Experience Tuscany

Valentine’s day is celebrated throughout the world, but who can say to really know what this festivity is all about? Who was Saint Valentine? Where was he from? And why Saint Valentine is the patron of love? If you do not know his real story, then read on…

Nowadays Saint Valentine is the patron of love and of the city of Terni in Umbria, right next to Tuscany. During the second half of the Third century after Christ, he was the bishop of the city of Terni. Since Christians at that time were not seen by the Roman empire with a keen eye, Saint Valentine was persecuted until he was killed on February 14th of the year 273. From that day on he became the protector of Terni and a martyr. But he also became the saint patron of love as in life he had had the courage to marry a pagan legionary man to a Christian woman, something seen really badly by the culture of the time and forbidden by law .
So, briefly, this is the true story of Saint Valentine and why February 14th the entire world celebrates the courage of this man that made love win over everything.

Nowadays the church of Saint Valentine in Terni is the place where thousands of young couples promise each other their eternal love and to get married soon.

Tuscany on February 14th 2009 is the place to be to celebrate. What will happen?:

-All state museums and archeological sites will offer a 50% discount to all couples. Only one person will pay if a couple decides to visit a state museum. You don’t need to be partners, friends and relatives in couple can take advantage of the discount.

-Ecologic dinner in Florence at the Otel that you can find in Via Gen. Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, 9. The lighting will be completely provided by candles to create a romantic and energy saving resource. Additionally the dinner will be at “zero kilometers”, meaning that all the products employed to cook the entries are produced locally. The short supply chain guarantees zero CO2 emissions for the transportation.

-Mystery lovers will find their treat at Villa Caruso Bellosguardo in Florence, where a live crime scene will be setup and each table will be an investigation squad competing with the other tables to solve the mystery. For more info and reservations please call +39 055 8721783 from 8:30AM to 12:30PM

-In Empoli there will be the Mercatale di Empoli, a fair in Piazza della Vittoria from 9AM to 1PM. Noteworthy is the focus on Tuscan sweets and chocolates from chocolate masters.

-Impruneta offers its renown chocolate fair version on the 14th and 15th of February, 2009. For a sweet Valentine you’ve got to be at the “Maestri del Gusto, Maestri dell’Arte” fair at Impruneta. A show in the main square, free chocolate tastings, a glazed-apple snake, chocolate sculptures, and other surprises will animate the fair.

-An act of love towards cancer sufferers can be done participating to the ANT foundation dinner that takes care of providing free in hospitan and at home support to cancer victims since 1978. The dinner will be at the Gran Hotel Mediterraneo in Lungarno del Tempio 44 in Florence.

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