Florence - Citi® Card Benefits

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Florence
P1
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CITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES
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FROM GIOTTO AND
MASACCIO TO RAPHAEL,
AND FROM LEONARDO TO
MICHELANGELO...
is home to most of the main monuments
and museums; the Uffizi, tourist-swamped
Ponte Vecchio and Centro Storico at dead
center; Santa Maria Novella and shopping
destination Via Tornabuoni to the west,
the Duomo and San Marco to the north,
and Santa Croce due east. The south side
of the Arno, Oltrarno is the city’s rive
gauche, packed with artisan shops and
atmosphere. Get art and about!
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
The galaxy of stellar artists who
populated this little medieval city
collectively created the greatest blaze
of art the world has ever seen. Dour she
may be from the outside, and so steeped
in the fabulous Renaissance, that it’s easy
to forget that Florence is actually a very
stylish destination. Exquisitely walkable,
Florence is divided nicely down the middle
by the Arno river, the north side of which
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• The best times to visit are early spring and late fall; July roasts and the city heaves; in August most of the city shuts and the coachload legions arrive en masse
• Peretola Airport to Centro: approx 20 mins / €20-30 including a luggage charge
• Taxis CANNOT be hailed on the
street, and must be either booked or
taken from selected taxi ranks. Note:
locals rarely tip drivers
• Address numbers are defined by color; red (rosso) + ‘r’ for shops and restaurants e.g. 29r; and black (nero) for residential; thus 28r and 30 will confusingly not necessarily be located next to each other
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
• Currency = the euro
• Stilettos + cobbled streets =
broken ankles
• Restaurants and services tend to
close on Sunday, and almost all
museums are closed on Monday
• Book well ahead for the city’s best
tables, service is usually included,
but it’s sweet to add 5% anyway
• All indoor restaurants and bars
are non-smoking
• Artisans and most small shops close
from 1-3.30pm, all day Sunday and
on Monday mornings too
• Purchasing rip-off handbags from
the masses of street hawkers can
land you with a fine of up to €10,000
• The international country code is
+39, all local calls are prefixed with
055, Italian cell phones all start
with 3
• For police dial 112, for an ambulance
dial 118
• Coffee etiquette: caffè/espresso is a
single shot, doppio is a double shot,
Americano is a long black
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Claudio Meli
GENERAL MANAGER
Born in Florence in 1973, Claudio Meli
began his hospitality career as concierge
of the city’s grande dame Savoy Hotel,
and served as secretary of the Golden
Keys Worldwide Concierge Association
for Tuscany for five years. In 2003,
in collaboration with the Kafri family,
Claudio created J.K. Place, and was
appointed General Manager in 2008.
In 2007, he also co-founded Bravo!
Concierge – Florence’s premier lifestyle
and concierge agency.
jkplace.com
bravoconcierge.it
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Claudio Meli
WHERE DO YOU GO TO
RELAX AND UNWIND IN
FLORENCE?
A very special place is the Bardini
Garden where you’ll find probably
the best view of all Florence. Drink a
coffee by the magnificent veranda
and relax…
WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR
FAVORITE RESTAURANTS?
One of the oldest and greatest classic
Florentine restaurants, Buca Lapi,
features fantastic quality meat grilled
over charcoal, as Florentine steak
always should be. II Latini is another
great Florentine classic: no menu, just
fabulous meat. They serve lovely food
from crostini to ribollita (typical
bread and vegetable soup) to the
outstanding finale of cantuccini
(typical cakes from Prato) and Vin
Santo (dessert wine). Lastly, if you
like seafood and have had your fill of
Florentine steak, Cestello is the place.
Understated chic design, great wines
and the best quality fresh seafood.
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
WHAT’S THE ONE THING
EVERY VISITOR MUST DO?
Visit the amazing Vasari Corridor,
the passage that runs from the Uffizi
Gallery to the Pitti Palace, over the
Ponte Vecchio. Built by Lorenzo de
Medici, it is now full of portraits from
the Renaissance up to the last century.
The views you have from it are unique,
and you can watch people in the
street, but nobody can see you. An
incredible hidden secret. For private
tours see Bravo! Concierge.
WHERE CAN YOU BE
FOUND ON A SATURDAY OR
SUNDAY MORNING?
Saturday morning with my children
and wife at Sant’Ambrogio Market
buying the freshest and tastiest food
you could desire. The atmosphere is
reminiscent of the old Florentine style.
WHAT’S THE BEST DAY TRIP
TO TAKE FROM FLORENCE?
Drive to the Chianti area to see
their amazing vineyards and visit
Montalcino to taste the delightful
Brunello. Stop by Tenuta San Filippo,
a lovely farm with superb wines. On
the way back to Florence, stop for
dinner at one Michelin-starred Osteria
di Passignano for modern Tuscan/
Mediterranean cuisine. The landscape
reminds me of a Renaissance painting,
surrounded by vineyards, just next to
the magnificent Abbey of Passignano.
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J.K. PLACE
SOPRARNO SUITES
BUCA LAPI
Hotel
Hotel
Dining
Comfort, sophistication and style
right in the heart of Florence, just
steps from the stunning church of
Santa Maria Novella and amazing
700-year-old apothecary Farmacia
Santa Maria Novella. Each of the
20 snazzy, characterful rooms is
uniquely decorated, and all feature
signature soft furnishings in creams
and neutrals. Add very friendly,
discreet service, probably the city’s
best concierge, plus a great Sunday
brunch, and you’ve got it all sewn up.
If you’re seeking a contemporary (yet
still creative) take on this art-soaked,
history-steeped town, there is simply
no better stay than Soprarno. Choose
from ten individually-themed rooms
all featuring high ceilings, hardwood
floors, super king beds, whimsical
design features, ensuites, Apple TV and
free WiFi, plus just a hint of Florence’s
Renaissance past, courtesy of original
artwork, frescoes and C.16th structural
details. Best of all, it’s conveniently
situated smack bang in artisan Oltrarno.
This wonderful cellar, with its signature
open kitchen, vaulted roof plastered in
posters, and busy, buzzing atmosphere,
is an absolute local treat. Famed
throughout the city for its fabulous,
huge Fiorentina steaks grilled over
charcoal, Buca also plates up excellent
ribolita (bread and vegetable soup) and
wild boar to a Euro-centric crowd, while
the very tempting wine list ensures the
mood is always convivial and generous.
Piazza Santa Maria Novella, 7
Santa Maria Novella
+39 55 264 5181
Via Maggio, 35 / Oltrarno
+39 55 046 8718
Via del Trebbio, 1r / Centro
+39 55 213 768
bucalapi.com
soprarnosuites.com
jkplace.com
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LUXE FLORENCE
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GELATERIA DELLA PASSERA
TRATTORIA SOSTANZA
IN FABBRICA
Dining
Dining
Dining
This tiny corner gelateria is worth
squeezing into for its absolutely
divine, handmade and completely
natural lighter-than-light gelato. The
swoonsome scoops are flavoured
with seven scents including regular
favourites like vanilla and lemon, and
the more unusual cinnamon, cloves
and bourbon. Delizioso!
This hugely social, tile and whitewash
‘corridor’ eatery hasn’t changed its
simple and fiendishly good menu since
1869, and for good reason. The butterfried chicken (pollo al burro) is quite
simply one of the city’s must-taste
dishes and is as good at lunch as it is
at dinner, but do come hungry!
It may be a tad out of the way, but
this 1960s green-tiled former workers’
cafeteria turned ornate dining salon
is more than worth the journey. Its
French and Soviet Imperial-inspired
fitout includes a hammer and sickle
ceiling light installation, intricatelycarved candelabras and militarydressed waitstaff, and it attracts a
glam crowd to boot.
Via dello Sprone, 16
Oltrarno
+39 55 291 882
Via del Porcellana, 25r
Santa Maria Novella
+39 55 212 691 / cash only
Via del Gelsomino, 99 / Porta Romana
+39 347 514 5468
FUSION
IL RIFRULLO
RIVALTA CAFE
Bar
Bar
Bar
No matter the season, the Gallery
Hotel Art’s bar is always a great choice.
Hidden from the street in its own little
courtyard, this switched-on lounge of
dark woods and elegant crowds, with
chic summer deck, extensive tapas and
good drinks, is a smart little haven away
from the milling hordes, only a quick
skip from the Ponte Vecchio.
Stepping away from bustling Centro,
over the Ponte Vecchio and into the
atmospheric San Niccolò quarter
is like stepping into another world,
and right in the middle of it is this
excellent bar with a hip, youthful,
Notting Hill vibe. Waiters serve up
great aperitivi as the sun goes down,
and it’s the Sunday brunch in the city.
In summer grab a streetside table
and soak up the romance of it all.
With its perfect riverside position only
a few paces from the Arno, Rivalta
Cafe is a great all-day relaxed drop-in,
perfect for a light lunch (try the house
burger) or a more substantial dinner.
However, where it really scores big is
with its busy sunset aperitivi where
the crowd spills onto the sidewalk and
then stays on for the DJ after dark.
Gallery Hotel Art
Vicolo dell ’Oro, 3 / Centro
+39 55 2726 6987
lungarnocollection.com
Via di San Niccolò, 55r / Oltrarno
+39 55 234 2621
Lungarno Corsini, 14r / Centro
+39 55 289 810
rivaltacafe.it
ilrifrullo.com
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
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LORENZO VILLORESI
ALESSANDRO DARI
RICCARDO BARTHEL
Shopping
Shopping
Shopping
Follow your nose to the master of
spice and all things nice. Having
worked for Fendi and Armani, Lorenzo
has been creating his own brand of
exquisite perfume since 1990. From
the classic Uomo and Donna, to
the Fantasy Fragrances collection,
including Piper Nigrum and Alamut,
you really are spoiled for choice.
For the ultimate scent souvenir of
Florence, have Lorenzo create a
custom blend for you.
Even Frodo can’t beat the gothic­
meets-exquisite-whimsy of Mr Dari’s
astonishingly inventive, unique,
archaic architectural jewels. Whether
you’re a beginner or veteran in the
world of costume decoration, expect
to get lost in a paradise of castles,
musical instruments, gilded cages and
mystical cyphers. In other words, if it
can be made into jewelry, you’ll find it
waiting here.
Since 1976, Riccardo has protected
and refined Florence’s most time­
honoured treatments of woods,
metals, ceramics and glass. Today
the father-son duo plus a team
of carpenters and metalsmiths
cast, carve, and upcycle in their
labyrinthine showroom of antiques
and salvaged pieces, either ready to
purchase or awaiting their turn under
the expert’s eye.
Via de’ Bardi, 14 / Oltrarno
+39 55 234 1187
Via di San Niccolò, 115r / Oltrarno
+39 55 244 747
alessandrodari.com
Via dei Serragli, 234r / Oltrarno
+39 055 228 0721
riccardobarthel.it
lorenzovilloresi.it
ANTIQUES & BOUTIQUES
THE VASARI CORRIDOR
Activities
Activities
This outside-the-box tour company
offers tailored tours and personal
shopping services that include jaunts
to the city’s backstreet trattorias
and delis, workshops at milliner,
leather and jewelry ateliers, and retail
guidance to help you unearth the
finest vintage, design and boutique
finds. Note the company is based in
Barcelona, though tours are led in
Florence by locals.
Cosimo I walked from Palazzo Pitti
across the Ponte Vecchio to work in
the Palazzo Vecchio along this hidden,
snaking corridor built especially
for him in 1565. With tantalizing,
elevated views of the Arno and the
streets below, it now contains the
Medici’s unique collection of artists’
self-portraits from great masters
to modern whippersnappers like
Chagall. It’s closed to the public and
only accessible by privately arranged
tour, so contact Bravo! Concierge or
Context Travel.
NUOVO TEATRO
DELL’OPERA
Activities
Call Lisa on +34 671 234 800
or Niki on +34 607 653 817
antiquesandboutiques.com
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
LUXE Insider
Nuovo Teatro dell’Opera
Viale Fratelli Rosselli
Santa Maria Novella
+39 55 277 9309
operadifirenze.it
bravoconcierge.it
contexttravel.com
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In a city so steeped in history, the
arrival of any audacious, ultra-modern
architecture is a refreshing change.
Check for events and concerts at the
Nuovo Teatro, and soak up the newest
musical and architectural renaissance!
Failing that, the Teatro Maggio season is
always worth a look.
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P8
THE QUEUE AT THE UFFIZI
GALLERY
SUNDAY & MONDAY
CLOSING
Book your ticket ahead, or make sure
you have plenty of time to waste
Exceptionally irritating for visitors
THE PONTE VECCHIO
FAKE HANDBAG SELLERS
A shoulder-to-shoulder sea of
leisurewear and accents
Poor quality and on just about every
street corner
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
LACK OF TAXIS
You could walk to Rome in the time
it takes to hail one
with limited time in the city
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BOOK AHEAD
ROOFTOP VIEWS
Standing in line outside the Uffizi Gallery
with hundreds of other bored, grumpy
people, then doing the same outside the
Accademia and the Palazzo Pitti gets
very frustrating. Book ahead for major
museums with Firenze Musei, or buy the
Climbing to the top of the Duomo
with all the other tourists in town for
a view of the city is not a particularly
pleasant activity, whereas sitting on the
summer rooftop terrace bar of the Hotel
Continentale, with a martini in one hand
and a front row view of the city, Arno and
Ponte Vecchio, is.
handy Firenze Card and gain access to
museums, galleries and churches with no
queues or frayed tempers.
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COOKING CLASSES
CAR HIRE
SORE FEET
Hiring the usual, nondescript car to get
you out into the stunning countryside
surrounding Florence will be a distant
memory once you’ve taken a look at the
ravishing, classic sports car delivered to
your door by Zephyrus. Arrive in style!
With so much to cover around town
your feet can get worn out very swiftly;
happily you can zap all around town on
your own bicycle courtesy of Florence
by Bike where hourly, daily and weekly
rentals are available.
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
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Sampling all the classic Florentine and
Tuscan dishes and then telling the folks
back home all about it is all very well, but
signing up for the excellent culinary day
classes at La Cucina del Garga means
you can cook for them instead.
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Romance
First, start by choosing your perfect
bower, and where better than the glorious
Four Seasons, with two palazzos hidden
away in their own walled gardens, and one
of the only swimming pools in the entire
city? Now, away with your Firenze Card
in hand (see Drab vs Fab) to bypass the
outrageous queues and see Botticelli’s
extraordinary Birth of Venus and all
the other treasures in the Uffizi. When
you exit, stop for a well-earned cup
of chocolate at divine Rivoire, before
heading to see Florence’s most famous
figure at the Accademia. Once again
your Firenze Card will help you get past
the queues, but in your haste to see
the David, don’t forget to check out the
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
four Prisoners escaping their blocks of
stone, truly wonderful. Lunch! It’s but a
short walk to sample the seriously good
seasonal fare at Cantinetta Antinori,
before a coffee or a cheeky, signature
Negroni at Caffè Giacosa (they were
invented here in 1919). In the heat of the
afternoon, take solace poolside back
at your hotel and be sure to book into
the glorious double VIP suite at the Spa
at Four Seasons, which uses signature
Farmacia Santa Maria Novella products.
As the sun sets, take a prosecco and
wander in the pretty gardens before
setting off by taxi to ultra-romantic Villa
San Michele for your alfresco patio dinner
with stunning views over the city below. If
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love isn’t in the air yet, you can guarantee
it will be soon, by taking your nightcaps
on the lovely summer rooftop bar of the
Ferragamo-owned Hotel Continentale
(see Drab vs Fab). With delicious views
over the city it merely remains to say –
cin cin!
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Style
Supremely and effortlessly stylish, J.K.
Place (see LUXE Loves) remains a firm
favorite for the cognoscenti, and its
walking proximity to everything you will
wish to visit is an added bonus. Of all the
retail experiences you can have, there
probably is little that will come close
to the moment when you step into the
ancient Farmacia Santa Maria Novella
for the first time. For over 700 years this
ex-chapel has purveyed herbal tinctures,
room fragrances, soaps and perfumes
– now an international brand, this is the
original, and yes, Dr Hannibal Lecter
did shop here in the film… Only seconds
away is our all time favorite lunch spot
Trattoria Sostanza (see LUXE Loves). Be
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
sure to order the pollo al burro (butter
chicken) and you’ll never eat fried chicken
any other way again. It would be churlish
to come to Italy and not have gelato, and
there are several fabulous artisans in the
city, but for the serious aficionado this
means a 20-minute cab ride to Badiani,
where you will find the very finest vanilla
ice-cream you’ve ever tasted – the
patented Buontalenti flavor. Well, you’ve
had fried chicken and ice-cream, you may
as well have some retail too! Back in a
taxi and have your driver drop you in the
exquisitely atmospheric neighborhood
of San Niccolò to find the ateliers of
Alessandro Dari and Lorenzo Villoresi
(see LUXE Loves for both). Bejeweled
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LUXE Loves
and be-fragranced, start your evening
with aperitivi at charming and busy local
fave Il Rifrullo (see LUXE Loves) before
jumping in a cab to Santa Croce and
settling into pretty as a pup Caffè Cibrèo
(see LUXE Loves) – this gorgeous little
bistro features great home cooking and a
tiny summer terrace that’s a joy to linger
on of a balmy evening. More cocktails?
But, of course. End your stylish evening
at Hotel Gallery Art’s happening Fusion
bar (see LUXE Loves), or just across
the tiny private courtyard is the Hotel
Continentale and its wonderful rooftop
terrace bar (see Drab vs Fab).
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Business
The classic Savoy Hotel sits firmly in the
center of the city, making it the perfect
choice for wherever you may need to
get to for your meetings, but if you can,
do try to stretch your stay over a few
days to avail yourself of the amazing
artisanal craftspeople that abound in this
beautiful city. For men especially, it’s like
being in a candy shop. For beautifully
handmade shoes that offer a distinct
twist on classic designs head to cobbler
extraordinaire Fukaya Hidetaka’s Il
Micio. For made-to-measure shirts you
won’t wish to miss Simone Abbarchi,
where a handsewn shirt can start at a
quite reasonable €100. For suits, make
an appointment at Cisternino and you
won’t regret it; Piero lovingly constructs
Scabal cashmere jackets and pants in
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
this quaint little backstreet atelier. Where
else but Florence could you find a shop
that specializes in suit linings? Marik is
favored by the top tailors in town for its
staggering rainbow of jewel-hued fabrics,
so there’s no excuse for plain old navy
blue anymore! When it comes to business
drinks or lunch there can be few places
more commodious than the all-time
classic institution Harry’s Bar – a haven
for Florence’s movers and shakers, as
famed for its cocktails and aperitivi in the
evening as it is for its luncheon scene.
When the dinner gong sounds, take your
clients to super cellar Buca Lapi (see
LUXE Loves); its famed Fiorentina steaks
never fail to impress, and the convivial
atmosphere is the perfect icebreaker.
At the end of the day, for the perfect
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and well-earned Vesper, you don’t have
far to go. Head back to the Savoy and
secure a spot in their ground floor bar
Irene – in summer you can sit street-side
on the terrace overlooking Piazza della
Repubblica and simply watch the world
go by.
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The Essentials
ROMANCE
STYLE
BUSINESS
• Four Seasons Hotel
Borgo Pinti, 99 / San Marco
+39 55 262 61
fourseasons.com
• J.K. Place
(see LUXE Loves)
• Savoy Hotel
Piazza della Repubblica, 7 / Centro
+39 55 273 51
hotelsavoy.it
• Firenze Card
(see Drab vs Fab)
• Uffizi Gallery
Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6
+39 55 238 8651
uffizi.com
• Farmacia Santa Maria Novella
Via della Scala, 16 / Santa
Maria Novella
+39 55 216 276
smnovella.com
• Trattoria Sostanza
(see LUXE Loves)
• Rivoire
Via Vacchereccia, 4r
cnr Piazza della Signoria / Centro
+39 55 214 412
rivoire.it
• Accademia
Via Ricasoli, 66
+39 55 215 449
accademia.firenze.it
• Badiani
Viale dei Mille, 20r / Stadio
+39 55 578 682
• Caffè Giacosa
Via della Spada, 10r / Centro
+39 55 277 6328
caffegiacosa.it
• Marik
Via della Spada, 35r / Centro
+39 55 283 254
fodere-marik.com
• Il Rifrullo
(see LUXE Loves)
• Caffè Cibrèo
(see LUXE Loves)
• Harry’s Bar
Lungarno A Vespucci, 22r / Centro
+39 55 239 6700
harrysbarfirenze.com
• Fusion
(see LUXE Loves)
• Buca Lapi
(see LUXE Loves)
• Hotel Continentale
(see Drab vs Fab)
• Villa San Michele
Via Doccia, 4 / Fiesole
+39 55 567 8200
belmond.com
• Simone Abbarchi
Borgo Santissimi Apostoli, 16 / Centro
+39 55 210 552
simoneabbarchi.com
• Sartoria Piero Cisternino
Via del Purgatorio, 22r / Centro
+39 55 280 118
sartoriapierocisternino.it
• Alessandro Dari
(see LUXE Loves)
• Lorenzo Villoresi
(see LUXE Loves)
• Cantinetta Antinori
Piazza Antinori, 3 / Centro
+39 55 292 234
cantinetta-antinori.it
• Il Micio
Via dei Federighi, 6r / Centro
+39 55 212 295
ristoranteilmicio.it
• Irene
Savoy Hotel (see above)
+39 55 273 5891
• Hotel Continentale
(see Drab vs Fab)
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LUXE FLORENCE
Intro
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