Dante Alighieri guides to the discovery of Florentine excellence: the project “Discover the Florentine Workshops kicks off. Get to know the real Florence.”

A further addition to the #EnjoyRespectFirenze campaign, dedicated to the adoption of virtuous and conscious behaviors

Fundamental is the involvement of trade associations, as well as that of city and cultural realities and institutions, which will actively participate in the promotion and implementation of initiatives in the area, contributing skills, experience and deep-rooted relationships

Firenze, 30 aprile 2025 – Un nuovo Dante Alighieri, contemporaneo e curioso, si aggira tra le vie di Firenze per condurre cittadini e turisti alla scoperta dell’anima più autentica della città: le eccellenze locali. This is the symbolic face chosen to represent the project “Discover the Florentine Shops. Get to know the real Florence,” presented by the City of Florence and Destination Florence Foundation to promote the heritage of businesses that make up the Florentine identity, as a living element of the city’s identity. The initiative is part of the #EnjoyRespectFirenze awareness campaign, developed as part of the DDITS project – Great Italian Destinations for Sustainable Tourism funded by the Ministry of Tourism and created to invite tourists to a more respectful and conscious approach toward the city, going to add a further step toward the enhancement of local excellence, threatened by the pressure of mass tourism and economic changes.

Active from May throughout 2025, the new project officially launches today at the International Handicraft Fair, where actors portraying Dante Alighieri will promote the initiative to visitors and local exhibitors. In the following weeks, a series of innovative and engaging activities will “transform” the city into a large open-air story. Interactive silhouettes placed throughout streets and squares will provide detailed information about the project, while stickers, artistic installations, and posters will be spread across neighborhoods to draw attention to Florence’s hidden treasures. Content creators will also be involved, showcasing the daily life of artisan workshops, excellence-driven businesses, and local shops through viral social media content to reach new audiences. Additionally, foreign students will be engaged through the Belong project, which provides information and services to help them integrate into the community and immerse themselves in the city’s culture.

This is complemented by the installation of a series of temporary “GreenGraffiti” on sidewalks and urban spaces, made with easily removable water-based substances, to invite citizens and visitors to experience Florence with a conscious gaze and genuine respect.

The project relies on the fundamental collaboration of Confcommercio, Confesercenti, Cna, Confartigianato, Artex and Conventino, along with theAssociation of Historic Florentine Shops, which will actively participate in the promotion, networking of stores and stores and the implementation of the initiatives in the area, contributing expertise, experience and deep-rooted relationships. Thanks to their informative and informative contribution and the invaluable collaboration of the five Quarters, it will be possible to learn about all those small workshops where splendid objects are still being created that are the result of experience passion and tradition, as well as to spread a model of economy that defends authentic beauty, far from passing fads.

Also planned is the involvement of city institutions and associations, including the Florence School of Business Sciences and Industrial Technologies, Natural Shopping Centers, and Consortia of Historic Markets. The contents of the project will also be available within a special section of the EnjoyRespectFirenze website (www.enjoyrespectfirenze.it), while participating establishments will be given a recognizable sticker, as well as information materials about the project.

"Florence's artisanal heritage is not just economic wealth, but a living cultural legacy of hands, family histories and identity values, which must be protected-

Laura Masi, president of Destination Florence Foundation, emphasizes.

- This project therefore aims to put our excellence at the center, strengthening the bond between citizens, tourists and those who every day, with passion and effort but also pride and a sense of responsibility, carry on a tradition that is unique in the world. We do this with a choral and shared action, supported by institutions, associations and professionals, united to protect a valuable tradition. Through campaigns, installations, storytelling, widespread events, and the implementation of our EnjoyRespectFlorence campaign, a benchmark in promoting good practices for living and protecting Florence, we embark with residents and visitors on a journey of authentic and identity-driven experiences inside the oldest city: the city of workshops."

Destination Florence Foundation is the DMO of the City of Florence and the Metropolitan City for the sustainable tourism development of the destination, with a mission to attract major events, congresses, international weddings, and sustainable and increasingly high-quality tourism. A reality that unites public and private partners with the goal of improving the attractiveness and livability of Florence for visitors and residents, through the development of innovative projects and the deseasonalization of tourist flows

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