DECEMBER and CHRISTMAS IN FLORENCE: shopping and culture

Posted on by Betty

Are you planning to visit Florence in December? Are you looking for a moment for yourself before the Christmas rush? Alternatively, are you wondering where to spend your Christmas holidays?

Florence in December can be the perfect solution for you!

Why?

Florence in December shows all the colors that precede wintertime and, together with the typically Christmas atmosphere, shows a face of the city that is hardly found during the rest of the year. The vibrant shopping streets and, at the same time, the serenity of walking and visiting its world-famous museums and monuments without the crowd of high season tourism.

During the month of December, you can also take advantage of a rich selection of cultural events and temporary art exhibitions, as well as several occasions to taste the delicacies of the Tuscan land and the Florentine cuisine. Furthermore, the Weihnachtsmarkt, the Christmas market of the city located in Piazza Santa Croce, offers you typical products and artisanal objects coming from all over Europe!

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco offers the best hotel rates for any travel needs.

florence in winter
Are you trying to figure out what’s the ideal program for your visit to Florence in December or how to plan your Christmas holiday in Florence?

Here are our tips to complete the program!

Stay 3 nights at our hotel in Florence and be ready to enjoy some of our following:

-book a ticket for the lyric and ballet season of the Maggio Fiorentino;
-enjoy the Christmas shopping with a full immersion among colors and flavours in the streets of Florence;
– admire the Nativity Scene that is placed every year in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore;
– take your children to Fortezza da Basso, the Christmas village of Florence, for a panoramic ride on the Ferris wheel
– buy the best Tuscan gastronomic products at San Lorenzo Market and taste the typical Tuscan cooking dishes;

If, on the other hand, your work commitments and family responsibilities did not allow you to pick up a trip to Florence in December, but you are looking for Christmas gifts, we suggest you something you can do without having to dive into the streets of your hometown. Florence is the gift!

christmas gift

Choose among packages and special promotions that we offer, and we’ll be giving you a great gift coupon at home to be placed in your gift box for the ones you love!

Learn more about our offers and book online!

Contact us to get assistance to choose your Christmas gift!

WRITE US!  or  Call +39055288330

Directions by car to Florence Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Posted on by Betty

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco is located in the heart of the historic center of Florence within walking distance to the main tourist attractions of the city. For this reason, visiting Florence starting from the hotel guarantees the possibility of moving comfortably on foot and easily reaching every city landmark.

For those traveling by car, the convenience of staying in the center of Florence and leaving the car in one of the nearby car parks is definitely a plus to enjoy a few days of freedom from the hassle of traffic and stroll peacefully among the city’s artistic and cultural beauties.

It is important, however, to take some precautions to reach the hotel by car without incurring unexpected penalties for some distraction while driving and for this reason we do not recommend setting the car or mobile car’s GPS once you reach the city center. but rather follow our instructions that will allow you to arrive without unexpected events and avoid receiving penalties.

In fact, often, following the directions of the GPS system, you risk not noticing that you are entering the lanes subject to transit limitations, monitored by specific cameras, ready to “catch” the unsuspecting driver at fault.
That said, to get to our hotel, you can cross the ZTL area without incurring any penalty, just let us know your license plate number at the time of your arrival, we’ll take care of the rest.

Anyway be careful not to incur other types of fines, such as, in fact, traveling along lanes reserved for buses and special vehicles, marked by the yellow line, rather than white line, most of the time also indicated by an explanatory sign.

To make sure you avoid these risks, when you exit the motorway, we recommend that you set Piazza della Libertà as the first destination in the GPS system. In fact, up to Piazza della Libertà you can follow the navigator without surprises. From that point on, however, avoid being distracted by the technology that in Florence does not go well with the peculiarities of the current traffic regulations.

!!! FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS BELOW !!!
Once in Piazza della Libertà, take Via Camillo Cavour immediately (if you come from the North it is easy and you can’t miss it, but if you come from the South you can currently find some street works in progress and with the construction site it is more difficult to get the right way at the first glance, so you have to follow the deviation signs placed by a genius who probably has never driven on his own and they can create some misunderstading). Pay attention to the large video-camera placed at the access gate to the ZTL (*) – and go straight ahead without any detours. Immediately after the third traffic light, on the right, you’ll get to our hotel. Do not be influenced by other routes that the GPS system should suggest to follow. Just follow these simple instructions, so you will be sure to arrive in a few minutes without any risk.

(*) The video-camera you will find at the entrance to the ZTL can be active (red light) or not active (green light). In any case, you are authorized to pass as you stay at the Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco. We remind you, once again, to tell us your license plate number as soon as you arrive at the hotel, to allow us to carry out the procedures required by law and to include your license plate on an authorized white list to avoid receiving a fine.

Unfortunately, if along the way you make a detour and drive through prohibited areas, other than those indicated, you might inadvertently get some penalties that go beyond the benefit reserved for hotel guests and it will not be possible to cancel the infringement committed as usual when you drive your car anywhere in the world!

For any information and assistance do not hesitate to contact us before your arrival.
Our Front Desk will be happy to help you,

by writing to info@ilguelfobianco.it or Call +39055288330

Come raggiungere in auto Hotel Il Guelfo BIanco

Outdoor walkings in Florence

Posted on by Betty

In Florence, outdoor walking reserves unexpected discoveries and surprises in a city surrounded by green areas and nature in a perfect combination with its artistic side. Florence hosts masterpieces not only within the walls of its palaces and museums.

Everyone was looking forward to enjoying walks in Florence in good weather, after a winter longer than any other passed one. We want to enjoy open spaces, green places, nature and why not? A little bit of healthy physical activity and inspiration that budding nature can give us.

You will be amazed to discover how many green and luxuriant places you can visit in Florence that will allow you to experience the city in complete relaxation, taking regenerating breaks between a visit to a museum or to one of the many florentine masterpieces of art and architecture.

Giardino delle rose Firenze

Here is our guide to outdoor walkings in Florence – between parks, gardens, green areas, where the art of nature blends with that of humans. For each step, a curiosity that will make your walk even more fun!

THE GARDEN OF PARNASSUS AND THE DRAGON who looks upon Florence
First of all, good news. Here we are in a free park from which you can enjoy a splendid view of Florence! Also called the Dragon Garden, the Garden of Parnassus owes its epic name to the sculpture of the snake or a dragon that was installed there in 1990 by the artist Marco Dezzi Bardeschi. It represents the snake Python against which the god Apollo fought and won on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a mountain near Delphi, on which, according to Greek mythology, the Muses lived. Inside the garden we also recommend a visit to the Horticulture Garden with its scenic greenhouse.

ENZO PAZZAGLI ART PARK
Here it is appropriate to say “When trees become works of art”. With over 250 works immersed in nature, the Enzo Pazzagli Art Park is one of the most important Contemporary Art Parks in Tuscany. 300 cypresses create one of the largest living sculptures in the world entitled “The Trinity” which magically draws the shape of three faces. In addition to the works of the artist Pazzagli, be sure to admire the installation “Photovoltaic Flowers” by Arch. Massimiliano Silvestri, a combination of art, technology, functionality and aesthetics. Here too some good news: it is possible to have a picnic in the Park, bringing your own food with you.

THE BOBOLINO GARDEN
Beyond Porta Romana, on the road to Piazzale Michelangelo, the Bobolino Garden, which takes its name from the not far and more famous Boboli Gardens, is a delightful little oasis of peace.
Located on a slope with beautiful flower beds, fountains, stairways and some artificial caves and the wonderful incense cedar tree that dominate the entire garden. So you can discover the hills of Oltrarno , beyond the medieval walls.

THE STIBBERT GARDEN
An oasis of greenery and peace during spring and summer.
Have you ever visited the magical Stibbert Park?
Not just an enchanted and romantic corner, one of the few nineteenth-century parks that have remained intact, but an esoteric place for lovers of mysteries, between the sacred represented by the Egyptian temple, symbol of an afterlife, and the mysticism of the island in the middle of the lake reminiscent of Avalon and the myth of King Arthur. A naturalistic and romantic oasis where more than 600 different types of trees live in lush.

PARCO DELLE CASCINE
If you want some fresh air during a hot day in Florence or you want to get out of the city without going too far, then Parco delle Cascine is the place for you during your stay in Florence. Take advantage of a peaceful walk here that will allow you to enjoy nature in all its glorious splendor in any season!
An area covering over 130 hectares along the banks of the Arno river and offering walks, cultural events and fairs, as well as multiple institutions and monuments and much more!
The Cascine Park also hosts a weekly market. Every Tuesday you will find beautiful stands around the park: do not miss the opportunity to discover and try the vast selection of local Florentine products.

Passeggiate-a-Firenze

THE ROSE GARDEN
Have you ever enjoyed the view of Florence from the Rose Garden? Then the time has come for you to head towards the Oltrarno! With its approximately 1000 botanical varieties and 350 species of ancient roses and a Japanese garden, the work of the architect Yasuo Kitayama and 7 master gardeners. This garden was created according to the Zen criteria of the Shorai-Teien oasis which in Japanese means “future”. What better hope than a walk looking at the future? Finally, you can also admire the works of art by the Belgian sculptor Jean-Michel Folon. The Rose Garden is a free green space.

THE BOBOLI GARDEN
We keep it last, certainly not for importance, but because it is considered the garden of the gardens of Florence – the richest park in history and nobility in the city of Florence. We tell you some curiosities about it, you will discover the rest without the need for our guide! Palazzo Pitti was built with the stones excavated and taken from one of the highest points of the Boboli hill, where today you can admire the Amphitheater. An Egyptian obelisk dated to the 16th century BC was placed in the center of the amphitheater, which is one of the oldest monuments in Tuscany. Between the Amphitheater and the Prato del Pegaso are the Boboli Ice Houses. Structures partly underground and surmounted by domes, are none other than ancestors of our refrigerators. The Fountain of Neptune here in Florence is called the “Fountain of the Fork” because of the trident that Neptune holds. And finally, don’t miss the Limonaia (the lemon garden)! Despite the not exactly mild winter climate, the Medici Family managed to bring the plants to the city and cultivate them. Some plants that you will see seem to date back to the Medici period.

We are waiting for you at Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco and we will tell you many of these stories!

For further travel tips and outdoor experiences in Tuscany, don’t miss 10 Advertures Ultimate Guide!

passeggiate-allaria-aperta-firenze

By the way, from our hotel you can leave for all these outdoor walks and with our help you will not get lost in Florence or, if you do, we assure you that you will do it with great pleasure!

WRITE US! or
Call +39055288330

Resistance. The untamed Florence we like to celebrate!

Posted on by Betty

From the desk of our hotel in Florence near the Dome, today we are pleased to share some memories of our city, the capital of Reinassance, but also a town resisting to all the hardships of history.

The story of our beloved Florence starts with the Etruscans, in 150 b.C., even if it is only the legions of Gaius Julius Caesar, in 59 b.C, to give it a real identity on the Arno River, long time ago.

Since then, Florence started a journey as protagonist of the Italian history, animated by the character of its inhabitants, always overcoming the obstacles with their strong will and heart.

We can start acclaiming the beauty of the Brunelleschi’s Dome, or talk about the Medici artworks, but instead we’d rather light up the unbeatable Florentine resistance, that gave us the opportunity to experience Florence as it is.

“I admire those resisting, those making of resisting meat, sweat, blood, showing great gestures in living, standing still even in the worst moments.” (Luis Sepúlveda)

Throughout the ages, history tested mankind: famine, wars, illnesses, were part of the game, Florence included, hardly hit by the Plague of 1348.

But there’s no need to go back in time like this, let’s just think of few things happening in the past century. For example, the Resistance in 1917. No food and water, our city went through one of the coldest winters in history, in World War 1: the keyword, resist, no matter what.

Then, few years later, World War 2, and the retreat of Germans from Italy, after a bloody war of the Partisans and the American allies, leaving Florence destroyed, without a bridge, except the famous Ponte Vecchio.

Like other Italian cities, Florence started again from scratch, disfigured by the bombings and the diffused poverty of the majority of families. Resisting and rebuilding, looking towards the future.

Looking back, November 4th 1966, we can see the terrible flood of Florence, destroyed by water and mud. The Arno River overflowed due to the heavy rain, becoming a real monster to be tamed, leaving many propertyless, without a house, a job, hope.

“I live in the world, Florence is also my city”
(Ted Kennedy, brother of John Fitzgerald Kennedy)

It was the love for Florence from all over the world – our angels coming to help – and the strong will of the Florentine people, to free the city from the mud and save what possible of its artistic heritage, showing the world a real example of unity and collaboration, real Resistance in front of incredible hardships.

hotel firenze vicino duomo

Today it is amazing to admire Florence in its full splendor and think of all that has been overcome since that very first settlement on the Arno river, lost in time; today we are still here witnessing history, sharing it with all over friends, travellers of the world!

Florence is Resistance, always looking at the future, dreaming big,
for all those loving it without condition.

See you soon at Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco!

 

Giulia Napoleone guest of our art hotel in the center of Florence!

Posted on by Betty

Our art hotel in Florence center has the honor of counting among its presences that of Giulia Napoleone, multifaceted and innovative artist who will exhibit her creations at the Florentine gallery Il Ponte from 18 January 2020.

Giulia Napoleone has a long path of research and experimentation expressed through photography, engravings, drawings and watercolors on paper; some of her works find space in the Department of Prints and Drawings of the Uffizi, just to tell you about her caliber as artist.

“I identify art with my life.
It is what gives value to my life.”

Between interior landscapes and “dot” landscapes, as she loves to define them, the works that see her as protagonist come from the fervour of the sixties and from that cultural humus, she has shared with carachters as Primo Levi, Flaiano and many others.

“The sixties were fundamental,
I lived them without going in completely,
because I was very shy. I have often experienced them
without really understand what was happening.”

art hotel florence center

Friendly and always accomodating, Giulia has several training and work experiences abroad. From the first Roman days to North Africa trips, she traveled around Europe and crossed the ocean in 1976, landing in Canada for one of her solo exhibition.

“Creating for me is like breathing, it’s the mission of my life.
My life without the search for art
it would have no value for me. “

Today as yesterday, Giulia loves to tell about herself, as when, radiant, she remembered her stay in Syria in the role of drawing teacher at the Private University of Science & Art in Aleppo. A particularly happy period of her life, enhanced by students eager to learn and enthusiastic about the work done together.

In short, it is undoubtedly a pleasure to have her as a guest,
friend and artist at Il Guelfo Bianco Hotel!

Our collection of works by Giulia Napoleone is quite rich, in fact we have always appreciated the refinement of its trait and the balance of the forms expressed in its paintings; you can admire several of them inside our hotel during your stay in Florence.

Call us or book directly
your stay at our art hotel in Florence.

Art lovers and curious souls, we are waiting for you!

BOOK NOW!