sees severe wear 

on her streets. After months of 

protests from local drivers, Councillor 

Graziano Cioni has approved 

a 6 million euro plan to fi ll the holes 

that infest the city’s urban area. 

This surprisingly expensive makeover 

projects six construction sites 

a day from now until September, 

and is considered only a portion of 

what the city really needs to maintain 

the 800 kilometres of Florentine 

roads. Experts say that the city 

requires at least 15 million to make 

a considerable difference in road 

conditions. 

English scarce 

In an international city like Florence, 

knowing a foreign language opens 

all doors–or does it? According 

to a surprising recent study, 77 

percent of Florentine small- to 

medium-sized businesses have 

no contact with foreign markets. 

A report on language training in 

Italy, sponsored by the ‘Let it Fly’ 

Project in Florence, confi rms that 

only 4.6 percent of local companies 

offer their employees training 

in foreign languages. That fi gure 

reaches a maximum of 10.3 percent 

in businesses with more than 

ten employees in the import-export 

sector. English is the preferred 

language 99.4 percent of the time, 

against 1.4 percent for Arabic and 

.08 percent for Japanese. 

Insects invade Signoria 

An army of 30 thousand bees 

hijacked the Piazza Signoria for 

almost 24 hours last weekend. 

The queen bee had chosen the 

box tree under Donatello’s bronze 

Giuditta as the perfect place to 

house her hive. Urban police and 

fi re-fi ghters fought the ‘natural 

disaster’ to no avail. It took bee 

farmer Maurizio Camilli to save 

the day. The bees moved to Neptune’s 

fountain and the entrance 

of Palazzo Vecchio, terrorizing 

tourists before Camilli had them 

under control. ‘I’m taking them to 

the country,’ he said. ‘They will be 

happier there.’ 

Tram in a jam 

Citizens TRAMVIA_6x3_new 24-05-2005 protest 14:46 Pagina 1 city’s plans to tackle traffi c 

uno due tre tramvia 

I lavori proseguono, 

scusateci per il disagio. 

www.comune.fi.it 

www.comune.scandicci.fi.it 

www.ataf.net 

info 800 055 055 Comune di Firenze 

C 

Comune di Firenze Comune di Scandicci 

itizens took to the streets last 

facciamo week, torches stradain alla hand, nuova in a neigh- città 

bourhood protest near the Fortezza 

da Basso. Nearly a thousand people 

blocked Piazza della Costituzione 

in their parade to protect ‘the quality 

of life’ in Florence by refusing to 

succumb to what protesters called 

the city’s latest ‘monster plan.’ The 

enemy, who may seem rather friendly 

to the untrained eye, is known as 

the tramvia. Voted for by citizens 

way back in 1988, this tram system 

brings a whole series of fears trailing 

behind it. In city council meetings 

held in May and June of this year, 

citizens kept Vice Mayor and Traffi c 

Council Beppe Matulli up until two 

in the morning with visions of ugly 

tracks and neighbourhoods broken 

by years of public works. 

In the tramvia’s most recent opinion 

poll conducted by Istituto Freni 

(Tramvia a Firenze), seven out of 

ten Florentines say they are unconvinced 

that it will solve the city’s traf- 

fi c emergency. Eighty percent believe 

the tram will take away precious road 

space and eliminate coveted parking 

places, while 48 percent simply call 

the project a ‘waste of money,’ and 

50 percent of people interviewed say 

they would prefer a micro-subway 

system. Less than one person in fi ve 

agrees that the historical city centre 

should open its gates to the 32square-metre 

trams. 

The majority of Florentine administrators, 

on the other hand, support 

the project. ‘It is the only solution 

for improving citizen mobility,’ says 

Matulli, who promises the city will 

provide precise plans and respect 

strict deadlines. ‘We have already 

approved the initiative through popular 

vote; we can’t re-trace our footsteps 

now.’ According to the project, 

the entire tram system should be in 

place by the end of 2009. ‘It’s an 

unrealistic goal,’ said one protestor. 

‘We’re half way into 2006, and they 

are still at the drawing board.’ 

Housing hikes hit home 

Outrageous rents force Florentines out of the centre 

As summer draws closer, many 

Florentines are preparing to 

say good-bye to the centre 

and its crowds. Some look to the 

mountains, while others search out 

the sea. Many have another less 

exciting destination: the outskirts. 

And they’re not thinking of a summertime 

sojourn; they’re planning, 

rather, to stay there for good. According 

to a recent study sponsored by 

Cooperativa Unica, families renting 

fl ats in the city of Florence are 

preparing for mass exodus. The high 

cost of centrally-located housing 

is cited as the number one reason 

for re-location. 16,500 families who 

have been forced to look for alternative 

residence in lesser populated 

areas. Ninety-two percent cite ‘cost’ 

as their primary motivation for leaving 

the centre. 

At an average of 733 euro a 

month, over 43 percent of the families 

interviewed reported spending 

more than 30 percent of their budget 

on rent. In Florence’s city centre, 

57 out of one 100 families are well 

above this percentage. The study, 

conducted between March and April 

2006, identifi ed the most expensive 

Florentine area as the ‘semi-central’ 

neighbourhoods that stretch from 

Piazza Libertà to Piazza Gavinana, 

areas where the average monthly 

rent for a fl at is 870 euro. Isolotto- 

Legnaia proves considerably less 

expensive, offering housing in the 

400 to 500 euro range. According 

to Italy’s national statistics’ service 

ISTAT, 28,247 families are currently 

renting in the city. Sixty-two percent 

of these have a standard 4+4 year 

contract. 

due_pavese illustrazione folon 

MEET THE 

NEW ‘NATIVES’ 

Ethnic diversity 

is on the rise 

The Florence of the future is 

alive, well and multi-ethnic. A 

recent study suggests that by the 

end of 2007, one ‘Florentine’ in 

ten will be non-native. In a project 

sponsored by the City Council, 

the Foreigners’ Council of the City 

and Province, Arci Association 

and Florence’s numerous neighbourhood 

districts, researchers 

are striving to reveal the city’s new 

dynamic cultural identity. The result 

of their efforts? A ‘New Citizens’ 

Guide’ which provides 190 pages 

of information on formal and informal 

avenues of cultural exchange, 

collected from a myriad of local 

foreigners’ associations. The guide 

offers an international ‘map’ which 

traces the development of diversity 

within the city, how different communities 

integrate and how they 

maintain their own ethnic identity. 

La Nuova Giuda Cittadinanza 

shows where members of different 

racial communities spend their 

free time in the city. A day-by-day 

study of the city becomes a multicultural 

patchwork. Algerians 

gather in the gardens of Piazza 

Ciompi’s Mosque during days of 

prayer. Immigrants from Sri Lanka 

prefer Thursdays near Piazza Indipendenza 

or Sunday at the Cascine. 

Eastern Europeans chose 

Saturday afternoon and Sunday 

morning to meet up with their conationals 

in the gardens near Viale 

Milton. 

The new guide also provides 

information on how multi-ethnic 

trends affect the job market in Florence. 

‘For example, we discovered 

that during the 1960s the majority 

of foreigners working in the San 

Lorenzo market were of Greek origins. 

Then came the Iranians, now 

most are from South America,’ 

says Margherita Primi, one of the 

project’s co-authors. 

‘As society evolves and we study 

it, we realize that this research 

project can never really end,’ says 

Eros Cruccolini, president of the 

City Council. The data, which can 

be downloaded for free from the 

City of Florence’s offi cial website, 

will be constantly updated on the 

Internet.


UFFIZI 

LUCKS OUT 

Colossal changes for 

Florence’s favourite 

museum 

Thanks to much-awaited renovations, 

a project known as 

‘Grandi Uffi zi,’ Florence’s most 

famous galleries are destined to 

‘grow’ from 5,400 square meters 

to over 12,000. In a recent meeting 

with Italy’s Vice Premier and 

Minister of Cultural Patrimony, 

Francesco Rutelli, museum 

superintendent Antonio Paolucci 

became the bearer of good news. 

The Uffi zi’s dreams of renovation 

will become reality. ‘This is 

a decisive step which will deeply 

infl uence the future of one of Florence’s 

most beloved institutions,’ 

said Rutelli. 

More space, of course, means 

more crowds as the museum’s 

visiting capacity would almost 

double in number. In the fi ve 

years it will take to complete the 

project, the Uffi zi’s visitors are 

expected to go from today’s daily 

dose of 4,000 people to as many 

as 7,500. As art-lovers become 

more numerous, so too will the 

works of art on display within the 

galleries. The Uffi zi currently exhibits 

1,200 masterpieces, which 

are expected to become almost 

2,000 by the end of 2010. 

The renovations pro ject, led 

by the Consorzio Cooperative 

Co struzioni of Bologna, will take 

more than 1,600 days to complete. 

Growth, of course, means 

time and money, almost 5 years 

and 25 million euro, in fact. A small 

price to pay, supporters say, for a 

kilometer’s journey through the 

museum, then via the historical 

Vasari Corrider which runs over 

the Ponte Vecchio to connect 

with Palazzo Pitti. The famous 

corridor will be freed from the art 

and sculpture currently hosted in 

the area and reclaim its original 

function of connecting one side 

of the Arno to the other. 

News 

Palace room raided 

Painting snatched from Palazzo Vecchio 

Nothing like a Florentine palace to tempt the palate of a hungry thief. After 

last month’s raid of Palazzo Pitti’s cash pot, another burglar strikes at 

Palazzo Vecchio. This time, the culprit leaves the pennies and sets his sights 

on a painting. An oil on canvas, painted by Ninno Tirinnanzi in 1953, was 

taken from the palace’s Sala d’Armi where it had been exhibited as part of 

the show ‘Tirinnanzi: 60 years of painting—1940-2000.’ The missing painting 

is called ‘Meriggio’ and depicts a group of houses beyond a stone wall. 

Ninety-nine of the artist’s other masterpieces were left hanging on a panel 

that had been especially installed for the Genio Fiorentino exhibition. 

All of Tirinnanzi’s paintings were lent to Palazzo Vecchio by private collectors 

and were insured for a total of 800,000 euro. The Sala d’Armi is not 

equipped with a video-surveillance system. The robbery was discovered by 

two of the palace guards, who believe that the thief had hid the painting 

under a jacket or in a rucksack. The case is currently in the hands of the 

Uffi zi military police. The free exhibit was the fi rst of its kind to honour Florentine 

artists of the 20th century. The theft came as an unfortunate tribute 

to one of Florence’s fi nest contemporary painters. 

Mud makes 

a comeback 

Tuscany leads the way 

to ‘thermal tourism’ 

A 

weak dollar, a strong euro, 

and several years of worldwide 

travel-fear have forced 

the tourism industry in Italy to grin 

and bear it through tough times. 

Luckily, it seems the travel bug is 

back in business, with optimistic 

previsions for 2006. According to a 

recent study sponsored by the Tuscan 

Region, thermal spas are heading 

the list of the area’s most sought 

after destinations. Nothing like a bit 

of mud to make things right again. 

Over 4 million people a year visit 

Tuscany’s thermal resorts, and as 

Visitors to Siena 

this weekend will 

be able to compare 

their own efforts 

to keep young, healthy 

and beautiful with those 

used by the ancient Egyptians. 

The new exhibition 

entitled Igiene e 

bellezza nell’antico Egitto 

(Hy giene and Beauty 

in Ancient Egypt) is on show at 

Siena’s Santa Maria della Scala 

complex until September 17. The 

exhibition has been organized 

in collaboration with the Aboca 

Museum of Sansepolcro and the 

Tuscany Archaeology Superintendent’s 

Department. Italy, which 

has been involved in important 

archaeological discoveries since 

the 19 th century, has a strong 

Italy’s leader, the region hosts 14 

percent of the peninsula’s resorts. 

Almost half of the visitors are foreign 

and include a majority of English, 

Germans and Americans, anxious to 

enjoy the benefi ts of mud and hydro 

treatments. The sector experienced 

a 5.2 percent increase in visitors 

during the fi rst months of 2006. To 

re-launch the sector, experts suggest 

tying the treatments to luxury and 

golf. The Tuscan Regional Council 

has recently announced plans to 

boost thermal tourism by linking the 

sector to medicine and art. Starting 

this week, Tuscan spas will be the 

fi rst in the industry to experiment 

with a regional online reservations 

service. The service was inaugurated 

by Italy’s Vice Premier, Francesco 

Rutelli, last week at Florence’s APT. 

Online tourism in Italy has increased 

by 700 percent in the last ten years. 

Traditional health care and modern 

technology might just be the ticket 

to true summer relaxation. 

Cleopatra’s beauty secrets revealed 

Siena show features ancient Egyptian cosmetics 

tradition in the study of 

ancient Egypt. 

More than 70 items, 

loaned from Florence’s 

National Archaeological 

Museum, are on display. 

These include mirrors, 

make-up palettes, mortar-and-pestle 

sets, jewellery 

and funeral masks. 

Organizers have even 

reproduced authentic ancient 

Egyptian remedies, perfumes and 

cosmetics on the basis of ancient 

texts and archaeological evidence. 

One section is devoted to illustrating 

how perfumes were produced 

and which materials they used. 

They focus on hair-care, styles 

and dyes, and the methods Egyptians 

employed to treat corpses 

for funeral ceremonies. 

5 


Florence NEWS 

FOOTBALLERS’ 

BRAWL 

ENDANGERS 

CALCIO STORICO 

Violence threatens 

traditional tournament 

The fi rst game of historical 

soccer’s 2006 tournament 

may be its last. Sunday’s game 

spelled trouble for this strange 

hybrid of popular tradition which 

transforms Santa Croce’s piazza 

into a rugby match turned battlefi 

eld. After almost ten minutes of 

inter-team brawl, the tournament 

was suspended, to the great 

disappointment of the crowds 

gathered to enjoy the annual 

event. Vice police commissioner 

Benedetti and commander of the 

Digos investigative police force 

went down into the fi eld in a futile 

attempt to restore order. The 

only good news was that there 

were no serious casualties. The 

fi ght was about the participation 

of unregistered players on the 

white team, and the ball was no 

where to be seen. ‘We intend 

to present a petition,’ says Forza 

Italia councillor Massimo Pieri, exvice 

president of Calcio Storico 

Committee, ‘asking that the event 

be cancelled this year. A year of 

refl ection may prove useful. It 

may be our chance re-start the 

games next year with entirely new 

players.’ In the meantime, Sports 

and Popular Traditions Councillor 

Eugenio Giani is taking his time to 

make the fi nal decision about this 

complex event.

6 

Thursday 15 June 2006 News 


National NEWS 

News in BRIEF 

More tears for terror 

An Italian soldier killed in a roadside 

bomb attack near Nassiriya 

in Iraq earlier this week was 

given a state funeral in Rome 

on Friday in a ceremony at the 

Basilica di San Paolo in Rome 

attended by the country’s top 

political offi cials. Corporal Pibiri’s 

death brought the number of Italians 

killed in Iraq since 2003 to 

38. The latest bombing led to 

renewed demands for the immediate 

withdrawal of Italian troops 

from Iraq. Italian new centre-left 

Premier Romano Prodi intends 

to withdraw all troops by the end 

of the year, in line with a deadline 

set by the previous government. 

Prodi stressed on Tuesday that 

Pibiri’s death would have ‘no 

repercussions on the timetable 

for withdrawal’. 

Italian star fi lls 

Gandhi’s shoes 

Actress Monica Bellucci has 

agreed to play the role of India’s 

most powerful woman Sonia 

Gandhi in a new fi lm about her 

life. Director Jagmohan Mundhra 

pursued Bellucci for six months 

before persuading her at last 

month’s Cannes Film Festival 

to play the Italian-born politician 

and latest torch-bearer of the 

Gandhi dynasty. Bellucci, 41, 

has appeared in more than 40 

fi lms, including The Passion of 

the Christ, The Brothers Grimm, 

and as a rape victim in Irreversible. 

Italian melting pot 

More than 3 million immigrants 

currently live in Italy. According 

to estimates, that fi gure will 

increase by 300,000 by the 

end of 2006. In ten years, Italy 

will become the second most 

populated European country, 

after Germany, with regards to 

immigrant populations. In 2005, 

Italy issued a record one million 

visas. More than half were 

issued for tourism, and one fi fth 

involved requests for permanent 

residence. The majority of foreigners 

who come to Italy are 

transient visitors. 

 

 

Trouble with Taliban 

Nato calls for Italian troops in Afghanistan 

NATO’s Secretary 

General Jaap De 

Hoop Scheffer has asked 

the Italian government to 

reinforce its 1,400-strong 

contingent in Afghanistan 

to support NATO 

troops moving south in 

July, the Italian daily 

newspaper Corriere della 

Sera reported recently. 

‘Between now and the 

end of July, we want to 

be ready to take control 

of the southern provinces 

from US-led coalition troops,’ he 

told the newspaper in an interview 

last Saturday. 

NATO’s troops, already deployed 

in the north and west of the country, 

will be entering a destitute area 

where the Taliban are traditionally 

active. ‘We are entering a diffi cult 

zone,’ explained the NATO chief. 

‘There is resistance from the Taliban, 

whom we must make understand 

that we mean business. We 

are going to double the force, to 

6,000 men—an increase from the 

3,000 serving in the current US-led 

force.’ De Hoop Scheffer recently 

met Prime Minister Romano Prodi 

Tax hikes & 

budget blues 

Prodi plans 

to plow Italy’s 

mountainous debts 

The new government took its 

fi rst step towards straightening 

Italy’s public accounts on 

Thursday, forcing several regions to 

put up taxes to cover a budget hole 

created by excessive health spending. 

The decision, taken during the 

centre-left government’s fi rst fullfl 

edged cabinet meeting, affects six 

Italian regions out of 20. The regions 

- Liguria in the north, Lazio, Abruzzo 

and Molise in the centre and 

Campania and Sicily in the south - 

were told to raise income taxes and 

a regional business tax called IRAP 

because they had breached their 

health care budget limits. 

Economy Minister Tommaso 

Padoa-Schioppa stressed at a press 

conference after the cabinet meeting 

that the tax hikes were automatic 

under the terms of the 2006 

budget approved by the previous 

government. He also said a tighter 

control would be kept on public 

spending, with constant monitoring 

by the chief state accountant’s 

and Foreign Minister 

Massimo D’Alema on Friday 

to discuss the operation, 

but no details of 

their talks were released 

to the media. De Hoop 

Scheffer told the paper: 

‘We discussed with your 

government what more it 

could do. We need more 

planes. If Italy were to 

ask whether we want 

more troops and special 

forces, I would say “yes, 

certainly,” but I do not 

want to join in Italy’s internal discussions.’ 

Italy has 1,400 soldiers serving 

in NATO’s International Security 

Assistance Force (ISAF), 1,000 of 

them in Kabul and 400 in Herat. 

Two Italian soldiers were killed and 

four injured on May 5 in Kabul by 

a roadside bomb. Several radical 

leftwing groups in Prodi’s coalition 

government are calling for Italy to 

pull its troops out of Afghanistan. 

The Taliban, ousted from power by 

the US-led invasion of Afghanistan 

in 2001, have stepped up attacks in 

recent months across the south of 

the country. 

offi ce. The minister said that all 

spending caps contained in the 

2006 budget would be ‘rigorously 

applied’, including public administration 

hiring limits and reductions 

in ministry consultancy, advertising 

and chauffeur spending. 

Curbing Italy’s rising defi cit and 

public debt are the two most urgent 

tasks facing Premier Romano Prodi, 

who won the narrowest of victories 

against his predecessor Silvio Berlusconi 

in the April general election. 

Italy’s budget defi cit has breached 

the 3 percent limit for the past three 

years, rising to 4.1 percent in 2005 

- the highest level since 1996. It is 

seen as hitting some 5 percent of 

GDP this year unless budget adjustments 

are made. The previous government 

predicted a defi cit of 3.8 

percent this year and promised the 

European Commission that it would 

be slashed to 2.8 percent by the end 

of 2007. Brussels has ruled out an 

extension on that deadline despite 

the worse-than-expected accounts 

situation. 

 

 

 

VATICAN 

SEES RED 

Church offi cial attacks 

World Cup sex-trade 

The Vatican has expressed 

alarm over reports that thousands 

of women may be forced 

to go to Germany and work as 

prostitutes during the World Cup 

which started last Friday. Monsignor 

Agostino Marchetto, Secretary 

of the Pontifi cal Council for 

Migrants, said it was already bad 

enough that prostitution was legal 

in Germany. What is worse, he 

said, is that a predicted 40,000 

more women would now enter 

the circuit. ‘Many of them are 

forced into this activity against 

their will. They are the object of 

traffi cking,’ he said in a recent 

interview with Vatican Radio. 

With about a million people 

expected to fl ood into Germany 

starting June 9, there is widespread 

expectation that the 

country’s sex industry will experience 

a boom. Several human 

rights groups have predicted a 

demand for extra prostitutes who 

would probably come from countries 

in Eastern Europe. ‘Some 

red cards should be handed out 

to this industry, to its clients and 

to the public authorities which 

host the event,’ Msgr. Marchetto 

said. ‘Prostitution violates the 

dignity of human beings, and 

women become merchandise 

to be bought, at a cost which 

is even less than that of a ticket 

for a soccer match.’ The United 

States recently wrote to the German 

government about the same 

issue and raised its fears in meetings 

with offi cials in Germany.


Germany 2006 - World Cup 

Italy kicks off with win 

Andrea Pirlo and Vincenzo Iaquinta both 

found the net as Italy began their Group E 

campaign with a 2-0 win over Ghana. Milan 

midfi elder Pirlo bent a fi erce low shot into the 

bottom corner six minutes before the interval, before 

sub Iaquinta sealed the win with a late strike. 

Ratomir Dujkovic’s African fi rst-time qualifi - 

ers gave a fi ne performance, with captain Stephen 

Appiah’s and Michael Essien’s energetic presence 

in midfi eld. But while Marcello Lippi’s line-up 

struggled with the Ghanaians’ athletic strength, 

Germany 

2006 - World Cup 

Czechs roll over the USA 

pulsating perfor- 

A mance from the 

Czech Republic saw 

them become 3-0 winners 

against a capable 

USA team in Gelsenkirchen 

on Monday, 

with Arsenal new-boy 

Tomas Rosicky scoring 

two goals. Rosicky, in 

tandem with veteran 

Pavel Nedved, ran the 

show in the middle of 

the fi eld for long periods. 

It was a very different 

partnership that 

opened the scoring for 

the Czechs in the fi fth 

minute. Right back 

Zdenek Grygera found 

oceans of space down 

the fl ank and put in a 

pinpoint cross for Jan 

Koller to thump home 

with his head. Grygera 

was instrumental to 

the Czech attack in the 

opening exchanges. 

Captain Claudio Reyna 

picked up the ball in 

midfi eld and unleashed 

a ferocious shot that 

cannoned off the inside 

of the post and to safety 

Photograph Florence..and Fly to SARDEGNA!! 

Send your photo to info@thefl orentine.net 

Each week Ryanair will be offering two round trip tickets 

Pisa-Alghero (Sardinia), which will be awarded to the 

photographer of the “Pic of the Week”. 

The winner will be chosen by The Florentine editorial staff 

...and the winner is... 

author: Caroline Elo title: Pane Bread in vicolo 

Sports 

the talent of Pirlo and Francesco Totti, and the 

presence of Luca Toni in the fi nal third provided 

the Azzurri with the edge. Serie A top scorer Toni 

eliminated doubts as to whether he could bring 

his domestic form onto the international stage 

with a bullying performance that had everything 

but a goal. The Fiorentina forward crashed a fi ne 

effort off the underside of the bar in a sparky fi rst 

half, while playmaker Totti stung the hands of erratic 

Ghana keeper Richard Kingston with fi erce 

long-range efforts. But it was a touch of Pirlo class 

that provided the breakthrough. Totti’s quicklytaken 

short corner caught Ghana sleeping. Their 

failure to close down Pirlo was criminally negligent 

and they paid the price as the ball pierced a 

packed penalty area and arrowed into the net. 

Formula 1: 

Alonso bags British Grand Prix 

7 


Sports NEWS 

Sports in BRIEF 

Track and Field: Powell rivals 

world record 

Jamaican Asafa Powell ran 9.77 to equal the 

100 metres world record on Sunday at the IAAF 

Grand Prix in Gateshead. He broke Maurice 

Greene’s old record of 9.79 when he ran 9.77 

in Athens last year. American Justin Gatlin then 

ran the same time in Doha last month. 

Cycling Tour - Switerland: 

Bennati lively in yellow 

After he claimed the yellow jersey in the Tour 

of Switzerland, Daniele Bennati was surprised 

Tom Boonen didn’t fi ght to defend the overall 

lead. Though another Italian Daniele, Contrini, 

won Sunday’s stage, Bennati was pleased as 

punch to be wearing yellow as he headed into 

Stage 3. 

Football Serie A: 

Guidolin busts back to Palermo 

Palermo has reappointed Francesco Guidolin 

as coach, the Sicilian club announced on Tuesday. 

Under Guidolin, Palermo won promotion 

to Serie A in May 2004 and then fi nished sixth 

in the 2004-05 season. Guidolin, who spent 

last year coaching French side Monaco, has 

replaced Giuseppe Papadopulo. Palermo fi nished 

eighth last season to earn a place in the 

Intertoto Cup. 

Defending world champion Fernando Alonso blew away his opposition 

on a windy day at Silverstone to take his fi fth win of the season 

in the British Grand Prix on Sunday. Spaniard Alonso (24) led from 

start to fi nish to give Renault their fi rst Silverstone win as a constructor 

since 1983. He beat German Michael Schumacher (37) by 13.9 seconds 

to extend his world championship lead over the Ferrari driver to 

23 points. Finn Kimi Raikkonen was third for McLaren. The race started 

in a dramatic fashion with Alonso leading away from pole position 

ahead of Raikkonen and Schumacher. 

The action was further back though, as American Scott Speed, driving a Toro Rosso, tipped the 

slow-starting Ralf Schumacher into a slide at the high-speed Beckett’s corner. The 30-year-old German 

did superbly to recover the wayward Toyota, but as he rejoined the racing line, Australian Mark 

Webber smashed into his right-hand side in his Williams, eliminating both cars instantly. Speed also 

retired in the pits with front-end damage at the end of the lap. After two laps at slow speed, racing was 

resumed, although Raikkonen nearly hit the rear-end of Alonso’s Renault as the safety car pulled in. 

Halfway around the lap, Raikkonen attempted to overtake Alonso at the fastest point on the circuit, but 

was forced to back off, allowing Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari onto his tail. Schumacher dived down 

the outside of the McLaren into the Abbey chicane, but was unable to pass as Raikkonen squeezed him 

to the edge of the track.

8 


Movie REVIEWS 

Thursday June 15 

Monday June 19 

Movies in English showing in Florence 

Weeks June 15 - June 29 2006 

by James Douglas 

ODEON THEATRE 

A PRAIRIE HOME 

COMPANION 

‘Radio like you’ve never seen it 

before.’ Garrison Keillor is GK in 

Robert Altman’s A Prairie Home 

Companion, a name familiar to 

listeners of Keillor’s long-running 

radio show out of St Paul, Minnesota. 

The movie concentrates 

on the fi nal broadcast of a radio 

show very similar to Keillor’s, and 

in true Altman style examines an 

intricate web of interconnecting 

stories on and off air among the 

show’s characters. A warm musical 

comedy and affectionate tribute 

to the magic of radio, clearly 

revealing Altman’s softer side. The 

collaboration with Keillor is a perfect 

match. 

Tuesday June 20 


THE DA VINCI CODE 

Tom Hanks as cryptologist Robert 

Langdon is on auto-pilot and does 

little to sustain interest. Audrey 

Tautou as his bland investigative 

side-kick, Sophie, trails along, 

speaking zombie English and providing 

ornament in place of the love 

interest the story lacks. Only the 

dry wit and underplayed villainy of 

Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh, and Paul 

Bettany’s stunningly demented and 

menacing monk Silas save Ron 

Howard’s movie The Da Vinci 

Code from the pedestrian and 

the mundane. Dan Brown’s novel, 

based on a dodgy premise and a 

determination to scandalise believers 

with vaguely plausible mumbojumbo, 

at least had the pace and 

verve of a sensible thriller. The 

movie is slack and plodding and 

mediocre. Everyone on the planet 

will see it. 

Monday June 26 

FIREWALL 

An old-fashioned Hitchcockian 

thriller dressed in new technology, 

Firewall is graced with unnecessarily 

good performances from 

mega-star Harrison Ford and the 

excellent Paul Bettany in favourite 

villain mode. Pity about the plot 

holes, then, and the overall silliness 

of the hostage drama premise. But 

even pensioner Ford playing spring 

chicken eye candy and performing 

tricks of alarming youthfulness 

won’t really win any one over. Perhaps 

the dog will… 


ODEON THEATRE ODEON THEATRE 

ODEON THEATRE 

AMERICAN DREAMZ 

‘Imagine a country where the President never reads the newspaper, 

where the government goes to war for all the wrong reasons, and more 

people vote for a pop idol than their next President.’ Fortunately, you 

don’t need to. This country exists and it’s the USA! American Pie’s Paul 

Weitz’s biting satire on TV reality shows and contemporary American 

politics, American Dreamz (the fi nal ‘z’ says it all) targets ‘American 

Idol’ and its nasty presenter (Pop Idol’s Simon Cowell), as well as a 

moronic president (probably George Bush). Dreamz deals a series of 

low (i.e. unsubtle) blows at the popular idiocy of TV talent competitions, 

their contestants (a Britney Spears-like Sandy Kendoo played by Mandy 

Moore) and presenters (Hugh Grant in the Cowell role), and draws a parallel 

with the occupant of the White House (Dennis Quaid as President 

Staton) and his engagement with the non-free world. Too close to the 

bone for some. Not explosive enough for others. Maybe teenage smut 

was better. 

Tuesday June 27 

With a fi rst-rate cast (Atkinson, 

Smith, Scott-Thomas and Swayze) 

this black comedy ought to take 

off, but instead it remains frustratingly 

earthbound – ‘staggeringly 

unfunny’ according to one noted 

reviewer. In Keeping Mum, Atkinson 

does little to elaborate his English 

vicar persona as he learns that 

his wife (Scott-Thomas) is having 

an affair with a golf pro (Swayze). 

Murderous Maggie Smith, as 

always, brings class and dignity to 

ODEON THEATRE 

KEEPING MUM 

the proceedings, but is it enough to 

raise a laugh in a movie that lacks 

bite, originality and humour?


OUR TOP PICKS 

FESTIVAL OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST - June 24 

On June 24 Florence will celebrate the birthday of its patron saint. The choice of St. John 

the Baptist as patron of Florence goes back hundreds of years during the city’s Longobardo 

domination, when Florence converted to Christianity. The previous protector of the city was 

the Roman god Mars, honoured by citizens in a temple that once graced the same spot where 

the Baptistery now stands. Thanks to his courageous and rebellious nature, Florentines 

probably considered St. John a worthy Christian substitute of the god of war. 

Florence, a community founded on trade and commerce, immediately placed the effi gy of the 

saint on its Fiorino coin, as guarantor that the coin contained 3.54 grams of gold. The use of 

St. John’s Fiorino coined the phrase San Giovanni non vuole inganni, or ‘Saint John doesn’t 

want deceit.’ Records of festivals in his honour appear from the XIII century onwards. 

During this time of year, the Baptistry which Dante called ‘il bel San Giovanni’ and the 

surrounding piazza, becomes the centre of political and religious life in Florence. Citizens 

can enjoy a series of ceremonies, including a traditional parade that starts from Piazza della 

Signoria. On June 24, Florentines wait for the sun to set and crowd the streets overlooking 

the Arno to enjoy the saint’s traditional fi reworks display. 

THE MEDICI MONTH - June 

The Medici Month, currently in its fourth year, has become one of the most popular events 

of the summer and combines art history, and entertainment. It includes a packed cultural 

calendar that reveals the history of Florence through anecdotes of the Medici family during 

their three centuries of Florentine rule. The Medici Month remembers both well-known and 

more mysterious Medici, casting them as characters in original theatre plays. These fresh 

and exciting theatrical events fi nd their natural stage throughout the city in the churches, 

gardens, and palace halls that were created or loved by the Medici family. In addition to 

theatre, the Medici Month includes guided visits and conferences hosted by important 

Florentine personalities which allow afi cionados to get to know the history, lifestyles and art 

that have made this family essential to the Florentine identity. For info and a full calendar 

of events: www.mesemediceo.it 

PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO - June 21-24 

World preview of clothing and accessories collections for the 2007 spring-summer season. 

Each year Pitti Immagine Uomo opens the fashion season in Europe and around the world. 

This trade fair presents a huge variety of contemporary men’s fashions. This important 

event will be followed by two related exhibitions, Pitti Bimbo and Pitti Filati which display 

children’s clothing and knitwear. 

SUMMER NIGHTS - From June to September 

Enjoy numerous events sponsored by the City Council and various neighbourhood districts. 

Every night in piazzas, palaces and gardens throughout Florence, city-dwellers can chose 

between theatre, dance, music, art and culture. Check the Ongoing ‘Summer Nights’ section 

for news on different events. Those inspired to treat themselves to an evening away can also 

fi nd a ‘Summer Nights’ section in the Out of Town events column. 

24th ETHNO-MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL - June 17-23 

Once again this year, the ethno-music fi lm festival presents an interesting selection of fi lms 

from all over the world, featuring great international musicians on the big screen. All fi lms 

will be in original language with subtitles in Italia. 

CORTEGGIO STORICO DI MONTEMURLO - Montemurlo, June 25 

A re-enactment famous 1537 battle between the Florentines lead by Baccio Valori and 

Filippo Strozza against the troops of Cosimo I de’ Medici. The week before the re-enactment 

(from June 17 to 25) the town organizes a series of related events including donkey races, 

vintage motorcycle rally, Renaissance banquets and antique markets. 

t 

What’s on & Where to Go 

t 

40th Anniversary of 

Florence Flood 

Do you have a story to tell about the Flood of 1966 ? 

Were you a mud angel or do you know one ? 

Do you have photos of those days in Florence ? 

Th e Florentine is preparing a special edition 

for the Flood’s 40th anniversary 

Distributed all over the world in September. 

Write to: the_fl ood@thefl orentine.net 

t 

9 


Events in FLORENCE JUN 16 TO JUN 29 

mbership card necessary 

FRIDAY 16 

n DANCE 

Buenos Aires Tango! 

Rampe di Piazza Poggi, San Niccolò, tel. 

055-2336712, 21.00 

n GUIDED TOURS 

Musica del Novecento a Firenze 

Piazza della Repubblica, tel. 0575-411049, 18.00 

n MUSIC & CONCERTS 

Students concert 

Conservatorio Statale di Musica “Luigi 

Cherubini”, piazza delle Belle Arti 2, tel. 

055.292180 

Orchestra della Toscana 

K. Mitsuhashi director, A. Boyanova violin 

Chiesa di Orsanmichele, via Calzaiuoli, tel. 

055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Pablo Mirò & I Magnapasta 

Piazza Ghiberti, 21.00 

Marco Fontana 

Il Tallone d’Achille Casa del Popolo, via di 

San Romano 1, Settignano, 20.30 

n THEATRE (in Italian unless otherwise noted) 

Il Castello by Franz Kafka 

K.P.L.B. Project - Kafka, Pavese, Lispector, 

Beckett 

San Salvi città aperta, via di San Salvi 12, 

tel. 055.6236195, www.chille.it, 21.00 

Il Re è solo 

Stefano Massini writes his version of 

Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ 

Stibbert Museum, Via Stibbert, 26, tel. 

055-486049, www.museostibbert.it/, booking 

required, 21.15 & 22.45, €13 

Creature Acrobatic theatre from Africa 

Estate Fiesolana 

Teatro Romano, Fiesole, tel. 800.414240, 

www.estatefi esolana.com 

Tondastrocca 

Villa Fabbricotti, via V. Emanuele II 64, tel. 

055.500064, 21.30 

Rocky Horror Picture Show 

Ippodromo del Visarno, parco delle Cascine, 22.00 

SATURDAY 17 

n CINEMA 

Iberia (Spain) 

See Ongoing cinema 

n MARKETS & FESTIVALS 

Fortezza Antiquaria 

Piazza Indipendenza, all day 

From Hollywood to Florence 

a brillant meeting of fashion and art 

Art Center Florence, via Ghinellina 92 r (in 

front of Enoteca Pinchiorri), www.artcenterfl 

orence.it, 18.00 


Festival fi orentino dei giovani artisti 

Piazza Madonna della Neve, 21.00 

Concerto per la cittadinanza 

Arengario di Palazzo Vecchio, 21.00, free 

n SPORTS & ACTIVITIES 

67th Notturna di San Giovanni 

Walking race 

Starting point: piazza San Lorenzo; arrival in 

piazza Duomo, at 20.30, info 055.294174, 

055.522957 



See June 16 

SUNDAY 18 

n CINEMA 

El Milagro De Candeal (Brasil) 

See Ongoing Cinema 


Fierucolina d’Estate o di S. Filippo e 

Giacomo 

Piazza Santo Spirito all day 

Historical Florentine Soccer 

Tournament between the different districts, 

with historical pageant. Red vs Green 

Piazza S. Croce, tel. 055.2768030, 17.00, 

€40/15 

Lo gnozzo del libero scambio 

Non-profi t and private associations sell 

their wares. 

Giardino di Via Maragliano, all day, info and 

booking www.fi 5.it 

Fortezza Antiquaria 

See June 17 



Music by Rodrigo, Bach and Bartók 

Cattedrale di Fiesole, piazza Mino 1, Fiesole, 

21.00 

Orchestra Sinfonica di Messina 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Sambae, Itaiata de Sà 

Ippodromo Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, 

22.00 

Duo dissonAnce 

Auditorium della Clinica Medica di Careggi, 

viale Morgagni, www.agimusfi renze.it, 

10.30, free 

Musica latino-americana 

Le Pavoniere, parco delle Cascine, 20.00, 

free 

Buenos Aires Tango 

Milongue and tango 

Parco delll’Anconella, via di Villamagna, 

21.00 


Trotting race 

See June 18 

Ippodromo Le Mulina, parco delle Cascine, 

tel. 055.4226076, www.ippocity.com 



See June 16 

MONDAY 19 

n CINEMA 

Carmen a Khayelitsha (South Africa) 


A Prairie Home Companion 

Odeon Cine Hall, piazza Strozzi, tel. 

055.214068, www.cinehall.it, 17.40, 20.10, 

22.45 


Rock Competition 

Ippodromo del Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, 

22.00 

Orchestra Sinfonica di Messina 

See June 18 

Concerto di formazione bandistica 




See June 16 

Il Re è solo 

See June 16 

TUESDAY 20 

n CINEMA 

Habana Blues (Cuba) 


The Da Vinci Code 



22.45 


L’antico Oratorio di Santa Maria delle 

Grazie e l’ex Chiesa di San Jacopo tra 

i Fossi 

info & booking tel. 055.461428, http:// 

It.geocities.com/associazione_akropolis 

Arte, storia e cultura: il Teatro della 

Pergola 

Meeting point: Giardino della Carraia, via dell’Erta 

Canina, at 20.30, info: 055.6120205, 

www.mesemediceo.it 


Mercato delle Cascine 

Parco delle Cascine, in the morning 


I Solisti Fiorentini 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00

10 

Thursday 15 June 2006 What’s on & Where to Go 



C. Coin and M. T. Andreotti in concert 

Chiesa di San Gaetano, piazza Antinori, 

21.00, free 

WEDNESDAY 21 

n CINEMA 

Rembetiko (Greece) 


British Institute of Florence, Lungarno Guicciardini 

9, tel. 055.26778270, 20.30, membership 

€5, entrance €5 

n DANCE 

Dance Performance School 


055-2336712, 22.00 

n LECTURES & CONFERENCES 

Yoga della Risata 

Parco di Villa Favard, via Aretina 511, info 

055.2767822 

Zoffany’s ’Tribuna of the Uffi zi’: George 

III and Queen Charlotte’s personal 

Grand Tour 

Jennifer Scott works at the Royal Collection 

where she is Assistant to the Surveyor 

of The Queen’s Pictures. 


9, tel. 055.26778270, 18.00, free 


70° Pitti Immagine Uomo 

Men’s wear and accessories collections. 

Access reserved to operators 

Fortezza da Basso, v.le Strozzi 1, tel. 

055.4455280, www.fi renze-expo.it, all day 


Fete de la Musique, concerts 

Musical marathon 

Institut Français de Florence, Piazza Ognissanti 

2 , tel 055 2718801, www.istitutofrancese.it, 

from 20.00 to midnight 

Le Feste della Musica 

Music by W.A. Mozart, D. Cimarosa, F. 

Schubert, A. Dvorak, J. Brahms 

Teatro Puccini, via delle Cascine 41, tel. 

055.362067, www.teatropuccini.it, 21.00 

Carmen by G. Bizet 

Giardino di Boboli, Parco delle Colonne, tel. 

055.5979005, www.boboli.asso.fr, 21.00 

Filarmonica G. Rossini 

Piazza della Signoria, 21.30, free 

Florence Symphonietta in concert 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Medilatina 


Serata Jazz e Musica di Film 

Teatro di verzura del Giardino Bardini, via 

dei Bardi 1r, 19.00 

Concerto Vocale da Camera 

Chiesa di S.Maria di Peretola, 21.15 

Evening concert of the students 

See June 16 


Il Re è solo 

See June 16 

THURSDAY 22 

n CINEMA 

Swing (France) 


American Dreamz 



22.45 

n DANCE 


See June 21 


La città dei Medici 

Il Mese Mediceo 

info & booking 055.6120205, www.mesemediceo.it, 

€6 

I restauri appena compiuti all’interno 

dell’Aula Minerva 

See June 20 

Visit to Villa Le Balze 

Fiesole, 16.00 


Flower Market 

Via Pellicceria, in the morning 


See June 21 


I Fiati della Scuola di Fiesole 

Giardino di Boboli, 21.00 

Grace Kim (Corea) pianoforte 

Florence International Music Festival 

Auditorium delle Regione toscana, via Cavour 

4, 18.00, free 

The Gillette Chamber Singers 

Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del Corso, 

tel. 055.289367, 21.00 

Concerto di formazione bandistica 


FRIDAY 23 

n CINEMA 

Craj, domani (Italy) 


n DANCE 


See June 21 

n EXHIBITS 

Acido Surtido 

Art, design and videos produced in Argentina 

Tan Gram, via Serragli 3r, info 

349.1093008 



See June 21 


O fl os colende 

Sacred music: Mozart and Cherubin 

Cattedrale di S. Maria del Fiore, tel. 

055.2302885, www.operaduomo.fi renze. 

it, 21.30 

The Camerata Singers 

Chiesa di S.Stefano al Ponte Vecchio, 

21.00 

Matteo Fossi and Edoardo Rosadini 

music by Brahms, Shostakovich, Schumann 

Auditorium al Duomo, via de’ Cerretani 54/r 

(ex Cinema Astra), 21.00 

Orchestra and Chorus of Maggio Musicale 

Fiorentino 

Mozart and Cherubini music, Ivory Bolton 

director 

Piazza Duomo, www.maggiofi orentino.com, 

21.30 

First Baptist Youth Church Choir from 

United States 

spirituals and contemporary sacred music 

Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del Corso, 

tel. 055.289367, 19.00, free 



www.estatefi esolana.com, 21.00 

Morin Khuur Ensemble and Teresa de 

Sio 

Forte di Belvedere, 21.30 

Giaccio & Quatraro 

Il Tallone d’Achille Casa del Popolo, via di 

San Romano 1, Settignano city, 20.30 


See June 16 


Trotting race 

See June 18 


Il Re è solo 

See June 16 

SATURDAY 24 



See June 21 

San Giovanni Battista Celebration 

9.00 – Sala di Lorenzo in Palazzo Vecchio. 

Traditional parade starting at Palazzo Vecchio 

ending at the Baptistry of the Duomo 

10.00 – Baptistry. Ritual of ceri (giant candles) 

10.45 – Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore 

(Duomo). Mass in honour of San Giovanni 

Battista, Patron saint of Florence. 

From Palazzo Vecchio 

Fochi di San Giovanni 

St. John Firework Display 

Piazzale Michelangelo, www.sangiovannibattista.net, 

21.30 

“I’ Fochi sull’Arno dai barchetti” 

St John fi reworks seen from little boats 

along the Arno river 

Fiume Arno, info & booking 347.7982356, 

www.renaioli.it 

Historical Florentine Soccer 

Tournament between the different districts, with 

historical pageant of Florence. Final match 

Piazza S. Croce, tel. 055.2768030, 17.00, 

€40/15 

St. John Fair 

Historical center all day 


Music Festival 

Villa La Torraccia, Fiesole, tel. 055.5978548, 

www.scuolamusica.fi esole.fi .it, 10-22 

Musica nuda 


Le vie del Brasile 


22.00 

Carovana 


Festival fi orentino dei giovani artisti 

See June 17 

n SPORT & ACTIVITIES 

St. John boat race on Arno river 

Società Canottieri Firenze, tel. 055.282130, 

www.canottierifi renze.it 

SUNDAY 25 

n DANCE 

Danza alla Limonaia 

Opening. See Ongoing Summer nights 

Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, 

21.00 


Mercato delle pulci 

Antique fair 

Piazza de’ Ciompi, all day 

Mercato piccolo artigianato 

Ippodromo del Visarno, parco Cascine, 

from 18.00 


In viaggio con Wolfang Amadeus Mozart 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Florentiner Brass 

Auditorium della Clinica Medica di Careggi, 

viale Morgagni, www.agimusfi renze.it, 

10.30, free 

Quintetto di fi ati Operafestival 


Queen Sister 

Ippodromo del Visarno, parco delle Cascine, 

22.00 

Les Italiens Orchestra 



See June 23 

Musica latino-americana 

See June 18 

n SPORT & ACTIVITIES 

Trotting race 

See June 18 

Passo della Calla e Valle dell’Oia 

Starting point: Firenze Santa Maria Novella 

Station, at 7.45, info & booking 

055.2667816 

MONDAY 26 

n CINEMA 

Firewall 



22.45 


Jazz concert 

Villa La Pietra, tel. 055.2001174, 22.00 

Robert Fripp “soundscapes” & League 

of Crafty Guitarists 


In viaggio con W. A. Mozart 

See June 25 


See June 16 


Crimine contro la grazia 



TUESDAY 27 

n CINEMA 

Keeping Mum 



22.45 

n DANCE 

Opus Ballet 


055-2336712, 22.00 


Guided visits related to itineraries/ 

theatre shows 

See June 22 

Convento di Santa Maria degli Angiolini 

At 10.00 via della Colonna, angolo via della 

Pergola. 

La Certosa del Galluzzo 

See June 20 


Mercato delle Cascine 

Parco delle Cascine, in the morning 


R. Arrighini trio Pareti, Salis, Cantini 

trio 


Florence Symphonietta in concert 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Serate Strawinsky & Nijinsky 

See June 26 


L’elisir di Caterina 

Il Mese Mediceo, shows and Medieval dinner 

Hotel Relais Certosa, Via di Colleramole 2, 

tel. 055.6120205, www.mesemediceo.it, € 

35 

Il mercante di Venezia 

Grotta del Buontalenti, Palazzo Pitti, tel. 

055.6530729, www.archetipoac.it, 21.30 

WEDNESDAY 28 

n DANCE 

Comprami la vita. Un lavoro sull’infanzia 

negata 

Area San Sanvi, via S. Salvi 12, tel. 

055.6236195, www.chille.it, 18.00 

n LECTURES & CONFERENCES 

What’s it like to be a bat? 

Michael Griffi ths takes a look at the current 

state of consciousness studies, and the 

interface between consciousness within 

the context of the ongoing debate between 

creationism and Dawkins’s ‘selfi sh gene’. 


9, tel. 055.26778270, 18.00 


Cantico di Frate Sole preview 

Badia Fiesolana, via dei Roccettini, San Domenico, 


Classical music concert 

Chiesa di San Gaetano, Cortile del Bargello, 

info: 055.695000, www.hommearme.it, 

21.00, free 

Banda dell’ortica 

Ippodromo Visarno, Parco delle Cascine, 

22.00 

Jealousy Party + Uochi Toki 

Parco dell’Anconella, via di Villa Magna, 

22.00


Concert by Homme Armè 


055.783374, www.orcafi .it, 21.00 

Klezmerata fi orentina 

Jewish music 

Chiostro di S.Maria di Peretola, 21.00 

Tempo Reale in concert 

Chiesa di San Gaetano (piazza Antinori 

Concerto per la cittadinanza 


Carmen by G. Bizet 

See June 21 


See June 16 


Vieni a vedermi ti prego tuo Dino 



THURSDAY 29 

n CINEMA 

The Da Vinci Code 



22.45 

n DANCE 

Comprami la vita. Un lavoro sull’infanzia 

negata 

See June 28 

Scuola del Balletto di Toscana 


055-2336712, 22.00 


Visita alla mostra “La mente di Leonardo” 

See June 20 

visita a Villa Schifanoia 



Flower Market 

Via Pellicceria, in the morning 


Vivere Jazz Festival 



www.estatefi esolana.com 

Pierrot e la luna 

Ippodromo il Visarno, parco delle Cascine, 22.00 

Orchestra da Camera Operafestival 


Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina 

Mozart, Schumann, Ysaye, Wieniawski 

Chiesa di San Gaetano, piazza Antinori, 

21.00 


Vieni a vedermi ti prego tuo Dino 

See June 28 

ONGOING 

n CINEMA 

24° Festival del Film Etnomusicale 

In original language with Italian subtitles 

June 17-23, 21.30, Arena Estiva del Poggetto, 

Via M. Mercati 24/B, €5 

n COMPETITION 

1.000 euro per 1 minuto 

Competition open to videos no longer than 

one minute, titles included. 

Deadline June 30, Videominuto PopTV, Festival 

Offi ce, via del Rosso Fiorentino 2b, tel. 

055.7399981, www.videominuto.it, the chosen 

videos will be shown at Centro per l’Arte 

Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato on September 

9 

Pencils for Peace 

A national competition for young cartoonists 

ages 14-30 

Deadline August 31, info www.scuolacomics.it, 

tel. 055.218950 or www.portalegiovani.comune.fi 

.it, tel. 055.218310 

n DANCE 

Danz&estate 2006: summer ballet 

Dance performances and competition by 

international choreographers 

June 26-July 8, 21.00, Teatro della Limonaia 

di Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, tel. 

055.351530, www.danzatoscana.it 

n EXHIBITS 

The Mystery of the Genesis in the Jorge 

Jimenez Deredia’s Sculptures 

Forty sculptures made of Carrara white 

marble and bronze by Jorge Jiménez Deredia 

(Costa Rican). 

Boboli Gardens, Piazza Pitti, tel. 055- 

2298732, www.ilmisterodellagenesi.com, 

closed fi rst and last Monday of the month, 

until September 30, €7 

Behind the the big curtain a group of 

painters kept on working…… 

June 16-July 7, Mon-Fri 18-20, Sat-Sun 13- 

16, Atelier Rebecca Harp, piazza della Repubblica 

3, 3 rd fl oor 

Sculptural studies & Drawings by Roger 

Phillips 

Until June 30, Mon-Fri, 9-17, Saci Gallery, 

Palazzo dei Cartelloni, via sant’Antonino 11 

New Liberalistic Pleasures 

June 22-September 10, Biagiotti Progetto 

Arte, Via delle Belle Donne 39/r, tel. 

055.214757 

Appesi ad un fi lo: tessuti espressivi 

Photos by Giulia Naldini 

Until July 31, Maison Dumitru, Borgo Pinti 

25r, tel. 055.7189417 

La sacralità nel quotidiano. Mattew 

Spender sculptures 

June 21-August 21, 10-19, Museo e Area 

Archeologica, via Portigiani 1, Fiesole 

Opere di Quinto Martini 

Until June 25, Museo Casa Siviero , Lungarno 

Serristori 1-3, tel. 055.4382652 

Quasi l’infanzia, i bambini e lo sguardo 

dell’artista 

June 20-Sept 17, Palazzo Vecchio, Sala d’Arme, 

piazza della Signoria,tel. 055.6120467 

Human game. Vincitori e vinti 

Stazione Leopolda, viale Fratelli Rosselli 5, 

tel. 055.212622, www.stazione-leopolda.it, 

June21-July 23 

Il sogno di una regina 

Museo Stibbert, via Federico Stibbert 26, 

tel. 055.486069, www.comune.fi .it, until 

July 9, Mon-Wed 10-14, Fri-Sun 10-18 

Personale di Vincenzo Chiazza 

Sculpture 

Until June 30, Limonaia di villa Strozzi, via 

Pisana 77, tel. 055.2767113 

Incontri Mediterranei 

Until October 10, Museo Archeologico 

Nazionale, via della Colonna 36, tel. 

055.294883, www.fi renzemusei.it/archeologica 

Anna Romano 

Exhibition of paintings 

Casa d’Aste Maison Biblot, Corso Italia 6, 

tel 055295089, www.maisonbibelot.com, 

until June 22, 16-20, closed on Sat & Sun 

Rifi uti Preziosi, Il Nouveau Réalisme e 

la cultura contemporanea 

Until June 30, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, 

tel. 055.2776461, www.palazzostrozzi. 

info, 10-19 

Fatti ad Arte 

A Collection of art work by Antonio lo Pinto, 

Dontatello Mei, David Palterer, Adriano 

Persiani, Leda Ratti 

Until July 15, Spazio 2 Piazza Stozzi, tel. 

0552658114 

Columbus College of Art & Design 

Drawings, paintings, prints and photos 

Until June 16, 9-17, free, SACI Gallery 

Studio Art Centers International, Palazzo 

dei Cartelloni, via S. Antonino 11, tel. 

055.289948, www.saci-fl orence.org 

La “Leda” di Michelangelo e la seconda 

Repubblica Fiorentina 

until July 10, 9.30-14, Casa Buonarroti , via 

Ghibellina 70, tel. 055.241752 

Cibi e sapori dal mondo 

until June 18, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, 

via della Colonna 36, tel. 055.294883, 

Mon 14-19, Tues & Thur 8.30-19, Wed, Fri, 

Sat, Sun 8.30-14 

L’Uomo del Rinascimento 

until July 23, 9-20, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza 

Strozzi, tel. 055.2776461, www.palazzostrozzi.info 

Vu d’Italie 1841-1941 

until June 30, 10-20, Museo Stibbert, via 

Federico Stibbert 26, tel. 055.486069, 

www.comune.fi .it 


11 



Scagliola inganno sublime 

until June 25, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via 

Cavour 1, tel. 055.2760640, www.palazzomedici.it 

Totus Tuus, Giovanni Paolo II 



Luciano Guarnieri paintings 

until June 18, Museo Archeologico, Sala 

Costantini, Chiesa di Sant’Ilario a Montereggi 

Arte e Manifattura di corte a Firenze. 

Dal tramonto dei Medici all’Impero 

(1732-1815) 

until November 5, Palazzo Pitti, piazza Pitti 

1, tel. 055.294883 

Firenze-Cracovia-Firenze 



Gregorio Magno e l’invenzione del 

medioevo 

until June 25, 9.30-13.30, Bibioteca 

Laurenziana, piazza San Lorenzo 9, tel. 

055.210760 

Lorenzo Monaco: dalla tradizione giottesca 

al Rinascimento 

until September 24, 8.15-18.50, Galleria 

dell’Accademia, via Ricasoli 50, tel. 

055.294883, www.polomuseale.fi renze.it 

Mostra di pittori fi orentini neorealisti 

until June 30, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, 

tel. 055.2776461, www.palazzostrozzi.info 

Miniatura Umbra del Rinascimento 

until June 25, Museo di San Marco, Piazza 

San Marco 3 tel. 055.2388608, 8.15- 

13.50, Sat 8.15-18.50, Sun 8.15-19 

Photographic Exhibit 

Il Genio Fiorentino, Organized by the French 

consolate; photographs to present the 

extraordinary Florentine journey. 

Until July 22, Institut Français de Florence, 

Piazza Ognissanti 2, tel 055 2718801, 

www.istitutofrancese.it, www.geniofi orentino.it 

In Memory of Pope John Paul II 

Il Genio Fiorentino 

Until June 21, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via 


Scagliola inganno sublime 

Il Genio Fiorentino, Collection of works 

using inlay techinque 

Until June 25, Le Paglierie of Porta Romana 

(Scuderie) tel. 0552760061, www.geniofi 

orentino.it 

Vinci, Una Piazza per Leonardo 

Il Genio Fiorentino, Photographic exhibit 

by Aurelio Amnedola of Piazza di Mimmo 

Paladino di Vinci 

Until June 25, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, via 


The Mind of Leonardo. Universal Genius 

at Work 

until January 7, 2007, 8.15-19.00, Tues-Sun, 

Galleria degli Uffi zi, Piazzale degli Uffi zi, tel. 

055.2388651, www.uffi zi.fi renze.it 

The Renaissance Man: Leon Battista 

Alberti 

until July 23, 9-20, Fri until 23.00, Palazzo 

Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi, tel. 055.2776461, 

www.palazzostrozzi.info 

Ceramics by Paolo Staccioli 

until June 25, Palazzo Pitti, Museo delle Porcellane, 

tel. 2388709, closed fi rst and last 

Mon of the month, €4 

Pedalando nel tempo 

An exhibit of antique bicycles in the new 

ground-fl oor exhibition space of the Museum. 

until December 31, Museo di Storia 

della Scienza, piazza dei Giudici 1, tel. 

055.265311, www.imss.fi .it, Mon-Sat 9.30- 

17, Tues 9.30-13, 2 nd Sun of the month 10- 

13 

Walk-In 

A collection of art work from young artists 

Until June 30, Galleria Alessandro Bagnai, 

tel. 055680266 

Lights on Chinart 

Exhibit of Contemporary Chinese Art 

Until August 31, Palazzo Capponi all ‘Annunziata, 

Via gino capponi 26, tel. 055242248, 

www.palazzocapponiallannunziata.it 

Il Concerto della Natura 

Painting exhibit by Franco Azzinari 

Until June 23, Otel Ristotheatre, Viale Generale 

dalla Chiesa 9, tel. 055650791, 

www.otelvariete.com 


Guided visits to gardens in Fiesole 

June, September, October on Thursday, info 

tel. 800414240, www.comune.fi esole.fi .it 

Museo Bandini 

until October 31, 9.30-19, Fiesole, via Duprè 

1 

Restoration of the cycle of frescoes by 

A. Gaddi in the Cappella Maggiore 

until December 31, Fri and Sat at 10, 11, 

12, 14, 15, 16; Sun at 14, 15, 16, Chiesa 

di Santa Croce 

Itinerari e Incontri 

Guided visits, book presentations, and conferences 

Associazione Akropolis, Info 055461428, 

http://it.geocites.com/associazione_akropolis/ 

Artisans of the Oltrarno, in search of 

artistic craftsmanship 

Genuine Florentine artisan traditions 

Info 055.3036108, www.fi renze-oltrarno. 

net, all year 

Hortibus Collection & Garden tours 

Starting point: piazza S.Trinita, every Thur 

and Sat at 15.00, info 348.9100783, www. 

hortibus.com, € 25 


Mercato San Lorenzo 

Florentine crafts, hand-made embroidery, 

paper, leather etc 

Streets around Basilica San Lorenzo, every 

day, all day 

Ciompi Antique fair 

Piazza de’ Ciompi, tel. 055.3283550, every 

week day and last Sunday of the month 

Mercato del Porcellino 

Florentine crafts with straw, hand-made embroidery, 

leather, woodwork,and fl owers 

Logge del Porcellino, every day, all day 

Accoglienza attraverso l’Arte 

Evening meetings for expat residents of 

Florence 

Until June 30, MUDI Museo degli Innocenti, 

Piazza S.S. Annuziata 12, tel. 0552037308 


Organ and instrumental concerts 

Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Ricci, via del 

Corso, tel. 055.289367, all year, Mon-Sun 

21.15, Sat 18.00, €11 

Concerts at St. Mark’s English Church 

The “Orpheus Ensemble” presents sacred 

music, Italian opera arias and Neapolitan 

Songs with piano and voice 

St. Mark’s English Church, Via Maggio 16- 

18, tel 340.8119192, every day at 21.15, 

€15, for The Florentine readers € 10 (Mondays 

free piano recital) 

Musicus Concentus Tradizione in Movimento 

2006 

Jazz and New Music Concerts 

Teatri di Firenze e della Toscana, tel. 

055287347, www.musicusconcentus.com 


Navigating on the Arno River under 

Ponte Vecchio 

Rowing on the Arno 

from June to October, starting point: Lungarno 

A.M. de’ Medici and Lungarno Generale Diaz, 

tel. 347 7982 356, www.renaioli.it 

n SUMMER NIGHTS 

Easy Living in Santo Spirito 

Live Music, Bar, aperitif, free wireless access 

all over the Piazza. 

Piazza Santo Spirito, tel. 3400713410, 

every evening. May 26 until September 10. 

Cure allo scoperto 

Every night events, music, outdoor bar, 

computer corner 

June 16-July 29, from 18.00, Spazio Giovani 

Cure, via Faentina 145, tel. 055.5522816, 

www.spaziocure.it 

Summer nights 2006. La Vasca at the 

Fortezza 

Live music, bar, dj 

Fortezza da Basso, Viale Filippo Strozzi, tel. 

055-2767621, www.fi renzestate.com/, free, 

until September 10

12 

Thursday 15 June 2006 What’s on & Where to Go 



Reading Don Chisciotte FirenzEstate 2006 

June 9-July 6, Chiostro delle Oblate, via S. 

Egidio 21, 21.30, from Mon to Fri. Free but 

invitation compulsury. Go to l’Assessorato 

alla Cultura del Comune di Firenze, Via 

Ghibellina 30. Tel 055.2625955 or to Compagnia 

Lombardi Tiezzi, via Domenico Maria 

Manni 55, tel. 055.600218 

Summerfest2006 

Music, theatre and more 

May 26-Spet 9, every evening, Piazza Ghiberti 

(S. Ambrogio area) 

Hop “Cavalca la Notte” 

Music, sport and food 


June 8-August 6, from 18.00, every evening 

FirenzEstate 06 in Santissima Annunziata 

Music, theatre and more 

Piazza Santissima Annunziata, June 8 – 

Sept 6, every evening 

Meridiani e Paralleli 

Piazza Indipendenza, May 5-Sept 10, every 

day from 17.00 to 1.00 

State freschi 

Music, theatre, sport & show 

Area Pettini Burresi, via Faentina 154, June 

16-July 30, every day 

Apertura Parco e Piscina Le Pavoniere 

Music, shows, dj sessions, live performances, 

fashion, pool, food & aperitivi 

Le Pavoniere, parco delle Cascine, May 18- 

Sept 24, from 20.00 

Spettacoli itineranti sul fi ume 

Theatre performances aboard small boats 

on the Arno 

Info & booking 055.5000640, www.zauberteatro.com, 

June 6-July 7, starting point 

piazza mentana, €20 

Firenzestate 2006. Il suono dell’anima 

from June to September, Chiesa di S. Gaetano, 

Museo del Bargello, tel. 055.2625955, 

www.fi renzestate.it 

Estate a San Salvi 

Theatre, dance, music, etc. 

June 10-Sept 10, every day, Area San Sanvi, 

via S. Salvi 12, tel. 055.6236195, www. 

chille.it 

Ballo Liscio e Vernacolo show 

from June to September at 9pm, Giardini 

di Bellariva, lungarno Aldo Moro, tel. 

055.2767822 

Parco sud 

Music, cinema, dance, games for children, food 

May 26-Sept 9, Parco dell’Anconella, via di 

Villamagna, every day, all day 

Di tutti i colori 

theatre, skateboarding and exhibit on Bartali 

June 12-July31, every day, Piazza Bartali 

Rime Rampanti 

Music, dance, theatre, games, dj set, drinks 

and food 

May 29-Sept 3, every evening from 19.00, 

Rime di piazza Poggi 

Estaz 

Events happening thoughout the summer 

including musical performances, fi lms and 

viewing of World Cup. 

June 5- July 26, every day, STAZ - Stazione di 

Confi ne, via Attavante 5, tel. 055.7320812, 

www.stazionediconfi ne.it 


Nel palco del Cardinale 

Mese Mediceo 

Giardino della Carraia, via Erta Canina, tel. 

055.6120205, www.mesemediceo.it, , June 

18-23, 21.00 

L’Elsa di sangue 

Mese Mediceo 

Mura di Firenze, Baluardo di San Giorgio, 

Forte di Belvedere, www.mesemediceo.it, 

June 29-July 9, 21.00 

Firenzestate 2006. La Parola al teatro 

From June to September, Info & booking 

055.2625955, www.fi renzestate.it 

CHILDREN 


Il Giardino di Archimede, Mathematics 

Sundays 

Guided visits and surprise events at the Museum 

Il Giardino di Archimede, Museo per la Matematica, 

via S. Bartolo a Cintoia 19, tel. 

055.7879594, www.archimede.ms, on the 

fi rst Sunday of every month 


The little joiner’s shop 

Workshop to create wooden games, develops 

creativiy and dexterity. For children age 4 to 10 

Il Cappello di Merlino, via Mazzetta 14r, tel. 

055.264471, every Wed, 17.00 

The amazing circus of Merlin the Wizard 

Workshop to create circus equipment. For 

children age 4 to 11 


055.264471, every Thur, 17.00 

Artisti in erba 

free painting lessons outside 

June 8-July 1, Tues & Thurs, Villa Favard, via 

Aretina 511, tel. 055.2767822 

The world through the senses 

Experimenting with the senses (taste, sight, 

hearing, touch, smell) through games and 

book-readings. For children age 2 to 5 


055.264471, every Fri, 17.00 

Ludoteca Il Castoro 

Every Monday: let’s play together 

Every Tuesday: Handi-craft lab and painting 

Every Wednesday: let’s use the videocamera 

Every Thursday: inventing and acting out stories 

Every Friday: fun and games in English 

Every day: book loaning and story-time for children 

and parents 

c/o Ludoteca Il Castoro, Via U. della Faggiola 

68/A (Scuola Villani), tel. 055.6810517 

Laboratorio di giocoleria al centro incontri 

di Compiobbi 

For children aged 12-20! 

June 23 & 30, Incontri, via Romena 58, 

Compiobbi, tel. 055/6593090 

Days of Prehitoric events 

Learning Laboratory for Children 

June 3, 10,13,15, 17,20,22,27,29. Museo 

Fiorentino di Preistoria, For more information 

call; 055295159 


Puppet show 


055.264471, every Sat, 17.00 

OUT OF TOWN 

n CINEMA 

Scrivo per sport 

Contest to select fi lms that have sports in 

Prato as their theme. 

Deadline July 15, Concorso Scrivo per Sport, 

Comune di Prato, Assessorato allo Sport, 

via Migliorati 1, Prato, info 0574.1836484, 

800.058850, 0574.401376 

n EXHIBITS 

Un Prato di Fiabe 

Exhibit of drawings based on fables 

Until June 25, 10-12.30, 16-19, free, Teatro 

Magnolfi , via Gobetti 74, Prato 

Omissis by Marco Neri 

Until July 30, 10-19, closed Mon, Tues, 

Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi 

Pecci, v.le della Repubblica 277, Prato, tel. 

0574.5317 

David Smithson & Bach Backwards 

Until July 30, 10-19, Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea 

Luigi Pecci, v.le della Repubblica 

277, Prato, tel. 0574.5317 

L’ultimo sogno l’acqua? 

Lella Rendesi personal exhibit 

Until June 28, 10-13, 16-19, closed Tues, 

Cassero Medievale, v.le Piave , Prato 

Intrecci Mediterranei, il tessuto come 

dizionario di rapporti economici, culturali 

e sociali 

Exhibit of Textiles 

Until September 30, Wed-Fri 10-18, Sat 

10-14, Sun 16-19, Tue closed, Museo del 

Tessuto, via Santa Chiara 24, Prato, tel. 

0574.611503 

Pratoemozioni 

Photos by Alessandra Ribaldone & paintings 

by Italo Bolano 

June 29-July 29, 10-13, 15-18, closed 

Tues & Sun, free, Antiche stanze di Santa 

Caterina, via Santa Caterina 17, Prato, tel. 

0574.4616779 

Mostra personale di Jonk 

Exhibit of 15 paintings by Jonk 

June 22-July 31, Tues-Wed from 21.00, 

Thur-Sun from 18.00, closed Mon, free, 

Spazio Polissena, piazza Sant’Agostino 14, 

tel. 0574.607592 

Alberto Moretti a Carmignano 

Until September 30, Thur, Sat, Sun 15-19, 

free, Rocca di Carmignano 

Mostra di pittura di Nello Sguanci 

Until June 30, Mon-Thur 8.30-13, 14.30-18, 

Fri 8.30-13, closed Sat, Sun, free, Confartigianato 

di Prato, Via Borgonovo 6, Vaiano 

Dialogo I/Dialogue 

Art Exhibit for Emanuele Becheri, John 

Duncan, Nobuko Tsuchiya. 

Until June 17th , Tues thru Sat; 11-13, 15- 

20, Galleria Enrico Fornello, Via Paolini 27, 

Prato, tel. 0574.462719 

Sentimenti Spaziali 

Personal Art Exhibit of Gabriele di Maio 

Until June 30th , Hotel Trendy, Via Pistoiese 

833, Prato, tel. 0574.799990, always open 

Personale di Paolo Pasotto 

Painting Exhibit 

Until Sept 8, Confartigianato Prato, Viale 

Montegrappa 138, Prato, tel. 057451771, 

www.prato.confartigiani.it, Mon thru Thur; 

8.30-13.00/14.30-18.00, Friday Mornings, 

Afternoons on request. 

Primo Piano 

Words, Art, Actions, Music, a collection of 

live art. Over 400 pieces capturing the artistic 

movement of the 60’s and 70’s. 

June 14-September 18, Centro Arte Contemporanea 

Pecci, Viale della Repubblica 

277, Prato, tel. 05745317, www.centroartepecci.prato.it, 

Closed Mon/Tues, Wed-Thur 

10-18.30, €5 

I Segni del Territorio 

Discover the history and territory surrounding Prato. 

Until June 24th , Palazzo Datini, Via Ser Lapo 

Mazzei 33, Prato, Info: 0574.26064 


Guided walking tours around Calenzano 

From April to October, info 055.8833255, 

www.comune.calenzano.fi .it 

Villa Romana del Vergigno 

until June 26 during the week ends, 10-19, 

Montelupo Fiorentino, info 0571.518993 

Guided visits and excursions 

June 18, Info & booking 0574.31465, www. 

amicimuseiprato.interfree.it 

Villa Romana del Vergigno 

until June 26 on Sat and Sun, 10-19, Montelupo 

Fiorentino 

Guided tours in the Natural Reserve of 

Fucecchio marsh 

Padule di Fucecchio, tel. 0573.84540, until 

June on weekends , www.zoneumidetoscane.it/eventi/padeventi.html 

On the Scaffolding with Filippo Lippi 

Visits to the restoration of Filippo Lippi’s 

fresco (max 12 persons) 

Cattedrale di Santo Stefano, piazza del 

Duomo, Prato, tel. 0574.24112, www.restaurofi 

lippolippi.it, by reservation only, every 

Sat at 10, 11, 16, 17, Sun at 10, 11, €8 

Abbey of San Salvatore and San 

Lorenzo a Settimo 

Badia a Settimo, Scandicci, tel. 055.7310537, 

www.badiadisettimo.it, Wed, Fri 10-12, Sun 

15.30-18, closed July and Aug 

The Ceramics of Montelupo 

Free guided visits of Archaeology and 

Ceramics Museum and participation in 

workshops 

Museo archeologico e della ceramica, Montelupo 

Fiorentino, tel. 0571.518993, on 

Thur from 10.00 to 14.00 

Wine and Fashion in the Florentine 

Mountains. Itineraries with guided visits, 

shopping 

Tours to discover the beauty of the Florentine 

Mountains. Visits to artisan workshops 

and local shopping centres 

All year Mon and Sat, Resco Travel, tel. 

055.868009 

Visita al Museo Archeologico 

June 18, at 10.00 and 11.00, info & bookings 

055.8718124 

Visita al Museo Archeologico 

June 25, at 10.00 and 11.00, info & bookings 

055.8718124 


Week-end of June 17-18 

Sacra rappresentazione 

The Annunciation of Maria. Re-enactment 

June 16, Chiostro Convento degli Agostiniani, 

Certaldo, tel. 0571.652796 

Open shops under the stars 

Shows, food tasting 

June-September on Wednesday, Dicomano 

historical center 

Marea 

Music, games festival, meetings 

June 19-July 2, Buca di Sant’Andrea, www. 

marea.fucecchio.it 

Arte e musica 

Art exhibition, music show, food tasting 

June 21, Villa Castagno, tel. 0571.638579 

San Casciano Sempreaperta 

Performances and shops will stay open 

June, July on Thursday evening San Cascino 

city center, tel. 055.8229558 

Fair of crafts, antiques and secondhand 

goods 

June 18, Dicomano city center 

Summer festival in Vitolini 

Historical re-enactment 

June 17, 18, 24, 25, Vitolini (Vinci) 

Handicraft and collector market 

June 17-18, Figline Valdarno city center 

Market for strange things and cherry 

festival 

June 18, Giardini Bombici, Fucecchio, 

www.prolocofucecchio.it 

International ceramic fair 

June 18- 25, Montelupo city center 

Castelfi orentino at the table 

June 18, Castelfi orentino city center 

Celebration for Palio of Cerro 

June 18, Cerreto Guidi city center 

Pictures made with fl owers 

June 18, Cerreto guidi city center, www. 

caracosta.it 

Dinner in Middle Ages style in the village 

of Certaldo 

June 17, Certaldo Alto, tel. 0571.663128 

Fashion parade 

June 22, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo 

Miss Italia parade 


Holy patron feast 

June 18, Dicomano city center 

Corpus Domini celebration. Pictures 

made with fl owers 

June 18, Fucecchio historical center 

Beer and music festival 

June 16-25, Parco comunale, Gambassi 

Terme 

Mushroom food festival 

June 17, 18, Palazzolo city center 

Charity activities festival 

June 18, Piazza Mazzanti, Incisa Valdarno 

Wild boar food festival 

June 9-18, Montespertoli city center 

Menar mascelle all’or di cena 

Dinner in Renaissance style 

June 23, Piazza Castello, Vinci 

Festa di inizio estate 

Music & food 

June 17, 17.00, Villa Rucellai, via di Canneto 

16, Prato, tel. 0574.31465 

Le Bancarelle di Via Magnolfi 

Antique fair, collectibles, crafts 

June 20, 8.30-19.30, vuia Magnolfi , Prato 

A cena con Giacomo Puccini 

Dinner with music and history of Puccini 

June 22, 20.30, Art Hotel Restaurant, Viale della 

Repubblica 289, Prato, tel. 347.1127781 

Festa del grano 

Hand ground wheat during the day, in the evening: 

singing, dancing and music in the barn 

June 17, Fattoria di Parugiano, via Montalese, 

Bagnolo, info 0574.558264 

Mercatino dell’Antiquriato e del modernariato 

June 18, all day, Via Garibaldi, Poggio a 

Caiano 

Festa dei tortelli di patate 

June 17-18, loc. La Bertaccia di Schignano, 

Vaiano, at lunch & dinner 

Sagra del cacciatore 

June 18, Spazio Polivalente della Pro-Loco, 

Via Poggio 14, Cavarzano 

Week-end of June 24-25 

Chiantiinrock 

June 23, 24, Panzano in Chianti 

Estate montaionese 

Meeting of different cultures 

June 27, Montaione historical center


Etnica 2006. Buskers in the village 

June 23- 25, Vicchio historical center 

Antique and handicraft market 


Organic products market 

June 25, Piazza Matteotti, Greve in Chianti 

Stars and merchants in Strada 

Evening market with musical performances 

June 20, Strada in Chianti 

Fiera di merci di Reggello 

June 26, Reggello city center 

Little fair 

June 25, San Donato in Poggio city center 

Festival of the charity local associations 

June 22-25, Lago di Bilancino 

Sagra della chiocciola e del ranocchio 

Snail and frog festival 

June 8-25, Rignano sul’ Arno, Thurs thru 

Sunday. 

Il pane .. in pappa 

Bread food festival 

June 25, Borgo San Lorenzo, historical center 


Until June 18 on weekends, Palazzolo city 

center 

Festival of duck food 

June 29- July 16, Circolo ARCI, Cerreto 

Guidi 

Fish food festival 

June 23-25, Località Bassa, Cerreto Guidi 

Trofeo Isabella de’ Medici 

Flagwaving competition 

June 24, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Cerreto 

Guidi 

Ficattola food festival 

June 24- July 2, Fornacette (Montespertoli) 


June 24, 25, Cascia, Reggello 

Feast for St. Peter and St. Paul 

June 29, San Piero a Sieve city center 

Volo di Cecco Santi 

Re-enactment of the fl ight of Cecco Santi 

June 25, Lecore (Lastra a Signa) 

Alla mensa di Leonardo 

Food tasting and cultural events in the centre 

June 24, 25, Vinci historical center 

Snail food festival 

June 24, 25, Località. Spicchio (Vinci) 

Summer festival in Vitolini 

Historical re-enactment 

June 17, 18, 24, 25, Vitolini (Vinci) 

DiVini Profumi 

Gastronomic Manifestation in the Province 

of Prato. 

Until June 30, Info: Uffi cio Turismo Provincia 

di Prato, tel. 0574534302 

Sagra della Zonzella 

Pasta del pane fritta con salumi o nutella 

June 26, 16-20, Loc. Gavigno, Cantagallo, 

info 0574.663135 

La cena del Mercante 

June 29, 20.30, Ristorante Cantine del 

Redi, via 5 Martiri 29, Artimino, Carmignano, 

info&bookings 347.1127781 

Festa del grano 

Threshing of wheat during the day, in the 

evening: singing, dancing and music in the 

barn 

June 24, Fattoria di Parugiano, via Montalese, 

Bagnolo, info 0574.558264 

Corteggio Storico di Montemurlo 

From 8.00 to 23.00, historical parade 

21.00, Montemurlo, info 0574.558264 

Novecento 

Antique fair and crafts 

June 25, Loc. Fornacelle, p.za Don Milani, 

info: 0574.558330 

Festa del patrono 

June 25, at 12.30 lunch in the main square, 

Loc. Gagnaia, at 16.30 procession 

starting from Parrocchia di Cavarzano, info 

0574.957009 

Festa medievale 

- June 25 at 20.00 dinner with tipical food 

of the ancient time (1133) and historical 

show. 

- June 26 at 10.00 Trekking al Sasso 

alle Fate, at 17.00 Medioeval Feast, info: 

338.8086116 


Bayern Open Space 

Live Music 

Bayern, Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Prato, 

tel. 057424120, www.bayernprato.com, 

22.20, June 1-30 

Mugello Music Festival 

June 22- 25, Lago di Bilancino, tel. 

055.8418133 

Music at Palazzo Pretorio 

Concerts with guided tours and typical Tuscan 

dinner 

every Tuesday until September, Palazzo 

Pretorio, Certaldo, tel. 0571.661276 

Concerto musicale 

June 19, Piazza Boccaccio, certaldo, tel. 

0571.663580 

Rock, jazz, gospel music concert 

June 20, Piazza Boccaccio, Certaldo, tel. 

0571.663580 

Orchestra della Toscana 

Music by Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Sarasate 

June 22, Figline Valdarno, tel. 055.2340710, 

www.orchestradellatoscana.it 

L’estate di S. Francesco 

Music and performances on the Museum’s 

terrace 

from June to August on Thursday, Terrazza 

del Museo di S. Francesco, Greve in Chianti, 

tel. 055.8545271 

Giugno musicale. Opera concert 

June 29, Oratorio del Crocifi sso, Incisa Valdarno, 

tel. 055.8333443 

Giugno musicale. Schola Cantorum 

choir in concert 

June 22, Santuario di Loppiano, Incisa Valdarno, 

tel. 055.8333443 

Salotto musicale. Concerts 

June, July, the fi rst Monday of the month, 

Sede Pro Lastra Enrico Caruso, Lastra a 

Signa, tel. 055.8722628 

National piano player Muzio Clementi 

award 

June 22- 25, Villa Bellosguardo, Via di Bellosguardo, 

Lastra a Signa, tel. 055.8721783 

Concert of choirs 

June 24, Chiesa di San Regolo, Montaione 

Concert of the choir Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft 

June 17, Piazza Branchi, Montaione 

Music under the stars 

June 18, Piazza Dante, San Godenzo 

Taranta & salentine music 

June 22, Parco di Villa Solaria, Sesto Fiorentino, 

www.sestoestate.com 

Sicilian Live music 



Negrita in concert 



Festival delle Colline 

Modern music 

June-July in different places around Prato, 

programme info 0574-5317 www.centroartepecci.prato.it 

PratoEstate 

Concerts, performances, events, exhibits, etc. 

June-September, info: Ass. Cultura Comune 

di Prato, tel. 0574.615024, www.pratoestate.it 

La Plaza 

Pizzeria, bar, viewing of World Cup, music, 

other performances and children’s area 

Until September 1, 9.00-1.00, Argine Bisenzio, 

Viale Galilei close to Ponte Datini, Prato, 

info: Anomalia Club, tel. 347.1873223, 

www.anomaliaclub.it 

Chiostro in Musica 2006 

June 17, Chiesa convento di Galceti, via di 

Galceti 72, Prato, tel. 0574.463190 

Chiostro in Musica 2006 

June 29, Chiesa convento di Galceti, via di 

Galceti 72, Prato, tel. 0574.463190 

Essere Visual 

Dj set, videos & drinks 

June 16-18, 21.30, Cantieri Culturali 

Ex-Macelli, piazza dei Macelli, Prato, tel. 

0574.616753 

Bayern Open Space, life music 

Until June 30, 22.30, Bayern, Via Gaetano 

Bresci 4 , Prato 


13 



n PARKS 

Sculptures in a woodland 

In an untouched wood of ilex and oak trees 

in the heart of Sienese Chianti, many internationally 

renowned artists from fi ve continents 

have created imposing contemporary 

sculptures 

Parco sculture del Chianti, La Fornace 

48/49, Pievasciata, Siena, tel. 

0577.357151, www.chiantisculpturepark.it, 

open all year 

Parco Mediceo di Pratolino 

Theatrical, musical and dance performances, 

inter-cultural themes. 

Pratolino, Vaglia, info 055.409155, from 

Thur to Sun 10-19.30, € 3, free Thur & Fri, 

until October 31 

Stato Libero dei Renai 

This natural oasis offers numerous lakes, 

ponds, green areas, bird-watching spots, 

sport facilities, children’s games, a swimming 

pool, etc 

Parco dei Renai, Lastra a Signa, www.parcorenai.it, 

Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00, Sat, Sun 

and holidays 9:00-20:00, free 


Collector fair. Ancient cars and motobyke 

June 17, 18, Lago di Bilancino 

Ancient motobyke meeting 

June, 16, Piazza Cavour e loc. Cavallina, 

Barberino del Mugello 

Beach Volley tournament 

June 22-25, Lago di Bilancino 

Bike tour 

June 25, Lago di Bilancino, www.bilancinolagoditoscana.it 

Bilancino foot race 

June 25, Lago di Bilancino, www.bilancinolagoditoscana.it 

National dog show 

June 27- July 2, Lago di Bilancino, tel. 

055.8418133 

Riding tours around the Bilancino 

lake 

June 24, 25, Lago di Bilancino, tel. 

055.8418133, www.bilancinolagoditoscana.it 

Sailing Bilancino Championship. 5th 

competition 

June 18, Lago di Bilancino 

Sailing Campana Trophy 

June 24, 25, Lago di Bilancino 

Sailing competition Interlaghi 

June 25, Lago di Bilancino 

Guided walking tours in Calenzano 

June 25, Territorio di Calenzano, tel. 

055.8833255, www.comune.calenzano.fi .it 

Art and sport festival. Food stands, 

shows 

June 5-18, Località Cerbaia (San Casciano 

Val di Pesa) 

Bycicle competition 

June 18, Scarperia, tel. 055.8431643, 

www.mugellocircuit.it 

Typical river boats competition 

June 25, Canale Maestro del Padule, Fucecchio, 

tel. 0571.249040, www.prolocofucecchio.it 

Handball international tournament 

June 17, 18, Palestra comunale Scarperia, 

tel. 055.8431643, www.mugellocircuit.it 

Feast for the holy patron with foot race 

and byke competition 

June 24, Vicchio historical center 

Calenzano discovered, walks through 

history and nature. 

Guided walking tours 

from April to October, Calenzano, info 

055.8833255 

Bike tour 

June 25, info: UISP, tel. 0574.691133, 

www.uisprato.it 

Cascina di Spedaletto 

Easy trekking tour 

June 17, Starting point: Circoscrizione 

Nord, via 7 Marzo 15, loc. Galcetello, Prato, 

at 8,30, free, info: 0574.697722 

I fuochi di San Giovanni visti dalla Calvana 

Easy excursion 

June 24, Meeting point: Via Filippo Mazzei, 

loc. La Querce, Prato, info: 334.1695051, 

free 

Le Selve di Sotto 

Easy excursion 

June 25, Meeting point: Via Filippo Mazzei, loc. 

La Querce, Prato, info: 334.1695051, free 

Cantagallo-Faggione di Logomano- 

Cantagallo 

Trekking tour, 7 hours walking, dinner at 

Rifugio Pacini 

June 25, at 8.00, meeting point: Bar Italia, 

Montepiano, Prato or at 9.00 at public 

parking in Cantagallo, Prato, Info & booking 

333.1693098 

Walking by night 

Trekking tour: Albiano, Quercia dei Termini, 

Massacorbi, fattoria di Javello, Albiano 

June 29, 20.30 from P.zza Don Milani, Montemurlo, 

info & booking 0574.798582 

2ª Tappa Golfi taliano.it. Cup 2006 

June 25, Pavoniere Golf Club, Prato 

n SUMMER NIGHTS 

E...state al Poggio 

Fairs and performances 

June 11-August 26, Poggio alla Croce, Incisa 

Valdarno, tel. 055.863129 

Classical music concerts in some villas, 

castles and parish churches 

June 21-August 24, info tel. 0571.609412, 

www.comune. montespertoli.fi .it 

Summer in Sesto 

June- September, info tel. 055.44961, 


Summer in Tavarnelle 

Walking in the centre: performances and 

market, food tasting in the village 

June- August, Tavernelle historical center, 

tel. 055.8077832, www.prolocotavarnelle.it 

Summer at Demidoff Villa 

Theatre, cinema and music shows 

June- September, Parco Mediceo di Pratolino, 

Vaglia, tel. 055.409155 

Summer in Marcialla. Evening shows 

and games 

June 26-August 20, Marcialla, tel. 

0558074101 

Pieve a Ripoli Festival 

June, July, Pieve a Ripoli, tel. 0571.55671, 

www.comune.cerreto-guidi.fi .it 

Pazza fresca festa 2006 

June 10- 25 on weekends, Circolo Arci 

Nova, Incisa Valdarno 

060709 

Festival of two villages 

June 29-July 9, Lucignano e San Pancrazio, 

tel. 0571.6001 

Summer in Martignana 

June 3-August 22, Martignana (Montespertoli), 

tel. 0571.676179 

Festival in two villages 

June 29-July 9, S. Pancrazio, tel. 

055.8229558 

Sport festival 

June-September, San Casciano Val di Pesa, 

tel. 055.8229558 

Prato Estate 2006 

Music, cinema, theatre 

June-September, info 0574.1835021-22, 

www.pratoestate.it 

Montemurlo Estate 

cinema, dance, folklore, music, theatre and 

sport 

June-September, every day, info Uffi - 

cio Cultura Comune di Montemurlo, tel. 

0574.558264 

Poggio In Vetrina 

Music, dance, shops open until midnight 

June 22-July 27, Poggio a Caiano, info 

055.8796611 

Rassegna musicale Frog Stage 2006 

Until August 13, every night, Urban Park, via 

Ferraris, Prato 


Il Silenzio dei Comunisti 

‘Silence of the Communist’ 

June 14-25, 21.15, Teatro Fabbricone, Via 

Targetti 11, Prato, tel. 0574608501, www. 

metastasio.it 

Gioco di contrari 

Theatre crime story of Porta al Sole 

June 16, Giardino di Palazzo Pretorio, Certaldo 

tel. 0571.652730 

The night of friendship 

June 23, Terrazza del Museo di S. Francesco, 

Greve in Chianti, tel. 055.8545271

14 


UP CLOSE & PERSONAL 

An 

Interview 

with 

Francesco 

Piccininni 

‘People see Florence as 

a bit of a Disneyland.’ 

Francesco Piccininni was born in Altamura, 

Puglia, and has worked for 

the past fi ve and half years in Florence 

as a carabiniere. Carabinieri work 

around the city, and are distinguishable 

by the red stripe that runs down 

the side of their uniforms. They are an 

Italian military corps with police and 

military functions, and are dispatched 

all over the world to serve their country. 

The carabinieri were originally soldiers, 

and their motto remains Nei Secoli Fedeli, 

Faithful throughout Centuries. 

The Florentine: What do you love 

about Florence? And about being 

a carabiniere here? 

Francesco Piccininni: I love being 

in the historic centre – it makes me 

think of the Renaissance, the period I 

believe to be the greatest in Italian history. 

That period of time gave us the 

great art and architecture that we see 

today, and it evokes amazing feelings 

in me. My work allows me to explore 

the city in a totally different way from 

other people, and I get to see ‘behind 

the scenes,’ such as night time in the 

Boboli gardens. Also, when I am in uniform, 

I feel proud to be Italian and part 

of this history. 

TF: What don’t you like? 

FP: There is not much I don’t like, to 

be honest, only perhaps when people 

don’t respect the monuments. 

TF: Why do you believe that 

the role of the carabinieri is 

important? 

FP: Historically the carabinieri have 

served Italy and were considered the 

leading force. Today, among many 

activities, we ensure that crime is controlled, 

and there are a great number 

of special corps and departments to 

target different areas, from those that 

target art thieves, to those deployed 

on peace-keeping missions to places 

such as Kosovo. At a local level, I 

believe that the carabinieri offer a certain 

level of security. 

TF: When you leave Florence for a 

period of time, what do you miss 

most? 

FP: The sheer beauty of Florence, the 

buildings and the ambience that it creates. 

To me, there is no where else 

that gives me the same feelings. 

TF: Where is your favourite place 

to get a coffee? 

FP: Pascowski, in Piazza della Repubblica. 

TF: Where is your favorite place to 

go to dinner? 

FP: La Reggia, in Fiesole, for a romantic 

dinner with my girlfriend. The views 

are amazing, and on a summer evening, 

I love being able to look over the whole 

of Florence. 

TF: What’s your favourite Italian 

dish? And where do you get it? 

FP: It has to be bistecca Fiorentina, 

and I go to Angiolino on Via Santa 

Spirito. 

TF: When you have guests, where 

do you take them? 

FP: Right into the centre of Florence. It 

is small enough to be able to walk and 

fi nd everything. I always show them the 

Duomo and the Campanile Giotto. 

TF: What’s your favourite out of 

town excursion? 

FP: The little medieval towns around 

Tuscany such as Lucca and San Gimignano. 

TF: If you only had one day in 

Florence, how would you spend it? 

FP: I would go shopping on Via Tornabuoni 

and Via della Vigna Nuova. I 

love fashion and those streets have 

beautiful shops. 

TF: What is the most common 

misunderstanding English 

speakers have about Florence? 

And about the carabinieri? 

FP: I do feel sometimes that people see 

Florence as a bit of a ‘Disneyland,’ or 

that the history and importance of Florence 

is lost. For example, the Italian 

language was born here, and people 

are not always aware of these things. 

Many foreigners do not understand the 

function of the carabinieri—other countries 

do not have a force such as ours, 

with the two aspects of police and 

military power, and so we are a bit of 

a mystery. 

TF: Why did you decide to become 

a carabiniere? 

FP: There is such a vast array of opportunities 

within the carabinieri forces. 

You can work in virtually any fi eld you 

want, and travel the world if you work 

hard enough. I like adventure and new 

experiences and the carabinieri provide 

all of that! 

TF: In many countries the police 

or carabinieri are stereotyped 

negatively. What do you think 

about this? 

FP: I think a lot of it stems from misunderstandings 

about the role carabinieri 

play, and the extensive range of departments 

and sections that exist within 

the force. We are a part of Italy and 

its history, and I feel proud to be working 

with an organisation that upholds 

peace and works against crime. 

TF: What is the most common 

misunderstanding Italians have 

about English speakers? 

FP: I think that has to be the eating 

habits! Italians are often confused by 

eating bacon and eggs in the morning 

– they usually stick to their coffee and 

pastry. 

TF: Who has been the most 

interesting person you have met 

here? 

FP: My girlfriend, without a doubt! 

TF: If you were to describe 

Florence as a person or 

personality, how would you do it? 

FP: I would describe Florence as a 

woman, maybe of around forty years 

of age, gentle and romantic, and very 

intelligent. She would have a passion 

for culture, art, architecture, and writing, 

and would be calm and serene, 

with a constant drive to learn more and 

more. 

TF: What do you think the ‘gift’ 

of living in Florence is? How 

have you changed by being in 

Florence? 

FP: The inspiration that it provides. 

I come from the south of Italy, where 

family and tradition play such a huge 

role, and here I fi nd that the more open 

‘northern’ mentality has affected me, in 

a positive way.


Culture & CUSTOMS 

15 


All of the articles found in the following pages are written by independent collaborators. The Florentine seeks to publish 

stories that are interesting, entertaining, and useful to all of our readers. If and when a writer expresses opinions within his 

or her work those opinions should be considered to be those of the writer and not necessarily those of the publishers of this 

newspaper. If you wish to submit articles for consideration please contact us at redazione@thefl orentine.net. 

ITALIAN VOICES: a window on language and 

customs in Italy...‘allora’ 

by Linda Falcone 

‘In Italy, when a 

person has no 

idea what to say, 

they usually start 

with allora. It buys 

them time.’ 

It’s Monday night and I’m desperate for a 

word. The rest of the world is out watching 

the World Cup on the big screen. Italy is playing 

tonight and everyone else knows the word 

they are looking for. If they fi nd it, I will hear 

‘goal’ yelled from all open windows. Nice as that 

would be, the word I need still escapes me. 

In Italy, when a person has no idea what to 

say, they usually start with allora. It buys them 

time. So that’s what I’m going to start with 

tonight. It’s as good an expression as any I suppose. 

Better than most, actually. Most words 

move within strict boundaries of meaning. Allora 

is well-versed on versatility. Adaptable as water, 

it conforms itself to almost any scenario. 

The dictionary will tell you that allora means 

‘so’ or ‘thus’ but, in reality, the meaning of the 

word depends on who you are and how you say 

it. In Italy, when a teacher yells ‘allora!’ it means 

you’d better sit up and shut up. Trouble’s a-coming. 

Either fi nd a way to stop Carlo Sassetti from 

swinging on the shutters or be quick and close 

the window. The woman means business. There 

is a certain power in the expression, especially 

when it’s accompanied by an exclamation point. 

Allora followed by a comma, however, changes 

the cards completely. Relax, it means her mono- 

logue is going to be long. Hours may pass before 

you’ll be asked to look lively again. 

When the neighbor lady says allora it’s usually 

accompanied by a question mark. Your mother 

has most likely told her all the gory details. She 

has already been adequately versed in your personal 

saga and has taken it upon herself to rearrange 

your story upside-down and backwards. 

All the signora needs now is just a bit more spice 

to make the batter come out right. ‘Allora?’ she 

smiles as you come up the steps. What she means 

is ‘cut to the chase.’ She knows you’re in love, 

what she wants is the wedding date. 

When your colleague says allora it means your 

meeting might actually start going somewhere. 

Put your ears back on and start listening again, a 

plausible explanation may be provided. In work 

situations, allora is great for gathering evidence. 

It gives you time to gather your chips before you 

place your bet on a risky hand. 

My grandfather was an artisan and an allora 

man. He had the wonderful habit of talking to me 

as if we were always in the midst of a very important 

conversation. Ours was an on-going dialogue 

that started soon after I was born and just continued 

on and on until the sun set on his days. 

Allora bimba, he would say, whenever we met, as 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if he was just about to reach the conclusion of a 

discussion we had started six months earlier. He 

would always greet me with allora, like someone 

who was just getting to the good part of the story. 

I’ve never thought about it before now, but for 

him, the word was a bridge across time. 

For my grandfather allora served innumerable 

purposes. It was ‘let’s see now’ and ‘let’s get to the 

bottom of this.’ Allora was ‘what do you think?’ 

and ‘where do we go from here?’ Allora was what 

he said every time he sat on his stool to make a 

new mirror. It was a word the man used to collect 

his strength, the prelude to all creative effort. But 

it was also the culmination of a job that pleased 

him. Once he fi nished his etching, he would hold 

the mirror up for me to see. ‘Allora, tell me, is 

the work to your liking?’ Mostly he etched ladies 

and gents from the seventeenth century, falling 

in love under a cherry tree. The work was always 

to my liking. 

My grandmother died last week, almost twenty 

years after her husband. Perhaps this spring they 

will fi nd a nice new tree to fall in love under. 

Perhaps they will have the chance to continue a 

conversation they had started years ago. If they 

meet again, he will greet her with allora, I’m sure 

of it.

16 

Thursday 15 June 2006 Life in Italy 


Culture & CUSTOMS 

Heard the latest about the Carabinieri? 

A closer look at Italy’s military police force 

By Paolo Necchi 

There was this peasant who 

lived up in the mountains on 

a narrow road. One day, he 

saw a carload of carabinieri military 

police driving backwards up 

the mountain. ‘Why are you driving 

backwards?’ he asked. 

‘Because we’re not sure we’ll be 

able to turn around up ahead.’ 

Later, the peasant saw the carabinieri 

driving backwards down the 

mountain. ‘How come you’re still 

driving backwards?’ the peasant 

asked. 

‘Well,’ the driver replied, ‘We found 

a place to turn around.’ 

Understanding another country’s 

sense of humour is arguably the ultimate 

test of your grasp of its culture. 

Many Italians love to entertain other 

people, to make them laugh, and 

they are at least as good at spontaneous 

wit as their British or American 

counterparts. When it comes to 

Italian jokes, ‘carabinieri’ is a key 

word. Carabinieri jokes are less different 

from British and American 

ones than they might appear at fi rst 

glance. But what distinguishes carabinieri 

jokes from ethnic, racial, or 

sexist jokes is the fact that they are 

not considered politically incorrect. 

Even though they rely on the stereotypical 

carabinieri’s lack of intelligence, 

they are not perceived, even 

by the corps itself, as offensive. In 

fact, Italy’s military police even feature 

carabinieri jokes on their own 

offi cial website. ‘We’re the subject of 

fun and we intend to stay that way,’ 

affi rmed a Carabinieri Colonel when 

asked whether he minded being the 

butt of everyone’s jokes. ‘But fun 

aside, we also intend to remain one 

of the pillars of Italian democracy.’ 

In Italy, two coordinated police 

forces coexist and cooperate with 

each other: the polizia di stato, or 

state police, which operate under 

the Ministry of The Interior and 

the carabinieri, a military corps 

with civilian police duties which 

are part of the Ministry of Defence. 

The corps was founded by the King 

of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanule I, on 

July 13, 1814, even before Italy’s 

unifi cation. It owes its name to the 

gun originally used by its members, 

namely ‘the carbine’. There are similar 

forces in other parts of Europe, 

France’s Gendarmerie and Spain’s 

Guardia Civil are two prominent 

examples. A European Gendarmerie 

based in Italy is currently being 

formed. 

Italian literature, cinema and TV 

series bear testimony to the close 

link between the history of Italy 

and the history of the Carabinieri. 

Nineteenth-century Sicilian novelist 

Giovanni Verga, for example, 

underlined the clash between southern 

Italy’s clan-based culture and 

the modern justice system. ‘I don’t 

need those with the plume; I can 

look after my own affairs,’ says one 

of Verga’s characters who decides to 

take justice into his own hands. The 

hat plume is still part of the carbinieri’s 

ceremonial uniform. 

The recently introduced ‘Community 

carabiniere Service,’ a patrolling 

service provided by individual 

offi cers in urban areas, was created 

to establish stronger ties between 

the carabinieri and city residents 

in order to stimulate crime prevention 

at the local level. Not surprisingly, 

this innovative service has not 

passed unnoticed. In this new initiative, 

the community carabiniere is 

alone on his rounds, which debunks 

the popular myth that carabinieri 

always patrol in pairs because of 

their partial but complementary literacy 

skills. 

The stereotype that carabinieri 

lack brains may stem from the fact 

that most offi cers traditionally come 

from the south of Italy, an underdeveloped 

area of the country where 

the armed forces are one of the primary 

sources of employment. Ageold 

regional prejudice dies hard, and 

some people from other regions of 

Italy continue to look down on them. 

But, even though Italians delight in 

poking fun at them, most are also 

proud of their military police force. 

Citizens appreciate their work, their 

professionalism, their integrity, their 

generosity, and their presence in 

every part of the country—even in 

the smallest village. 

The carabinieri have distinguished 

themselves in countless missions in 

A lady at zebra cross asks a carabiniere, ‘Excuse 

me, officer, how do I get to the cemetery?’ 

‘Just cross the road when the “don’t walk” sign 

is flashing,’ he answers. 

Italy and around the world, and the 

jokes made at their expense do not 

bring into question their bravery, 

their loyalty, or their achievements. 

One of Italy’s most famous World 

War II heroes, in fact, was a 23-year 

old carabiniere by the name of Salvo 

D’Acquisto. D’Acquisto, who was 

shot by German troops after declaring 

himself responsible for the murder 

of a German soldier, saved the 

lives of 22 Italian civilians who were 

Workshop, Show Rooms and classes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to be executed in retaliation for the 

murder. 

More recently, Iraqi suicide bomb 

attacks in 2003, which killed 15 members 

of the corps, and the nationwide 

surge of solidarity that followed last 

April’s attack, proved how popular 

and well-loved the corps are.


Life in Italy 

An art walk on the Oltrarno 

Exploring the other side of the Florentine coin 

By Vicci Recckio 

There are two sides to everything, 

especially when it 

comes to visiting and living 

in Florence. When we fi rst think of 

the city, most people think of the 

breathtaking Duomo, the art-fi lled 

Uffi zi, and the still standing Ponte 

Vecchio. However, there is another 

beautiful side to Florence, and 

this is the artisan-fi lled side of the 

Oltrarno. This calmer, creative side 

of the Arno offers an equally won- 

 

 

 

derful yet uncrowded escape from 

all the tourists on the northern side 

of the river. 

Visiting the Oltrarno workshops, 

and hopefully buying from 

the craftsman, is one way to recognize 

the centuries of shared talent 

handed down from artisan to artisan. 

Even the untrained eye can see 

the passion that is put into every 

single piece and the originality of 

their one-of-a-kind designs. It’s a 

An Art Walk on the Oltrarno 

small political statement, but for 

me, there is something reassuring in 

supporting traditional crafts-people 

with a modern eye for design rather 

than an over-crowded, globalised 

chain store. 

There are three quarters along 

the Oltrarno in which you can still 

discover gifted artisans hidden away 

on narrow streets or in between 

the many tiny piazzas that dot the 

map. These areas include San Fre- 

17 


Travel & LEISURE 

‘ There are three quarters along 

the Oltrarno in which you can still 

discover gifted artisans hidden 

away on narrow streets or in 

between the many tiny piazzas 

that dot the map.’ 

diano to the far west, Santo Spirito 

in the middle, and San Niccolò to 

the east. Wandering into the workshops 

in these areas is much easier 

and more inviting than one may 

think. Discovering and visiting on 

your own is probably the best way 

to go, but for the more organized 

visitor, there are tour guides available 

to help lead the way to local 

artisan workshops. If you choose 

to discover the artisan workshops 

without a guide, a nice beginning is 

to cross Ponte A.Vespucci and just 

start strolling the vias in various 

directions. During this art walk you 

will see the works of many creative 

artisans: traditional workshops, 

contemporary art galleries, upscale 

antique and vintage shops, couture 

houses, and of course, fi ne Italian 

bars and trattorias. 

San Frediano Quarter- 

This quarter is for those who like to wander the Oltrarno with eyes wide open. If you stroll the vias off Piazza Carmine you will fi nd authentic artisans, but you 

have to scout them out. The artisans in this quarter don’t necessarily have signs posted or even convenient hours (making them all the more authentic). Upon 

entering a workshop, don’t be surprised to see aging artisans working and training their young family members. These new and aspiring artisans will often stop 

and share their designs and speak humbly of their talent. The neighborhood is quite spread out and somewhat quiet—which in this tourist-fi lled city often ends 

up being a very, very good thing! 

Santo Spirito Quarter- 

This quarter lends itself to those who like diversity, not only in people, but also in art. 

Here you will fi nd groups of artisans crammed together on the block of Via Serragli. Within steps of one another, you can visit a contemporary artist who gives 

new life to antique pieces, and a guilder who makes magnifi cently carved frames. Continue down the street and you’ll see a restorer who can turn something 

old into something even older, a vintage shop offering all the newest retro-trends, and a collection of antiquities for lovers of all things Asian. Don’t miss the 

surrounding streets between Chiesa S. Spirito and Piazza Pitti. Keep an eye out for jewellery design workshops, fabric and furniture restorers, shoe cobblers, 

high-end antique shops, decorative painters, and artists specializing in marble and mosaic design. 

San Niccolò Quarter- 

This quarter is a little bit of San Frediano and a little bit of Santo Spirito combined. Well-hidden and often crowded with locals, this area is famous for artisans 

who specialize in handmade paper, fragrances, textiles, as well as food and wine. It’s the smallest of the three quarters, but probably the biggest on style and 

charm.

18 




It’s summertime and the living is easy 

The ‘beautiful season’ 

comes to Santo Spirito 

By Miriam Hurley 

The piazza was invented for warm summer 

evenings, sipping a drink, crossing one’s 

ankles and admiring the ‘strollers-by.’ Piazza 

Santo Spirito is one of Florence’s fi nest for 

these purposes, with its lush trees, the majestic 

curls of Brunelleschi’s 15 th -century church façade, 

and its Oltrarno location. The Santo Spirito/San 

Frediano neighborhood has a down-toearth, 

hearty Florentine attitude fl avoured with 

old-school yet progressive creativity. It became 

the heart of the ‘other’ Florence a few years ago, 

but Santo Spirito’s rightful grit has started to degenerate 

into grime and its languid beauty started 

to be marred by unsavory tinges, as drug dealers 

have settled into the area. 

Last year, Piero Iervolino and Jacopo 

D’Albasio of the association PiazzArt launched 

‘Easy Living,’ a summer-long, much-encompassing 

event in Santo Spirito to counter this trend. 

Piero explains, ‘I love this neighborhood and I 

love this piazza. We wanted to do something to 

give Santo Spirito back to the neighborhood and 

refl ect its spirit.’ 

Back for its second year, ‘Easy Living in Santo 

Spirito’ hosts events every evening from May 

26 to September 10. Organized by PiazzArt and 

Quartiere 1 of the city government, it mingles a 

low-key mix of music, theatre, art, literature, design 

and beer. Evening events include Musica 

al Tramonto [Music at Sunset] with young Florentine 

musicians playing relaxed, fresh summer 

music like jazz, swing, fl amenco and Cuban 

sounds. They play quietly enough to not disturb 

the piazza neighbors and end their jam sessions 

at 11 pm. Every Sunday evening, there will be a 

DJ set to give weekend beach-goers a chance to 

shake off the sand and continue their idyll. Other 

events on the roster (to be posted on www.piazzart.com 

(in Italian) and available in the piazza 

at the info booth) include theatre events, dance 

performances and readings. In the special events 

category: during the World Cup, matches will be 

broadcast on a jumbo screen; and on June 21, 

as part of the Maggio Musicale music festival, a 

classical music concert will be held in the piazza. 

Up with (and ahead of) the times, the entire 

zone will have free wireless Internet access all 

SAM’ S 

MARKETS 

Florence Amsterdam 

SAM'S Amsterdam opening soon! 

summer, and the association Anelli Mancanti 

(www.anellimancanti.it) has set up a renegade 

short-range television broadcast about the neighborhood. 

A literature area will have art and design 

magazines and host readings. An information 

booth near the bar will dispense information 

on the neighborhood at large. 

True to Santo Spirito’s grassroots, Alternative 

Soul, the temporary bar by the stage was 

designed by Space Studio following the tenents 

of ‘green’ building, with low energy consumption 

and made of recycled materials. At apertivo 

hour (about 7pm to 9pm), a buffet is offered at 

the bar Pop Art on the piazza. Otherwise, gelato 

and sandwiches can be bought nearby for a wellrounded 

summer meal. 

The opening night on Friday, May 26 was 

a grand success. The faces of the large relaxed 

crowd enjoying the music showed plain joy at 

the onset of summer, at last, and happy visions 

of months to come fi lled with such evenings in 

their city. The feeling was fl uid as people milled 

between the bars, the church steps and the central 

fountain, seating by the stage and curbs. 

The buzz of happenings and creativity stirred 

up, is pulled off with a sense of jazz-like ease and 

action, perfect for the season. Of course, that 

ease is an illusion, as the event is the result of 

hard work by the organizers, community mem- 

bers, artists, local retailers and workers. The idea 

driving the PiazzArt association is that the Oltrarno 

community can reclaim its spaces by coming 

together in its shared interests. 

A few nights into ‘Easy Living,’ Piero, one of 

the exhausted organizers, was able to look with 

satisfaction at the vibrant Santo Spirito summer 

underway and say that it was all worth it, as this 

was just what they wanted. 

The ‘reclaiming of Santo Spirito’ can claim 

success. 

For more information: 

About Easy Living: 

www.piazzart.com (in Italian) 

Miriam Hurley is originally from the West Coast 

of the U.S. and is happy to now live on the left 

coast of the Arno. She is a certifi ed Italian-to- 

English translator (www.miriamhurley.com). 

Try Sam’s for a bit of America !! 

Over 250 products imported by Sam’s from the USA: 

Skippy Peanut Butter (Crunchy and Smooth), A & W Root Beer, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, 

Welch’s Juices (Grape, Cranberry)Lipton Cup a Soup, Oreos, Hunt’s Chile con Carne, Starkist Tuna, 

Starbucks Coffees, CoffeeMate, Heinz Baked Beans, Jiffy Pie-crust & Cake Mix, Reeses Pieces, 

Hershey’s Candies, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Chips Ahoy, Squirt, Planters Salted Peanuts, Chef 

Boyardee Soups, Betty Crocker Cake Mixes, Croutons and Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie Mix, Hellmanns 

Mayo, Nutter Butter Cookies, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Cheez-it, Doritos, Pop Tarts, Campbells 

Soups, Nabisco Saltines, Pop Secret Popcorn ……and a lot more ! 

SAM’S HAS IT ! 

About the Oltrarno neighborhood: 

www.fi renze-oltrarno.net 

www.diladdarno.it 

Sam’s is located in the center of Florence near the Bargello Museum 

Via Ghibellina 117r. - Tel. 055-7189020 

Store hours: Mon-Sat 11.00 am – 7.00 pm 

www.samsmarkets.com


Life in Italy 

You meet the nicest people in a cemetery 

Looking for art in unlikely places 

By Steve Soper 

Cemetary Porte Sante 

So you’re asking, why write 

about cemeteries, let alone 

visit them? I mean, that’s 

pretty morbid, isn’t it? Well, I suppose 

in some parts of the world anything 

connected with death must be 

avoided at all costs; but in Italy there 

is not only great respect for the dead, 

but there is also a concrete link between 

the living and those who have 

passed on. This is evident, for example, 

in the sheer number of fl owers, 

fresh and otherwise, that constantly 

adorn Italian cemeteries. There 

seems to be a keen desire to share 

the memories of those who passed 

away, either through the use of photographs 

or, even more fascinating, 

through the use of sculpture to 

help the passer-by understand that 

this was a person of some fame, or a 

person who died young, or a person 

who was in love, or a person who 

died for the glory of his country. 

There is also a link with the past 

in yet another way, between the 

spirit of the living and the dead. In 

fact, there are Italian cemeteries 

such as Porte Sante, adjacent to the 

Basilica of San Miniato, and Trespiano, 

some four miles northwest of 

the city, associated with the famous 

Etruscan necropoli. Built more than 

2500 years ago those Etruscan “cities 

of the dead” housed not just the 

remains of their dead but also the 

spirit, the very essence of their culture, 

their world. 

And another thing that makes 

many Italian cemeteries like Porte 

Sante and Trespiano worth a stroll 

on a beautiful spring afternoon: each 

piece of artwork comes with a very 

real human-interest story. There are 

the war heroes, the artists, the rich 

and the very rich, the one-time great 

noble families, the teachers, the 

visitors—they are all here and many 

wanted to leave a bit of themselves 

behind so that you, a passing stranger 

will know at least a small part of 

their story. 

Take for example the Cappella 

Lorenzini. Named after his village, 

Collodi, Carlo Lorenzini is best 

known by children and parents 

around the world as the creator of 

that little wooden puppet, Pinocchio. 

His little chapel is still fi lled 

with fresh fl owers. And there’s the 

small bust of Pellegrino Artusi, the 

father of Italian cookbooks. 

Then there are Mario and Maria 

Mazzone. The life-size statues of 

these two young people who died so 

very long ago make even the most 

casual observer stop and look for 

details of this ‘love’ story. One sees 

a young man in an airman’s uniform 

with a broad smile, looking squarely 

at the young woman whose gaze is 

turned slightly aside and downward, 

with just a hint of a smile on her 

face, their hands just about to touch. 

One looks closely and reads in the 

inscription that Mario, born in 1919, 

was killed in Hamm, Germany on 

22 April 1944; Maria, born in 1922, 

died some 11 months later, in May 

of 1945. No other Mazzones are 

buried there, nor are there any clues 

as to who these people were. Were 

they lovers? Husband and wife? In 

fact, according to Graziella Cirri, 

who has done an exhaustive analysis 

of the sculpture in several Florentine 

cemeteries, Maria and Mario were in 

fact brother and sister and the statue 

was commissioned in 1947 by their 

mother. 

There are 17 cemeteries operated 

by the city of Florence, not including 

those burial grounds which are 

generally closed to the public, or are 

privately owned and maintained, 

for example the Jewish cemetery 

on Viale Ariosto, the Misercordia 

cemetery on Via degli Artisti and 

of course the ‘English’ cemetery on 

Piazzale Donatello, the fi nal resting 

place of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

And of course these don’t include 

the most famous Florentine burials 

in the churches of Santa Croce and 

San Lorenzo. 

As the fi rst ‘city’ cemetery, Trespiano 

was created in 1784 as a result 

of a new law prohibiting the burial 

of anyone inside the city walls – it 

was deemed too unhealthy. But according 

to one source, only the poor 

received burial in Trespiano, while 

the wealthy continued to use the 

old cemeteries. Trespiano eventu- 

19 



Cemetary Trespiano 

ally became the city’s primary burial 

ground, and remains so to the present 

day. (It is an enormous cemetery 

and, although lacking the monumental 

fl air of Porte Sante, it does have a 

large burial ground for the “Garibaldini” 

as well as a huge “Potter’s 

fi eld” and a large military section.) 

In 1854 the cemetery of Porte Sante 

was created on the grounds adjacent 

to the Basilica of San Miniato 

and quickly became the burial location 

for the wealthy and well-known 

Florentines with monuments that 

refl ect both. 

Hours for Porte Sante and Trespiano 

as well as the other cemeteries 

operated by the Municipality of 

Florence are: 

8 am to 5 pm Oct. 1 – March 31 

8 am to 6 pm April 1 – Sept. 30 

8 am to 1 pm Sundays & holidays 

e 

INTERNATIONAL STUDIO 

HAIR AND MAKE UP 

via Porta Rossa 82r 

FLORENCE 

o55 293393 

o55 2194o2 

escape from mediocrity ||||||||||||

20 




The Mediterranean Diet and the Italian Paradox 

By Victoria Miachika 

The number one killer of Italians 

is heart disease. Also on 

the increase is the disturbing 

prevalence of eating disorders 

and obesity in children and young 

adults. These sad facts were recently 

shared at a conference on the Mediterranean 

Diet: Fact or Fiction, held 

in Florence at the New York University 

La Pietra campus. Hosted in 

conjunction with the James Beard 

Foundation, the conference brought 

together a diverse group of primarily 

Italian health and food professionals 

who addressed a small North 

American audience of nutritionists 

and food industry professionals 

about the startling impact of globalization 

on what once was touted as 

an ‘ideal’ lifestyle diet. 

Interest in the diets of the Mediterranean 

populations (the olive 

growing areas of Europe) derives 

from their evident health benefi ts. 

The original premise of a benefi - 

cial diet was fi rst highlighted by the 

1940s nutritional study funded 

by the Rockefeller Foundation on 

the island of Crete. The study was 

mandated to examine and identify 

the post-war nutritional needs of 

Europe’s underdeveloped areas. 

The extensive and well-run study revealed 

a population, though poor, in 

relatively good health. In fact, these 

peasants had little to no history of 

heart disease or other health ailments. 

Their diet consisted primar- 

PAPIER ARTI e MESTIERI 

Paper Shop 

ily of carbohydrates, beans, seasonal 

vegetables, fresh fruit, extensive use 

of olive oil and a glass of red wine 

at every meal - a diet the researchers 

found to be nutritionally balanced. 

In the late 1950s, similar dietary 

fi ndings were further underlined 

by the respected American scholar 

Dr Ancel Keys. While vacationing 

in southern Italy, Keys recognized 

the health benefi ts of a diet consisting 

of frugal meals based on cereals, 

vegetables and olive oil with small 

amounts of fi sh and animal protein. 

Other modern investigators have 

continued to explore the merits of 

a ‘Mediterranean diet,’ resulting in 

a prototype of dietary patterns that 

not only promote good health but 

are also exceptionally palatable. 

Media and diet gurus were quick to 

fl aunt the banner of this ‘marketable’ 

diet. Specifi c tenets of the diet 

or its contextual factors were never 

seriously addressed, resulting in a 

myriad of misinformation and fadlike 

approaches to a quick fi x health 

diet versus a traditional life style 

culture. To date there remains confusion 

around an identifi able ‘Mediterranean 

diet’ supported by valid, 

quantifi able research. The purpose 

of the conference was not to address 

these disconnects, but instead to explore 

the impact worldwide trends 

of dietary uniformity have had on 

dietary traditions. What roles have 

government, politics, food industry, 

economics and media had on the 

evolving Italian diet as it relates to 

the Mediterranean Diet? 

Globally speaking, Italy has a 

recognizable and marketable ‘brand’ 

diet consisting of spaghetti, olive oil, 

wine and pizza. For many, this is a 

regrettable icon not truthfully representing 

the varied and rich cuisine 

integral to the history and culture of 

Italy’s diverse regions. The extensive 

and often misconstrued promotion 

surrounding the Mediterranean Diet 

 

 

Photo Albums 

Journals 

Diaries 

Playing Cards 

Invitations 

Business Cards 

Menus 

Letterheads 

Recipes 

Artistic Calendars 

 

has contributed to this narrow view 

and has even disturbed long histories 

of local traditional diets. Today 

Italian cultural perspectives are 

similar to American ones because 

fi tness, leanness, dieting and control 

of body shape and weight are 

the norm. The successful marketing 

strategies of the high carbohydrate 

Mediterranean diet have been incorporated 

into local cuisines under 

an unfortunate misconception: 

eat anything as long as you also eat 

bread, spaghetti, lots of olive oil, and 

a glass of red wine. 

Lifestyle changes and the economics 

of mass production are also 

factors changing diets across the 

world, and Italy is no exception. 

Italian youth are eating differently 

than their parents choosing more 

occidental diets alongside fast food 

approaches to traditional favorites. 

Organizations such as Slow Food 

are a reaction to the growing fastfood 

mentality permeating a country 

where food was integral to lifestyle 

and not considered solely necessity. 

Diet is not what you eat but how 

and when you eat, bringing to the 

forefront issues of culture and identity 

in approaches to food production, 

ingestion and taste. The marketing 

of ‘La Dolce Vita’ has had 

enormous impact on the production 

and ability to maintain quality and 

nutritional benefi ts of a Mediterranean 

based diet. However, as one 

presenter remarked, in contrast to 

the French Paradox, which examined 

how the indulgent French diet 

could produce favorable health outcomes, 

the studies of the Mediterranean 

diet has had the reverse effect 

in Italy. A diet marketed as both 

healthful and benefi cial has negatively 

impacted the eating patterns 

of Italians – ‘this,’ she exclaimed 

sadly, ‘is the Italian Paradox.’


Life in Italy 

A piece o’ pie 

Real pizza napoletana and where to fi nd it 

By Kara Hoffman 

Pizza is a word that people from almost 

every corner of our earth know. But is a 

pizza in Chicago the same as a pizza in Japan? 

Or is a pizza in New York the same as a 

pizza in Italy? The answer is no. In Italy, pizza 

is serious business. 

Deep-dish, stuffed crust, square – not a single 

one of these adjectives describe a pizza, according 

to Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture. Pizza only 

means one thing. The term “pizza,” a slang Neapolitan 

pronunciation of the word “pita,” was 

fi rst used in Italy in 997 and linked directly to 

the fl at bread baked in Pompeii 2,000 years ago. 

The true pizza napoletana offered a base of 

dough covered with tomatoes. Italians have 

famed explorer Christopher Columbus to thank 

for the addition of this key ingredient to the mix. 

After the discovery of America in 1492, the tomato 

plant was carried back to Europe and added 

to the pie. The pizza spread from here and until 

the mid-1900s, pizza was an exclusive product 

of Naples and its pizzerias. Over time, pizzerias 

sprung up around Italy and abroad, and with this 

expansion, its original form began to deviate – 

prompting Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture to issue 

a set of strict rules in 2004 to govern the sacred 

art of pizza-making. According to the guidelines, 

true pizza napoletana must be round, no more 

that 14 inches in diameter, no thicker than 0.11 

inches in the middle and with a crust no thicker 

than 0.8 inches. Furthermore, the pizzas must 

be cooked in a wood-fi red oven that reaches 905 

degrees Fahrenheit. A pizza should emerge from 

the oven browned all over and the consistency 

should be ‘soft, elastic and bendable.’ 

The guidelines also include regulations for 

each type of pizza and its authentic look. The 

only vera pizzas include the pizza napoletana 

Margherita (basil, tomato sauce, olive oil and 

buffalo mozzarella cheese), pizza napoletana 

marinara (tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil and 

oregano) and pizza napoletana Margherita extra 

(fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil and buffalo mozzarella 

cheese). The marinara is perhaps the oldest 

version of pizza, created in 1734; however, 

TENUTA LE VISTE 

Tenuta Le Viste 

the famed Margherita is one of the most popular. 

The pizza was created around 1800 as an offering 

to the Queen of Italy during her visit to Naples 

in 1889. The pizza’s colours – red tomatoes, 

green basil and white, milky mozzarella represent 

the colours of the Italian fl ag. 

So where can you experience the closest thing 

to a true pizza napoletana in Florence? A number 

of local pizzerias focus on this regional tradition 

of pizza-making so you don’t have to travel 

all the way to Naples to enjoy this culinary treat. 

Much to his faithful followers’ delight, Carmine 

Calascione, who recently sold his famous 

pizza joint Pizzaiolo, has opened up a new restaurant. 

Vico del Carmine, located just outside 

Porta San Frediano on Via Pisana, is his new 

venture focused on seafood dishes from Campania 

and, of course, Neapolitan-style pizza. The 

word vico stands for alley and the restaurant has 

been designed to resemble a quartiere, or neighborhood, 

of Naples. Diners anxious to cut into 

a piping hot pie line up outside to wait, even 

hours, for their turn. 

On the same side of the river, tucked in a 

sleepy little alley in the Santo Spirito neighborhood, 

a new and instantly popular pizza 

place has emerged. The wood-burning oven is 

manned by Carmine Candito, a pizzaiolo since 

the age of 14. The head chef in the kitchen is the 

much celebrated Fabio Bianconi. The duo turns 

Is a peace oasis, hidden 

amongst olive trees on the 

Florence hills. 

Just four rooms, luxuriously 

furnished, for an exclusive 

stay in a refined environment. 

21 

Thursday 20 April 2006 

Foodies CORNER 

out classic southern-style fare and mouth-watering 

pizzas nightly. The pizza list does include 

more varieties than the classic Margherita, marinara 

and Margherita extra. However, all pizzas 

are made in the traditional style and with ingredients 

bought directly from fi rms and cooperatives 

located in the Campania region. Like Vico 

del Carmine, Munaciello’s atmosphere embodies 

a scene from the South, with trellises sagging 

with decorative grapes and ornamental trees 

bearing fruit. 

For more adventurous souls seeking a longer 

‘passeggiata’ or a quick taxi ride, the pizza 

at Trattoria Santa Lucia is well worth the trek. 

Located just beyond the Porta al Prato, Santa 

Lucia serves one of the best and most authentic 

pizzas in Florence. This no-frills restaurant 

is family-owned and run by a father-daughter 

duo from Naples. Daughter Lucia runs the front 

of the restaurant as her father mans the woodburning 

oven. The pizza can be ordered either 

bassa or alta, thin or thick crust, and menu also 

includes a variety of seafood dishes and pasta. 

So do these restaurants offer the true pizza 

as outlined by the guidelines? Legend has it that 

the pizza from Naples is all about the quality of 

the water. While we can’t change the water in 

Florence, we can surely feast on the most authentic 

pizza around – without making the trip 

down south. 

www.tenuta-leviste.it e-mail birgiter@tin.it 

via del Leone 11, loc. Mosciano Scandicci - Firenze tel +39.055.768543 - +39.055.768219 fax +39.055.768531

22 

Thursday 15 June 2006 News & Views 


Book REVIEWS 

Meltdown! 

Ed Hayes conquers his ignorance of corporate corruption 

On Thursday, 25 

May, Ken Lay 

and Jeff Skilling, 

the top executives at Enron, 

were found guilty of 

fraud and conspiracy. 

For a novice like me, 

the riveting, revolting 

story of the meltdown 

of the 6 th largest company 

in the US is rendered 

surprisingly clear 

by Bethany McLean 

and Peter Elkind in The 

Smartest Guys in the 

Room. As they tell it, 

Enron’s rise and fall were integrally 

connected to the fl awed personalities 

of Lay and Skilling. Lay, midwestern 

son of a Baptist preacher, ‘grew up 

dirt poor’, but through willpower, 

and preaching the gospel of deregulation, 

he became CEO of the largest 

gas pipeline company in the US by 

1985 – the newly formed Enron. 

It was Skilling who devised the 

business model that would turn 

Enron fi rst golden, then to mud. 

Another lad of humble origins, he 

was an intellectually arrogant consultant 

when he came to Enron. He 

exploited their pipeline network to 

make Enron the country’s primary 

broker of gas contracts. Enron 

made bundles of money and was 

feted as a model of innovative modern 

business. 

Little Big Art Book 

by Roberto Carvalho de Magalhães 

The ultimate visual compendium of Western 

painting, The Little Big Art Book spans 

the entire history of Western painting, 

from Prehistory to Post-Impressionism. 

With more than 450 colour reproductions 

of the greatest paintings, frescoes, and 

mosaics, it covers every signifi cant style and 

period. Beginning with prehistoric Europe, 

ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, it moves 

through Byzantine and Gothic art, and on 

to the Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, Rococo, Neo-Classic and 

Romantic painting, and fi nishes with Impressionism and the eclectic 

Post-Impressionists who heralded the avant-garde movements of the 

20th century. 

McRae Books 

976 pages, 15 Euro 

But Skilling was ‘a 

deer of ditches, not a 

digger of ditches,’ and 

cared little for the running 

of the company. 

Lay was even more 

distanced, enjoying the 

prestige, but not the responsibility, 

of his position. 

By the late ‘90s, after 

the spectacular failure 

of many of Skilling’s 

gambles, the company 

was in massive debt and 

desperately needed cash 

to fund the next ‘big enchilada’. 

To cover debts and create 

the illusion of profi ts, Lay and Skilling 

allowed Andy Fastow, Enron’s 

CFO, to bend then break accountancy 

rules. He transferred millions 

of dollars of debt away from Enron’s 

balance sheet to ‘structured fi nance 

vehicles’ with names like Raptors 

and JEDI – in effect, huge bets that 

Enron stock would not fall. 

While stock prices were rising, 

external accountants and merchant 

bankers were making too much 

money from Enron to blow a whistle, 

despite the increasing murkiness of 

their fi nancial statements. By 2001, 

the Internet bubble had burst and 

canny traders in Wall Street started 

noting Enron’s peculiar accountancy. 

The stock plummeted - from $90 

to $25 between August 2000 and 

Available in all bookstores 

And with a 5% discount (by presenting a copy of The Florentine) 

at McRae Books 

The English Bookstore in Florence 

via de’ Neri, 32 r 

tel. 055/2382456 

shop@mcraebooks.com 

September 2001. Skilling quietly sold 

shares and then resigned. Fastow’s 

bet backfi red, and Enron fi led for 

bankruptcy. 

Fastow and other fi nance wonks 

were convicted soon after the scandal 

broke, but Lay and Skilling’s tri- 

British Institute, Lungarno Guicciardini 9 

Wednesday 21 

June at 18.00 

Jennifer Scott 

Zoffany’s ’Tribuna of the Uffi zi’: George III and Queen Charlotte’s 

personal Grand Tour 

A specialist in Early Italian painting, Jennifer Scott has worked at National 

Museums in Liverpool and the National Gallery in London before joining 

the Royal Collection in 2004, where she is Assistant to the Surveyor of The 

Queen’s Pictures. She is currently researching the Flemish paintings in the 

Royal Collection. 

Feltrinelli International, via Cavour, 12r 

Tuesday 26 

June at 17.30 

Chernobyl Vent’Anni Dopo 

Twenty years after the world’s biggest nuclear disaster, a roundtable of speakers, 

including Lucia Venturi, author of Ti Ricordi Cernobyl? remember Chernobyl 

and discuss its aftermath. 

British Institute, Lungarno Guicciardini 9 

Wednesday 28 

June at 18.00 

Michael Griffi ths 

What’s it like to be a bat? 

Michael Griffi ths graduated in classical philosophy at Cambridge. In this lecture 

he takes a look at the current state of consciousness studies, and the 

interface between consciousness, conscience and ethics, within the context 

of the ongoing debate between creationism and Dawkins’s ‘selfi sh gene’. 

(Should this be Darwin?) 

Title: Tracce di animali 

In Italian somewhere between language and 

culture 

Author: G. Stefancich 

ISBN: 88-7573-362-7 

Price: 5.20 euros 

Pages: 88 

The interest of Tracce di animali lies in its 

exploration of many of the uses that Italian 

makes of explicit and implicit comparisons 

with animals in order to designate 

characteristics, attitudes and behavour in 

human beings. 

The book 

- is for the intermediate level student 

- contains 16 short theme-based units 

- includes a second part with exercises to test what has been 

learnt, which also occasionally introduces new material and 

questions 

Bonacci editore 

Via Paolo Mercuri 8 

00193 Roma 

Tel: 06/68300004 

Fax: 06/69966382 

info@bonacci.it 

www.bonacci.it 

als have come later because their involvement 

was less direct. They did 

not engineer the accountancy fraud, 

but, as the jury has ruled, the chief 

executives oversaw or turned a blind 

eye to it, and therefore take key responsibility.


Housing For Sale/Immobili Vendita 

Brand new villa in Camaiore (LU) 

luxury fi nishing, on 3 levels. 3 bedrooms, 

3 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 

lounges, storage, cellar, garage, covered 

terrace, garden. Quite environment, 

beautiful view. 520.000 euro. 

Call 3405010163 

Reggello, Villa Padronale in favored 

position overlooking Chianti hills, 4 

bedrooms, 3 living areas and hectare 

of olive trees. Contact www.toptuscanyrealestate.com 

Chianti – Lucolena, 110 sqm. restored 

apartments in farmhouse, garden, 

cellar, pool, parking, panoramic 

view 360,000,00 Euro. Developer 

347.8138814 – 055.2322242 

Hamlet in Tuscany for sale. Located 

in the Municipality of Barberino di 

Mugello. 8/10 km. from Lake Bilancino/Outlet/Golf 

Course/Race Track. 

Hamlet needs partial restoration and 

can be purchased partially or in full. Includes 

15 fl ats, 6-acre park and small 

lake. It is possible to build-on structure 

should buyer intend to use for tourist 

purposes. Fax 055/2336990. Email: 

scatizzi@dada.it 

Loft For Sale in Prato. 2 lofts near 

historic centre, each 137 sq. m., ideal 

for home offi ce. We can show layout 

and location. For information, e-mail 

marco@agilelogica.it 

Housing for Rent/Immobili in Affi tto 

Artist’s Loft for Sublet: Wonderful 

light for painting, in via 

Santa Spirito. Available Aug 1-Jan 

1. 400 per month (utilities included). 

Francesca 340 2459053, 

fceccarelli1980@libero.it 

A large room with private bathroom 

with use of kitchen & sitting room in a 

large & bright fl at equipped with every 

comfort (also for very short period, 

close to piazza Gavinana), write to 

e.dellachiesa@thefl orentine.net 

Two large, bright rooms with bathroom, 

in a fl at equipped with every 

comfort, for rent in via Mariti, 100 m. 

from University (Novoli area), also for 

short periods. Non smokers only. 

Tel. 055.353425. 

Stunning and sophisticated loft 

apartment in Palazzo Caponi. Tons of 

original frescoes. Perfect for executive 

couple or single. 1 bedroom, 1 

bath. 2,000 euro/month. Judieanne 

Colusso +39.335.839-0712, 

info@coloursoftuscany.com, 

www.coloursoftuscany.com 

Bagno a Ripoli. 3 bedroom, 2 

bath apartment near International 

elementary school. Small private 

garden, garage, terrace. Lots of light 

and beautiful Chianti views. Fully 

furnished. 1,300 euro/month. Judieanne 

Colusso +39.335.839-0712, 

info@coloursoftuscany.com, 

www.coloursoftuscany.com 

Near Piazzale Michelangelo secretly 

hidden with private garden 

and only 15 minute walk to center. 

2 bedroom, 2 bath. Fully furnished. 

2,000 euro/month. Judieanne 

Colusso +39.335.839-0712, 

info@coloursoftuscany.com, www. 

coloursoftuscany.com 

Unique panoramic 3-room restructured 

attic near Piazza della Libertà 

(10 min walk to Duomo). Fully furnished. 

Kitchen, living room, bedroom, 

bathroom. TV, air-conditioning. Max 3 

people. Available for long and short 

terms. Call Marina 329.3565643 or 

email valeria.guzzi@libero.it 

Business for Sale/Attività Commerciali 

Children’s clothing manufacturer 

looking to sell business. Thirty-yearold 

establishment produces clothing 

for children from ages 1 to 12 and is 

equipped with the necessary equipment 

for production. The company has 

a large client portfolio with buyers in 

Italy and abroad. For more information 

send an email to gio.giu@gmail.com 

Help Wanted/Offerte di lavoro 

New York University in Florence 

seeks candidates for the part-time 

position of Community Resource Assistant. 

This four-month, renewable 

opportunity includes on-duty coverage 

for students in crisis situations, offi ce 

hours, events organization and assistance, 

facilities support, weekly meetings, 

and check-in and check-out facilitation. 

Compensation includes salary, 

living accommodations, and meal 

plan. Experience working with U.S. 

students, or interest in the area, preferred. 

Ability to speak and write English 

at profi cient level required. Ability 

to work legally in Italy is required and 

the sole responsibility of the applicant. 

Interested candidates should email a 

cover letter and resume to: fl orence. 

studentlife@nyu.edu. 

Florence International Theatre 

Company seeks advertising sales and 

fundraising staff to work on commission 

basis. Please call 055.2399949 

for information. 

Wanted: Au pair for Italian-English 

family, 3 children (12, 9,6), 

Cure area. 1630-2000h Mon-Fri 

and babysitting (c2 eves). Weekends 

free. Standard au pair rate. 

luisa@accademiasanfelice.com, 

cell 339 401 62 47 

Instructor for travel writing course 

wanted. Please send CV via email to 

rolsen@santareparata.org 

Private Lessons/Lezioni Private 

Private Pop Piano Lessons in English. 

Do you want to learn Pop Piano 

instantly? Seven years teaching experience 

in Yamaha Music School available 

for children and adult students. tel. 

+39.3347519047 

dimazzzpermana@yahoo.com 

Amici italiani with London School. 

Italian courses small groups 2 hours per 

day, weekly enrolments, fi rst 2 hours 

free, special prices under 26, free fi lm, 

evenings with Italian friends. Individual 

lessons. Tel and fax 055.570029 or 

055.585860, info@londonschool.org 

Useful Numbers and Classifi ed Ads 

English lessons, Cambridge Teacher in 

Florence. Exam preparation - First Certifi 

cate; Conversation all levels. €20/h 

€15, 3 +) Tel. 346.3890682 Ric 

Italian individual lessons in Florence. 

Sharpen your grammar to enjoy 

conversation. Fluent English, Japanese, 

French spoken. Call Alberto 

and his Japanese wife Fumiko, tel. 

055-475152, www.azlanguage.it - 

info@azlanguage.it 

Expert craftsman offers individual 

or group classes in English or Italian. 

Introduction to chiseling and 

embossing-theory and practice. 

Introduction to technical design. 

Call Fabrizio 338.5060720 or write 

acquafresca69@hotmail.com. 

Leather Crafting Classes. Scuola del 

Cuoio offers short-term (3 hours/1-2 

days) & long-term (1 wk to 10 mths) 

individual courses and classes under 

a Master Leather Craftsman inside 

the Monastery of Santa Croce, via 

San Giuseppe 5 (thru the garden). 

Enquiries: tel. 055.244.533 or 

info@leatherschool.com. For more 

info. visit www.leatherschool.com 

Personals/Personali 

I’m a young Italian mother and I 

spend my day with my daughter. To 

improve my English I’m looking for an 

English/American woman who has 

spare time to spend with me, or who 

needs help with their children in exchange 

for English conversation. 

Rita 347.7748742 

Leisure & Vacation/ 

Tempo libero e vacanze 

B&B in Poggio al Vento. Located in 

a splendid nineteenth century villa. 

Furnished with antique furniture, photos 

and souvenirs from all over the 

world. Includes two master bedrooms 

and a welcoming double bedroom. 

Poggio al Veneto is a small company 

that deals in organic agriculture. It’s 

situated in the hills of Scandicci, in 

Casignano, just a few kilometres from 

Florence. Ideal for those who wish to 

visit Florence without giving up the 

chance to stay in the beautiful Tuscan 

countryside. For information and 

reservations call: +39.055.7309861 

or +39.328.3876663 or write to 

info@casignano.it 

 

 

23 


Classifi ed ADS 

 

Panoramic colonial house in the 

hills of Chianti, only 15 km from 

Florence. Surrounded by a large 

park and olive grove, swimming pool. 

4-6 person fl ats for rent for brief periods, 

completely furnished. Quiet, 

family-style atmosphere. Landlords 

available on site for any needs. Tel. 

333.2203265, e-mail femanesc@tin.it 

Services/Servizi 

Super dog & cat sitter. Going on vacation? 

Need extra help? We personalize 

each pet sitting and dog walking 

service based upon your pet’s personality. 

Phone Anna 335.6086006 

or write to annacatanddogsitter@ho 

tmail.it 

Enjoy a relaxing massage in the 

privacy of your home. Contact Daniele, 

expert of “Californian Trager” 

technique, a soft massage against 

tiredness and stress. It lasts 1 hour 

and it’s made with perfumed body oil 

or cream. Phone # 340-3921407 

Personal tech guru. Hire an experienced 

professional to improve your 

digital life. Resolves computer, internet, 

software, personal electronics 

issues. Joe 3285608842. 

Body Language Pilates and Yoga 

Studio. An intimate studio near Centro 

offers many level-specifi c classes 

daily of group Yoga and Pilates mats 

taught in English with private apparatus 

sessions available. Call D. Clark 

at 335.790.4029 

“A touch of Class” Manicure, Pedicure, 

Reconstruction with Gel, Hands 

and Feet massage. Available for 

home treatments. Call Michelle at 

055 208 7018 or 340 499 6616 

email: me.shelld@virgilio.it 

Do you have diffi culties putting together 

your resume and cover 

letter? I am a graduate of Cambridge 

University, UK, and have helped numerous 

people get interviews for jobs 

with the help of a well-written resume 

and cover letter. For 50 euro, I will 

meet with you, and write a resume 

and cover letter. Contact Cassie at 

cassielbrown@hotmail.com

Summer Lunch 

from 12:30pm to 14.30pm 

buffet + choosen plate from the menu 

euro 14,00 

service, bread and water included 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM TUESDAY TO SUNDAY 

OPEN FROM 12:30 PM TO 1:00 AM 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Brunch 

from 12:30pm to 15.30pm 

euro 26,00

Pitti Uomo strikes a pose - The Florentine

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