As you Soak in the Renaissance of Florence make sure have plenty of time for Italian Treasure Hunting and Tasting Tuscan’s Finest!

* Italian Treasure Hunting

There’s plenty of shopping to be done in Florence no matter what your treasure of choice may be.

• Leather: The place to go is San Lorenzo Market and make sure you bring your best bartering skills. Surrounds San Lorenzo Church.
• Jewelry: My favorite treasure! For every day unique pieces and great gifts, visit Fiori del Tempo (Via del Corso, 2 blocks off Piazza della Repubblica). This TINY shop has fabulous hand made creations and reasonable prices. For the really special treasure, visit S. Vaggi at the end of the Ponte Vecchio (Ponte Vecchio 2/6R). After literally shopping every store the bridge, this was where we picked out my engagement ring!
• Toys: Bartolucci Wooden Toy Store (Via Condotaa, 12/R) is like Gepetto’s workshop.
• Handmade Paper: Stationery shops can be found on every street. Pick up lovely paper, a journal or photo album. Always great gifts!
• Menswear: We bought amazing jackets at Roberto Biagini (Via Roma between Piazza della Repubblica and the Duomo) and Boggi (Via della Vigna Nuova 27/R).
• Apothecary: Officinia di Santa Maria Novella (16 Via della Scala) is a 300 year old pharmacy near Santa Maria Novella and just a cool place to visit.
• Italian labels: Ferragamo’s flagship store and museum. Gucci. Emilio Pucci, Furla, my favorite purses and bags. In Florence you’ll find them all.

* Taste Tuscan’s Finest
There are so many restaurants to chose from but here are some of my favorites.

• Ristorante Acqua al Due (Via della Vigna Vecchia 40R, 55 284 170): This is our favorite restaurant in Florence. Casual and fun with incredible food! Order the Assagio menu … it’s the tasting menu and make sure to eat light the rest of day. Yes they have one in San Diego and now Washington, DC but this is NO chain! Make reservations as they only do two seatings per night. Assagio dinner for 2 with wine €90. Say hello to owner Giani for me!
• Il Latini (Via dei Palchetti 6R, 55 210 916, closed Mon): Tuscan rustic cooking. Fun upbeat atmosphere. Great for groups. Make reservations!
• Trattoria Cammillo (Borgo San Jacopo, 57/R, 55-212-427): Incredible homemade pastas and desserts, we had a lunch here after we got engaged. Three course lunch for two with wine €86.
  
• Caffe Pitti (Piazza Pitti 9, 55 239 9863): Just across from Pitti Palace, we had a yummy pasta lunch outside one afternoon.
• Trattoria Pallottino (Via Isola delle Stinche 1R, 55-289-573): Simple delicious food. We stumbled upon this place on Valentine’s Day and couldn’t believe the yumminess!
• Ristorante Paoli (Via de’ Tavolini 12R, 55-216-215): Opened in 1824, very old world Italian, dine under vaulted ceilings on classic Italian dishes. Just off Piazza della Signoria. Three course dinner for two with wine €90.
• Cantinetta Antinori (Piazza Antinori 3, 55 292 234): Great place for a glass of wine from Italy’s great wine family, Antinori. The 26 generation wine family opened this wine bar in a 15th-century palazzo 30 years ago.
• Caffe Gilli: This lovely outdoor caffe, opened in the 1850s, is a perfect spot (a little pricey) for people watching over a gelato and apertif on the Piazza della Repubblica.
• Coronas Cafe (Via dei Tavolini 18-20/R): A must for a pastry and espresso in the morning or stuffed sandwich quick lunch.

Where to lay your head during your stay?

• Hotel degli Orafi: My favorite hotel with rooms overlooking the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio. Fabulous rooftop bar to enjoy views over a drink day or night!
• Hotel California: On the second floor of a historic building 150 metres from the Duomo and 100 metres from Galleria dell’Accademia. We stayed here once and had a nice experience. Ask for the double room with views of the Duomo.
• Hotel Pendini: Their website says they’re “an antique hotel in the hearth of Florence.” I’ve stayed here a couple of times for a one night stay. It’s definitely an older hotel with small bathrooms but price and location off of Piazza della Repubblica are great!

Visit the gallery for lots of great photos from my visits.

Enjoy your visit to this incredible Italian gem!

Florence is truly a feast for the senses. Every where you walk, every where you look, everything you taste is a masterpiece! This is the ‘cradle of the Renaissance where the Italian language was formalized.’

Julius Caesar founded Florentina in 59 BC. In the 14^th century, the Medici family began its reign of power making it the strongest financial center of Europe. Never monarchs, the Medici family did produce four Popes of the Catholic Church and we have them to thank for the fabulous city of art and architecture we enjoy today.

Florence feels like a small town. When you stay in the Centro Storico, all the gems are at your doorstep. There’s nothing better than taking your time walking the streets, no matter the season, enjoying every ounce of what surrounds you. It took me four visits before I even went in The Uffizi!

A long weekend is the perfect amount of time for the MUST GO’s. I’ve visited Florence five times and never grow tired of a weekend here, whether a solo trip of shopping and writing or a romantic weekend.

* Soak in the Renaissance

• The Duomo: This breathtaking group of structures stands with the Duomo and Campanile towering over the city. Started in 1296, it wasn’t complete until 1436 with Brunelleschi’s masterpiece of a dome (he won a 1420 design competition to build it as nobody could figure out how to build a dome so large). It’s worth the climb to the top on a sunny day for 360˚ views around Florence.
• Galleria dell’Accademia: Here stands Michelangelo’s GREAT David.  Make sure you reserve tickets to avoid long lines.
• The Uffizi: THE place to see Renaissance art from Giotto to Botticelli (Birth of Venus), Leonardo da Vince (The Annunciation) to Michelangelo (Holy Family). Originally the Uffizi, or offices, of the ruling Medici family, it has over 1700 works on display. Get tickets in advance to avoid hours of waiting and try to go on a weekday when its not as crowded inside.
• Piazza della Signoria: Often called Florence’s public living room, its packed with cafes where you can enjoy a cappuccino or aperitif while marveling at the beauty of the Palazzo Vecchio and the outdoor sculpture gallery (including a replica of David, the original used to stand here).
• Ponte Vecchio: Spanning the Arno River, this bridge was built in 1354 and leads across to Pitti Palace. Its so beautiful even Hitler ordered it spared from destruction in WWII. Now lined with jewelry shops (I picked out my beautiful engagement ring here!), until the 16^th century it was full of butchers. Fun to see at night as all the closed shops look like little treasure chests. Peer over the side of the bridge by the statue of Cellini (Florence’s famous goldsmith) and you’ll see big masses of locks hooked up together. Legend goes that men bring their lovers here to profess their commitment, lock up a lock together, then throw the keys in the Arno to be together forever.

• Santa Croce: Lovely church with tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo.
• Pitti Palace: Florence’s royal family, The Medici’s, home from 1560-1860. Beautiful gardens in the Spring and Summer.

More on Florence tomorrow…Italian Treasure Hunting and a Taste of Tuscan’s Finest.

Imagine my surprise & delight tonight reading the paper over a nice glass of Pinot Grigio when I see my FAVORITE Florence restaurant, Acqua al 2, opened on Capitol Hill in DC at the same time we moved back to the area in May!!!

The Washington Post‘s Tom Sietsema writes about the new DC spot in his First Bite column of the Food section today.  I love this place and their Le Specialita’ Assagio … the amazing sampler menu!

Tom writes about how owner Ari Gejdenson fell upon a love of cooking when playing soccer in Italy and worked his way up the ladder at Acqua al 2 in Florence.  His mother always suggested he return to the area to open a restaurant. And now he has…a few blocks from where he grew up, as part of the ‘revitalization of the Hill.’

I first discovered Acqua in September ’06 at the recommendation of my friend Samie.  I’ve been back 4 times and its always incredible! Don’t be turned off by the fact they have one in San Diego and now DC… this place is awesome!!

Just made reservations for the new DC location. Buon Appetito!

We’ve lived in Europe for two years now and have been lucky enough to travel all over the countries but Italy is one we keep going back too. We just made our 5th trip to this beautiful and diverse country. Here’s our itinerary from Tuscany Autumn 2006 that includes my DON’T MISS highlights…

• Lucca, Radda in Chianti,
• Villa Vignamaggio,
• Castello di Fonterutoli and a fabulous restaurant in Florence,
• Ristorante Acqua Al Due (make reservations… its worth it!).

Download Tuscany Trip Sept/Oct 2006 (Word Document).

Tuscany also has great beaches… we visited the cute old art deco town of Viareggio (straight out from Pisa) and spent 2 wonderful days at Beach Club Irene across the street from the Hotel President soaking up the sun & enjoying delicious italian lunches on their patio.

Enjoy!