The Florentine Handcraft Companies: Itinerary E

Overview

Discover the rich world of traditional Florentine handcraft companies and their products. Meet the artisans, experience their history and the know-how they have inherited through many generations. This tour is a journey through small-sized ateliers and stores where you'll witness the love and dedication of the artisans reflected in the work of their hands. You can attend the creation of the handmade objects from jewelry to ceramics, from mosaics to textiles. And you can purchase directly from the source!

We've created eight one-of-a-kind itineraries for you to choose from, each one of them an unforgettable tour. Simply click on the links in the “details” section for a preview of the master artisans’ work.

Itinerary E includes:

• Marakita (clothing, accessories, textiles for the home)
• Alta Rosa (clothing & bridal fashions)
• Scarpelli Le Pietre nell'Arte (mosaics)
• Arte a Palazzo (home & outdoor furniture and accessories)

Practical Details:

• Four hour tours (half day trips), morning or afternoon, from Monday to Friday, except holidays
• Tours will start at opening of the first shop of the itinerary
• Tours must be reserved with at least 7 days advance notice, and will be confirmed within 2 working days from the request
• Tours are not available on Saturdays, Sundays, and on religious and national holidays during which the shops are closed
• For small groups from 2 to 8 people
• Languages available: Italian and English

Cancellation Policy

• There will be no penalty for cancellations of excursion bookings communicated in writing until 2 weeks prior to the booked excursion date.
• For cancellations less than two weeks prior to the excursion date, the payment of the entire amount will be due and no reimbursement will be granted.
• Transportation included only where specified.
• Time and meeting point will be defined with the individual participant before the service date.

Save time ordering: Add all the service tickets you want into your basket, then fill in the form and send your request.

PLEASE NOTE: Immediately after submitting an order, you will receive an email with your order summary plus a second email confirming your successful payment. A confirmation email with links to the vouchers will be sent one business day after you place your order (Monday afternoon for orders submitted on Friday and during the weekend). Please make sure that your anti-spam filter does not block automatic emails from help@waf.it.

Details

View itinerary E

Marakita di Benedetta Marachi : Clothing, accessories, textiles for the home

Marakita is a youthful and sparkling line created in Florence in 2009. The colorful line of products includes fashion accessories for women, women's clothing, textiles for the home, and even a baby line. Every artisanal product is entirely made by hand, inspired by a love for fashion, art, and the Tuscan traditions. Marakita collaborates with various professionals in order to make its unique products ever more special. Research, attention to detail, and choice of colors are the basis for every creation guaranteeing the highest quality.
 Eco-friendly and made in Florence, Marakita participates since its inception in national and international fairs. 
A Marakita piece is a perfect good luck gift, thanks to the ladybird logo!

Opening hours: 9:00am-7:00pm

Closed: February 26 to March 4

Languages spoken: English, French, and Spanish

Credit cards accepted: none

Alta Rosa : Clothing & bridal fashions

Alta Rosa creates clothing for women, inspired by the Tuscan countryside, the Chianti vineyards, and the dry lands of the Maremma. The Alta Rosa clothing line, created by women for women, is feminine and relaxed, elegant and simple at the same time. Alta Rosa also offers a line of bridal fashions –  with the special appeal that for every bridal outfit, Alta Rosa plants a pair of trees in celebration of the event and the couple's dedication to sustainability. Alta Rosa selects natural and eco-friendly fabrics that caress the skin and wrap its wearer in nature’s scent. Alta Rosa respects nature and the environment, from the cultivation and harvesting of the plant to the spinning of the textiles, up until the packaging and the dying of the fibers. The production is completely in the hands of local artisans

Opening hours: 9:00am-7:00pm

Closed: August

Languages spoken: German

Credit cards accepted: Visa

Le Pietre nell'Arte : Mosaics

Le Pietre nell'Arte is a workshop in the heart of Florence where the fine tradition of mosaic begun in the Renaissance is continued. It is also an art gallery with works entirely created by the expert hands of master Renzo Scarpelli and his son Leonardo.

Born in Florence in 1974, Leonardo Scarpelli used to play at sorting the colorful stones he found in his father’s workshop when he was a child. Some of his earliest creations date to the late 1970s. He attended a course of studies in Mosaic and Pictorial Decoration in one of the finest Florentine institutes, demonstrating great commitment and a passion for learning, and obtained the diploma of Maestro d’Arte. 



At the same time he continued to cultivate his passion for this ancient art, mastering the complicated phases of the Florentine mosaic known as “Commesso” and acquiring experience in the use of the materials and the matching of the chromatic shades. Leonardo’s first signed works date to the early 1990s, and demonstrate that he had already achieved an elevated quality in execution as well as his personal artistic style. Today he is considered one of the very few young emerging mosaicists. In the Le Pietre nell'Arte workshop he is flanked by his father Renzo Scarpelli, his master and guide, with whom he creates unique artistic masterpieces. 


Le Pietre nell’Arte has taken part in a wide variety of national and international fairs.

Opening hours: 9:00am - 6:30pm

No annual closing.
Languages spoken: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese

Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, and American Express

Arte a Palazzo di Vaccaro Stefania & C. S.a.s : Home & outdoor furniture and accessories

Arte a Palazzo by Paolo Flori is dedicated to decoration and beauty. In this workshop, new and unique solutions for the home are in constant evolution. Paolo Flori's original quest was to decorate a garden as if it is a living room – and he succeeded! Using resin and blending it with fabric, wood, iron, Arte a Palazzo creates furniture items from desk to chair to sofa – including pieces that withstand the weather without protection. Unique and never boring, Arte a Palazzo creates true works of art. Transforming objects, furniture, and surfaces, incorporating works of art, creating trompe l'oeils - Arte a Palazzo sees no limit. A beloved picture becomes a bed headboard that looks stiff yet is soft, and a soft drape of fabric on the other hand seems hard. The client's wish is command – and all shapes, designs, fabrics are possible. And if you want to decorate your floor with a design you particularly love, just ask.

Opening hours: 10:00am - 1:30pm and 4:00pm – 7:00pm

Closed: August and holidays

Languages spoken: English, French, and Spanish

Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard

Prices

Price per group for walking tour with English language guide:
From 2 to 4 people: € 187.00
From 5 to 8 people: € 220.00

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