A selection of family-friendly countries in Europe which are perfect for visiting with the kids this spring, by Mammaproof.

Whether to celebrate Valentine's Day or an anniversary, or simply to give your partner an amazing gift, here are some ideas for a romantic getaway.

Even without the reputation of Hollywood, Florence is also a very appreciated city to film movies. The capital of Tuscany has been the location for known movies such as A Room with a View by James Ivory, Tea with Mussolini from local filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, The Portrait of a Lady starring Nicole Kidman or Obsession, a of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, to mention a few. Already for 2015 the film version of Inferno, the best-seller story by Dan Brown is on production.

The beautiful city of Florence has delighted the greatest filmmakers with an intriguing atmosphere, medieval alleys and stunning historical buildings, is a unique referent in Europe and a much requested location for the greatest film productions.

A visit trough these movie locations doesn’t ignore all the worldwide-known cultural heritage of Florence. On the contrary, this is the hometown to many literary and arts great names and this is reflected anywhere, where you can always pass by a magic corner.

This time, we are taking a deep look to all the locations in the city from the famous movie Hannibal, a disturbing thriller based in a novel by Thomas Harris, sequel for The Silence of The Lambs, both two of the most famous movies by filmmaker Ridley Scott.

Thanks to the film, Santa María Novella pharmacy became a very popular and visited spot. Here is where the protagonist, played by Anthony Hopkins, goes to purchase perfumes and almonds soap to gift Clarice, character played by Julianne Moore. The business was founded in 1600, by Dominican friars who already worked with exotic aromas.

Hannibal is hidden on the false identity of Dr. Fell, who lives in Florence and works in the library at Palazzo Capponi (via dei Bardi, 36). However, the locations are usually relocated according to the movie production and when Pazzi goes to the library to pick up the belongings from the previous librarian, he goes upstairs at Spedale degli Innocenti, an old orphanage considered the first work by Filippo Brunelleschi. At the cloisters at this building there are terracotta works by Lucca della Robbia and paintings by Botticelli, Piero di Cosimo and Domenico Ghrilandaio.

The Piazza della Signora is another remarkable location in the movie. Here is where inspector Pazzi smokes before arriving to the reunion at Salone dei Cinquecento del Palazzo Vecchio, where there is a discussion to decide if Dr. Fell will be the new librarian at Capponi library. This square is the heart of the city, very close to the famous bridge Ponte Vecchio.

Also the Ponte Vecchio is featured in the movie. Here you will find many stores like the one where inspector Pazzi buys a silver bracelet that will help him getting Hannibal’s fingerprint. According to the legend, traders worked in the bridge because it was tax-free. It’s also believed here is where the expression ‘bankrupt’ started as, when traders couldn’t deal with the debt, soldiers broke his table so he couldn’t continue trading.

At the room in Gigli del Plazzo Vecchio is where the conference about arts takes place in the movie; here is also where the feared cannibal kills the inspector who follows him, Rinaldo Pazzi. It’s located at Piazza della Signoria and holds a museum with works by Miguel Angel, Visari or Brozino. At the main frontage, there is the famous tower, one of the symbols of Florence.

At the Santa Croce church is where the concert Dante's Inferno takes place and is where Hannibal meets with Rinaldo’s wife. This is the biggest Franciscan church in the world and, even the interior is not as remarkable as the façade, the decoration by Brunelleschi, Donatello or Giotto is remarkable. It’s known as the Temple for the Glories of Italy as it has the mortuary graves of historic characters like Miguel Angel, Galigelo, Dante or Maquiavelo.

Near Porcellino fountain, Dr. Lecter will stab gipsy Enrico Loverso when he tries to steal his bag. Porcellino is a funny sculpture made of bronze that represents a boar actually, not a pig. It’s a work by sculptor Pietro Tacca, a replica for the one at Palazzo Pitti, this is at Market Square in via Porta Rossa. The legend says that touching its mouth gives good luck and, to be even luckier, you must put a coin on its mouth.

If you get there, you’ll also see Mercato Nuevo that takes place daily around it, where you could purchase many craft products.

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

The region of Chianti stretches between Arezzo and the Colline Pisane. Regarded as the heart of Tuscany since time immemorial, it is made up of a number of grand landscapes dotted with vineyards, chestnut and holm oak forests, evocative medieval villages, romantic castles and fascinating colonial-style palaces. To crown it all, this is also the land that produces one of the finest wines in the world – Chianti.

A Route Through Chianti

Arriving from Florence, the customary approach road through this wine country takes visitors to the pretty town of Impruneta – in all, a 40-minute car ride. We were captivated by Impruneta on account of its numerous monuments, notably the crenellated belltower from the 13th century and the Basilica of Santa Maria with its Treasure Museum in the annex. Two events of international acclaim are held in these surroundings – the Fiera di San Luca (St Luke’s Fair) and the Festa dell'Uva (Grape Festival) with a traditional parade of allegorical floats. Both festivals are held in autumn.

While heading for Siena we stopped at the old medieval town of Greve in Chianti, which features a triangular public square. It is fringed by buildings and loggias which led us willy-nilly to the Church of Santa Croce. The most important wine fair in all Chianti is held precisely in this square. We then went for a stroll through the upper part of Greve, home to Montefioralle Castle which forms part of the old fortified town.

After passing briefly through the medieval village of Volpaia, we found ourselves in Radda. There we visited the 14th-century Church of San Niccolò and the majestic Palazzo Pretorio (dating from circa 1415). We then made for the parish Church of San Giusto in Salcio, located in a luxuriant hollow set between vineyards, and that of Santa Maria Novella with its characteristic Romanesque facade. As soon as we left, we went straight to the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico (Consortium of Classic Chianti Wine) which includes the Chiantigiano Study Centre.

Our journey continued across the Chianti hills where we came across panoramas that would take Instagram by storm. We passed through Gaiole, halfway between Florence and Siena and, as we were leaving the town, we stumbled upon some spectacular scenery of vineyards and castles, like those in San Leonino and Fonterutoli.

After leaving the Sienese town we approached Castellina, a stronghold of Etruscan origin with its beautiful central square traversed by the medieval Via delle Volte. From there we went to Monteriggione, a twenty-minute car ride away, built on a hillside and endowed with a compact, walled fortification.

Lastly, we stopped off at the splendid Poggibonsi, a town which holds its grape-treading festival in October.

The Wine

There is a large variety of Chianti wines on account of the peculiarities of local soils and the different production methods in each area or winery. Varying percentages of the same grape yield the leading names – Sangiovese (75-90%), Canaiolo (5-10%) and Malvasia (5-10%), the perfect composition hit upon by Baron Ricasoli in the 19th century to which Tuscan Trebbiano was subsequently added. Here the tradition is so deeply rooted that one can pick out the croplands planted with the different grape varieties.

The method of cultivation, known as L'Arco Toscana, takes place on clayey galestro soil which is porous and permeable and prevents water from collecting around the roots. A characteristic of the post-harvest period is that the grape clusters on some vines appear to have been overlooked, although this is actually part of a centuries-old “control” method. It consists of adding fresh raisin must to fermented wine to induce refermenting, by which all the sugar is converted into alcohol, yielding a particularly dry, stable wine.

After fermenting, the wines continue to be refined until March in steel casks or cement and, once bottled, are ready to be marketed.

Chianti has a characteristic fiery, ruby-red colour. The aroma is intense, with dominant violet, iris and vanilla, while the bouquet is harmonious and dry, with reminiscences of vanilla and almond. The experts claim it ages into a smoother, more velvety wine.

Chianti is a prefect table wine – the aged varieties and reserves pair with red meat, game and spicy cheeses. It is served at room temperature. As for local cuisine, typical Tuscan dishes include ribollita, its main ingredients being cooked vegetables left over from previous meals which are reboiled, augmented with dry bread and dressed with extra virgin olive oil. Another classic in the region are the antipasti such as chicken liver crostini, tomato bruschetta and Sienese capocollo,known locally as finocchiata.