escapade à Florence I getaway in Florence I
Ponte Vecchio, the most ancient bridge in Florence.
Originally made of wood, it was rebuilt in stone in
1345. At this time, the bridge was occupied by
butchers and tanners until Ferdinand 1er de Médicis
replaced them with jewellers, still there today. Right
above those luxury boutiques is the Vasari Corridor.
Thanks to this elevated passageway, the Medici
made sure they could move freely and safely between
their residence in Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Vecchio.
The San Spirito district
On the other side of the Arno (“Oltrarno”), there are
lots of new architectural treasures. I discover
Palazzo Pitti, which once was the main residence of
the Médicis. Its façade, made according to the
bugnato style, gives a austere and powerful visual
aspect to the palace. Transferred to the State in
1919, it became the greatest museum in Florence.
The last rays of sunlight are fading and our long walk
has worked up my appetite. My friend and I head to
the Piazza San Spirito, a place whose charm is
different from what I have seen of Florence until now.
We enter the restaurant Olio & Convivium, inside the
Palazzo Caponi. The establishment is dedicated to
wine and gastronomic research. Only fresh and fine
products are on the menu. If you have some time on
your hands, you can enjoy the “Bottega dell’Olio”, in
order to learn about the gustatory qualities of oil and
how to perfectly combine your dishes with it.
Once satisfied, we head slowly toward the hotel
while admiring the city by night. If the people of
Florence are not night owls, the center of the city,
entirely pedestrian, is filled with tourists at night.
2nd day
Santa Croce district
The alarm wakes me up, it’s 8h30. I jump off my bed and
have breakfast on the Finisterrae terrace. This small
restaurant overlooks the Piazza Santa Croce and offers
a breathtaking view of the Basilic of the same name. The
waiter tells me that it was built by the Franciscans during
the 13th century and that inside of it rest the tombs of
the greatest Florentine families, among them the
Medicis. As for the place, it was the playground of the
“calcio storico fiorentino», a very popular kind of football
during Renaissance. I finish my capuccino with
“cornetto” looking at Dante’s statue, whose icy look is
making me feel more and more uncomfortable.
While wa