florence - highlights, tips & recommendations

After several hectic, but fun, days in Rome, we hopped on a train for Florence.  The ride was comfortable and fast (about 1 ½ hours) and before I could even take a nap, we had arrived.  I have to admit that I’ve always preferred Florence over Rome.  I think it’s such a beautiful, charming place – not to mention the amazing artwork, history and food!  I’ve yet to have a bad meal in Florence.

So what did we end up doing (and eating)?

Day One

I knew my husband wanted to visit A LOT of museums in Florence so our first order of business after arriving was to purchase Firenze Cards for us near the train station at the Santa Maria Novella.  (Tip - The Firenze Card is a 3-day pass to most of the main tourist sites in the city for 72 euros, but more importantly, it allows you preferred access (without reservations) to all of the sites.  I will do a more in-depth blog about it later.)

After checking into our hotel, the Montebello Splendid* (review will be up tomorrow), my stomach was grumbling for lunch.  On my previous trip to Florence, I had discovered the most adorable

little wine bar near Mercato Centrale that served delicious sandwiches so that was our first stop in the city. 

Casa del Vino* (Via dell’Ariento 16r) is one of the oldest, wine

bars in the city and is simply delightful.  The owners speak very little English but fortunately for us, they hired a young man who speaks very good English (having learned from his Canadian girlfriend).  Ahhh – young love - such a strong motivator.  He was able to recommend a few sandwiches for us.  We basically ate at the counter and sampled the wines that were laid out for the day (you just pay by the glass).  The sandwiches were delicious but massive - one had anchovies and cheese and tomatoes, and the other had a spicy spread and more cheese.  Delicioso!  Tip - Most wine bars will lay out a selection of wines on the counter which you can have by the glass, so even if you don't speak Italian, you can easily point to one and enjoy.

It was too late in the day for the normal market at the Mercato Centrale* to be open but we noticed the 2^nd floor was still open so we went upstairs.   Instead of the produce, meat and bread stalls I was expecting, I found a very posh, modern array of wine bars, bakeries and fine foods stalls.  Essentially it’s like Eataly in New York (or perhaps this is the original?).  Anyways we were too full to try anything so we decided to head towards the Duomo*.  Tip - if you enjoy visiting farmer's markets and the like, check out Mercato Centrale's first floor in the morning so see how the locals get their produce, breads and meats.  There are also lots of food stalls serving delicious sandwiches and pastas, etc., for lunch.

Before we got to the Duomo, my husband was sidetracked by a bookstore that sold old books and maps.  Since he first arrived in Italy, he seemed very determined to get a map and he was successful (perhaps too successful, because I didn’t realize until we were coming back that he had somehow purchased 8 maps throughout our trip but that is a story for another time)… Then I got sidetracked by a street artist with the most lovely watercolors and oil paintings of Florence and the Tuscan hillsides.  I was able to bargain a little bit and got 3 small paintings for 75 euros.

But back to the Duomo...  No matter how many times I have been here, I find myself in awe of its grandeur and sheer size.   We opted not to climb up to the cupola because we were lazy and there was a long line.  But we did do the obligatory viewing of the bronze doors at the Baptistery before returning to our hotel for a cat nap. 

We had pre-dinner drinks at our hotel bar, and then walked to Buca Mario* (Piazza Degli Ottaviani 16r).  This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in all of Italy.   I came to this restaurant with my best friend over 10 years ago and we loved it so much that we had dinner there the very next night.  I was excited for my husband to experience this family-run restaurant – and I was not disappointed.  The moment we stepped into the candle-lit restaurant, we were enveloped by its jovial ambience.  The service is welcoming and warm, and the food – absolutely divine.  If you only have a few meals in Florence, you have to come to Buca Mario.  They have the standard Tuscan fare – e.g., the bistecca alla Florentine (steak), amazing pastas, etc. – but it’s all impeccably cooked. Tip - reservations are recommended at Buca Mario so plan ahead if you want to go.

My husband and I shared a lovely prosciutto and melon, pasta with fish roe and butter, white beans, the bistecca and a caramel flan.  Everything was delectable!  I still have dreams about that pasta.  (Tip – the steak in Florence is usually served rare, so if you need it cooked more, you’ll have to clarify that with your waiter.  Even “medium” is basically medium rare.  If you need well-done the taste of the steak will be greatly diminished so it might not be worth paying for such an expensive steak.)  As we were leaving they gifted us an apron.  They probably give them to everyone, but we were super happy to get it!

Day Two

I had such a lovely night’s sleep and then woke up to a gorgeous breakfast buffet at the hotel. 

Today was going to be “museum day” so our first stop was the Uffizi Gallery*.   Even though it was still pretty early in the day there was already a small line forming for the museum, but luckily with our Firenze Cards, we were able to walk right in.  As I explained to my husband – it’s a very impressive museum, but there’s only so much “Madonna and Child” artworks I can really see at one time.  Fortunately, he agreed with me so we didn’t spend countless hours here.

We then went onto the Galileo Museum* – which was right next door.  I had never been to this museum before and it was actually very interesting to see the scientific and medical tools that the geniuses of yesteryear used to discover the things we take for granted today as obvious truths. 

Then it was a short trek to the Palazzo Vecchio*.   With our Firenze Card we were able to go right in and to bypass the line again.  We were again impressed by the beautiful sculptures, frescoes and artwork.  Most of the time I was

craning my neck to see the intricate and sumptuous artwork on the ceilings.  I'm not certain I would have wanted some of these dramatic scenes to be my boudoir decor.  Can you imagine waking up and seeing cherub faces or mythological creatures hovering overhead and staring back at you? eeek!  After all the art viewing, we climbed up to the tower and were treated to beautiful views of the city.  But be warned, it’s a long climb!  Tip - there is a separate entrance fee to climb the tower. The Firenze Card included both the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Tower.

After so much exercise, we were starving!  A friend had recommended a place nearby called All/Antico Vinaio* (Via dei Neri 74) for porchetta sandwiches so we were eager to try it.  The place is small but filled with character.  The owner seemed very cool and luckily there was a young man there who spoke English and was super helpful.  We shared one gigantic porchetta and served ourselves a few glasses of wine.  The total for

our lunch was 11 euros – probably the cheapest meal of our trip and also one of the most memorable and delicious.  (Note – they don’t serve sandwiches in the sit-down area which is reserved for pastas and other entrees.  For sandwiches you have to order and eat at the counter.  There are a few seats, but most people seemed to do take out.)

After lunch, we had to walk off our meal so I convinced my husband to go to the Mercato Porcellini – an outdoor market that sells leather goods and souvenirs.  They aren’t the best quality but it’s still fun to visit.  Apparently rubbing the boar statue is supposed to bring you luck?  I’m not sure it’s true but everytime I’m in Florence I make it a point to rub that boar’s nose.

Somehow shopping helped me digest because before long I was ready for some gelato at Venchi* which is right next to the market.   I had never been before but it was quite delicious – particularly the chocolatey flavors.  I ended up getting caramel-y flavors.

After a brief respite, we were ready to resume our museum tour of the city.  The next stop was Casa di Dante – which disappointingly wasn’t even really where Dante lived.  Unless you are a big Dante fan, I’m not sure that this is really worth a visit.

At this point I was exhausted!  But my husband convinced me to trek over to the Galleria Accademia to see David.  It was super crowded but again with our Firenze Card, we breezed right in.  Then because it was close by, we went to the Archaeological Museum too, which was basically empty of tourists and offered a nice respite from the crowds at the Accademia.

We originally had dinner reservations at Il Latini which had great tripadvisor reviews, but I really didn’t think we’d be up for another Florentine steak dinner so I cancelled and decided to go to Pepo* – a quaint local restaurant.  My mom and I had discovered this place about 5 years ago; and you know what?  It was still exactly the same!   We had traditional tomato and bread soup (very hearty and filling), cheese and charcuterie (delish), mushroom risotto, clam spaghetti and chocolate torte – washed down with the house red.  I think the total was about 60 euros.

Day Three

Today was deemed our “south of Arno” day.  Most people don’t take the time to enjoy this part of the city and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of Florence.  We took a lovely, idyllic walk along the Arno towards Ponte Vecchio (i.e., where all the jewelry stores are).  The views of the river with the buildings reflecting on the surface of the water and the picturesque bridges were breathtaking.  There were also several Italians kayaking, fishing and doing other activities on the river which somehow added to the charm of our morning stroll.  Within 20 minutes, we arrived at Pitti Palace*.  I can’t believe I had never been here before!  It’s absolutely amazing – especially the Boboli Gardens*!   Again I marveled at how this used to be someone’s private garden – with amphitheater and all.  Apparently the first opera was performed here.  On the premises there are

several other museums which were all very interesting, including the Porcelain Museum which is located in the rose garden of the Boboli Gardens, the Galleria Palatine, the Galleria Arte Moderne and the Galleria Argente (?)(treasures).   There were also special exhibits of jewelry and some lesser known works of Jackson Pollack. 

It was quite a culture filled morning – not to mention a very active morning of walking along the Arno and through the massive gardens.  I had read wonderful things about a local restaurant near the Pitti Palace so we headed over to Trattoria La Casalinga* (Via dei Michelozzi, 9r).  It’s a very casual place and not touristy at all.  The owner clearly doesn’t speak English but some of his servers do.  They are very friendly and the food … oh my … the food is SPECTACULAR.  This became one of our favorite places throughout the entire trip.  We actually liked it so much that we ate here again after our trip through Tuscany.

On this particular occasion we enjoyed the house white, arugula salad with delicious parmeggiano reggiano, mixed crostini (the chicken liver was lovely), tagliatelle with rabbit ragu and spaghetti with pesto.  We also shared a mouthwatering fruit tart along with two espressos.  The total for all this was 41 euros.  But more importantly everything was so delicious that we literally licked the plates clean.  (Note - I will do a separate blog on the great food we had in Italy with pictures.)

After our divine meal, we wanted to see the Porta Romana .  It’s hard to imagine how the city originally looked, but this is supposed to be the main outer gate.  We explored the neighborhood a bit and decided to head back towards the Ponte Vecchio.  On the way we stopped at Pitti Mosaic to admire some of the mosaic paintings.  The salesperson was quite savvy and talked us into taking a tour of their nearby workshop.  Once we saw the artistry and skill involved in creating each piece, we were persuaded into buying a gorgeous mosaic painting depicting the Duomo.  I can’t wait to find a place to hang it in our home.  The artist we spoke to said he began his apprenticeship at 15, and has been perfecting his craft for 20+ years!  Today I would  think it would be rare for a young man to choose this as a career path.

I then bought some brooches on Ponte Vecchio.  I probably should have bargained but I was tired … so tired.  We stopped to rest at a tiny wine bar.  Unfortunately I can’t remember the name but it was nice to try a few new wines and be able to sit.

We were still pretty stuffed from our huge lunch.  We decided to have a simple dinner at another local restaurant called Trattoria Sabatini (Via Pisana, 2r).  While the food was good (tortellini, roast chicken, etc.), it was difficult ordering since they spoke little english and the service was a tad rude.   They seemed to seat all the Asians in one area, and they assumed this Japanese girl next to us couldn’t speak Italian even though she clearly did speak Italian.  When she was trying to ask a question, they grabbed the Italian menu from her and thrust the English menu in her hands without bothering to hear her question (which was spoken in Italian).   I wouldn’t recommend this place especially when there are friendlier places with better food available, such as Trattoria La Casalinga.

On our way home we stopped by a small market and got a bottle of whiskey.   Nightcap!

Day Four

After three hectic days of going to museums, I was really looking forward to taking it easy.  My ankle was also really bothering me so I didn’t want to continue our pattern of walking at least 9 miles a day. 

We took a taxi up to Piazzale Michaelangelo* to enjoy the amazing views up there.  My husband particularly enjoyed taking his panoramic landscape shots.   I would recommend this to anyone – it’s a wonderful way to look down on the entirety of Florence.  Tip - It’s possible to walk here from the main part of the city, but I usually prefer taking a taxi up and then walking down.  There are also buses that come up to the hilltop piazza.

When we walked down to the Arno, my husband and I separated.  He wanted to see even more museums and chapels and I just wanted to go shopping.  

It was probably dangerous for me to go on my own to shop but I maintained some modicum of control.  I bought souvenirs and gifts for family and friends.  And yes, I caved and bought some jewelry on the bridge.  To mark the end of my shopping day, I had some gelato at Festival des Artists.  The melone flavor was a bit icy, but the snickers flavor was not only interesting, but very creamy.

I was supposed to meet my husband near a wine bar we had being trying to go to for a few days – Pitti Gola e Cantina – but even though the owner seemed to be there all the time, the bar never seemed to be open.  And he didn’t seem that friendly so we opted for our second choice – and boy were we glad we did!  Le volpi e l’uva* (Piazza dei Rossi, 1r) was fabulous!  Tiny wine bar with a great selection of wines and lovely sandwiches and snacks.  We ended up staying there for hours conversing with an American family who sat next to us at the bar.  I can’t believe we didn’t take any pictures (sigh). 

For dinner we chose to go to All Antico Bistore di Cambi* (sp?) which was also south of the Arno.  The food was good – steak and arugula, fried chicken and zucchini flowers and tomato/bread dip.  We have officially become spoiled on amazing Italian food!

Next day – pick up rental car and drive to Greve in Chianti!

* recommend