Florence

Florence Travel Guide

• About Florence

Esteemed Florence isn’t just one of Italy’s greatest cities – it’s one of Europe’s cultural jewels. First-time visitors have a habit of being overwhelmed by the sheer depth of the place, spending their time dashing from one masterpiece to the next. It’s understandable: the cradle of the Renaissance houses some of the world’s greatest artistic treasures. It’s also incredibly beautiful: a cluster of russet roofs and late medieval splendours set amongst the wine-growing hills of Chianti. Its ancient palaces, curvaceous domes and lofty basilicas are stuffed with fine art and world-class galleries, most prominently the Uffizi. The whole of the city’s historic centre is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dominating this centre is the Duomo, the city’s Cathedral, a landmark of elegance and beauty. Nearby, the River Arno is crossed by the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge, still lined with shops and held up by stilts. Dating back to the 14th century, the bridge survived attacks during WWII. Standing by the river at night, with the city illuminated by twinkling lights, it remains an unforgettable sight. If you want to get away from the crowds (notably the millions who descend on the city in the summer), head to the city’s south where there are hills, gardens and churches. A walk up to San Miniato hill takes you to one of the highest points of the city, topped by a Romanesque basilica. Again, the views are superb. But for all its old-world splendour, to see the Tuscan capital purely through the prism of history is to do it a disservice. It’s also a dynamic and cosmopolitan 21st-century city, with its food and drink particular highlights. Gelato is a Florentine institution elevated almost to an art form. Retail therapy is another of its charms. Fashionistas head to Via de’ Tornabuoni for upmarket labels, while the city’s abundance of markets are also worth exploring for their riot of colours and smells. In particular, the San Lorenzo Market, stretching from Piazza San Lorenzo to Via dell’Ariento, is fun for meandering.

• Florence History

Although there were settlements dating back to the Etruscans and beyond, Florence itself was founded in 59 BC by the Romans. ‘Florentia’ was established for war veterans and built in the grid-style of a military camp. It served as the main route between Rome and the north, which enabled it to rapidly expand as a commercial centre. Florence owes much of its wealth to the Middle Ages when banking boomed on the back of the city’s profitable cotton trade. In 1235, Florence minted the florin, the first gold coin to become standard currency across Europe. We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Florence was a city republic governed by an oligarchy of elite merchant and banking families. However, popular revolts led to periods when public office was also shared among citizens from the middle and lower artisan classes. Although internal feuds were frequent, commissions from the rich resulted in a near-unparalleled era of art and architecture. The names Strozzi, Rucellai and Pitti can be found all over Florence, but it was the Medici family (who led the city for three centuries) that nurtured the likes of Botticelli and Michelangelo. This was also the period of Dante (the father of the Italian language) and Savonarola’s Bonfire of the Vanities. The culmination of the Medici line led to Austrian control of the city and other Tuscan territories in 1737. After a period of Napoleonic rule from 1797, Florence passed back to Austria, until the region was unified with the new Italian state in 1861. For a time it was the capital, before Rome superseded it. The city was modernised, with Piazza della Repubblica widened and a large triumphal arch constructed at the west end. In the 19th century the population of Florence doubled and then it tripled in the 20th century with the growth of tourism and trade. In 1944, nearly all the city’s bridges were destroyed by the Nazis in an attempt to stall the Allied advance.

• Did you know?

The only bridge in Florence’s historic centre not to be destroyed by the Nazis during WWII was Ponte Vecchio. Hitler himself is said to have vetoed its destruction at the last moment because it was too beautiful. Florence was given to former soldiers as a settlement by Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC. In 1966, the city was flooded, damaging much of its precious architecture. It is said that the authorities had advance warning of the bursting of the River Arno’s banks but failed to tell the people.

• Weather in Florence

To avoid the heat and the queues, it’s best to visit Florence in spring and autumn. During the peak summer months of July and August, the weather can be unbearably sticky and the prospect of trailing around museums becomes unappealing. Average temperatures in July hover around 35°C (95°F), but if you wait for autumn, the countryside glows with an abundance of wild mushrooms and just-pressed olive oil. If you venture to the city in winter, January temperatures average around 5°C (41°F).

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Things to see in Florence

Attractions

• Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens

Built for the wealthy Pitti family in 1440, this sprawling palace now houses six different museums. The best two are the misleadingly named Gallery of Modern Art which houses Florentine art from the 18th and 19th centuries and the Galleria Palatina with Rubens, Titian and Raphael wrapped in heavy gilt frames. Few make it to the Costume Gallery, Silver Museum and Porcelain Museum and visitors at saturation point should head to the wonderful Boboli Gardens, a haven of fountains, grottoes and shady walks. Address: Piazza Pitti, Metropolitan City of Florence. Telephone: +39 055 294 883 Opening times: Daily 08:15- 16:30. Website: www.uffizi.it Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Uffizi Gallery

The Medici art collection, housed in the majestic, 16th-century Uffizi Palace, is one of the most important accumulations of art in the world. It is too vast to tackle on a single visit, but don’t miss Botticelli’s mythological masterpieces, The Birth of Venus and Primavera, nor Leonardo Da Vinci’s Annunciation if you’re short of time. Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi 6, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 294 883 Opening times: Daily 08:15-21:30. Website: www.uffizi.it Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Duomo (Cathedral)

Brunelleschi’s gravity-defying dome dominates the Florence skyline and defines the city. The double-skinned roof that sits atop the city’s rose-coloured cathedral was an architectural breakthrough and remains the largest self-supporting dome since the classical era. Despite the lavish pink, white and green marble frontage, the cathedral’s cavernous interior is surprisingly free from decoration. Address: Piazza del Duomo, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 230 2885 Opening times: Daily 08:30-18:00. Website: www.museumflorence.com Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Gallerie dell’Accademia (Accademia Gallery)

While Florence offers a panoply of art, most people associate the city with just one masterpiece – Michelangelo’s David. Crafted when the artist was only 29 years old, the huge statue, carved from a single block of marble in 1502, occupies pride of place in the city’s Accademia Gallery. Address: Via Ricasoli 60, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 098 7100 Opening times: Daily 08:15-18:50. Website: www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Ponte Vecchio (Vecchio Bridge)

Home to Florence’s gold and silversmiths since 1563, this famous 14th-century bridge is literally lined with gold, and is a prime shopping trap for tourists today. High above the shops is the Corridoio Vasariano, a secret passage that links the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace but can only be visited by prior appointment. Address: Firenze, Por Santa Maria, Florence. Opening times: Daily 24 hours. Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

• Santa Croce

Some of Italy’s most gifted men are buried in this elegant Franciscan church, including Michelangelo (whose body was smuggled out of Rome in a packing case), Machiavelli, Galileo, Rossini and Ghiberti. Dante’s tomb lies empty – the forefather of Italian literature died in Ravenna and the city refused to return his corpse. Address: Piazza Santa Croce 16, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 200 8789 Opening times: Daily 09:30-17:30. Website: www.santacroceopera.it  Admission Fees: Yes (combined ticket with Museum Santa Croce). Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

• Cappelle Medicee (Medici Chapels)

Built by the powerful Medici family to serve as their mausoleums, entering the Medici Chapels feels like stepping into a large jewellery box. The Chapel of the Princes is decorated with semi-precious stones and dotted with works of art, while Michelangelo designed the New Sacristy. Address: Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini 6, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 064 9430 Opening times: Wed-Mon 08:15-18:50. Website: www.cappellemedicee.it Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Bargello National Museum)

The grim façade of the Palazzo del Bargello, formerly the city’s jail and torture chamber, is a daunting introduction to Tuscany’s most impressive collection of Renaissance sculpture. Masterpieces by Cellini, Donatello and Michelangelo are arranged over three floors and overflow into the Palace’s handsome courtyard. Address: Via del Proconsolo 4, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 064 9440 Opening times: Wed-Mon 08:15-13:50. Website: www.bargellomusei.it Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Santa Maria Novella

The zebra-striped façade of the Santa Maria Novella church, completed in 1470, is one of Florence’s most dramatic frontages. Its graceful scrolls, gothic arches and classical pediments combine to make a standout building in a city of wonderful architecture. Inside is Masaccio’s Holy Trinity (1427), a fresco displaying an outstanding use of perspective. Address: Piazza Santa Maria Novella 18, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 219 257 Opening times: Daily 09:00-17:30. Website: www.smn.it Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Museo Novecento

Showcasing a wealth of 20th-century art across 15 exhibition areas, this innovative museum celebrates the creative sparks of the 1900s. Working back from the 1990s, it’s a chronological journey of paintings, sculptures and installations by the likes of Giorgio De Chirico, Giorgio Morandi and Emilio Vedova. The top floor has a fascinating cinematic depiction of Florence. Address: Piazza Santa Maria Novella, 10, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 286 132 Opening times: Fri-Wed 11:00-20:00. Website: www.museonovecento.it  Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

Tourist Offices

• Azienda di Promozione Turistica (APT)

Address: Via Camillo Cavour 1r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 290 832 Opening times: Daily 09:00-19:00. Website: www.firenzeturismo.it The main tourist office in Florence distributes maps and information. It also sells passes and tickets. You can also find a tourist information desk in the airport arrivals hall, at Santa Maria Novella train station, at Piazza s. Giovanni 1, at Via del Termine 11 and Piazzale delle Cascine.

Tourist passes

• The Firenze Card  ( Website: www.firenzecard.it ) is valid for three days and grants admission to 72 of the most important museums in Florence and also includes free public transport.

The card is available online, at tourist information offices, and at the ticket offices of several museums.

Things to do in Florence

• Go horse riding in the Chianti hills

Take a day trip from Florence and spend it horse riding in the pretty Chianti region. Florence Town Telephone: +39 55 281 103 Website: www.florencetown.com Can take expert riders through rolling Tuscan countryside, vineyards, olive groves and Middle Age villages.

• Head out into the Chianti region

Just 30km (18 miles) from Florence are the rolling vines of the Chianti region, which is of course famous for its wine. Take a tour with Tuscany Pass  ( Website: www.firenzecard.it ) And you’ll get a front row stall for the production of Chianti Classico, Reserve, and Vin Santo, with plenty of opportunities to try the good drink.

• Hit the markets in Piazza del Ciompi

If your chosen method of therapy is retail, then be sure you visit one of Piazza del Ciompi’s markets. There’s a daily flea market (supposedly starting 0900 but times do change), and every last Sunday of the month the market takes over the surrounding streets, with around 100 stalls to browse through. Treasure awaits the patient.

• Learn all about the Medici Dynasty

Lean back and take in the Medici Dynasty Show  ( Website: www.medicidynasty.com) In the ornately decorated library of the former Convent of Sant’Onofrio, which is today the Il Fuligno complex, Via Faenza 48, in the heart of Florence. The showroom is the perfect setting for this Renaissance multimedia theatre piece in English that lasts one hour.

• Sample the best of Florence’s food

Florence is as famous for its food as its mopeds, and there’s no better way to dive into the local cuisine than the Florence Food Tour  ( Website: www.walksofitaly.com )  This three and half hour tour will take in markets, restaurants, wine and even some gelato. Don’t eat before, basically.

Florence tours and excursions

Florence tours

• Bicycle tours

I Bike Italy offers two hour city tours by bike, as well as excursions into Chianti on mountain bikes. Full-day tours (0900-1700) include lunch and a tour of one of the local vineyards. Bookings are taken in English over the telephone and a pick-up point in Florence is arranged. Telephone: +39 342 935 2395 Website: www.ibikeflorence.com 

• Walking tours

Visitors can arrange a private walking tour or book one of the group tours around Florence’s key attractions online at Website: www.walksinsideflorence.it Walks include a tour of the Uffizi Gallery, departing from the reservations entrance at 1330 (Tuesday-Saturday); an Orientation tour for first visitors, a Florence in one day tour, a Michelangelo tour; Medieval Florence and its Basi. The walking tours range from two to three hours and don’t include entry tickets.

Florence excursions

• Cinque Terre

Once you clap eyes on Cinque Terre, you will never want to leave. Made up of five separate villages each with their own charms and all connected by train, this is one of Italy’s gems. It is also a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore steep hills flanked by colourful pastel-coloured homes overlooking the azure waters of the Mediterranean. Delight in the views as you tuck into freshly caught seafood meals. To reach this area, take the train from Florence to La Spezia from where you have to catch another train to Riomaggiore. Website: www.cinqueterre.it

• Pisa

Visit Pisa and its legendary 54m-high (177ft) circular Leaning Tower. Intrepid visitors can hike up to six floors, with open galleries but there are 294 lung-gasping steps to the top. Make sure you leave time to visit the city’s oft-ignored other landmarks, including: Piazza dei Miracoli, one of Europe’s greatest groups of Romanesque buildings; the 11th century Duomo; the Botanical Gardens, amongst the oldest in Europe; and the former Benedictine convent of San Matteo. Website: www.turismo.pisa.it

Shopping in Florence

Shopping in Florence is a delight. The city is famous for its high-quality leather products, wonderful goldsmiths, marbled paper and much more.

• Key areas

The area around Santa Croce is home to the city’s leather makers, while Oltrarno is cluttered with the workshops of local gold and silversmiths – although the Ponte Vecchio is home to the glitzier shops. Pick up avant garde jewellery at Angela Caputi, Via Santo Spirito 58r, or leather goods at MM, Via de’Ramaglianti 6r. Designer boutiques cluster around the Via de’ Tornabuoni and Via Calzaiuoli, where Versace, Ferragamo, Gucci, Max Mara and Prada all have stores. Fashion aficionados should also visit Via della Vigna Nuova where Dolce e Gabbana and venerable milliners Borsalino are located, and Piazza degli Strozzi for Louis Vuitton and Escada. Handmade shoes are available at Francesco, Via Santo Spirito 62r, while Pineider, Piazza della Signoria 13r, is considered the most exclusive stationers in all Italy, having designed calling cards for Napoleon, Byron and Maria Callas.

• Markets

Pick up designer copies, leather belts and bags in the open-air San Lorenzo Market, in Piazza San Lorenzo. Nearby stands the Mercato Centrale, a covered food market bursting with olives, hams, cheeses and fresh vegetables and a couple of restaurants on the first floor. The flea market at Largo Pietro Annigoni specialises in antiques and is open Monday to Saturday, and the last Sunday of the month.

• Shopping centres

You can buy marked-down designer items at: The Mall Address: Via Europa, 8, Leccio FIorence. Telephone: +39 055 865 7775 Website: www.themall.it only half-an-hour’s drive from central Florence, off the SS69.

• Opening hours

As a general rule, shops open 09:30-13:00 and 15:30-19:30 or 20:00, although larger department stores and supermarkets may stay open throughout the day. Clothes shops are often closed Monday mornings. There is limited Sunday opening.

• Souvenirs

Leatherware, gold, shoes, fashion, food and wine are among the most popular souvenirs from Florence.

• Tax information

Value-added tax (IVA) is 22% on clothing and luxury goods. Foreign tourists from non-EU countries can claim a tax refund, provided they spend at least €155 in the same shop on the same day.

Restaurants in Florence

There is a wide choice of restaurants in Florence. From cheap eateries catering to art students to sophisticated contemporary restaurants serving international cuisine. The Florence restaurants below have been hand-picked by our guide author and grouped into three different pricing categories: Expensive (over €80) Moderate (€40 to €80) Cheap (under €40) The prices are for an average three-course meal for one person and a half bottle of house wine or the cheapest equivalent. Prices include IVA of 10% but do not include service charge or tip. Beware of a ‘cover charge’ for bread and napkins, and check to see if a service charge has been added to your bill.

Expensive

• Cantinetta Antinori

Cuisine: Tuscan Owned by Tuscany’s most famous winemakers, Antinori, and housed in the family’s elegant palazzo, this refined restaurant pitches super-Tuscans and great Chiantis from their extensive estates. Subtle food flavours predominate on the menu and accompany diners in their vinous deliberations, with dishes such as rolls of glazed veal and artichokes. Address: Piazza degli Antinori, 3, FIorence. Telephone: +39 55 292 234 Website: www.cantinetta-antinori.com

• Enoteca Pinchiorri

Cuisine: Fine dining This classy restaurant serves gourmet Italian cuisine with great panache. The food is sourced from local artisans and producers in Tuscany and the wine cellar is one of the world’s largest with over 150,000 bottles. An unforgettable experience, topped off with great decor of frescoed ceilings and renaissance inspiration. Address: Via Ghibellina 87, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 242 777 Website: www.enotecapinchiorri.it 

• Ristorante la Giostra

Cuisine: European Owned by a Hapsburg prince, this cosy restaurant is busy at lunchtime but more intimate in the evening, making it perfect for a romantic evening meal. Flavours are mainly Tuscan, but with some Austrian influence. The seasonal menu might include white truffles or Chianina beef. Desserts are both Italian and Viennese. Address: Via Borgo Pinti 12r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 241 341 Website: www.ristorantelagiostra.com

Moderate

• Cantinetta dei Verrazzano

Cuisine: Tuscan This gastrodome near the Ponte Vecchio incorporates a deli, bakery, coffee bar and sales outlet for the wines of the prestigious Chianti vineyards of Castello di Verrazzano. Specialities include savoury-filled focaccia bread and a delicious array of crostini and cold meats, which can be sampled with the estate’s wines at the tables. Address: Via dei Tavolini 18/r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 268 590 Website: www.verrazzano.com

• Cucina Torcicoda

Cuisine: Italian You could come here three times and have a different experience each time, because this popular ‘kitchen’ by Santa Croce has three different menus and three different dining areas, so you can choose from the pizzeria, osteria or restaurant. Food is excellent with innovative takes on Italian classics. Address: Via Torta 5 r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 265 4329 Website: www.cucinatorcicoda.superbexperience.com

•  Il Giova

Cuisine: Italian This place is not for tourists: the eclectic decor and tightly packed tables don’t call to mind the sort of ambience that many look for when visiting. Il Giova is a family-run local lunch spot perennially crowded with folks craving the daily changing menu, concocted by the owners each morning depending on what’s found fresh at the San Ambrosio market across the street. If you notice the fried porcini mushrooms on the menu, you have struck gold. Address: Borgo la Croce, FIorance. Telephone: +39 055 248 0639 Website:www.social.quandoo.com

Cheap

• Amici di Ponte Vecchio Da Stefano

Cuisine: Italian Hidden in a side street close to the Ponte Vecchio, this popular little spot serves a wide choice of pizzas, sandwiches, sausages and other Tuscan street food specialities. There’s limited seating inside, so grab a take-away or perch on a stool in front and watch the world go by as you eat. Address: Via De’ Bardi 39, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 205 3172 Website: www.amicidipontevecchio.it

• Antico Ristoro di Cambi

Cuisine: Tuscan This family-run restaurant overlooking the Arno is a traditional Tuscan trattoria offering bare brick walls and a warm welcome. The antipasti and the bisteccaallafiorentina (a T-bone steak dabbed with virgin olive oil and cooked over glowing charcoal) are both excellent, while vegetarians will enjoy dishes such as penne with pumpkin flowers. Address: Via San Onofrio 1r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 217 134 Website: www.anticoristorodicambi.it

• Aurelio I’Re del Lampredotto

Cuisine: Italian The house specialty at this little kiosk on Piazza Tanucci is lampredotto, a hearty Florentine dish consisting of finely chopped cow stomach slowly cooked in vegetable broth and served in a soft white bread roll. Less adventurous eaters can opt for roasted pork or sausage fillings instead. Conveniently located only a 15-minute-walk away from Santa Maria Novella Train Station, this popular spot makes for a good pit stop on a sightseeing tour. Address: Piazza Bernardo Tanucci SNC, Florence. Telephone: +39 339 703 4530 Website: www.aureliolampredotto.it

Florence Nightlife

The city’s well-heeled foreign students, who come to study Italian and art history, fuel the nightlife in Florence. The city boasts flexible licensing hours – some pubs stay open until 0100 or even 0300. The most bohemian area is the Oltrarno, south of the river. Elsewhere, nightlife is concentrated around Piazza della Signoria, home of more sedate venues. The city’s main nightclubs close in the summer and head to the beach instead, but summer-only clubs spring up in their place. It seems that Florence could never lose her reputation as a city of culture. Visitors should keep an eye open for one-off recitations played in churches and piazzas around the city. The entertainment publication: Firenze Spettacolo  ( Website: www.firenzespettacolo.it ) provides listings on entertainment in the city. Box Office Toscana Telephone: +39 055 210 804 website: www.boxofficetoscana.it  sells most other tickets.

Bars in Florence

• Casa del Vino

Casa del Vino is situated close to the central market and is a classic old-style enoteca (wine bar), all polished wood and Chianti tipples. Choose from a selection of panini or get a plate of snacks to allow you to try more than one glass of excellent plonk. Address: Via del Ariento 16R, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 215 609

• Le Volpi and L’ Uve

For a glimpse of an authentic Italian watering hole, wend your way to Le Volpi and L’Uve to sample some of the best wines the region has to offer. The owners, Riccardo and Emilio, can recommend plates of salami or cheese to accompany your selection, and there’s a pretty terrace too. Address: Piazza dei Rossi 1, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 239 8132 Website: www.levolpieluva.com

• Mayday Club

The Mayday Club is a stylish cocktail bar in the heart of Florence. The bar’s name goes hand in hand with its vintage decor, which revolves around the theme of radio waves, telegraphs and transmitters. The seasonal cocktail list features top liqueur brands and house-made infusions, all served up to an accompaniment of jazz. The bar also holds afternoon seminars where you can learn how to mix your favourites. Address: Via Dante Alighieri 16r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 238 1290 Website: www.maydayclub.it 

Clubs in Florence

• Red Garter

This American-style bar, club and restaurant has been going since 1962 and is especially popular with foreign students, who flock here for the nightly karaoke. The dance floor gets very lively, with guest DJs and occasional live bands. Classic American fare is on offer, such as chicken wings, burgers and steak, and there are also large screens for sporting events. Address: Via De’Benci 33r/35r, Florence. Telephone: +39 55 248 0909 Website: www.redgarter1962.com

• Space Electronic

Located in the Santa Maria Novella district, this is a large, rowdy club. Spread over two floors, they often have different tunes pumping out of each level. So if you hear house music challenging the speakers upstairs, expect R&B and hip hop downstairs. Address: Via Palazzuolo 37, Florence. Telephone: +39 329 362 7079

• Tenax Discoteca Club Firenze

This spot in the Peretola district is one of the best places to cut shapes in Florence. It’s a fashionable house club, split over two levels, that’s popular among the locals. It attracts a youthful but varied crowd who come for the first-rate DJs and great sound system, but it’s only open from October until May. Address: Via Pratese, 46, Florence. Telephone: +39 393 920 4279 Website: www.tenax.org

Live music in Florence

• Girasol

In true Italian fashion this is a restaurant, pizzeria and cocktail bar all in one. The red-hued Girasol Latin Bar, near the Fortezza has live music most nights of the week. Sunday to Thursday is Latin, Brazilian or Cuban, while Saturday and Sunday is varied. Concerts are free – just pay for your food. Address: Via del Romito 1, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 474 948 Website: www.girasol.it

• Pinocchio Jazz

You can hear live music five days a week (Tuesday through to Saturday) in this characterful basement club. Despite the name, it’s not always jazz,with Brazilian, Cuban, blues and rock bands testing the speakers too. Visitors must pay a nominal fee to become a member on their first visit, but it includes a free drink. Address: Viale Donato Giannotti, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 683 388 Website: www.pinocchiojazz.it

• Yab

long-time favourite Yab club retains its chic crown and is popular with people at happy hour, who spill out onto the piazza. The artworks on the walls change every two to three weeks. Live music every Weds and  Thurs. Address: Via dei Sassetti, 5/r, Florence. Telephone: +39 055 215 160 Website: www.yab.it

Florence Food And Drink

Food In Florence

• Crostini neri

Roasted bread with paté of chicken liver, a part of the animal that is often discarded. Instead, the Tuscan peasants, always ready to economize, have created this mouth-watering dish so as not to throw anything away.

• Crespelle alla Fiorentina

Version of a crêpe, and in this case stuffed with ricotta cheese (the real ricotta cheese – YUM!) and spinach, then covered with a creamy béchamel sauce.

• Bistecca alla Fiorentina

Bistecca alla fiorentina is obtained from the cut of the sirloin (the part corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae, the half of the back on the side of the tail) of a young steer or heifer of the Chianina breed: in the middle it has the T-shaped bone, that is, a T-bone steak, with the fillet on one side and the sirloin.

• Trippa & Lampredotto

Trippa is tripe, the edible lining of the cow’s stomach. While tripe is eaten elsewhere, lampredotto is a local specialty for Florence. It is the fourth and final stomach of a cow, generally slow-cooked with tomato, onion, parsley, and celery until it has the texture of tender roast beef.

• Peposo alla fiorentina

Peposo is a typical tuscan dish, linked to Brunelleschi and magnificent dome of Florence. Here’s the history and my traditional peposo recipe.

• Fagiuoli (Fagioli) all’uccelletto

The Italian word for beans is fagioli, however in dialect it becomes fagiuoli, adding a “u” to bring out the sound. This particular dish includes the flavouring of tomato sauce and fragrant sage… which is what gives it the name all’uccelletto.

• Piselli “alla fiorentina” 

A typical side dish served throughout Tuscany, but particularly beloved by Florentines year-round. It’s made by cooking either fresh or frozen peas with bacon, parsley, garlic and olive oil. What is this? These peas are served in a lovely, oily broth that is created in the cooking process.

• Zuccotto

An Italian dessert of Florentine origin. It is a semi-frozen, chilled dessert made with alchermes, cake, and ice cream. This dessert can be frozen, then thawed before serving.

Drink In Florence

• Espresso

This strong and aromatic coffee is a staple in Italian culture, and Florence is no exception.

• Chianti wine

Chianti is a robust red wine that comes from the Chianti region of Tuscany, which is just south of Florence.

• Negroni

The Negroni was born: equal parts gin, vermouth, and bright red bitters. The drink–alongside David and the Duomo–became one of Florence’s farthest-reaching icons.

• Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz aka the Spritz Veneziano originated in Venice and is made with Prosecco, soda water, and Aperol.

• Hot Chocolate

On a cold winter’s day, especially around Christmas time, one of the oldest traditions in Florence is to stop off at the historic cafe Rivoire in piazza della Signoria to drink a steaming cup of delicious hot chocolate, lashed with a dash of whipped cream. It is paradise in a cup.