Summer Archaeology Event in Florence

From July until the end of October 2017, Florence will host a number of archaeological events as part of the “Redistribute the Look” initiative.

Florence is most commonly known as a city of art, where you can discover iconic masterpieces at the famous art galleries, as well as magical architecture. However, as with much of Italy, Florence’s roots lie deep in history, meaning that it is also home to many intriguing and thought-provoking archaeological sites that provide a glimpse back to ancient times.

To celebrate Florence’s many archaeological attractions, a new initiative called “Redistribute the Look” has been launched, allowing visitors to Florence to discover the city’s past with a number of cultural exhibitions and events until October 2017. The event is being curated by the Archeology Cooperative, with three themed areas:

• “Narrative Archaeology”, which will feature elaborate storytelling;
• “Itineraries on the River”, which will include rafting on the River Arno; and
• “Florence Behind the Scenes”, which gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about Florence’s unique culture and hidden gems.

The event kicks off this evening (July 6th) at 7:30pm with a new production at the Gualchiere di Remole in Bagno a Ripoli called “The Ghosts of the River”, written by Alessandro Fani and directed by Carlo Sciaccaluga. This unique production will take the audience on a journey from the mid-1300s to late 1800, showing the changing face of Florence during this important time period. But don’t worry if you haven’t got tickets for tonight’s performance as it is being repeated on July 25th, August 3rd and 31st, and September 6th.

As a part of the event, there will also be Renaioli boats cruising along the River Arno between Ponte Vecchio and the S. Trinita Bridge, giving guests the chance to admire the buildings bordering the banks of the river from a less usual perspective. There will also be several special workshops to enjoy demonstrating the development of Florence’s crafts, such as stonemasonry, as well as special self-guided walking tours through the Garden of the Archaeological Museum of Florence. A final must-see is the underground floors of Palazzo Vecchio, where you can learn about the ancient Roman Theater that was excavated here.