Florence: The New Baedeker
By Serena Mundy
When in the nucleus of the Renaissance one is easily susceptible to becoming overwhelmed, not in the least by the towering Carrara marble of the campanile or the mathematical perfection of Piazza Santissima Annunziata, but by that all-consuming Stendhal syndrome. Florence syndrome. Where to start in a city so renowned for its art collections and beauty? Here, a comprehensive guide to the capital of Tuscany’s less well-known treats. Thrilled when a less comprehensively compiled version of this new Baedeker was exchanged rapidly among friends and family, I seek to share the artistic wonders of this eternal city with like-minded readers.
Piazza Santo Spirito, Florence.
I moved to Florence on a whim during my gap year, arriving, completely alone, with only a suitcase and minimal Italian. Enrolled on an Art History and Italian course at the British Institute, slowly the magnitude of her prestige was revealed. I was drawn into an insatiably interested and interesting group of gap-year-goers, convening every night in the Piazza Santo Spirito, where you will find the liveliest student/local mix, to drink Aperol Spritzes, cheap wine, and prepare ourselves for the rest of the evening. Be it opera at the Chiesa Santa Monica, life drawing at the Charles Cecil Studios, or recital at St Mark’s English Church, the city is bustling with evening activity. If, however, you find yourself overwhelmed by a day of endless culture, perhaps potter over to the Red Garter Bar in Santa Croce for a little karaoke, or for a relaxed drink at Vanilla Club, a speak-easy just around the corner on the Via dei Saponai. Pertinently, at the cusp of dawn Peter, a friend I met out there, and I once wandered through the Uffizi cortile, commenting on the mastery of Vasari’s architecture; you might find too, that the night sky harmoniously mimics a frescoed ceiling, just as we did.
While Florentine nights are charming, appreciate the galleries during daylight. Determined to cover every museum and gallery within the city, Peter and I tempted each other from hungover slumbers each morning to shot a caffe, standing at the bar of Caffé Santo Spirito, and darting off to appreciate something before lessons started. I could name any number of incredible (in the truest sense of the word) places, however, my most recommended are the following. The byzantine-inspired ceilings of the Baptistery of Santa Maria del Fiore provide such a perfect meditative spot to seriously question the decisions of the night before in a spiritual manner; they will dumbfound you by their contrasting subtlety and ostentatiousness. I would not advise going there unless existential. So, naturally, it became my favourite morning spot. Orsanmichele, an old grain house, just off the Piazza della Signoria, and its simple celestial ceilings provide magical calm within the centre. Similarly, pause for a second to watch the world pass in the Loggia dei Lanzi. The Bargello is thoroughly underrated, in my opinion. An old prison, its cortile is lined with plaques, and its frescoed halls contain works ranging from Donatello to Michelangelo.
The Baptistery of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, 1225-1330.
When searching for frescoes, work your way from Santa Croce, indulging in the history of the Pazzi family, to Palazzo Vecchio, where you will also conveniently find both Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes and Dante’s death mask, then detour to the Brancacci chapel in the Oltrarno to view Masaccio’s masterpiece, onward to Santa Maria Novella. This latter, comparatively unassuming cathedral, will force you into a meditative slumber with its countless intricacies. Its cloisters are perhaps my favourite works of the Renaissance. While in the area, exit the cathedral to Via del Scala, where you will find the oldest pharmacy in the world, traditionally run by the monks of Santa Maria Novella. Perhaps try their Acqua della Regina, the first perfume, made for Catherine de Medici’s wedding, while you gaze at its baroque frescoes. Following this, find some respite in the Boboli Gardens, or fester over lunch at my most recommended restaurant, Trattoria ZaZa in San Lorenzo. If you then find yourself craving additional Medici beauty, you will find the Palazzo Medici Riccardi nearby, which holds their private chapel, frescoed with family portraits in biblical scenes.
The only place to fully metamorphise at sunset is the steps of the Piazzale Michelangelo. After a short climb, which, I would advise breaking with a visit to the Bardini Gardens and San Miniato al Monte, come loaded with a bottle of wine to sit on said steps. Slowly a throng of locals and tourists alike will gather, and you will be serenaded by a busker of questionable talent, with panoramic views over the Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio and Santa Maria del Fiore, just to name a few landmarks. Basking in the lux angelorum will, I can assure you, thrust you deep into the throngs of La Dolce Vita. Once this compulsory metamorphosis has occurred, perhaps spend the next sunset indulging in a cocktail on the Loggia Rooftop Bar in Santo Spirito.
The Steps of the Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence.
While this guide fails to highlight so many of Florence’s famous wonders, let it drag you from the beaten track. My final tip is to spend a Sunday morning exploring the market in Piazza Santo Spirito, which rotates between vintage clothes, antiques and local stalls weekly.