Guides & stories
From the flour-dusted notebook.
What we know about pasta, Florence and eating well here, written between classes by the two chefs who teach them.
What to do in Florence during the protests (October 2026)
Where and when the Florence marches and strikes are, how to plan your days around them, and how to spend a march day cooking in the Tuscan hills.
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What's open in Florence on holidays: Christmas to Ferragosto
Christmas, New Year, Easter, 1 May, San Giovanni, Ferragosto: which Florence museums, markets and Duomo sites open on each Italian public holiday.
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Florence food markets: Sant'Ambrogio vs Mercato Centrale
A Florence chef on the two food markets: which one locals shop at, when to go, what to buy in season, and how to make a morning of it.
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What to do in Florence on a Sunday: a local's plan
Museums open, food markets shut, and lunch is the meal of the week. What is open in Florence on a Sunday, and how a local would plan the day.
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Where to buy fresh pasta in Florence (and pasta to go)
A Florence pasta chef on buying fresh pasta: the pastificio, the market stalls, pasta to go, how long it keeps and what you can carry home on a plane.
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Team Building in Florence: 8 Formats That Work
A Florence chef on team building that teams actually enjoy: eight formats compared by group size and budget, and the one that quietly fails.
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Day Trips from Florence: What to Eat in Each Town
Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano and Pisa, chosen by what is on the plate: the pasta, the wine and the one dish each town does better than Florence.
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Florence with Kids: What to Do and Where to Eat
A food-first day in Florence that works with children: what is worth queueing for, what to skip, and how to order in a trattoria without a standoff.
Read the guide What to Eat in Florence: a Tuscan Cook's Guide
The dishes that are genuinely Florentine, the pasta shapes that are Tuscan, and the famous Italian plates that come from somewhere else entirely.
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What flour is used for authentic Italian fresh pasta?
If you want to make authentic Italian fresh pasta, you need the right flour. Learn the difference between 00 flour and semolina, and when to use each.
Read the guide Fresh pasta vs dry pasta in Italy: what’s the difference?
The real difference between pasta fresca and pasta secca in Italy. Not a question of quality, but of the right shape for the right sauce.
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Where to take a pasta making class in Florence (2026)
Comparing the best pasta making classes in Florence: Handmade Pasta Florence, Mama Florence, and 360 Cooking Class Experience. Which one is right for you?
Read the guide Tagliatelle vs pappardelle: how wide is each ribbon?
Tagliatelle is cut 6–8 mm wide, pappardelle 20–30 mm. Same egg dough, different knife, and a completely different job on the plate.
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How to choose a pasta class in Florence: 7 questions
Florence has hundreds of pasta classes and the listings look identical. Seven questions that predict whether you’ll enjoy it, starting with group size.
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Ravioli vs tortelli vs tortellini: the difference
Ravioli, tortelli, tortellini and agnolotti are all filled pasta: size, shape, filling and region are what separate them. What each name means.
Read the guide What to do in Florence on a Monday (the Uffizi is closed)
The Uffizi and the Accademia close on Mondays. What is actually open: the Duomo complex, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce, the markets and the Oltrarno.
Read the guide Gluten-free in Florence: eating fresh pasta safely
Why Italy is one of the easiest countries for coeliac travellers, the phrases that keep you safe in Florence, and where fresh pasta fits in.
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How Much Does a Pasta Class in Florence Cost? (2026)
A Florence chef who runs classes on what €60, €95 and €150 actually buy in 2026, the extras added at the end, and what to ask before you book.
Read the guide Things to do in the Oltrarno, Florence: a local guide
How to spend a day in the Oltrarno: Santo Spirito, Palazzo Pitti and Boboli, artisan workshops, and where the evening actually happens.
Read the guide Tuscan pasta shapes: pici, pappardelle, tortelli & more
A chef’s guide to Tuscany’s classic fresh pasta types: where each shape comes from, how it’s made by hand, and the sauce it was born to carry.
Read the guide The best handmade pasta in Florence: an honest chef’s guide
A Florence pasta chef on where to eat real handmade pasta, the frozen-pasta truth busy kitchens won’t advertise, and what to order when you find it.
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