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Home , Palazzo Spini Feroni, Piazza Santa Croce, Ponte Santa Trinita, Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi, Vasari Corridor

other useful features, at firenzeturismo.it (click the British flag for A City of the World English).

For restaurant recommendations, The Food Lover’s Guide to : With Culinary Excursions in by Emily Wise Miller is a wonderful resource for mapping a foodie itinerary through Florence; it is available in the Borgo library and the author maintains a blog. Then there’s the paperback Pappa e Ciccia, A Guide to Fine Dining in and around Florence, a superb place to look for an insider’s take on the Florentine dining scene, with English translations by the Borgo’s own Rachel Mascetta. It is available in the Borgo library, or you can look for more recent guides a block from the Duomo at the Paperback Exchange (Via delle Oche 4r, 055293460). This new and used English bookstore is an excellent stop for anyone with curiosity of the Italian variety or for someone looking for a new read. Feltrinelli International on Via Cavour also stocks a large selection of English books.

The Baptistry, Duomo and Campanile of and Points of Interest Santa Maria del Fiore A note on reservations: Reservations allow you to bypass the regular Rich in history, , architecture, music, and cuisine, Florence is a line and obtain tickets to Florentine museums and monuments from veritable “best of” in the development of western culture. Thanks a specially designated window at a particular point in time. They to a compact center, this capital city of 400,000 inhabitants and are not necessary for most sites, but are highly recommended for birthplace of the Renaissance, with hundreds of notable sights and the Accademia and all but necessary at the . Please notify museums, still remains a manageable and quite walkable city. our staff as soon as possible if you would like assistance.

There is certainly no lack of literature on Florence, so what follows From the US: 011 - 39 - 055 - 294 - 883 is a skeleton that can be expanded in myriad ways depending on the previous experience and goals of a traveler or group. For more From : 055 294 883 elaborated information, see the library for our collection of Florence travel guides. firenzemusei.it For online research, Florence’s tourist office (APT) has a frequently updated site with the latest in events and shows, among tons of The cost is €3 per reservation, but it isn’t charged until you pay for

- 108 - - 109 - your tickets. Therefore, if the stars align and there is no line, you Florence’s Gothic cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, is best can forego your reservation in favor of waiting in the regular line known as the Duomo (Piazza del Duomo, 0552302885, Sun: 1:30 and save the fee for the gift shop. p.m.—4:45 p.m., Mon.—Fr.i: 10 a.m.—5 p.m., Sat.: 10 a.m.—4:45 p.m., some months it closes up to an hour and a half earlier on Thursday). The (Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini 6, Cappelle Medicee The building itself was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, but 0552388602, open: Mon.—Sun.: 8:15 a.m.—5 p.m.) is an opportunity to its crossing remained uncovered for one hundred years until glimpse the private lives of the powerful Medicis from their personal Brunelleschi’s competition-winning design solved the problem chapel and mausoleum. created the allegorical Day, of how to cover such a large, open space in 1436. Most of the Night, Dawn, and Dusk figures. The chapel is an adjunct of the artwork was removed to the next door, but Vasari’s greater church, the (Piazza S. Lorenzo, Basilica di San Lorenzo impressive dome survives in its original state. ’s bell 0552645184, Mon.-Fri.: 1:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m., also on Sunday from tower stands beside the cathedral and his baptistry with the famous March to October). Ghiberti doors is across the piazza.

Walk in the steps of the Medici to the , which may rank as Florence’s best lesser-known artistic treasure (Via Ca vour 3, 0552760340, Thurs.—Tues.: 9 a.m.—7 p.m.). Michelozzo’s Renaissance palace, the first building in that style in Florence, received a Baroque face-lift in 1659 when the Riccardi family took over. Benozzo Gozzoli’s 1459 frescoes in the Chapel of the Magi should not be missed! Only eight visitors are allowed at a time, so ask our staff about calling ahead. Otherwise, the groups move relatively quickly and the art, definitely worth the wait.

The Accademia (Via Ricasoli 60, 0552388609, Tues.—Sun.: 8:15 a.m.—6:50 p.m.), pronounced with emphasis on the “de,” is Florence’s second best-known museum after the Uffizi, one for which reservations are highly recommended. The museum began as Grand Duke Leopold’s drawing school teaching collection and includes a large selection of medieval religious works. The majority of visitors go to see Michelangelo’s , however, a monumental work that truly cannot be over-exaggerated. Be sure not to miss Detail of Ghiberti’s bronze Baptistry doors. the sculptor’s unfinished Slaves, tense figures who seem to be attempting escape from their stone prisons as one looks on. Lacking One can climb the bell tower’s 414 steps, but for the best climb, one the smooth patina of a finished work, the skin of the physical, active should summit Brunelleschi’s dome. The (open: same as figures truly seems to breathe. See our staff as far in advance as Cupola the cathedral but closed Sunday) is accessible from the side of the possible to inquire about reservations. Duomo, from which one climbs 464 steps in between the two shells of the dome, to its top with a 348 foot view of the city, its highest.

- 110 - - 111 - This climb is an excellent intersection in art and architectural history, Just north of Santa Croce, one can visit the very home where physics, and culture, and a good way to add some physical activity to the day. Alternatively, the less-visited bell tower is advisable for anyone to whom avoiding waiting in line takes precedence over the structural and historical interest of the cupola. The view is equally stupendous.

Across the Piazza del Duomo (no.9) stands the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (0577286300, 10:30 a.m.—7:30 p.m. Sunday and holidays 1:30 p.m.—6 p.m.), housing the works originally intended for the Cathedral and various other religious works from the city. The collection includes Arnolfo di Cambio’s original works for the façade, Pisano’s pieces for the bell tower, as well as works by della Robbia and Donatello, with models and drawings of the Cathedral itself.

Two blocks south of the Duomo, but much further off the beaten The Basilica of Santa Croce track, is Dante’s house, Casa di Dante (Via Santa Margherita 1, 055219416, open daily: 10 a.m.—6 p.m. in summer, 10 a.m.—5 p.m. Oct.— Mar.), a must for the literary pilgrim. Michelangelo was raised, the (Via Ghibellina 70, 055241752, open: Wed.—Mon.: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.). The Basilica di Santa Croce (, 0552466105, Sun.: 1—5:30 p.m., weekdays: 9:30 a.m.—5:30 p.m.), is Florence’s If you find yourself in Florence, looking to see the greats but Franciscan monastery and a particularly special spot in a city full of without reservations, all is not lost. The National Museum monuments. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in the 1290s, it took of the (Via del Proconsolo 4, 0552388606, Tues.— one hundred fifty years to complete. Sat.: 8:15 a.m.—1:50p.m., open 3rd and 5th Monday and 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month), is to sculpture what the Uffizi is to The resultant Gothic basilica is a prominent, sober space, packed painting, offering a chance to see all of the Renaissance greats in with artistic greats. Giotto and his pupils frescoed the walls, which one location with minimal waiting. The collection also includes alternate with tombs of Italian artists, thinkers, and aristocrats, works by Michelangelo, Rossellino, the Sansovinos, della Robbia, whose names and numbers will astound. Vasari himself designed the and Donatello, including his David. Particularly interesting are . Others include , tomb of Michelangelo the submissions presented by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi in the , and . The competition to design the doors of ’s baptistry is Brunelleschi’s perfectly proportioned meeting room for the in 1401. The building itself is one of the city’s oldest, dating to 1255 monks, a true ode to Renaissance human scale and harmony. The and taking its name from the chief of police, for whom it was a base monastery also houses a , with premium handmade leather school in the 16th century before it became a prison. leather goods on sale daily.

- 112 - - 113 - The Galleria degli Uffizi (Piazzale degli Uffizi, 055294883, Tues.—Sun.: 8:15 a.m.—6:35 p.m.) is the first and last word on the Renaissance, housing such great pieces as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and among works by , Giotto, , Signorelli, , Michelangelo, and . Housed in a Vasari-designed, Cosimo de Medici-commissioned building between the and the , this is many a traveler’s first visit in Florence. Crowds gather long before the gallery opens every morning, so it is highly advisable to make reservations in advance for a €3 addition to the usual admission. Visit the café when you finish, not for the food, but for the view. It is possible to visit the Uffizi with a combination ticket that allows access to the famous passageway connecting the Pitti Palace to the government chambers on the north side of the river. The Corridoio Vasariano (or Vasari’s Corridor) traverses the above the crowd and allows a glimpse into Florentine aristocratic life. Reserve tickets ahead of time and pick them up in the Loggiato Palazzo della Signoria degli Uffizi f( rom May 4th—June 10th, max group 5, Wed. and Fri. at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Thurs. at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., 055294883). From the Piazza della Signoria south, the Ponte Vecchio Next to the Uffizi and facing the Piazza della Signoria isthe is the most famous bridge spanning the Arno, and the only one spared by Hitler during the war. It houses rows of high-priced (0552768325, open: 9 a.m.—7 p.m. , but only in the morning on Thursday 9 a.m.—2 p.m.), the old city hall that is still in jewelry shops and is traversed by a special passageway by Vasari use today. It is possible to tour its sumptuous salons and apartments that connected the Pitti Palace to the Uffizi. and witness local government in action. Recently, art detective and scientist Maurizio Seracini is coming close to uncovering what The Pitti Palace (Piazza Pitti 1, 0552388611, different museum hours and openings vary, but are generally 8:15 a.m.—6 p.m.), would be Leonardo da Vinci’s largest work behind Vasari’s was built as a base for the Medici court. Today, it houses several fresco in the Salone dei . Please ask our team for an update on this fascinating project if interested in learning more. museums, with integrated tickets buying one entrance to period rooms, art collections and treasures, a modern art gallery, a costume gallery, and the , which is a lovely green space in a The Museo di Storia della Scienza, or Institute and Museum of the History of Science, (Piazza dei Giudici 1, between Santa Croce city of stone. and the Ponte Vecchio, 055265311, open: 9:30 a.m.—6 p.m., but only A major destination for the art pilgrim, the appella rancacci in the morning on Tuesday 9:30 a.m.—1 p.m.), provides a sometimes C B welcome break from the cultural and artistic tourism that abounds (Piazza del Carmine 14, 0552382195, weekdays except Tuesday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m., and Sunday: 1 p.m.—5 p.m.) at Santa Maria del in Florence. A highlight is the collection of Galileo’s original instruments. Carmine church houses ’s famous Adam and Eve

- 114 - - 115 - The walk uphill to the Piazza Michelangelo is a steep one, but an excellent way to spend time outside in Florence while taking in beautiful views. It is also possible to take a bus from most points on the Lungarno. Look for busses heading east along the river. Tickets can be purchased onboard.

The Piazza Michelangelo offers a truly exceptional view of the city, a giant replica of the David, and free parking year ‘round. From there, walk briefly uphill to the church ofS an Miniato al Monte (Via Monte alle Croci, 0552342731, open Sun. in winter: 3—6 p.m., summer: 8 a.m.—7:30 p.m., weekdays in winter: 8 a.m.—12 p.m., 3 p.m.— 6 p.m., summer: 8 a.m.—7:30 p.m.), with frescoes by Spinello Aretino and Gregorian chanting daily around 5.

This is a particularly evocative and welcome calming experience in a bustling, crowded city. These sites are an excellent way to end a day in Florence, both as a calming endpoint and for the view of the Ponte Vecchio

Banished From the Garden fresco.

The Chiesa di S. Spirito is a good example of Brunelleschi’s rhythmic Renaissance work, but most go to see an early work of Michelangelo, a Crucifix which the seventeen year old artist bestowed on the convent in exchange for the ability to observe the hospital’s corpses for anatomical sketches.

For the traveler who is tired of lines and museums, one can do well to explore the back streets of the Florentine Scala Gonfalon, or “Stairway” district of the Oltrarno quarter. From the Ponte Vecchio, you will want to go left along the river to reach the Piazza The facade of Poggi to the east. From here, there is a steep staircase leading up the hill, called the Rampe di San Niccolò. There are a number of city as it lights up below. Moreover, this is an accessible point to the alternative routes possible, but I recommend straying from the river Siena highway and helps to shorten the trip home. long enough to pass through the Costa de’Magnoli’s groin-vaulted walkway and walk down the steps of the Via del Canneto to the Via San Niccolò for a glimpse of untouched Florence.

- 116 - - 117 - to the most appetizing morsel in the case of fresh baked goodies. Finish it off with a cappuccino for a real Italian breakfast. I Dolci di Patrizio Cosi (Borgo Albizi 11), known locally as “Patrizio Cosi,” in the Santa Croce to Duomo stretch, is jam-packed with tempting morsels and a real neighborhood-sort of stop for coffee and pastry, despite some serious fame in recent years. Ask for a cremino, cream-filled pastry. A Florentine institution since a regal from the Savoia family opened in 1872 when Florence was capital of Italy, many consider Rivoire (Piazza della Signoria 4a, closed Monday) a must for a snack and people watching. It is famous for its hot chocolate, but be sure to take it standing up unless you want to pay a hefty extra for the seat. If people-watching is the goal, however, you can’t pay for a better spot outside in Florence’s most famous piazza.

The view of Florence from the church L i g h t L u n c h o n t h e R u n : Florence has no of San Miniato shortage of in and out sandwich shops and tavole calde, but the obvious ones often serve low quality food at high prices. Therefore, it is helpful to have a destination in mind even for a quick bite. To eat warm, crusty sandwiches with every knowing study-abroader Eating Well in Florence in the city, join the line that forms outside of Antico Noè under the archway in the Volta di San Piero, 6r (0552340838, Mon.—Sat. 12:30 p.m.—3 p.m. & 7 p.m.—11 p.m.). Granted, those “in the know” C o f f e e a n d B r e a k f a s t : Chiaroscuro (Via will all be Americans, but you will be rewarded with a hot, pressed del Corso 13r, 055214247) bills itself a “global coffee bar,” but you’ll find it in the heart of Florence, between Santa Croce and the sandwich stuffed with meat, cheese, tons of vegetables, and a range Duomo. An excellent stop for an espresso, this is also a place where of sauces (something special in dry sandwich central Italy). Try a true coffee aficionado might build a personal blend as a souvenir. the salsa rucola, an arugula pesto mayonnaise, then walk the few During the day, there is a good selection of classic bar food, soups blocks to the Piazza Santa Croce to eat. If lunch time finds you in the Santo Spirito area, try Gustapanino (Via de’ Michelozzi and sandwiches. Antica Sosta degli Aldobrandi (Piazza 13r, Piazza Santo Spirito), knowing that having to elbow one’s way Madonna 6r) is just in front of the and comes highly recommended for cappuccino, pastries, and simple sandwiches. to the register comes hand in hand with a truly excellent sandwich. cafè (Via dell’Isola delle Stinche 7r, ) is a Vivoli 055292334 For the most authentically Florentine of lunches, the adventurous Florentine institution for its gelato, but its convenient location and ought to grab a sandwich from one of the ubiquitous tripe vendors. excellent pastries make it an alternative stop for breakfast, and frees These trippai set up stands behind the Loggia del Porcellino, at up the possibility of having gelato at a lesser-known gem of a shop, the Porta Romana, in the Piazza dei Cimatori, on the Via dei Macci noted later. Have a classic cornetto, a sweet Italian croissant, or point at the corner of the Sant’Ambrogio market, in Via Gioberti, and at

- 118 - - 119 - the San Lorenzo market. Luckily, the low price means that even if S i t t i n g D o w n f o r L u n c h : Enoteca one doesn’t find a new favorite in tripe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable Coquinarius (Via dell’ Oche 15r, 0552302153) is my pick for a to have a tried and true panino in porchetta (savory, roast pork light or filling sit-down lunch, just steps from the Duomo. The sandwich) as well. broad offerings include interesting pasta and meat dishes, but for a lunch many prefer a salad from the 10 or so highly creative The quickest, cheapest lunch on the run is a special Florentice concoctions and a shared plate of crostini. The mixed crostini plate focaccia called schiacciata. Stop in the chain (Via Giovanni Galli is excellent for sharing, with seasonal choices like ripe fig and honey M. Palmieri 24r or Via S. Agostino 8r) for an enormous selection of on mild, fresh cheese, pheasant pâté with a zing of fresh mint, or savory-topped flatbreads or at (Via de Amicis 49r). Forno Pugi smoked salmon and mascarpone. This restaurant is particularly special because it remains open throughout the afternoon when P i c n i c s : For a light lunch alternative, consider gathering most lock up tight, making it the perfect spot for cheese and chilled your own picnic in one of the city’s lively markets. See food shopping wine on a hot day or a pot of their gourmet tea and a dessert on notes in this section for more information on where to look. Finding colder afternoons (every day from 9 a.m. until late in the evening). a good spot to sit is easier said than done but some good options Combining upmarket ambiance with light dining options, Il Caffé include sitting on the wall of the Lungarno riverfront in front of the Italiano (Via della Condotta 12, 055289020) is one of Florence’s Biblioteca Nazionale or in the Piazza Santa Croce north of the river. more famous restaurants, located between the Uffizi and Santa South of the river, try the Piazza Santo Spirito or the brick slope in Croce. For something a bit more rustic and less expensive, try front of . the nearby spin-off Osteria del Caffé Italiano (Via dell’Isola delle Stinche 11/13r) in the fourteenth-century Salviati Palace. The restaurant’s pastry shop, Dolcissimo (Via Maggio 61r) is packed with gorgeous treats and the Pizzeria also comes highly recommended (Via Isola delle Stinche) with traditional Neapolitan pizzas in three manifestations only: Neapolitan, Margherita, and Marinara. Il Pizzaiuolo (Via de’ Macci 113r, 055241171) near Sant’Ambrogio is another excellent choice for pizza, also Neapolitan style (Closed Sunday and in August, reserve). For a larger sit-down lunch, try I Quattro Leoni (Via Vellutini 1r), nestled in the Oltrarno neighborhood. Good options near Santa Croce include Il Francescano (Piazza Santa Croce on the Largo Bargellini 16, 055241605), Cibrèo’s Trattoria (Via dei Macci 122r, 0552341100), or Trattoria Baldovino (Via San Giuseppe 22r, 055241773), for daily specials like chicken salad with fennel or zucchini and ricotta quiche. Across the old town and just south of , Garga (Via del Moro 48r, 0552398898) is a stylish restaurant with a Bohemian feel and a fresh, creative menu, but it can be pricey The facade of Santo Spirito. (Closed Monday, and Sunday at lunch).

- 120 - - 121 - D i n n e r : The latter section of lunch options would all be a Sunday brunch as well, from 2 p.m. on (Mon.—Thurs. 4:30 p.m.—1 a.m., Fri.—Sat. 4:30 p.m.—2 a.m.). excellent for a more casual dinner. Also consider the famous Acqua al Due (Via della Vigna Vecchia 40r, 055284170, reservations M a r k e t s a n d f o o d s o u v e n i r s : required) for their filetto all’aceto balsamico (forego the better in San Lorenzo is one of three nineteenth- known pasta sampler for the assaggio di insalata, salad sampler Mercato Centrale century covered food markets, built when Florence was the capital and assaggio di dolci, desserts), but don’t be disappointed to see of Italy post-unification in 1860. Today, it is the number one foodie no Italians at neighboring tables. (Via Borgo Pinti 12r, La Giostra destination in a city of gourmet delights and could easily fill a few 055241341), alternatively, prides itself on being intentionally hard to hours (Mon.—Sat. 7 a.m.—2 p.m., Sat. 4 p.m.—8 p.m.). One stand find although just steps from the Duomo. Again, and for something sells fresh pasta with a glass window where you can watch the more formal, (Via Condotta 12, , Il Caffé Italiano 055289020 production, others set up barrels of dried fruit, perfect for snacking reservations necessary, closed Monday) is the perfect place for the during the day. There is plenty of fresh produce, cured meat, Florentine T-bone or bistecca fiorentina. and local cheese to be sampled and purchased from a variety of G e l a t o a n d D e s s e r t : Don’t worry about trying vendors. There are also several stands that sell hot food for a lunch to find something in a particular neighborhood. Rather, plot your on the run, the most famous of which is Da Nerbone (inside the market, , lunch only). This is the sort of spot that fills with route specifically to pass the Gelateria dei Neri, named after its 055219949 street, the Via dei Neri (no.20r). Thankfully, the convenient location a mix of blue collar workers, whom it has served since 1865, and between Santa Croce and the Uffizi is one that you may easily pass food-pilgrim tourists, a bit more recent, on a daily basis. Wisdom several times, since there are just too many good gelato options to says to order your sandwich, a panino con bollito or boiled meat, fit into one cup. Some of the flavors in the three rows of cases are bagnato or “bathed” in the cooking juices. Go to Pany Da Lory surprising, others classic, but all are wonderful. Interesting gelato Di Maestri Lorena for fresh bread if you’re making a picnic. choices include fig and ricotta or coconut and crisped rice. The fruit Even more local, and therefore cheaper than Mercato Centrale is flavors are excellent, and in a fourth case facing the street, sample the where Via Pietrapiana joins Borgo from a selection of granita flavors like coffee and blood orange. Mercato Sant’Ambrogio Santa Croce. Inside are meats and cheeses, outside are produce Not far away, (Via Isole delle Stinche 7r, ) is the Vivoli 055292334 and flowers. The market’s restaurant is place everyone will ask you about upon your return home and for Tavola Calda da Rocco open for lunch, an inexpensive and totally typical Italian experience. good reason, but be prepared to elbow your way to the register and Point to your choice among the pre-prepared options and eat with pay extra for the name. Near the Duomo, (Via delle Oche Grom the market workers. 24r) is the newest outpost of the famous Torino institution where ingredients are king, like the café flavor made with Guatemalan If the markets are too time consuming or intimidating for your coffee. Crema di Grom is the house version of cookies and cream. tastes, the city is full or alimentare, small grocery stores with delis, If afternoon finds you on the southern side of the Arno, goto local products, etc. Pegna, a block south of the Duomo (Via dello emingway in the Piazza Piattellina (no.9r, 055284781). Stop in H Studio 8) is a large, clean store, full of specialty products and a on your way back to the car at the Porta Romana for a choice of great stop for a picnic, souvenirs, or simple necessities (bandaids, hundreds of teas, coffee, decadent homemade crepes, fresh biscotti, batteries, etc.). Stop in Grana market (Via dei Ta volini 11r, and even cheesecake and to stock up on food souvenirs. They serve between the Duomo and Santa Croce), for excellent cheese and

- 122 - - 123 - olives. retailers, including two Zara outposts and the flagshipR inascente department store. Rinascente is more than a place to buy fashion, To take home a luscious dessert, Torta Pistocchi has a line of accessories, and cosmetics, however. It also houses a free, clean, dense chocolate tarts in classic, chili pepper, Sicilian citrus, black unregulated restroom upstairs, and a café with an excellent bird’s cherry, and coffee flavors, variably available at multiple vendors eye view of Florence from the roof. The elevator makes this is the throughout the city. Buy one to finish in Italy, because the cakes cheapest, least exhausting way to see the city from above. For more must be refrigerated. Thankfully, if you’re looking for a chocolate shopping options, Florence’s APT tourist office runs a website, souvenir, they sell thick and rich hot chocolate as well. Vestri florencefashion.com, with up to date store listings and addresses. (Borgo Albizi 11r, 0 ), between the Duomo and Santa 552340374 For some pre-trip scouting, realshoppingitaly.com actually lets you Croce, is a gorgeously restrained artisan chocolate maker. Sample window shop the current displays with an online camera! from the array of chocolates enhanced with Earl Grey tea, fruits, liquors, and spices like pepperoncino. There is also gelato, and not The Ferragamo Museum (Via Tornabuoni 2, enter from Piazza just chocolate. Bizzarri (Via della Condotta 32r, 055211580) is a Santa Trinità 5a, 0553360456) in the is now shop where local foodies purchase hard to find special ingredients. open in its newly renovated space. Exhibits draw from the collection of 10,000 shoes created by the designer between 1920 and 60 and For wine, Enoteca Bonatti (via Gioberti 66/68r, 055660050) is chosen to focus on a particular theme. There are also some older, worth the trip for a serious aficionado, but considerably out of the period shoes and a collection of handbags (Wednesday to Monday, walking center, so casual enophiles might look in the alimentare 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Just opened in 2011, the Gucci Museum in mentioned above. the Palazzo della Mercanzia directly to the left of Palazzo Vecchio (Piazza della Signoria 10), combines an archival collection from the last 90 years with modern art installations in collaboration with Shopping the Pinault Foundation. There’s also a bookstore, Gucci Icon store and café.

The biggest commercial stretches are along the Via dei Calzaiuoli Florence, and even more so, its neighboring city Arezzo, are world (between the Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio), for major Italian renowned for gold jewelry production. Long rows of jewelers, retailers like Furla, Benetton, and Max&Co., the Via del Corso each shop window more jam packed with glittering pieces than the / Borgo degli Albizi (between the Piazza della Repubblica and next, line either side of the Ponte Vecchio. These are not the most Sant’Ambrogio), for souvenir and Italian specialty shops, and the reputable businesses in the city per their price point, getting by on Borgo San Frediano / Via Santo Spirito / Borgo San Jacopo area a famous location and swift the purchasing style of the day tripper (from Porta San Frediano to the Ponte Vecchio in the Oltrarno sort, so it is suggested that one take inspiration only from Ponte neighborhood) for fashion and housewares. The Via Tornabuoni Vecchio. Reputable stores include Daniel Greys jewelry at two and the Via della Vigna Nuova (from Ponte Santa Trinità north) locations, in Piazza S. Piero and Borgo degli Albizi, and Pestelli area houses the city’s most upscale shopping, including flagships (Via Borgo SS. Apostoli 20r). For extravagant, artistic creations, see , , , , , , Loro Piano Prada Ferragamo Fendi Armani Versace Alessandro Dari (Via San Niccolò 115r). Zegna, D&G, Gucci, and Pucci. Just to the east, the Via Roma / Piazza della Repubblica / Via Calimala stretch houses more major For inexpensive souvenir shopping, take the time to wander the

- 124 - - 125 - San Lorenzo market or the Mercato Nuovo, which is a more a lovely souvenir. The Giulio Giannini & Figlio store (Piazza manageable space south of the Piazza della Repubblica on the Via Pitti 37) has been in the family for six generations. Calimala. The market is located in a covered loggia known lovingly as Il Porcellino because of ’s 1612 fountain. Current superstition suggests you rub the swine’s nose in order to return to Florence while others insist it is traditional to drop a coin in its Practicalities mouth. Looking for souvenirs? Young girls love the “ciao bella” shirts that come in every color of the rainbow, while soccer jerseys e t t i n g t o l o r e n c e : are often a safe bet for boys. Leather is a good choice in Florence; G F Begin by leaving this is where Italians come to purchase handmade gloves, wallets, Buonconvento, heading north toward Siena on the S2. As you jackets, etc. from various artisans producing quality goods without approach Siena, follow signs for FIRENZE as they direct you to the added expense of a fancy label. turn left at the big stoplight outside of the city. Continue downhill and enter a roundabout, which you will exit at 10:00 where signs In the markets and on the sidewalks, you will also find an abundance point for FIRENZE. This is the Raccordo Siena-Firenze, which of street vendors selling everything from sunglasses and knock-off continues approximately 60 km to Certosa. There, the highway purses, to Pinocchios and key chains. It is fine to purchase anything empties into another rotary. Exit at 11:00 toward CERTOSA and without a brand name, but any knockoffs might subject you to a fine FIRENZE CERTOSA. Follow this road straight until a TUTTE of up to €10,000, so avoid the Rolexes, Pradas, or anything else that LE DIREZIONI sign directs you right at a fork. Turn a slight right seems too good to be true. onto the Via del Gelsomino (Only authorized vehicles can continue straight at this point). At the top of this hill is a stoplight (the For perfumes, lotions, and soaps that take their inspiration from Viale del Poggio Imperiale), from which you have several choices, the Tuscan hillside, visit the Apothecary at the church of Santa depending on where you prefer to park. Below are suggestions and Maria Novella (Via della Scala 16). The Officina Profumo directions. Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (Via della Scala Parking at the 16, 055216276) is the home base and store for the upmarket line of Porta Romana is nearby and offers the quickest bath products, like pomegranate soap and rose water produced by route out of the city at the end of the day. On the other hand, it Dominican monks. This historic pharmacy in a 14th century piazza requires a little more walking, albeit through the charming and less is a fantastic site for sniffing and shopping, and an opportunity to touristic Oltrarno neighborhood. At the stoplight, turn left where bring home the alluring aromas of Tuscany. Choose from a large signs direct to PORTA ROMANA. Continue downhill and into a array of aromatic salves, tinctures, and soaps (Mon.—Sun. 9:30 rotary. Exit the rotary at 2:00 to go under the arches of the Porta a.m.—7:30 p.m.). The same brand is now available in only the most Romana. Parking is immediately on your extreme left. Take a pass luxe of American retailers, like eluxury.com and at Neiman Marcus from the machine and drive along the long narrow lot to find a and Saks. They are limiting distribution to seventy stores globally. space. Try to park as near to the end as possible for quicker access to the city and the river. If you are starting at the Boboli Gardens or Another classic Florentine product is the paper, both marbled and the Pitti, park as close to the gate as possible and walk out the way intricately decorated with ink and gold leaf. It is widely available in you drove in. Parking is hourly, €1.50 at the time of writing, but the city. A handmade leather-bound journal or address book makes considerably less expensive than private lots or anything closer to

- 126 - - 127 - the center. This is also a good spot to leave a car overnight, as rates Timing in Brief: go down in the evening. If walking must be minimized, the Porta Romana is a good place to catch a bus or a taxi. • 75 minute drive to Florence Parking at Piazza Michelangelo is free, but requires a little • 3—6 hours exploration more effort navigating the city. From the stoplight, continue straight across the Via del Poggio Imperiale. At the Viale Niccolò • 75 minutes return to Borgo Machiavelli / Via Galileo, turn right and follow the winding road to the Piazza Michelangelo to park. From here, walk the steep staircase of the Rampe di San Niccolò down into the city (about 20 minutes), or catch a bus going downhill to get off on the Lungarno near the Ponte Vecchio or to cross the river and exit near Sant’Ambrogio. Bus tickets are more expensive when bought on board, as opposed to in a tobacco shop, but considerably more convenient and a welcome change to the old policy of no onboard sales.

Parking at the Santa Maria Novella train station gives one direct access to the heart of the city, but may raise the blood pressure of the driver unnecessarily, so only undertake it if you are comfortable with urban driving and have sharp sign-spotting eyes. From the Porta Romana, exit the rotary to the right just after the gate and follow the road alongside the wall. Follow signs for the train station (a picture of the head of a train, or the word STAZIONE) as they snake around the city’s circumference, through several roundabouts and across the river west of the main city. Follow signs as they turn you right off of the Viale circling the city and into its center. This will take you along the right side of the train station. As you near its front, follow signs to turn left into its underground parking deck. Take a ticket and pay on your way back to the car. Parking was €1.60 an hour at time of writing, considerably less expensive than the numerous private lots in the area. Above the parking deck is a large shopping area with internet points, ATMs, etc. Access the city by exiting on the south end. When leaving the airport, your return route will not retrace your steps. Follow signs for SIENA to the Certosa rotary and the Siena-Firenze highway.

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