Reportage de Françoise Spiekermeier
Italy Travel Guide: Magnificent Florence
A passion for Lippi, a dream of Botticelli, an obsession with da Vinci… the Tuscan capital, the cultural pearl of the Renaissance, has been distilling charm for 700 years. But the city-museum still knows how to surprise even the traveler who thought he knew it all. Beyond the splendors of the past, Florence has a distinctive identity that is as rich as it is eclectic. Today, local trattorias, trendy bars and exclusive addresses bring the city to life, anchoring it firmly in the zeitgeist.
Sleep with a view of the Arno at Hotel Lungarno
On the banks of the Arno, the Lungarno is one of the flagship properties of the Ferragamo family, who returned to their roots in 1995 by creating the Lungarno Collection of 4- and 5-star hotels in their native Florence. Set on the left bank of the river, in one of the city’s most sought-after districts, the establishment cultivates discreet Italian luxury. The exceptional location, the plunging view of the Ponte Vecchio, the authentic Florentine atmosphere and the charming, attentive staff almost give you the illusion of staying with wealthy Tuscan friends. Decorated by architect Michele Bönan, the 63 rooms and suites boast a timeless style that perfectly matches the spirit of this 16th-century residence. A new classicism where ivory fabrics, ocean-blue carpets, antique furniture and modern works of art breathe a chic atmosphere into the whole. An experience to be extended at the Picteau Cocktail Bar, renowned for its rare champagnes and vintage cocktails, and at Borgo San Jacopo, Claudio Mengoni’s Michelin-starred restaurant, which works with top-quality produce, with obvious finesse of execution, distinctive flavours and remarkable consistency.
Lunch at the Regina Bistecca
Bistecca alla fiorentina? It’s the famous T-shaped rib of beef grilled over an open fire. Florence’s flagship dish has its ambassador temple right in the center, a stone’s throw from the Duomo, in an exquisitely decorated former antique bookshop transformed into an Italian-style steakhouse. Bistecca from the traditional local Chianina breed is an anthology piece: matured for a minimum of twenty-one days, cooked over hot coals, seasoned with coarse salt lightly scented with herbs, rested in a cupboard at the right temperature and cut up in the dining room before your very eyes. The result: juicy fat, suave meat and phenomenal length on the palate. The contorni extend the pleasure: chickpeas with sage, grilled potatoes, zolfini beans…
A must-try in Florence.
Take in the sights while sipping a drink at La Terrazza du Continentale
You absolutely must climb to the top of the medieval Consorti tower for a drink, at La Terrazza. The rooftop of the Hotel Continentale, it’s the city’s most popular spot for aperitivo. Here, you can watch the sun go down, while enjoying a glass of Tuscan wine or a stunning cocktail. Last but not least. Enjoy a 360-degree view of the city, from Brunelleschi’s Duomo to the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte, from the Palazzo Pitti to the Ponte Vecchio. La dolce vita, in all its splendor!
Discover the cocktails at Bar Locale Firenze
Housed in a historic building, surrounded by a forest of plants, it’s one of the hippest spots in the Medici city, and on the short list of the world’s best cocktail bars. In a resolutely Instagrammable setting, this bar/restaurant/wine cellar is a concentrate of hedonism. On a piazza covered by a (retractable) glass roof and hidden by green plants that climb to the ceiling, mixologist Matteo Di Ienno’s brigade puts on a show sheltered from indiscretions. The Negroni is drunk in a sweet and sour version that combines the power of mezcal and the bitterness of Campari, while the wines play the local card and the zakouskis compete in creativity.
A fashion exhibition at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum
Until April 18, 2022, the Palazzo Spini-Feroni, historic headquarters of the Maison Ferragamo, will be decking its walls with silk squares of resplendent patterns and colors. From the first botanical images used as moodboards by Fulvia Ferragamo, to the scarves worn by stars and their magnificent preparatory sketches, the exhibition traces the long creative process behind each of these silk creations. Paying tribute to Fulvia Ferragamo’s creativity as much as to the art of silk, the exhibition is a true tribute to the talent of this fashion pioneer.
Discover the Collezione Roberto Casamonti
Florentine Roberto Casamonti has renovated the top floor of Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni, Baccio d’Agnolo’s Renaissance architectural masterpiece overlooking Piazza Santa Trinita and the prestigious Via Tornabuoni, to house part of his fabulous contemporary art collection. Here, the great names of Italian modern art – Giacomo Balla, de Chirico, Giorgio Morandi, Giò Pomodoro – rub shoulders with Basquiat, Jim Dine, Sol LeWitt, Marina Abramovic, Antoni Tàpies…
Our Travel Guide
Hôtel Lungarno
Borgo San Jacopo 14 – 50125 Florence
+39 055 27261 – www.lungarnocollection.com/portrait-roma
Regina Bistecca
Via Ricasoli, 14r – 50122 Florence
+39 055 269 3772
Terrazza du Continentale
Vicolo dell’Oro, 6r, – 50123 Florence
+39 055 27262
Locale Firenze
Via delle Seggiole, 12r – 50122 Florence
+39 055 906 7188
Fondation Ferragamo
Via de’ Tornabuoni, 2 – 50123 Florence
+39 055 219808
Collezione Roberto Casamonti
Piazza di Santa Trinita, 1 – 50123 Florence
https://collezionerobertocasamonti.com