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FLORENCE FLORENCE Florence is a city that hasn’t forgotten a moment of its past, yet is continuously evolving and bettering itself. As the capital of the Tuscan Region of Italy, Florence has a rich his- tory with a unique personality. Streets and infrastructure saturated with Renaissance influence also host sensational shops and contem- porary artists. Recipes handed down for ages mingle with modern dishes. Being in the center of the country, Florence draws influence from all the best Italy has to offer. Some of the benefits include: wines from neighboring world-renowned Chianti region, dishes from techniques handed down for generations, and close access to nearly all of Italy’s well known cities. The neighborhoods of Florence have held unique personalities throughout the city’s past and today is no different. Wandering down any cobblestone-laden street will inevitably lead to sights, sounds, and tastes you didn’t expect and can’t forget. Filling your days with memories is a breeze and your trip’s biggest obstacle will likely be not having enough time. That’s what makes this guide a must, and we hope it helps you have the ideal Florentine experience. WHAT Florence has something new in store around every corner. Each neighborhood has a flare and personality of its own. Towering stone walls hide delicate gardens. Art from the most renowned artists blend together with contemporary creations. The next pages outline the spots that true Florentines love most in their city, which is probably a great place to start. @coisasdejuc WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods NEIGHBORHOODS OF FLORENCE Santa Croce - the art-filled church at the eastern edge of the centro storico is the focal point of one of the most genuine neighborhoods left in the center. Few tourists roam too far east of Piazza Santa Croce, so if you want to feel like a local, stay here. The streets around the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio and Piazza de’ Ciompi have a special appeal, local feel, and they get lively after dark. The Santa Croce neighborhood boasts some of the best restaurants and bars. The city-aperitivo hour is vibrant along Via de’ Benci and there is always something going on along Via Panisperna and Via de’ Macci Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods @luciapollynocera Santo Spirito - the trendy artisan quarter, with its bohemian spirit, Santo Spirito is often referred to as the most ‘genuine' neighborhood in Florence. Here, Italian hipsters and European ex-pats can partake in some of the country’s most cel- ebrated traditions – sitting quietly, chatting with friends, and enjoying the view, food and drink. Pick up spices from Chianti, special soaps and oils and don’t forget to stop by trendy Volume café for a caffè afterwards! Every second Sunday of the month the piazza transforms into a haven for lovers of antiques. People come from far and wide to browse through the old furniture and trinkets. Duomo Neighborhood - the Duomo is one of the lasting images travelers as- sociate with Florence. Be sure to wear comfy shoes if you decide to climb to the top of the dome. Just a few blocks down, the famous Ponte Vecchio is full of jewelry shops, many of which have been in the hands of the same families for generations. Although overpriced, there are some wonderful pieces to be @elimmayerson found. Around the corner, Piazza Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio, the Gucci Museum, the Uffizi and other “must-see” spots are a visual feast for visitors . The streets still vaguely follow the grid laid down when the city was a Roman colony and in the middle the grandiose Piazza della Repubblica. San Niccolò – This charming and very photogenic area is located on the Oltrar- no side of the river just at the foot of Florence’s southern hills. Small cozy streets, a lovely piazza and lots of restaurants and enoteche (wine bars). Don’t forget to pass through the ancient city wall, head up the hills and go for a walk along the beautiful Via dell’Erta Canina, which will lead you up to the lovely park and play- ground called Giardino della Carraia. San Niccolò is also a buzzing nightlife spot. When evening draws nigh, cross one of the bridges to drink and eat better food, at better prices, than you will generally find in the centro storico. San Lorenzo - is one of the most frequented neighborhoods, perhaps because of its grand market in the middle, Mercato Centrale. A market that sells deli- cious produce from fruits and veggies to cheeses and meats. In the area around San Lorenzo is a street market boasting a huge selection of leather goods. Be picky, as the quality definitely varies from vendor to vendor, as do the prices. WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods @manninafirenze Don’t be afraid to haggle! The Medici Chapel towers over this neighborhood where the tombs of the most famous Medici family members are located. The tombs were designed by Michelangelo which he was never able to finish, the sight of the chapel itself is just breathtaking. Needless to say San Lorenzo is always busy and full of people traffic. San Frediano - one of most popular neighborhoods in Florence and is becoming ever more fashionable. Entering through Porta San Frediano down Borgo San Frediano you’ll bump into the enormous Chiesa di Santa Maria di Carmine with its amazing Brancacci Chapel located inside, designed beautifully by Masaccio in 1423. San Frediano has many of the older artisans still working in their work- shops like in the past, creating new and authentic wood-working pieces such as furniture and picture frames. There are also artisans that restore old pieces of furniture to make it look brand new. They can definitely boast of their crafts- manship done in the same way as centuries ago, as for Francheschi Cornici making frames for over 20 years. @via_lense Piazzale Michelangelo - Piazzale Michelangelo was designed by architect Giuseppe Poggi and built in 1869 on a hill just south of the historic center, during the redevel- opment of Oltrarno, the left (South) bank of the Arno River. It was built as a terrace with a panoramic view of the city and dedicated to the Renaissance sculptor Michel- angelo. The square houses a copy of the David and the four allegories of the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo. Originally, it was intended to house a museum of works by Michelangelo. The view captures the heart of Florence from Forte Belvedere to Santa Croce, across the lun- garni and the bridges crossing the Arno, including the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello and the octagonal bell tower of the Badia Fiorentina. Beyond the city are the hills of Settignano and Fiesole. The Piazzale Michelangelo can be accessed by car along the tree-lined Viale Michelangelo, walking the stairs or going up the ramps from the Piazza Giuseppe Poggi, also known as the "Poggi Ramps" in the district of San Niccolò. Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com anamart 11 Stibbert Museum - The Stibbert Museum is a lesser-known desti- nation in Florence that hosts the remarkable collection of Frederick Stibbert. The collection hosts not only armor and weaponry, but also includes art, home furnishings, clothing, and numerous miscellaneous items, altogether amounting to approximately 50,000 artifacts. The WHAT TO SEE - Museums collection is located in Stibbert’s villa, which has been expanded more than once to accommodate all of the items. Palazzo Medici Riccardi - The Medici dynasty’s first city dwelling and later role model for Renaissance architecture in Florence. How was it to live in the Medici style? In this elegant and at that time innovative palazzo, don’t miss their private chapel of the Magi - a pretext to de- pict some VIPs of the time besides all the Medici members, together with the Gallery of Luca Giordano, masterpiece of late Baroque Flo- rentine art. Last but not least Michelozzo’s courtyard, the evocative Moreniana Library and remarking paintings, such as the Virgin with Child by Filippo Lippi all await in this ‘hidden’ treasure. Opificio Delle Pietre Dure - Today many visiting Florence, stand hours in line to visit ‘must see’ museums , while missing out on this little hidden jewel of Florence… no lines, yet an endless list of @owaaamatopeia semi precious stone artworks. Here you can imagine the artist choosing the perfect stone to represent a bird’s feathers or the shading of a fruit …and all seem so perfectly real. On the top floor, to get a better grip of this fascinating art, tools once used in the workshops and minerals are exposed. The true essence of the Florentine craftsmanship. @silvycali @jeanpierre_marrocco The museum of the Opera del Duomo Thanks to the renovations, the Opera del Duomo museum today shows three levels of display and a terrace where you can admire up close the “cupola”, the dome of the Florence Cathedral. Even though the museum has been open since the 19th century, the institution it refers to is as old as the cathedral. The Opera del Duomo, which has no relation with Pavarotti and the lyrical opera, was born in 1296. With the beginning of the construction of the church, the Opera was the “magistratura” which superintended the works in progress. The first house of the Opera was in a building a few meters away from the present museum address. It can be spotted because the front is covered with coats of arms, symbols of the Republic of Florence and the major guild of the Florentine merchants: the Arte di Calimala, the guild of the wool merchants. As a very wealthy and powerful guild, Calimala paid for the work on the religious buildings, especially for the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The spaces of the actual museum became the workshop space of the Opera only in the 15th century when the architect Brunelleschi was working on his world wide known masterpiece: the Dome! Inside the museum you can find a room dedicated to the incredible construction of the “cupolone”. The wooden model for the building is preserved as a relic in the museum together with the original pulleys used by Brunelleschi to bring the façade models. construction materials up to the top Arnolfo di Cambio’s statues are not of the Duomo, at a height of 90 the only originals visible in the Hall of meters! Paradise. The fortuitous name of the From the reopening of the museum, room comes from the famed Gates WHAT TO SEE - Museums the star of the Opera can be found of Paradise (also known as the Doors in the Hall of Paradise, it’s the full- of Heavens) by Lorenzo Ghiberti. size model of the original front of This main gate of the Baptistery has the cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio. been restored in a state-of-the- The façade of the Florentine Duomo art conservation and is preserved has a rough beginning because the under a nitrogen glass box. At its architect and sculptor who designed side are also the two other doors of the entire project died before the the Baptistery, the South Door by sculpted decoration was completed. Andrea Pisano and the North Door. It was never finished and was left The originals statues and relieves from there until the Medici family had the Campanile di Giotto, the bell- enough and decided to take away all tower of the Cathedral. Since the the remaining statues. The works of building was decorated with artworks art ended up in the Opera workshop by the first and most important artist and deposit. All the statues and of the Renaissance, like Donatello artworks that were considered out of and Nanni di Banco, their figures of fashion were stuffed in the piazza del “Prophets” are now displayed in the Duomo, n.9. They are now displayed Gallery of the Campanile together in the museum on the impressive with the medieval decorations by @sarinaaaflo Andrea Pisano. A few masterpieces of architect Arnolfo di Cambio. When it Renaissance masters in the Museum was nearly completed at the end of the of the Opera are the “Cantorie” (Choir 14th century it was the largest church Galleries) by Donatello and Luca della in Europe. Today, it is the third largest Robbia, the strikingly modern figure of church after the Saint Peter Basilica in the “Mary Magdalene” by Donatello, the Vatican and Saint Paul’s in London. and last but not least the moving “Pietà” Even though everyone in Florence by Michelangelo. refers to the building as the “Duomo”, Touring the Museum of the Opera the church is dedicated to the Virgin you will learn about the history of the Mary of the Flower, which is the flower religious center of Florence and witness lily symbol of Florence. Arnolfo di the artistic changes that led to what is Cambio created a Gothic cathedral that today one of the most beautiful sights in was filled on the outside with incredibly Florence! rich marble decoration. The church is covered with marble inlays of three Cathedral and Baptistry colors: white, green and pink. Although The Florentine cathedral, mainly known the sculpture decoration of the original as the “Duomo” is a must for new visitors front was striking, today it is only in town. It is an impressive element in visible in the museum of the Opera del the city’s skyline and one of Florence’s Duomo because the present façade was symbols. The Duomo was built over completed only between 1871 and 1884. a century to celebrate the power of In the 19th century, architect Emilio de the city of Florence. Construction Fabris, designed the new - pardon the began in 1296 and was designed by the expression “Neo” Gothic front by using a style that was inspired by the ancient The exterior marble decoration is part of the church and decoration made with white marble slabs from of the Bell-tower (the Campanile di Carrara and green ones from Prato( Giotto). Inside the Cathedral you can two Tuscan cities). The interior dome find the artworks of early Renaissance is covered with colorful mosaics that WHAT TO SEE - Museums artists, like Donatello and Ghiberti, show Old testament stories and the besides more extravagant paintings Final Judgment with Christ on top by Andrea del Castagno and Paolo of the altar surrounded by the saved Uccello. But, the treat of the visit souls in Heaven and the damned souls is the decoration of the dome. The in Hell. The awful depiction of hell is “cupola” by Brunelleschi was frescoed featured in the novel by Dan Brown in the 16th century when Cosimo I precisely entitled “Inferno”. de’ Medici commissioned Giorgio The Baptistery is also famous for its Vasari to the “Last Judgment”, three sets of doors, the South Door which was completed by Federico by Andrea Pisano, the North Door Zuccari in 1579. The Battistero by Lorenzo Ghiberti and the famed of San Giovanni , the Florentine Gates of Paradise known as Ghiberti’s baptistery is smaller in size but has a masterpiece! Recently the last copy long history. It’s considered an 11th of the North Door was uncovered in century building by some historians front of Florentines and visitors. The and it was definitely done by the originals gates are united in the new time of Dante. The greatest of the display of the Museum of the Opera Florentine poets was baptized inside. del Duomo. Discover The museum of the Opera del Duomo/Cathedral and Baptistry @nikkiseyes @msquillantini @beppe_a @durkfang Palazzo Vecchio lords of the city. The Palazzo Vecchio stands on the For this reason, inside the Palazzo eastern side of Piazza della Signoria as Vecchio, the tour of the museum leads the medieval city hall from the beginning visitors into the ducal and duchess of the 14th century. Its original name apartments. Contrary, the medieval was Palace of the Priors (as “priori” part of the battlements and the tower of or priors who were the members of Arnolfo can be visited if weather permits. the government councils). It earned From the tower you can have the third its present definition of “VECCHIO” best view of Florence (the top two being (OLD) in the 16th century not because the one from the dome of the Duomo it was an ancient medieval building but and the other from the Bell-tower of because it became the old residence of Giotto). the Medici family when they moved to In Piazza della Signoria next to the their new palace (Pitti Palace). Palazzo Vecchio the Loggia dei Lanzi The long history of Palazzo Vecchio stands displaying its impressive three started in 1299-1314 as the government arches. The lodge was build at the palace (in the high Renaissance the end of the 14th century for the public palace of the Republic). The David by ceremonies of the government. Today Michelangelo stood as its symbol at the it is decorated by original sculptures side of the main entrance. In the 16th by Cellini, Giambologna, Pio Fedi and century the Medici family, specifically ancient roman statues . Alessandro, the Duke of Florence The entire square is full of statues. moved in and established themselves as Along with Michelangelo’s David is the Fountain of Neptune by Ammannati Casa di Dante e Quartiere and the monument to the Granduke Medievale Cosimo I de Medici which proves the The main part of the historical Medici’s love for art and their aim to Medieval center of Florence was cover the public spaces of Florence destroyed in the 19th century during WHAT TO SEE - Museums with beauty. the renovations around the piazza della Repubblica. You can still have Galileo Museum a taste of Medieval Florence in the For the science buff in you that needs neighborhood where Dante Alighieri a break from the renaissance art lived. The House Museum of Dante scene, there is the Galileo Museum. is a rare example of the old typical Though there is a lot covering Galileo’s Medieval house, called “casa-torre” life, there is also a general theme ( tower-house) for its defensive of the development of science. appearance. You can walk the street Interactive tools also bring the where the great poet Dante once museum alive and bring the strolled by, probably met the love of evolution of science into his life, Beatrice Portinari, and see perspective. the little church of Santa Margherita, which was the parish church of the Alighieri family. Interested in some Customized Tours to Enjoy Florence’s B-Sides? www.florencetown.com @kaytayhank @lovegoodyu Inferno Tour the Baptistery, the Paradise Gates, and the Taking part in the “Inferno Tour” is an uncon- Cathedral of Florence, where guests are en- ventional way to experience several highlights lightened with knowledge of the symbols and of Florence, on the steps of the best seller codes as described in the book. The highlight “Inferno” by the American writer Dan Brown experience is the visit to Palazzo Vecchio - later turned into movie, filmed in Florence (described by Dan Brown as “a giant chess in 2015. piece that has become an inimitable symbol It’s an opportunity to enjoy a intriguing path of Florence), where faith and science join of mind-blowing details, together with breathless anecdotes, and clue-filled revelations. This leads the history that reveals all the way through the beauti- most important sights and ful “Salone dei 500” and locations that professor the Museum of Palazzo Robert Langdon - the Vecchio, with its Hall of main character - visits in Geographical Maps, the the Brownian dark mas- balconies and Dante’s terpiece. This half day death Mask. Getting ad- walking tour introduces vantage of an afternoon guests to Dante and his extension, there’s also Divine Comedy, focuses the chance to combine on Botticelli’s painting en- this experience to the titled Inferno and includes visit of Uffizi Gallery and an in-depth description of Vasari Corridor, highlight the connection it has with Dante and the his- of the novel and exciting Robert Langdon’s tory of the Divine Comedy. The tour includes escape from Grotta del Buontalenti (at Bob- the visit to the Casa di Dante, from outside, oli Garden) to Palazzo Vecchio. Discover the secrets of Dan Brown’s Novel www.infernoflorencetour.com The Uffizi Gallery Vinci and Raffaello. Its large collection has The “Galleria degli Uffizi” is one of the works from all centuries but a large part most famous museums in the world, given dates back to the periods between the 12th the rich amount of unique artworks and and 17th centuries. masterpieces conserved within its walls, History of the Uffizi Gallery the majority is from the Renaissance pe- The huge building of the Uffizi was not riod. created as a museum. It was ordered in Located in the heart of Florence, the 1560 by Cosimo I de’ Medici, first Grand Uffizi Gallery hosts works of art by great Duke of Tuscany, to house the administra- Italian artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, tive and judiciary offices of Florence, the Cimabue, Michelangelo, Leonardo da “uffizi” (Uffizi is an ancient way of saying of the church are still visible from that street. When Giorgio Vasari passed away in 1574, the project was incomplete and two other architects, Bernardo Buon- talenti and Alfonso Parigi the Elder, WHAT TO SEE - Museums completed the Uffizi around 1580. In 1581 Francesco I de’ Medici, Cosi- mo’s son and new Grand Duke of Tus- cany, set up a Gallery with statues and other precious objects on the last floor of the east wing of the Uffizi. The heart of the original museum is located in the in Italian “Uffici” which could be trans- octagonal shaped room called Tribuna, lated with the English word “Offic- created by Buontalenti for Francesco es”). At the time when the grandiose I to host Francesco’s favorite works building was being built, the Medici of art and jewels. The Tribune is con- hegemony was secure. Cosimo called sidered the most ancient and precious upon his favorite artist, Giorgio Vasari, heart of the Uffizi, still maintaining its to design the u-shaped building we still original shape from its 1584 construc- admire today. The great architect also tion. It represents the four elements designed, in 1565, an incredible aerial and is fully decorated with marvelous passage way which took his name, the marble, precious stones and shells. Vasari Corridor: a long corridor con- The concept of “museum” was devel- necting Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo oped in 1769, when the Gallery was Pitti. It was used by the Medici family officially opened to public, by Grand to pass through the Uffizi over to the Duke Peter Leopold in 1769, who was Ponte Vecchio. The secret passage possibly the most enlightened and im- was built to celebrate the marriage be- tween Cosimo’s son, Francesco I, and Joanna of Austria. To build the Uffizi and make space for the huge complex many constructions were demolished. Among them San Pier Scheraggio, an ancient and important Romanesque church. You can still see some remains of the old church on the ground floor, in the so called Via della Ninna, facing Palazzo Vecchio on your right side. The arches and columns of one of the aisles portant member of the Austrian house church of Santa Felicita, where the Medi- of Lorraine, new regnant family of the ci could likewise attend Mass without Grand Duchy until the unification of Italy. mingling with the minions; 2) A royal mis- Nowadays the Uffizi Gallery is undoubt- sive which kicked out all the butcher shops edly one of the most admired and visited along the Ponte Vecchio (the Medici museums all over the world. found them rather stinky) and called for goldsmiths, which were more appropri- The Medici Way ate for the princely family to walk above Did you know that there is a secret pas- (Till’ this day the Pontevecchio can only sageway that passes above Florence, host goldsmiths shops). Strolling through from the Palazzo Vecchio, over the Ponte the corridor is like taking a 500 year old Vecchio and to the Boboli Gardens? If walk. It is a long (1km) magic walk “above” you look at the Ponte Vecchio from the Florence and gives a incredible overview outside you can see a row of windows all of the cradle of the Renaissance, with its along the top; look at where those win- narrow windows overlooking the streets dows continue on either side. That is the and from which the Medici “could look Vasari Corridor, the secret corridor of onto the people without being seen..”. the Medici Family! This corridor, named Only the part right in the middle of the “Vasari corridor” after the name of the Ponte Vecchio has been modified in re- Architect Giorgio Vasari -who did the cent times. Apparently in 1938, (right Uffizi, too, btw - was built in 1565 to before the WWII began) Benito Mussoli- avoid the Medici Family from passing ni, who ruled Italy as a dictator, had the through the streets of Florence, as they honor of hosting his good friend Adolf moved from their Royal residence (Pala- Hitler. To impress him, he showed him the zzo Pitti) to the city council and their beauty of Florence by taking a pleasant offices (The Uffizi). Around 1km long, it walk using the Vasari Corridor. The fron- was ordered by the Grand Duke Cosimo tal part of the central hall of the corridor, de’ Medici as a gift to his son Francesco I just above the Ponte Vecchio, was “made de’ Medici and his wife to be, Giovanna of up” on the occasion, and the three central Austria, along with many other “presents” small rounded windows were transformed (such as the frescos of the hall of 500s in three almost floor-to-ceiling-ones in Palazzo Vecchio, the sculpture of the in order to show Hitler a better sight of Neptune in Piazza Signoria, just to name a beautiful Florence. Hitler appreciated few) The construction of the corridor be- this gesture so much that when he was gan in 1565 and happily ended about only bombing Italy a couple of years later, 5 months later. It was inaugurated for the he ordered for the destruction of every Royal wedding on December 16, 1565. bridge in Florence (to avoid the Ameri- Since Cosimo would use the corridor, he cans and the Partisans to cross the river thought he’d get it “fully equipped”, so he and conquer the city center) except the asked for: 1) A private balcony onto the Ponte Vecchio along with the magnificent architectural piece of the Vasari Corri- dor. For this reason, the Ponte Vecchio with its incredible corridor was safe all the way through the worst war that humanity remembers. The corridor in its present state houses the most comprehensive WHAT TO SEE - Museums self-portrait collection of the world with more than 700 paintings. They have been donated over the years by preeminent international artists such as the Architect Giorgio Vasari itself, some members of Medici family and a huge number of art- ists such as Bernini, Velasquez, Rembrant, and many others. Throughout the path, paintings date to the ‘600,‘700, up to the ‘900 and then contemporary times. Among them, stands Anna Maria Luisa, the last descendant of the Medici Family, used in Dan Brown’s best-selling novel which can be considered one of the most “Inferno” which was set in Florence. Prof. important figures in Florentine history. Langdon and – no doubt – super pretty Thanks to her Florence till this day keeps Dr. Sienna Brooks saved their lives run- all of the treasures that used to belong to ning along the corridor as they crossed the family. They would potentially be lost the whole city without being seen. Call it forever if she had not given this gift to the magic but, while you wait for the movie to city, Florentine people, and humanity. If air in September or October 2016, don’t you are a curious traveler willing to dis- miss the chance to take a walk yourself cover more and moved by the love of art along the Corridor. Call it Magic… the we recommend you do not miss this spe- movie Inferno has just been released, last cial opportunity to walk along the corridor. October. The Vasari Corridor is currently Take the time to lean out of the windows under major recontruction, this will prob- and spy the minions, watch the city from a ably take all 2017. different perspective as you cross it with- out being seen, look at some of the most The Vasari Corridor can be admired by important artists of all times in the eye, taking a fascinating external guided walk- and hear the steps of the Medici walking ing tour along the Corridor. secretly along the corridor. Speaking of modern times, the Corridor was recently Galleria dell’ Accademia The Galleria dell’Accademia was established in the XVIII century as a teaching fa- cility for students of the neighboring Academy of Fine Arts. It was founded in 1784 by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine. The Accademia is housed in the antic spaces of the Hospital of Saint Matthew and the Convent of Saint Niccolo Cafag- gio. The halls were used to display artworks as academic models for the students of the Academy of Fine Arts. Progressively, the Galleria dell’Accademia was enriched by paintings gathered from convents or monasteries which were suppressed by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine at the end of the XVIII century and later on also by Napoleon in 1810. Ten years after the Gallery of Accademia was opened to the public, the museum changed various arrangements to showcase tapestries, paintings and sculptures, mainly when Michelangelo’s Prisoners were moved into the Accademia in 1909. Without a doubt, the Galleria dell’Accademia is most famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are drawn to the museum each year to visit his greatest works such as the infamous statue of David, His Prisoners(or Slaves), and his St. Matthew just to name a few. The original statue of Michelangelo’s David was transferred from Piazza della Si- gnoria into the Galleria in 1873. The architect Emilio de Fabris projected a special tribute with a large skylight to shelter David, eventually completed in 1882. Other must see’s in the Accademia consist of the Rape of Sabines, Cassone Adimari, and Jacopo Di Cione: Incoronation of the Virgin. Among Michelangelo, there are many talented Italian artists such as painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlan- daio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Allessandro Allori and Orcagna. The Accademia is divided into distinct halls given that they all specialize in distinct areas. Beginning with the Hall of Colossus one can find the Rape of Sabines, in the Hall of Prisoners are unfinished statues of Michelangelo, The Tribune holds Michelangelo’s statue of David, Gipsoteca Bartolini known as the hall of models and is seen as a reproduc- tion of Bartolini’s art studio, Florentine Gothic which is dedicated to 13th and 14th century paintings. Join Our Daily tours at the Accademia Gallery! www.florencetown.com @magic.italy Renaioli Once upon a time the “renaioli” were workers who used to gather the “rena” from the Arno river, navigating the river with a small boat with a flat bottom by using a long climbing pole to make the boat move. “Rena” is a type of sand of extremely high quality and it was used to put the finishing touches to the wall’s plaster. From the river, the “renaioli” retrieved various materials that were essential to build pal- aces and other architectural buildings that are still in function today. The sand and other materials were carried to the sites with carts pulled by horses. These carts were called “Barrocci” and they always travelled the same route. The “Renaioli” became an important figure for the Arno river and for Florence. They were vital for the architecture and characteristic lifestyle of a city that is a leading destination for merchants, politicians, artists and travelers for centu- ries. Strong men, often bare-backed with large brimmed hats, sailed up and down the “Arno” river catching the attention of many people and were often protagonist of very important deeds. They often acted as lifeguards along the river in the many occasions where imprudent bathers found themselves in trouble. Their boats were also very important in case of city floods. For centuries the work of the “Renaioli” was very precious, handed down from father to son for generations. It was known as a demanding job that often created envy. It allowed them to work every day because of Florence’s high demand for the necessary materials that were recovered from the bot- tom of the river. Lots of the prestigious buildings made thanks to “renaioli” work are still en- riching the Florentine Lungarno and can be admired from a different per- spective joining the Florencetown boat tour. Boats used on Florencetown tours are the actual boats which were used by the Florentine “Renaioli” in the past. For centuries, until a few decades ago, you could view crowds of “Renaioli” scouring the Arno river several times a day to recover precious material necessary to reconstruct Florence’s most prestigious palaces. @anushkagupta5 @fifteenninety @ila_926 GARDENS Boboli Gardens avenues, a considerable amount of stone, a The Boboli Gardens (Giardini di Boboli) huge employment of statues and fountains, is a renown Florentine park, home to a and a proliferation of detail and classical collection of sculptures dating from the accents, such as grottos, nympheums, and 16th to the 18th centuries, with some garden temples. Roman antiquities. The gardens have passed through several Located behind the Pitti Palace, they are stages of enlargement and restructuring, among the first and most familiar 16th- becoming a real outdoor museum of century Italian gardens, and were laid out garden sculptures. Pizza Pitti, 1, Florence for Eleonora di Toledo - wife of Cosimo I +39 055 229 8732 de’ Medici. The name “Boboli” is a transformation of The Amazing Torrigiani Gardens, a the original “Bogoli”, a family from whom Florentine ‘other world’ land was bought to construct the garden. Entering the biggest private garden in Among the creators of the Gardens, Europe is like stepping into a secret garden we count Niccolò Tribolo, Bartolomeo from a mysterious 18th century English Ammannati, Giorgio Vasari, and Bernardo novel. The variety in plant life is incredible, Buontalenti. there have been over 4,000 different The gardens have a beautiful and expansive plant species (including many exotic view of the city, pretty unconventional for ones). The garden is also studded with that time, and are very lavish, considering huge ancient cedar, oak, horse-chestnut, no access was allowed outside the cypress, magnolia and plane trees. Don’t immediate Medicifamily. miss the restored greenhouse, the temple The garden style contains wide gravel of Arcadia, Merlin’s Grotto, remains of the wall built by Cosimo I, the ‘antique’ is associated with the idea of being corner, bamboo grove, the Neogothic indestructible. style Tower of Baccani. Viale Giuseppe Poggi, 2, - Firenze Via de’ Serragli, 144, Florence +39 055 055 +39 055 22 4527 The Giardino dei Semplici, Florence’s WHAT TO SEE - Gardens Botanical Garden The Bardini Gardens, a Secret Garden The city’s Botanical Garden is simply that isn’t the Boboli called the “Simple Garden”. The These gardens were first owned by the garden, started in 1545 for Cosimo I de’ medieval Mozzi family, later bought Medici, is one of the oldest botanical by Stefano Bardin, an antique dealer. gardens in the world. The 2.5 hectares Today, inside the villa, you can see in Florence’s historical center offer a the permanent collection of works by rich collection of centuries-old trees Pietro Annigoni . From the terraces, and potted plants, a patrimony of the which are much less crowded than entire world. Be sure to admire orchids Piazzale Michelangelo, you can see and bromeliads housed in the two the Duomo. A fantastic restaurant is greenhouses . located in the museum complex, La Via Pier Antonio Micheli, 3, 50121 Firenze +39 055 275 644 Leggenda dei Frati. Check out their FB page for updates on musical concerts and other events that they host here, it’s a lot of fun! Address: Costa San Giorgio, 2, - Firenze Phone: 055 2006 6206 Florence Rose: a Garden in Bloom May is absolutely the best time to head to this tranquil garden located underneath Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s free, you can bring a book or a friend and spend hours with a view of the city. The world-famous Belgian artist Jean Michel Folon provided 12 bronze statues placed in various spots. Many enjoy using them as fun photo-ops. There is a special Japanese section, full of pine trees, since evergreen @creep_petra Foreign Florentines of the 19th Century “He came to Florence long ago, and painted here these walls, that shone for Raphael and for Augelo, with secrets deeper than his own, then shrank into the dark again, and died, we know not how or when”. James Russell Lowell – “Masaccio – In the Brancacci Chapel” We often make travel arrangements based on the stories our friends or loved ones have told us about the destinations they have visited and, charmed by the union between said stories and our imagination, we embark on a journey in order to explore cities, regions or, at times, entire countries. Our aim is to contribute to your discovery of a unique chapter of the history of Florence by way of guiding you through the streets on which many illustrious foreign nationals lived. They were drawn here by the same mystique that lured you here in the first place, some by chance or, perhaps, by the need to envision when and how western civilization was conceived. Many of them were scholars, some were others were diplomats or artists, people who had either planned on coming here or just ended up staying in this magnificent city after seeing it. The presence of these “Foreign Florentines” is not as inescapable as the his- torical, architectural and artistic magnificence our city will enfold you with, but there is evidence of their lives and contributions, which we intend to point toward during your stay. Upon your arrival, the marble plate bearing the names of English poet Percy Blysshe Shelley and his wife, English writer Mary Wol- lostonescraft Shelley, bid you the first literary welcome, as it is found on the façade of the building directly across from the train station. Their son Percy Florence was born there and was named after his birthplace. Find- ing your way into the city center, if you look to your left while admiring the façade of the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella by Leon Battista Alberti, you see the building where American Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived and translated Dante’s Divine Comedy from Italian to English for the first time. Minutes away from it, you will find Via Tornabuoni, the most exclusive and elegant street in the city. At the end of this street is Palazzo Bar- tolini-Salimbeni in Piazza Santa Trinita, where American novelist Her- man Melville lived. While in Florence, he had the opportunity to admire American sculptor Hiram Power’s work in his Via della Fornace studio, and stated that “Florence is the place, above all others, wherein men attain to perfection in all the arts”. If we cross Ponte Vecchio to go “Oltrarno” (Across the Arno River) toward Santo Spirito, which is probably “the” Florentine neighborhood, you will walk besides Piazza Pitti 22, where Russian writer Fedor Dostoevskij wrote “The Idiot”, one of the greatest masterpieces of Russian literature. Just a stones throw away, we see Casa Guidi in Piazza San Felice 8, where Victorian-Era English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browing lived and died. It was here that she wrote Casa Guidi Windows, a poem for Tuscan indepen- dence. Further into the neighborhood, on Via de Serragli, American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne was inspired to write “The Marble Faun”, also known as “Romance of Monte Beni”, high- ly praised by fellow American James Russell Lowell, a diplomat, and Dante, scholar and poet who lived at Palazzo Bartolini-Salimbeni in 1874. Imagine taking a longer route to reach Forte di Belvedere. After having ad- mired a breathtaking view of the city from Piazzale Michelangelo, you can follow Viale dei Colli to Via San Leonardo. Minutes from San Miniato Church, on a warm spring afternoon, you will see the villa in which Russian composer Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky lived and found peaceful inspiration to compose his opera, Queen of Spades. Follow the street until you reach the Forte, or continue down on Costa San Giorgio until you arrive at Piazza San- ta Maria Soprarno and Via dè Bardi, where English Renaissance historian and museum director Sir John Pope Hennessy lived and died. Their journey was long and tiresome, much more than it would have been today, but they nevertheless reached their destination in their quest of cultural exploration to find the inspiration needed to give life to something that would have been extolled posthumously. Many foreigners have moved to Florence ever since, establishing the several communities that have added to the cultural legacies these illustrious people have started and that are now an instrumental component of our city’s long-standing inter- national element. Over one hundred academic international programs were opened in Florence several decades ago and thousands of students come to live here every year to study and explore centuries of cultural and social devel- opment thanks to their professors’ ongoing commitment and impactful efforts. You are now ready to walk through the same streets which, despite the changes that underscore today’s world, have maintained their promise to make you part of a unique and unforgettable experience. Italian-American author Massimo De Francesco spent half of his life in the United States, where he studied at Rutgers University and worked at several international organizations. He now lives in Florence, where he teaches En- glish and lectures about the contribution foreign nationals have given to our city from a literary, artistic and social perspective. He has gladly contributed to our book in light of the passion we all share for this city. Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com EAT & We all have a few foods that bring us back to a moment of our past; A memory locked in a flavor. Dining in Florence has this same tendency. The tastes and flavors you experience will likely end up being some of the most vivid memories. So, choose wisely. Here we want to point you to the sips, morsels, and moments that you’ll want to bask in for days on end, and more importantly, you’ll never forget. @artfud EAT & DRINK - Restaurants RESTAURANTS OF FLORENCE BORGO ANTICO - overlooks the en- OLIO - in Santo Spirito is the restau- chanting Piazza Santo Spirito and offers a rant/”bottega” par excellence. The sort of charm completely different from décor is elegant with a modern charm. the majority of restaurants in Florence. The menu respects old Italian traditions Youcan expect to be surrounded by a with elevated elegance, as Eggs 65° vibrant environment with eclectic shops, with artichoke pure and white truffles. artisans, street markets, the night life, The kitchen offers a selection to suit street lights, musical bands and concerts, everyone, including those picky eaters, the list goes on. Go for the pizza, it’s pre- from fish to fresh pastas to divine pared according to the Florentine style, desserts and an extensive wine list to thin crusted and baked in wood-burning boost. ovens. Piazza Santo Spirito, 6/R - Florence Via di Santo Spirito, 4, Firenze +39 055 210437 +39 055 265 8198 ANTICA TORRE TORNABUONI - From this wonderful terrace you can enjoy in tranquility a truly unique panorama: the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, the hills of Fiesole and Settignano, the Arno river, the Ponte Santa Trinita and Via Maggio, the church of San Miniato al Monte, the Forte Belvedere, Palazzo Vecchio, the Santa Trinita bell tower: wherever you will turn your eyes, Florence will show you all its splendor. Enchanted by the best view of Florence, you can spend time in the Panoramic Bar where there is an excellent list of the finest wines and many delights to taste. Via de' Tornabuoni, 1, 50123 Firenze FI +39 0552658161 OLIO RESTAURANT - Olio Restaurant boasts decades of experience in the field of Florentine restaurant business. The elegant spaces blend perfectly with the attention you will receive from the highly qualified staff, ready to accompany you on a unique culinary experience. Via Santo Spirito, 4, 50124 Firenze FI +39 0552658198 EAT & DRINK - Restaurants LA CASALINGA - a really affordable Salad and relax. and yummy traditional Tuscan trattoria. Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 80r – Florence Make reservations and enjoy the house +39 055 290423 wine. This family-run place has been LUNGARNO 23 - Enjoy genuine, here forever, and is famous for being a healthy hamburgers of Tuscan Chianina budget-friendly destination serving up made using only meat that comes directly (no surprise there) heartyFlorentine from the breeding farms of the area of or- home-cooking. The interior is as basic as igin. Very detailed research on the primary it gets, but it is warm and inviting. Sea- ingredients as for the Chianina beef (IGP). soned locals assure that food is indeed This Km 0 menu guarantees a very short still great quality. production and distribution chain, de- Via dè Michelozzi, 9R – Florence signed to offer a product of ancient origins +39 055 218624 now proposed in an updated version. II BORRO BISTRO - For a true Lungarno Torrigiani, 23 - Florence Tuscan experience, check out the Borre +39 055 2345957 Bistro. Not only will you find typical OSTERIA DEI BUONGUSTAI Tuscan cuisine, but every material within Among the so many wonderful this restaurant originated in Tuscany. restaurants in the centro storico, this The bistro strives to make your visit an is the place to enjoy wonderful, cheap, experience filled with many emotions. traditional Tuscan food . The kitchen Located on the edge of the Arno River, appears immediately to your left with this is the perfect place to grab a Caprese a glass window so that anyone can look @chef_patrice inside and watch your food being cooked. TRATTORIA GARGANI - this Flor- Their pasta alla carbonara, a hearty pasta ence institution was established in the made with pancetta {bacon},egg and 1970’s by Sharon Oddson and Giuliano parmesan, they always get it right. Go Gargani, and their signature flair remains early, as it can get packed! in both the kitchen and dining room: Via de’ Cerchi, 15R - Florence bright red walls still today house Garga’s +39 055 291304 mural paintings.The food is Italian with a twist: marinated anchovies with garlic and L’ ORTONE -If the image of a juicy lime,or fresh fettuccine with orange zest steak makes your mouth water, L’Ortone in a creamy brandy sauce washed down is your dinner destination. This restau- with a great wine list of both local Tuscan rant’s menu is inspired by typical Tuscan and Italianbottles. cuisine, featuring the famous Florence Via del Moro, 48 - Florence steak called the Bistecca Alla Fiorentina. +39 055 239 8898 L’Ortone offers two floors of seating: CIBREO - THE restaurant you have to one with a more intimate feel,and the go to in Florence. It’s menu is based on other with view of the kitchen. If you’re traditional Tuscan cooking, before the looking for a buffet style meal, come to introduction of pasta. The menu sticks by Aperijazza, their event on Tuesdays, for a classic dishes - e.g., polenta, minestra di cocktail bar and buffet! pane, pappa al pomodoro - but they are Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 87/red - Florence typically done with concentrated flavors +39 055 2340804 in a more sophisticated way than your @mustraverissimo EAT & DRINK - Restaurants typical Italian restaurant. The secondi are BUCA LAPI - Considered one of the also highly recommended, including their best trattorias in Florence if not THE collo di polloripieno (stuffed chicken best. This once 16th century wine cellar neck). today confers a casual atmosphere. Ser- Via dei Macci, 118 - Florence vice is impeccable and their simple yet +39 055 234 1100 refined cuisine serves house specialties as Ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta LA GROTTA GUELFA - What a nice with sage and butter cream and their surprise, a restaurant not crowded right Florentine steak (bistecca alla fiorentina) is quiet impressive, while the steak is in the heart of the city center. Sit under a perfect rare without being ‘raw’. Prices Medieval Loggia outdoors in the summer, are pretty high,but definitely worth it. or inside its cozy Medieval ambient. Their Via del Trebbio, 1r - Florence tagliolini Degli Infangati (fresh pasta with +39 055 213768 porcini mushroom and Tuscan lard), on- MARINA DI SANTOSPIRITO ion soup served with whole wheat bread, - A new spot on the backstreets in the osso buco stew prepared Guelfa-style, Oltrarno known for the crudo (raw fish are to die for. Last but not least home- platters) and quality fish and fresh pasta. made ‘torta della nonna’ (grandma’s pie) Spectacular in every sense … from dish you won’t regret ! presentation to perfect harmony in Via Pellicceria, 5 - Florence flavors, as for the ambience which is pre- 055 210042 cise in every detail. A great surprise for Florence also offering live music concerts from Ponte Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti with dinner. Five stars! which in the summer,can feel like a river Via Maffia, 1/C, 50125 Firenze of people. It’s quite frankly, a wine fueled +39 333 317 8831 refuge!Make reservations for tables outside as they fill up quick. OSTERIA ANTICA MESCITA SAN Piazza dei Rossi, 1 - Florence NICCOLO - The osteria actually is +39 055 239 8132 inside what was once a chapel of next door church San Niccolò, dating from CAFFÈ DELL’ORO - the desire of the 11th century. The subtle but dramatic people to get together and spend time background is a nice complement to chatting, reading, and enjoying traditional the food, which is simple Tuscan at its dishes: The Caffè dell’Oro, the Lungarno best. Taste their pollo con limone ( tasty Collection restaurant bistrot, offers all chicken in a lemon-scented broth), in this and more. This all-day-dining Italian winter, spezzatino di cinghiale con aromi bistrot it is a place to appreciate flavours, (wild boar stew with herbs). Reservations savoring the freshness of the ingredients are advised. and the virtuous semplicity of the recipes, Address: Via San Niccolò 60/r - Florence coming directly from Italy’s gastronomic Telephone: 055 2342836 tradition. Don’t miss the chance to relax, LE VOLPI E L’UVA - Continues to sipping a great coffee, and admiring impress with their casual ambiance, great the most beautiful view over the Ponte snacks and yes, it’sopen on Monday. Vecchio! Part of the appealis that it’s situated in Lungarno Acciaiuoli 2P – Florence a tiny little piazza off of the main route Telephone: 05527268912 @luisapimentelmartins EAT & DRINK MARKETS OF FLORENCE San Lorenzo market la, cheeses, chocolate and ice cream, Open daily from 10 am to midnight, fresh pasta, wines, lampredotto and the Mercato Centrale Firenze is a sandwiches. large covered marketplace where au- The first floor contains an as- thenticity, spontaneity and tradition sorted selection of vendors to choose all meet in the San Lorenzo area of from. It is the perfect combination of a Florence. The iron and glass build- modernized food hall with the freshest ing was designed in 1874 by architect variations of ingredients. All operators Giuseppe Mengoni and has since rep- are committed to a high standard of resented a variety of quality foods. All quality and all dishes prepared inside shops within the market are run by ar- the market are made using only the tisanal traders who share a passion for raw materials on sale inside the market their craft. These shops include: bread and confectionary, fresh fish, fried food and rissoles, fruit and vegetables, meats and salamis, buffalo mozzarel- Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com itself. Outside on the long west side of the The quality of food at the Mercato market you will find mostly fresh Centrale is handled with special atten- fruit and vegetables, as well as some tion: to the customer, territory, and cheeses and cold cuts, olives, bread, environment making sure that there is eggs, soaps, honey and more. On the craftsmanship, experience, and tradi- smaller north and south ends there are tion behind it. clothes, shoes, and various household Sant'Ambrogio market items. On the east side there is a small Situated in the large 1860's building on parking area and it is used for deliver- the piazza Ghiberti the market is both ies and trash removal. Inside there are indoor and outdoor. meat, cheese and fish vendors, along It offers fresh food and other goods, with some general groceries and a bar. from around 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM The trattotria, "De Rocco" is a great every day ex- cept Sunday. Saturday place for an inexpensive lunch. The mornings are especially busy - and Macellerie (butchers) offer good qual- some vendors only come on Fridays ity of specialties such as horse steaks and Saturdays. and small birds that you may not find in other spots in Florence. @giulia_ilcovodelledelizie EAT & DRINK - Bars and Cafè @flafratin BARS AND CAFÈ OF FLORENCE ENOTECA PITTI GOLA & CANTINA and more. Plus the design is almost - Sure when it comes to wine bars you Scandinavian, plenty of wooden tables have your pick in Florence. What makes and signs . A 360° experience beyond them special is their dedication to reading. discovering awesome small producers Via dei Fossi, 15/R - Florence +39 055 239 9110 creating excellent wines in the Chianti and Piedmont area. The food is exqui- SESTO ON ARNO - For a Floren- site, a small selection of curated bites, tine experience to remember, enjoy cheese, and seasonal first courses. Due an aperitivo on the terrace of Hotel to the tiny space reservations are more Excelsior. Drink with a view on the than necessary. gorgeous terrace with a unique setting Piazza Pitti, 16, Firenze overlooking the heart of the city. This + 39 055 212 704 setting is matched both with inter- national classics, as well as signature TODO MODO - This independent cocktails with its Sesto Senso cocktail bookshop/cafe/theater is a recent addi- being the one to watch out. Drinks are tion to Florence and what an addition it pricey but worth it :) is! 180 square meters of space, 15,000 Piazza Ognissanti, 3 6th floor The Westin titles, a wine bar, all the coffee you Excelsior, Florence could want. Free WiFi, events, readings +39 055 2715282) Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com