UNMISSABLE SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS TO SEE IN FLORENCE THIS SUMMER

Rocco Forte Hotels

In summer, Florence’s grand galleries, historical palazzos and elegant concert halls come alive with an enthralling season of events. If you’re heading to the alluring Tuscan city this summer, be inspired with these mesmerising exhibitions and shows.

1) The Florence Experiment at Palazzo Strozzi

Part biology experiment, part art exhibition, this compelling project is a joint venture between artist Carsten Höller and scientist Stefano Mancuso. Investigating the relationship between plants and humans, The Florence Experiment will transform Palazzo Strozzi’s beautiful Renaissance courtyard with two intertwining slides for visitors to glide down while holding a plant. After, the plant will be passed to a lab to measure its photosynthetic parameters.

The Florence Experiment, Palazzo Srozzi – 19 April – 26 August 2018

2) Maggio Musicale Fiorentino at Opera di Firenze

The annual Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an illustrious music-filled affair and the pinnacle of Florence’s summer arts calendar. From life-affirming opera to cutting-edge dance, choose from a captivating programme of shows. See the Florence Philharmonic perform the stirring works of composer Gioachino Antonio Rossini and Adriano Guarnieri’s contemporary opera, Infinite Darkness of Light.

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, various locations - 5 May – 12 July 2018

3) Italy in Hollywood at Museo Ferragamo

Revisit legendary shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo’s golden years spent in California with this fashion-focused showcase. Like being on a 1920s film-set, the scenographic setup will explore Italian migration to Hollywood and the influence it had on film productions. Shoemaker to the stars, Ferragamo’s footwear was beloved by Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford and Rudolph Valentino.

Italy in Hollywood, Museo Ferragamo – 24 May 2018 – 10 March 2019

4) In Memory of Davide Astori. The talent of Elisabetta Sirani at The Uffizi

Celebrating 17th century Bolognese artist, Elisabetta Sirani, this Uffizi exhibition spotlights 33 of her works. A prolific and prodigious painter, this is an unmissable opportunity to see her Baroque paintings, once owned by noblemen and royalty. Elisabetta died suddenly at 27, and this show is dedicated to Davide Astori, captain of ACF Fiorentina who recently died suddenly at 31.

In Memory of Davide Astori. The talent of Elisabetta Sirani, The Uffizi – 6 March – 10 June 2018

Photo credit:
Palazzo Strozzi
The Uffizi


You may also like

Berlin’s Cultural Jewel: 200 Years of Museum Island

What began as a single neoclassical building grew into a collection of five world-class museums, set on an island in the heart of the city. Today, Berlin’s Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s most celebrated cultural destinations, home to masterpieces ranging from the 3,000-year-old Bust of Nefertiti to the Romantic canvases by German icon Caspar David Friedrich.

Colours of Rebellion: Munich and the Birth of the Blue Rider

In the early 20th century, Munich was a hotbed of artistic innovation. Amid shifting social landscapes, a new school emerged from an intense exchange of ideas that would shape the trajectory of modern art: Der Blaue Reiter, or The Blue Rider. This avant-garde collective left an indelible mark on modern art with their radical departure from tradition and bold exploration of colour and spirituality.

Discovering Agrigento’s Cultural Heart

Agrigento’s roots run as deep as the gnarled olive trees that dot its landscape, stretching back over 2,500 years to its founding as Akragas, one of the greatest cities of the ancient Greek world. Set against a breathtaking coastline, this once thriving cultural and political hub was praised by the Greek poet Pindar as “the most beautiful city of mortals”. Today, this splendour is immortalised in the Valley of the Temples.