“OK, Florence will do nicely for a christmas escape” if like us you were burnt out, couldn’t face the obligations of family, needed a battery recharge and culture top-up. We bought the idea even though the bank account also needed rest and recuperation. Flight paid, credit card trauma forgotten, sent away like a boomerang. Just the hotel bill to come at the end — a price rung higher than normal for the cheapest room with guaranteed cosiness and festive hosts.
A few too many snow flurries for Florence airport diverted us into a late night Piza delivery. Chaos eventually resolved into a hair-raising bus ride back to Florence thanks to a driver in snow denial. We arrived late without clocking our surroundings.
A temperate valley position ensures it never, ever snows in Florence. Except this time. Morning revealed a city decked in snow and sunshine under a crisp, cold sky.
We scaled the steep, iced-over back streets south of Ponte Vecchio up past Villa Bardini and out at the hill top. The olives were heavy under the weight of snow. A flag flutters, intense against the sky.
Somehow we got down Via di Belvedere and then up to Piazzola Michelangelo for the best view. We look back at Bardini Villa & Giardini.
In front of us, the city sprawls out, with the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori standing iconic in the middle and framed behind by the Apennine Mountains.
People walk as if treading a tightrope that lies under the melted and now re-freezing, treacherous ice. A hot chocolate later, we join them and slide down to the river, ready to see what the evening city has to offer. Dusk falls on the Fiume Arno.
What do you do between 5pm and when the restaurants open? You go to an apero bar, of course! Well we didn’t know, but once we discovered… woah! taste! woah! Prepare for a salivation sauna.
While other shops were shutting, narrow alleyways happened us towards a… yes, a modest, still open shop, still selling food, snacks maybe… inside: fridge counter of cheeses, hams, sausages, roasted vegetables, olive everythings, and above, big round wooden boards piled high with crostinis with different toppings. Do as the locals, take a small wooden board, pile it with crostinis, then ask the man behind the counter which wines are stunning tonight – a hundred bottles are queuing up on his shelves ready to jump into service. The food and wine is utterly delicious, you will be drained of all superlatives if you try to describe it. It is far from closing, and soon there isn’t even elbow room inside, and happy people are spilling out onto the street.
The place is called All’Antico Vinaio, and other people seem to rather like it as well. Conclusion: repeat every night at 5pm.
After the high of the apero, the first evening meal wasn’t a hit. More research needed.
Day two menu: A duo of Basilicas di Santa Maria. First, the fantastically facaded Santa Maria Novella — amazing what rich people will buy to get their own chapel and a place in history.
Next, for those stuck in eternal house renovation, remember that Brunelleschi’s masterpiece, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori, took around 350 years from conception to completion, so you’re doing ok – just hold steady and persevere. This is the intricate jewel at the centre of Florence.
A palpitating 414 steps up the connected Campanile di Giotti let us eye the city. Either its residents were huddled downstairs or their roof insulation is much better than the Duomo, for all were still snow capped. Sunset and apero time.
Day three: to tell you more about Florence would spoil the fun! Go and try it for yourselves if you like this apero crostini! 😉
Day four: Message from wallet, sounding like Scotty on the engine deck of USS Enterprise, “Captain, we can’t take much more of this. We’re loosing power fast.” Despite only a few days of rustic foodie heaven and cultural top-up, I felt an explosion of irrationality brewing (also a Star Trek failing). “Why do you always choose the most expensive meals when we go to a restaurant?!” I blurted irritatedly at my wife, plus a load of etcetera. A few minutes later, after my full retraction — we have to live — I had a plate of humble pie to eat. But now I have a curiosity about what the real picture is…
We were soon back on the same track, enjoying another rustic evening food experience/extravagance to prefix the return to our cosy hotel bolt-hole.
Day five: Snow long gone, and trudging in the cold, wet and wind is now the counterpoint to the sparkly-lit, seductive Christmas shops. The hot air blowers in the entrance doorways give out some heavenly relief, but unfortunately its rationed — we can’t stand here all day.
Plenty of shop-window feasts for the eye float us away on our imagination carpet, punctuated by carefully crafted coffees and occasional stronger stuff. Brave pageanters take tradition out for a march through the streets, defeating the weather with bright colours, lots of noise and spectacle.
The Christmas eve shopping eventually drizzles to a close, the carousel and Christmas tree in the Piazza Strozzi did their job, alone now that everyone has cosied off home.
Christmas day: We take an early morning train to Rome and witness a tiny dot in the distance speak to a sea of admirers.
The guards are in full combat gear…
…and a pipe band entertains.
On our final day, Fiesole, high above the city, provides the best vistas. We soak up the view and take stock of our visit to Florence. Cycle up there if you are Tour-de-France fit — do it five times in a row if you think you can compete! — but otherwise take the bus.
Home. There’s nothing worse than casting blame on an innocent, so I’m on the case to find out what happened. Two hours of tedious spreadsheeting my notes and the picture emerges. Ouch!
Hacking the restaurant bill in two would have saved us just seven percent of our total holiday cost. Would that have been worth it? We could have done this if we chose the cheapest, but we would have killed the fun and been miserable. Nope, not worth it. And my intuition was way off — that was a surprise to me. In fact the bigger picture is more influenced by the spends that we’d long forgotten.
Ultimately we don’t much care. But I am curious, and satisfying that curiosity wasn’t easy – surely there’s an app for that? Actually not. Nothing I’d wish to take on holiday. Forget about it for now. Something will turn up. 😉
Satisfying Structures 