Total Tuscany

Back in November of 2014 we told you the story of the #CrazyForPazzi kick starter campaign. The goal was to raise enough money to start and complete the renovation of the Pazzi Chapel at the Opera di Santa Croce in Florence, Italy.

Not only was this campaign a tremendous success, they raised more money that the original goal and the the renovation project has started!

We are excited to tell you that we are going to Florence in early March and we will be able to share pictures and video of the construction process that is supposed to last six months. 

Donations came in from all around the world! This collaborative effort is a sign of bigger things to come when it comes to finding the funds for such important projects. 

Not only did this project take a lot of people to donate, but it took two exceptional women who believe passionately in the project and what it means to everyone who loves Florence and the Opera di Santa Croce. In the 29th edition of the Total Tuscany Podcast we hear from these two innovators and what their efforts mean for the Pazzi Chapel and how (we think) they have changed the game going forward. Who knows, in a century they may be talking about Helen Farrell and Paola Vojnovic in Florence the way we talk about Dante, Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci. 

Tuscany is an wide open canvas for all kinds of artists. You have painters, potters and our favorite, photographers. In preparing for this podcast episode we did a quick Google search of "Pictures of Tuscany", 24,000,000 results popped up. 24-MILLION! It seems everywhere you look in Tuscany there is a picture to be taken. The Duomo in Florence, thePiazza del Campo in Siena, hill towns like the famous San Gimignano, the vineyards of Chianti and the famous landscapes of the Val d'Orcia.On your next trip to Tuscany, wouldn't you like to bring all these images into focus? Of course you would, and this is why you need to meet Rob Moles. His company "Italy in Focus" offers week long photography workshops in the heart of Tuscany. Rob's workshops run in May, June, July and September. You will notice there are no workshops in August, this is because of the extreme heat that can make an all day photography excursion uncomfortable. Who are the workshops for? Rob specializes in working with beginners as well as photographers with intermediate skills. This isn't to say a professional can't participate, after all Rob knows all the secret places to get some of the best photos in Tuscany!These week long workshops are an intensive but yet a fun crash course in mastering your camera's settings, working and finding the perfect light, composition and processing your works of art in photoshop. Rob Moles is an award winning photographer and started his professional career in photography as a commercial photographer, traveling the UK shooting architectural photography for an advertising agency. But he soon developed a passion for portraiture and in 1986 he opened his own portrait studio in Nottingham.Commissions to photograph the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Joan Collins and a variety of actors and musicians from the entertainment world followed as Rob's style developed, culminating in the studio specializing solely in Black White photography. This love of Black White is still reflected in a lot of Rob's work as you will see on the pages of his website.So how did Rob end up in the heart of Tuscany? It's a journey of extremes highs and lows that took him from the U.K to New Zealand, Australia, the United States and finally Italy. A story he describes in great detail in this podcast and his determination will serve as motivation to chase your dreams no matter the circumstances and the road blocks in the way. When you sign up for one of Rob's workshops you get so much more than an education in photography. You get an experience of a lifetime that includes five nights accommodation including breakfast, transport from your arrival airport to your accommodation, transport to all photographic locations by comfortable minibus - including night tours and early morning trips. So what are you waiting for? The next time you take a trip to Tuscany you can start creating lasting memories and stunning images when you bring Italy In Focus!

Since the day we started podcasting about Tuscany, our advice has been to stay away from hotels and immerse yourself into Italian and Tuscan culture by staying at a villa or an apartment. We have always stayed at villas in the country. When we visited Florence for a one or two night stay, we opted to be unadventurous. We stayed in rather predictable hotels that excelled at customer service but lacked true Florentine character. To be honest, we were just too lazy to look for an apartment that rented night-by-night.Our prayers have been answered! Okay, we really didn't get down on our knees and ask for this, but everyone at Palazzo Belfiore must have been reading our minds from thousands of miles away. Out- of-the-blue, we get an email from them wanting to discuss their apartments and the unique experiences renters will have while staying in a "different" part of the city center.Palazzo Belfiore is the orginal residence of a 14th century family and is located near major attractions like the Ponte Vechhio, the Uffize Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens and Santo Spirito. There are seven fully furnished apartments at Palazzo Belfiore ranging in size but sure to fit the needs of couples, families or smaller groups. Each apartment is named after a famous Florentine.You'll be in the heart of the Florentine culture on both the inside and outside of Palazzo Belfiore. One of the apartments has an original fresco dating back to the 15th century! Palazzo Belfiore is located on the "other" side of the Arno. Here you'll find handcraft shops, antique shops and typical restaurants. You will also experience the renaissance atmosphere of Florence you read about in books, blogs and magazines. There are a number of complimentary services that are included with your rental, free Wi-Fi, daily newspaper and Concierge service. If you want to splurge from some extras, you can! Like a personal shopper, personal driver and Italian language and cooking courses.You can book your apartment online or email them directly for a more competitive rate. Palazzo Belfiore is a 2014 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence winner.