My Must List: Florence, Italy
Creating itineraries might be my love language
One of the best things about travel is the people that I meet. A question I get a lot is if I get lonely while I travel solo and the answer is no. While I absolutely adore travel time with people I love, when I travel solo I get to meet so many more folks, engage in lively conversations and learn from them.
I also absolutely adore sharing the wonderful, special things about a place where I have spent time exploring. That is the intention of this substack, after all, to have a home to share all of the things I’ve learned and loved while traveling the world. So, when people ask me for recommendations I am ALL IN.
Recently, while I was wrapping up my time in Edinburgh, one of my final meals was (of course) at Dishoom. I swoon for Dishoom - it is up there in my top 10 places to eat in the world and I will never tire of it. Of the many charms and delights of Dishoom, the wonderful staff ranks equal to the food. Over the many years of visiting multiple Dishoom in the UK, I have connected with staff in a personal way and their enthusiasm for their workplace shines through.
So, I went to Dishoom during my last week in Edinburgh with the intention to EAT [all caps]. A lot. My server, Paul was wonderful and completely supported my intent to have a leisurely meal with lots of dishes. As per usuals, even though I arrived on the early side of dinner at 5:00 pm the place was packed. Throughout my dining experience, the topic of my time in Edinburgh came up and I shared that I had been traveling for 4+ months and spent the last two late autumn/early winters in Italy, with Florence as my base.
Excitedly, Paul told me he would be visiting Florence for the first time with his girlfriend, this April and was keen to learn more about my thoughts. However, a very busy dinner service, with tables filling as soon as they were emptied and cleared, wasn’t conducive for an in-depth travel discussion. Through our quick exchanges, I did understand that food and wine were a focus of the upcoming Florence visit and non-tourist activities were desired.
Perfect.
Can we call creating itineraries my “love language”? I think possibly yes. I absolutely adore creating itineraries. When I ran a large winery hospitality program, my staff would often grab me to help guests with their itineraries on what wineries to visit based on their interests and goals. Not that my staff couldn’t help them but they were often very, very busy with multiple groups. Sometimes I would rewrite people’s entire itineraries and would happily call winery owners/staff to get the guest's appointments personally.
So, I told Paul if he were interested, I would take his email and give good thought to what he could do and send him a list - not so much an itinerary but a good list of recommendations. He enthusiastically took me up on this offer and dashed off his email and a few notes before I took my leave, stuffed with Black Daal, Naan, and the best gimlets in the world.
Florence is one of my favorite cities in the world. Landing there for the very first time in November of 2021 was a dream. Virtually empty of tourists, I spent my non-working hours walking miles and miles and taking in the natural and historic beauties, drinking amazing coffee and wine, getting to know the locals, and eating like a queen. I was in Florence from November 21-January 22 and November 22-January 23 and it honestly feels equally like home and a place where I still have much to discover.
Stunningly beautiful in both nature, architecture, and art, simply walking through Florence can have the effect of leaving you breathless and full of wonder.
I have also found Florence to be full of friendly people, who are up for a chat, even if I have to use Google Translate, and delighted to give their favorite recommendations. I want them all. I never get tired of walking the river, climbing the hills, and chatting with the locals. And I never, EVER get tired of eating and drinking.
I highly recommend visiting in the shoulder and/or off seasons: September-April. This past December I got a taste of the center of Florence being packed with tourists and it was not my favorite. However, my apartment is on the Oltrarno, which translates to “the other side of the Arno” and is south of the river across from the historic center, and the Duomo and that makes it easier to avoid the crowds. Dubbed by Time Out as “Florence’s coolest neighborhood” the Oltrarno has some of my favorite restaurants, bars, bakeries, and bistros.
Please note: this is not at all an exhaustive list of my recommends in Florence. I made this itinerary knowing that they just had a week.
Non-eating drinking places I recommend as “do not miss”:
Walking the Arno from Ponte Amerigo Vespucci (which starts in my neighborhood in Santa Rosa) to turn around at Ponte di San Niccolo, which borders on the San Niccolo neighborhood.
Climbing to the Piazza Michelangelo, which is above San Niccolo, is wonderful and has incredible views. What a lot of people don’t know about is the very special church and cemetery above the Piazza Michelangelo. San Miniato Church is very special itself but the cemetery is wonderful. I love cemeteries. At times the monks are somewhere in the church singing and the whole experience is otherworldly. Forget about time and just get lost in the beauty and feel the ghosts.
The original Officina Farmacia Santa Maria Novella
Gucci Garden - museum/installation - this is the last year of this particular installation and it is super fun and is in the Piazza della Signoria which you definitely want to visit. If you don’t do the museum grab a coffee or cocktail at the Gucci bar. It’s really one of the best.
Museums pass for Uffuzi - Boboli Gardens Palazzo Patti and more: during busy season this is 40 euros per person; in the off-season, it is only 16 euros for entrance to all these wonderful places and if you time it right [during the week, in the morning] it can be very lightly populated.
Santo Spirito Neighborhood: the Basilica di Santo Spirito is the center of it all and has a lively courtyard full of local color. The area has some of my favorite bakeries, restaurants, enotecas, and shops. Don’t miss the inside and outside of the church - then I recommend just wandering, while always looking UP.
Wine-snacks-wonderful bars:
Il Santino - my absolute favorite place to hang out day or evening: the whipped cod crostini isn’t always on the menu but you can ask for it and if they make it for you, well, you will know why. I know the chef here and he is incredible. Great wines, cheese, and luscious charcuterie boards…order everything. Excellent staff. It is SUPER tiny….mid-day is a good time to grab a seat inside.
Santa Rosa Bistrot - my neighborhood spot that will set you up for breakfast, lunch, dinner, spritz, wine, and more. Located in the park it’s perfect for people-watching, reading a book, and grabbing a quick macchiato on your way home. Perfection. Wonderful staff.
La Volpe e l’uva - wine bar - many awards - tucked up by the Ponte Vecchio this is a great spot for snacks and wine. Be sure to chat up the staff on what wine they are loving and you won’t go wrong.
Fuori Porta - at the base of the climb to the Piazza Michelangelo, in San Niccolo, this is the spot for long lunch and wine and drinks and macchiatos.
Aperto with a view - definitely go to the Westin on the Arno to their rooftop bar - epic views and they do an aperitivo plus snack for 20 euros. Worth it.
Food:
Splurge for a Tuscan Steak experience: La Giostra - this is the OG and everything is grand but the steak is chefs kiss. Be sure to not ask for it medium or well done. They don’t do that in Firenze. This is over by the Duomo and the only place on my list in the touristy area but it is legit fantastic.
My absolute favorite trattoria - been there since the early 1900’s - 4 Leoni. The best best best. Love them. Love everything they do. Great little tucked-away corner in Santo Spirito.
Second fave: Cammillo - just old-school Italy and elegant - they make the best brodo in Firenze.
Il Santo Bevitore - the restaurant is next to Il Santino wine bar - Chef Sergio is the BEST. Staff is amazing. Excellent food, wine list, and atmosphere. Two words: whipped. Cod.
Zeb - Michelin star experience - Mother Son chefs - very small, intimate.
Coffee - Aperto - relaxing:
Santa Rosa Bistrot (worth twice mentioning!) - this is my neighborhood place and it is wonderful for everything coffee pastries aperto cocktails wine dinner people
Gilli’s in the center - a historic, classic spot for people watching
Orizi Mariano - this is a hidden away locals spot for coffee wine snacks and on a GREAT street
Ditta Artiginale - has many locations in the city - I like the one by the Ponte Vecchio but it gets crowded on weekends. Great coffees.
Sant Ambrogio Mercato - this is the market to go to instead of Centrale Mercado. A bit of a walk from the center but worth it especially for Paninno old school.
Absolute MUST Bakeries:
Wild Buns Florence - Robert is a magician. Get several buns, get a sandwich, get a loaf of his sourdough - get it all - you won’t be sorry.
S Forno - is the bakery of Il Santino - Il Santo Bevitore - an absolute must - just a few steps from Santo Spirito church.
If you’re going to Florence, this would be my short list of places to not miss. I also have Airbnb recommendations for experiences and accommodations and another full page of places I absolutely love and would be delighted to customize an itinerary - send me an email and let’s start a conversation. I would be delighted to help you!
If you have been to Florence, let me know what your absolute favorites are. I would love to know.
Grazie Mille for reading.
Ciao, Ciao til next time….
Hi Michele, I am heading to Florence in March and would love and appreciate any Airbnb recommendations you have! I sent you a DM on Instagram, but I'm not sure you'll see it. I'll shoot you an email just in case. :)