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Banks: we all use them but have we ever thought about when and how they were created? History tells us that the earliest forms of banking – or something close to it – were practiced by the Assyrians and the Babylonians in Mesopotamia, as far back as 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. It was quite normal for the wealthy to entrust their riches...

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The first time I visited the Jewish ghetto in Siena was by accident. I’d just stumbled my way out of the Palazzo Pubblico — the civic seat of the Sienese Republic, today a museum — and my focus was singularly on tracking down a plate of pici for lunch. But my tunnel vision was broken by marble plaques I spotted along the street, memorializing, in H...

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Panforte is a typical Christmas cake from Siena, whose origins go back in time. A parchment attests to the existence of Panforte since at least 1205, but, in a simpler version, it originated even earlier, around the year 1000. Originally, it was a honey-based focaccia and was called pan mielato (honey bread). Fruit was added later, but, during the...

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Want to avoid the hustle and bustle of tourists in Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence? Or maybe you’ve already seen those cities, and are looking for something new? Well here are some of my favorite small towns for you to live out your Italian dream.  1. Bergamo If you’re looking for a dreamy getaway, check out Bergamo! Bergamo is located north-east...

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When restoration work began on Piazza Jacopo della Quercia near Siena Cathedral in the late 1980s, the number of Roman archaeological discoveries was so startling, people doubted the work would ever get finished. What if they covered the whole place with tarmac and left terracotta containers, first century jewelry or similarly precious objects fore...

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Pools bubbling with hot, therapeutic water with breath-taking scenery featuring sharp changes of altitude, terraces that merge into the greenery, fountains, colonnades and water features - thermal bath tourism is still important for San Casciano dei Bagni, a small Tuscan hamlet in the province of Siena. Archaeologists have been working here at the...

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Siena in Italy is a city of art and certainly a city of good food. It is also a city of horse racing and the most impressive medieval city in Europe. It is a unique city with many ”faces.” It is located on the Tuscan hills and still retains its glory. It seems as if time in Siena stopped in the 13th century. It was then that the city began to be en...

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One of the top sights in the Tuscany hill town of Siena, is its magnificent Gothic-style Duomo or cathedral, and it’s even more spectacular when the inlaid marble floor is uncovered. These 56 unique floor panels depict stories and historical events. To prevent damage, most of the panels are kept covered and only unveiled for a couple months of the...

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Anyone who has visited Tuscany during the summer has surely already heard of the Palio di Siena. It is indeed the most famous historical horse race in Italy. Although it is not an event organised to attract tourists, if you are on holiday nearby, you absolutely cannot miss it! Find out everything you need to know about the Palio with us. As its ver...

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Land of artists and poets, green valleys and soft sandy beaches, also famous for its immense food and wine heritage. A list of good reasons to visit Tuscany would be basically endless. In every corner you can breathe a centuries-old history, which took place against the backdrop of a landscape that still today  enchants and amazes. To see Tuscany i...

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