Margo Lestz – The Curious Rambler
Bringing History to Life
Dante is often considered Italy’s greatest poet, and the city of Florence is proud to say he was born there. And you could be forgiven for thinking he was buried there too if you’ve seen the beautiful tomb in Santa Croce, bearing his name and likeness…
Dante and Pinocchio: Italy’s great poet and its favorite puppet both played a part in establishing Italian as Italy’s language and uniting the country
When someone mentions the Last Supper, you probably think of the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. But da Vinci wasn’t the only one to
Is there a devilish wind blowing around the Florence cathedral?…
Two Florentine curiosities worth looking for…
It seems that taking in too much art in Florence, Italy can be bad for your health…
On the 6th of January, Italian children await a very witchy-looking old lady called La Befana…
In fourteenth-century Florence, opulent dress was outlawed. But Florentine ladies continually changed their fashions to keep them just barely legal…
In Florence’s New Market (the same one where the bronze pig resides) you can find leather good and all kinds of souvenirs. But be careful about going there if you have any outstanding bills. This is where people were once punished for failing to settle their debts.
Il Porcellino, as the Italians call him, means “the little pig”. However the bronze porker fountain sitting at the side of the New Market, or Mercato Nuovo, is really a wild boar, or a cinghiale in Italian. He supposedly brings good luck when visitors rub his snout and put a coin in his mouth.
Carnival celebrations take place around the world, but when we think of elegant masks and beautiful costumes, we think of Venice…
When I was in Florence, I lived in Dante Alighieri’s neighborhood. For those of you who might be a little rusty on your Italian poetic
In the early nineteenth century, when many English poets visited or lived in Florence, the stone marking the location of his favourite seat was just about the only tribute to Dante in Florence.
Let your Conscience be your Guide I enter the shop and my breath is taken away By the beautiful Italian ceramics In a variety of
You might be surprised to know that inside the medieval Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall (and museum) of Florence that there are 100 sailing tortoises
Saturday was the traditional wine harvest ceremony in Florence and I watched the preparations at the Duomo. Two white cows were unloaded, washed and decorated
The little angel on the frescoed ceiling of our Florentine apartment must have seen a lot over the years…