Florence 2005

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Although the Baptistery's precise origins remain unclear, its foundations are known to date back to Roman times. The central doors are stunning works of art, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and they have been called "The Gates of Paradise." Lorenzo Ghiberti who worked on them from 1403 to 1424 designed these ornate doors. Inside, the octagonal structure is richly decorated with Roman columns and gilded column heads. The floor's marble inlay features Islamic-style patterns and the apse is decorated with 13th-century mosaics. Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue were among those involved in the cupola's decorative mosaic work.

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Piazza del Duomo is one of the most famous landmarks in Florence. Truly an architectural piece of beauty, it encompasses the art and history of medieval Italy, through its sheer design. A visit to this city is not complete without visiting the piazza's cathedral 'Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore' whose dome dominates the skyline. It is no wonder that tourists are spellbound and spend hours trying to capture these images for eternity.

Our Local Expert Says:

There is also the furniture on display of his bedroom and how it would've looked back then.

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Dante's house was located between the church of "S. Martino" and "Piazza dei Donati",which was the 13th century location of the houses of the Alighieri family, as reported in many old documents. At the beginning of the 20th century, after several studies and researches, the Municipal Administration ordered the building of this house to celebrate the place of birth of Dante. The first floor of the house holds the documents of his youth during the 13th century. The second floor are documents related to his exile from Florence in 1301. The third floor shows how Dante has been appreciated throughout the ages and what he has given to the Italian culture, more especially the Florentine culture. There are also works of art representing his life as reproduced by Giotto, Beato Angelico, Ghirlandaio, Raphael and Michelangelo.

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Designed by Giotto, the bell tower to the right of Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral was begun by the artist in 1334 but continued by Andrea Pisano (who modified part of the design) following Giotto's death in 1337. Francesco Talenti finally completed it in 1359. Originally the tower was linked to the Duomo via a passageway situated at the level of the first cornice but this was demolished before 1437. Reliefs carved on the side where the passageway once existed are later works by Luca della Robbia; Andrea Pisano's original stone reliefs can be seen in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The concepts of universal order and redemption are recurrent themes; hexagonal tiles on the tower's lower level (now replaced by copies) portray scenes from daily human life whilst diamond-shaped reliefs on the upper level illustrate more ethereal subjects in the form of the Planets, Virtue, Liberal Arts and the Sacraments. There's no lift, but climbing the 414 steps to the top of the 85m tower is well worth the effort!

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A wine bar full of warmth and the scents of the seasons, Coquinarius has a small menu of different types of bruschette for antipasti, tasty meats and fish. Salads are a forte here; creative choices include toppings such as sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant, sunflower seeds, zucchini flowers or pear. This elegant and striking enoteca that has a wide range of wines from Italy, California, Argentina, Austria and Chile. The camerieri(waitstaff) are very kind and full of life. It is a great place to sit for the afternoon, bring a book, enjoy the chiacchiere(chatter) of the other patrons, or get lost in the glass of wine. Wines are served by the glass or bottle in this relaxed, inexpensive experience of true Italian style. Even though it is located right smack dab in the city center where there are tons of tourist traffic, however you will find the place filled with Florentines enjoying an afternoon bite at this venue.

Our Local Expert Says:

"The jewelry is superb and really expensive on the Ponte Vecchio. Grab your camera and catch the Tuscan Hills alive and rolling beyond the city center."

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You can't miss the most recognizable landmark of Florence, the Ponte Vecchio. Constructed in 1345, the Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge still standing in Florence, hence the name. The multicolored structure bridge was first home to butcher shops. As the noble bankers would cross the Arno river to their offices, there was a rancid smell of pigs blood and rotted meat which extremely offended them. In an effort to improve the area, the Medici stepped in and ordered the lower class shopkeepers out and moved goldsmiths and diamond-cutters in. Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge that escaped the bombing by the Germans in WWII. Today, now a pedestrian bridge, the shops shimmer and shine with necklaces, rings and charms of the most expensive kind. Tourists can enjoy an early morning walk over the bridge before the shops open or at sunset where lovers stare at the horizon as musicians sing and be merry.

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The Museo degli Argenti in Palazzo Pitti encompasses the magnificent rooms covered with frescoes that were once the summer apartment of the Grand Dukes . The first room on the ground floor , where the ceiling fresco by Angelo Michele Colonna , is the scene of Jupiter descending from Olympus to give to the flags of the Medici power. Augustine Mitelli are the decorations on the walls . The next room has frescoes and the Triumph of Alexander, is the work of Colonna and Mitelli , as well as the adjoining room of the Throne , which are painted the allegorical figures of the Force, the Justice and Time. The largest and most luxurious room , once the audience hall , is decorated with large frescoes on the occasion of the marriage of Ferdinand II and Vittoria della Rovere , celebrated in 1635 . Amongst the most significant pieces are the stone vases (which belonged to Lorenzo the Magnificent), German ivories from the 17th century, a vase made from lapis lazuli by Buonalenti and the jewels of the Salzburg Prince-Bishops. The whole place reverberates with Medici history from the time of Lorenzo the Magnificent.
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Our Local Expert Says:

The gardens are expansive and hide many different areas to explore and enjoy.

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Inside this garden lies the Buontalenti grotto (1583-1593). Decorated with mannerist-style scenes from Greek and Roman mythology, the grotto includes copies of Michelangelo's famous "Slave" series, the originals of which were transferred to the Galleria dell'Accademia. In the 17th century, the garden was extended as far as the Porta Romana, adding the Vasca d'Isola (pond) at the centre with a fountain and a statue of Neptune. In the late 18th century, Zanobi del Rosso built the Kaffehaus pavilion.

Our Local Expert Says:

In the world of astronomy, how could you not want to see how Galileo was able to discover the smallest of stars.

Description:

The mainframe computer and multifunction calculator don't hold a candle to this collection's beautifully engraved intricate mechanical instruments. Galileo and his ilk practiced a science that was an art form of the highest aesthetic order. The cases display such beauties as a mechanical calculator from 1664 -- a gleaming bronze sandwich of engraved disks and dials -- and an architect's compass and plumb disguised as a dagger, complete with sheath.

In the field of astronomy, the museum has the lens with which Galileo discovered four of the moons of Jupiter (which he promptly and prudently named after his Medici patrons) and, alongside telescopes of all sizes and complexity, a tiny "lady's telescope" made of ivory that once came in a box of beauty products. There's also a somewhat grisly room devoted to medicine, with disturbingly realistic wax models of just about everything that can go wrong during childbirth. And what Italian institution would be complete without a holy relic? In this case, it's the middle finger of Galileo's right hand, swiped while he was en route to reinterment in Santa Croce. He was allowed burial in a Christian church only in the 18th century, after he was posthumously...

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Opened as a vintner's, this place is also an excellent restaurant. The wine list is the main attraction here, with more than 400 kinds on offer. There is also a chance to order Tuscan snacks, meats and cheeses as well as dishes such as chestnut and bean soup and ricotta and pecorino ravioli. If you want a main course, the restaurant serves duck breast with balsamic vinegar, cooked in wine and gorgonzola and boiled with green sauce.

Our Local Expert Says:

A whole day could be spent in here if you are an art fan, each room is filled with something to see.

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The Uffizi is one of the world's great museums, and the single best introduction to Renaissance painting, with works by Giotto, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Perugino, Michelangelo, Raphael Sanzio, Titian, Caravaggio, and the list goes on. The museum is deceptively small. What looks like a small stretch of gallery space can easily gobble up half a day -- many rooms suffer the fate of containing nothing but masterpieces.

Know before you go that the Uffizi regularly shuts down rooms for crowd-control reasons -- especially in summer, when the bulk of the annual 1.5 million visitors stampedes the place. Of the more than 3,100 artworks in the museum's archives, only about 1,700 are on exhibit.

The painting gallery is housed in the structure built to serve as the offices ( uffizi is Florentine dialect for uffici, or "offices") of the Medici, commissioned by Cosimo I from Giorgio Vasari in 1560 -- perhaps his greatest architectural work. The painting gallery was started by Cosimo I as well and is now housed in the second-floor rooms that open off a long hall lined with ancient statues and frescoed with grotesques.

Tips for Seeing the Uffizi -- If you have the...

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A rough brick anti-facade and the undistinguished stony bulk of a building surrounded by the stalls of the leather market hide what is most likely the oldest church in Florence, founded in A.D. 393. San Lorenzo was the city's cathedral until the bishop's seat moved to Santa Reparata (later to become the Duomo) in the 7th century. More important, it was the Medici family's parish church, and as those famous bankers began to accumulate their vast fortune, they started a tradition of lavishing it on this church that lasted until the clan died out in the 18th century. Visiting the entire church complex at once is tricky: Though interconnected, the church proper, the Old Sacristy, and the Laurentian Library have different open hours. The Medici tombs, listed separately below, have a separate entrance around the back of the church and have still different hours.

The first thing Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, founder of the family fortune, did for the church was hire Brunelleschi to tune up the interior, rebuilding according to the architect's plans in 1426. At the end of the aisle is a Desiderio da Settignano marble tabernacle that's a mastery of schiacciato relief and carefully incised perspective....

Our Local Expert Says:

David is the biggest and the most famous spectacle to see in the Accademia.

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The Accademia is most famous for the David by Michelangelo but did you know there are many paintings in the museum to see as well? As you enter, the first long hall is devoted to Michelangelo and, though you pass his Slaves and the entrance to the painting gallery, most people are drawn down to the far end, a room dominated by the most famous sculpture in the world: Michelangelo's David . Michelangelo, only 29 years old, finished in 1504 a Goliath-size David for the city of Florence. Michelangelo's most fascinating works, the four famous nonfiniti ("unfinished") Slaves. These statues symbolize Michelangelo's theory that sculpture is an "art that takes away superfluous material." The wait to see the David can be up to an hour if you don't reserve ahead. I suggest getting there before the museum opens in the morning or an hour or two before closing time. read more

Our Local Expert Says:

Sacred church that holds frescoes by del Sarto, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino.

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This basilica is also a sanctuary because one of its chapels contains the picture of the Annunciation. According to legend, this appeared on the wall at the time of the Virgin Mary. The devotional chapel was decorated with precious marble columns through the wishes of Piero di Cosimo, the father of Lorenzo the Magnificent. The church is entered from the Piazza SS.Annunziata. At the entrance there is a portico which dates back to the seventeenth century. Past the portico, one enters the Chiostrino dei Voti which is frescoed by Masters of the Florentine school over two centuries: Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino. The "Chiostro dei Morti" (Cloister of the Dead) can also be visited on request. There one can see the important fresco by Andrea del Sarto: the "Madonna del Sacco" (1525).

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Alongside the wine menu (which is changed every month) there is a lot of care taken in the home-made cuisine. The menu is strictly linked to the suggested choice of wines. Amongst the first courses there are porcini mushroom and chick-pea minestrone, rosemary maltagliati pasta with garlic, beans and peppers and fish ravioli. For the second course there is the cut of duck with pears and cinnamon or the roast guinea fowl with brandy. If you prefer just to taste the wines, you can do so with a plate of mixed cooked meats and cheeses.

Our Local Expert Says:

Don't miss Giotto's chapels: Peruzzi and Bardi!

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The center of the Florentine Franciscan universe was begun in 1294 by Gothic master Arnolfo di Cambio in order to rival the huge church of Santa Maria Novella being raised by the Dominicans across the city. The church wasn't completed and consecrated until 1442, and even then it remained faceless until the neo-Gothic facade was added in 1857 (and cleaned in 1998-99). The cloisters are home to Brunelleschi's Cappella de' Pazzi, the convent partially given over to a famous leather school, and the church itself a shrine of 14th-century frescoes and a monument to notable Florentines, whose tombs and memorials litter the place like an Italian Westminster. The best artworks, such as the Giotto frescoes, are guarded by euro-gobbling lightboxes; bring plenty of change.

The Gothic interior -- for which they now charge a premium admission (it was free until recently) -- is wide and gaping, with huge pointed stone arches creating the aisles and an echoing nave trussed with wood beams, in all feeling vaguely barnlike (an analogy the occasional fluttering pigeon only reinforces). The floor is paved with worn tombstones -- because being buried in this hallowed sanctuary got you one step closer to...

Our Local Expert Says:

Respect the rules of not taking flash photography inside.

Description:

This tall structure halfway down Via dei Calzaiuoli looks more like a Gothic warehouse than a church -- which is exactly what it was, built as a granary/grain market in 1337. After a miraculous image of the Madonna appeared on a column inside, however, the lower level was turned into a chapel. The city's merchant guilds each undertook the task of decorating one of the outside nichelike Gothic tabernacles around the lower level with a statue of their guild's patron saint. Masters such as Ghiberti, Donatello, Verrocchio, and Giambologna all cast or carved masterpieces to set here. Since 1984, these have been removed and are being replaced by casts as the originals are slowly cleaned and exhibited up on the second story.

Unfortunately, the church now keeps erratic hours due to a lack of personnel, so there are no set opening hours; however, you may get lucky and find the doors thrown open when you pass by (or, though this may take even more luck, someone might actually answer the phone number below and give you details on when it will next open). Since it's pretty nifty, and there's a chance you'll be able to pop in, I'll go ahead and describe it all.

In the chapel's dark interior (emerged...

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This is down-and-dirty Florentine lunchtime at its best, an osteria so basic the little stools don't have backs and a communal spirit so entrenched the waitresses will scold you if you try to take a table all to yourself. Since 1953, their stock in trade has been feeding market workers, and you can watch the kitchen through the glass as they whip out a wipe-board menu of simple dishes at lightning speed. Hearty primi include tortelli di patate al ragù (ravioli stuffed with potato in ragù), minestra di farro e riso (emmer-and-rice soup), and penne al pomodoro (pasta quills in fresh tomato sauce). The secondi are basic but good; try the coniglio arrosto (roast rabbit) or go straight for the Fiorentina steak, often priced to be the best deal in town.

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Piazza del Duomo is one of the most famous landmarks in Florence. Truly an architectural piece of beauty, it encompasses the art and history of medieval Italy, through its sheer design. A visit to this city is not complete without visiting the piazza's cathedral 'Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore' whose dome dominates the skyline. It is no wonder that tourists are spellbound and spend hours trying to capture these images for eternity.

Our Local Expert Says:

"You can see the hill town Fiesole and end of the Appennine Mountains from the Piazzale."

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The vista which one can see the whole valley of Florence and of the surrounding hills is a must see. The climb up is rewarding, the view is breathtaking. There are buses available to take you to Piazzale Michelangelo. Tourists, tourist groups and tour buses all congregate at this panoramic view. Vendors set up early in the morning with cool beverages for the parched tourists and souvenirs for the eager shoppers. A sunset visit is for the romantics, bringing a wine bottle and gazing at the Florentine sky as it ends another day. There is never a bad time to visit Piazzale Michelangelo, there is always something to see from this height

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A day trip to Pisa (about 90 kilometers east of Florence and about 1 hour either by train or car) will take you to visit one of the most striking squares in the country. The so-called Campo dei Miracoli gathers on its lawn all the most important sacred buildings of Pisa: the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Monumental Cemetery and the Hospital (now Museum of Sinopias). The real name of the square is Piazza Duomo but the nickname was invented by Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. The square is listed among UNESCO Heritage Sites, and the Opera Primaziale is the organization that protects and maintains the whole monumental area. Pisan-Romanesque-style architecture characterizes the buildings, which were erected around 1000 to 1200 C.E. The round Leaning Tower actually had static problems, probably due to the sandy soil, and started to lean at the time of its construction. The Cathedral is an outstanding masterpiece (don't miss the sculpted pulpit by Giovanni Pisano!) and there, according the legend, Galileo developed his pendulum theory while looking at a fluctuating incensory. Opening hours vary according the month. Generally in winter: 9:30 - 17:00 and summer: 8:30... read more

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This small vintage wine seller, just a stones throw from the Ponte Vecchio, is the perfect place for people who love good wine. They have two strings to their bow - the wine shop and the wine bar, and between the two of them over a hundred prestigious French and Italian wines are on offer. Periodically there are guided wine tastings exploring Californian, Chilean and New Zealand wines.

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This small wine bar offers appetizers and snacks with their large selection of Tuscan wines by the glass or by the bottle. The owners are knowledgeable and friendly, and the food is great. This is a good place to go after touring the nearby Pitti Palace or before a night on the town. For a special event, let the owners create a prix-fixe Tuscan food and wine menu for your private dinner party. Call or see website for more details.

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Europe's oldest foundling hospital, opened in 1445, is still going strong as a convent orphanage, though times have changed a bit. The Lazy Susan set into the wall on the left end of the arcade -- where once people left unwanted babies, swiveled it around, rang the bell, and ran -- has since been blocked up. The colonnaded portico (built 1419-26) was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi when he was still an active goldsmith. It was his first great achievement as an architect and helped define the new Renaissance style he was developing. Its repetition by later artists in front of other buildings on the piazza makes it one of the most exquisite squares in all of Italy. The spandrels between the arches of Brunelleschi's portico are set with glazed terra-cotta reliefs of swaddled babes against rounded blue backgrounds -- hands-down the masterpieces of Andrea della Robbia.

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out all the pieces on display, such as the mosaic pieces.

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The opificio (factory) is a national institute specializing in teaching the Florence craft of producing inlaid pictures using marble and semi-precious stones. The 16th-century flourished with the art of pietre dure where Florentine artisans devoted their time and energy to the craft. The Medici founded this institute and craftsmen have been in this building since 1796. The museum holds pieces like 19th-century workbenches, tools, vases and portraits displaying pietre dure work. "Florentine mosaic" coined by the tourism industry is a refined craft in which skilled artisans create scenes and boldly colored intricate designs in everything from cameos and tabletops to never-fade stone paintings. These artisans are trained at selecting, slicing, and polishing stones so that the natural grain or color in the cross sections will become the contours, shading, and molding that give good pietre dure scenes their depth and illusion of three-dimensionality. read more

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Cibero boasts some of Florence's most renowned food. Chef Fabio Picchi creates traditional dishes that a Tuscan Grandmother would make, but with the highest quality ingredients, and a master chef's technique. The restaurant itself is a fine dinning experience--down to the linen table cloths--but the trattoria next door (of the same name) is more or less the same menu without the frills. Be sure to book in advance for the restaurant, and if you're going to the Tratorria be ready for a wait as it does not accept reservations.

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Founded by the owners of Nerbone in the Mercato Centrale, this simple room right on the piazza may not look it, but it's one of the city's premier restaurants in town for ultratraditional Florentine food. It fills up very early with food-loving Florentines, who choose from an always-changing menu that may include penne alla Bettola in spicy cream tomato sauce, rigatoni dressed with crushed olives, or riso sulle testicciole d'agnello (a "local's" rice dish cooked in a halved sheep's head). Secondi range from anatra ripiena tartufata (stuffed duck in truffle sauce) to the superlative carpaccio con rucola -- pounded disks of beef piled high with arugula and tissue-thin slices of pecorino cheese. As far as wine goes, you simply pay for however much you finish of the light and tangy house wine on the table.

Our Local Expert Says:

The famous Bacchus by Michelangelo is one of the highlights

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The Bargello is Florence's most famous sculpture museum. The most famous works were done by Michelangelo and Donetello. Once a prison and a place where people were hung from the windows is now a very well renovated museum that holds many amazing sculptures. There are Michelangelo's earliest works here, Bacchus (1497) was carved by him when he was just 22-years-old. The God of Wine was something he was inspired to create when he was studying in Rome. The marble David (1408) is an early Donatello, but the bronze David (1440-50) is a much more mature piece, the first free-standing nude. The inner courtyard is decorated with the coats of arms of various past mayors and other noblemen. The majestic stairwell leads up to the second floor loggia which is filled with a flock of bronze birds cast by Giambologna for Medici gardens. St. George was carved in 1416 for a niche of Orsanmichele. Below the statue is a depiction of the saint slaying his dragon which is an early example of the sculptor's patented schiacciato technique. It uses thinly etched lines and perspective to create great depth in a very shallow space. edici gardens. read more

Our Local Expert Says:

The Boboli Gardens is a great place to enjoy a warm summer afternoon with a picnic.

Description:

Though the original, much smaller Pitti Palace was a Renaissance affair probably designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, that palazzo is completely hidden by the enormous Mannerist mass we see today. Inside is Florence's most extensive set of museums, including the Galleria Palatina, a huge painting gallery second in town only to the Uffizi, with famous works by Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, Titian, and Rubens. When Luca Pitti died in 1472, Cosimo de' Medici's wife, Eleonora of Toledo, bought this property and unfinished palace to convert into the new Medici home -- she hated the dark, cramped spaces of the family apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio. They hired Bartolomeo Ammannati to enlarge the palazzo, which he did starting in 1560 by creating the courtyard out back, extending the wings out either side, and incorporating a Michelangelo architectural invention, "kneeling windows," on the ground floor of the facade. (Rather than being visually centered between the line of the floor and that of the ceiling, kneeling windows' bases extend lower to be level with the ground or, in the case of upper stories, with whatever architectural element delineates the baseline of that story's first level.)...

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This ever-popular hotel right at the foot of the Ponte Vecchio was renovated in 1998 to give each room wood floors or thick rugs, shiny new bathrooms (most with Jacuzzis), and fresh wallpaper. The rooms are of moderate size, occasionally a bit dark, but they're full of 17th- to 19th-century antiques and boast double-glazed windows to cut down on noise. Those that don't face the Ponte Vecchio are on side alleys and quieter. Their famous roof terrace is covered in bright flowers that frame postcard views of the Arno, Duomo, and Palazzo Vecchio. The charming breakfast room full of picture windows gets the full effect of the morning sun. The owners and staff excel in doing the little things that help make your vacation go smoothly -- but prices are a bit inflated.

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A wine bar and restaurant, Il Santo Bevitore boasts an extensive wine list and expertly chosen and prepared food pairings. The restaurant looks and feels fancy, but is priced moderately.

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The Antico Fattore was a literary watering hole early in the 20th century and remained a favorite trattoria just a few steps from the city's premier museum until the 1993 Uffizi bomb went off a few feet from its doors. The interior has been rebuilt and the restaurant reopened, but many claim it isn't what it used to be. You can't deny they still make a tantalizing lombatina all'aceto basalmico (one of the thickest and most tender veal chops you'll ever find, cooked in balsamic vinegar). You can precede this with a ribollita (more souplike than usual) or a traditional Tuscan pappardelle sul cinghiale (wide noodles in wild boar sauce). If veal's not your style, try their specialty piccione (grilled pigeon).

Our Local Expert Says:

Each season the menu changes, try the specialty of the day it will not disappoint.

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Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni was founded in 1550 in a tiny piazza called Piazza della Passera. Only Fiorentini know this tiny relam between Via dello Sprone, Piazza Frescobaldi and Borgo San Jacopo. A triangle piazza that once stood a brothel which the piazza was named after. The story of the Quattro Leoni (Four Lions) is the ancient name given to the crossroads of Via Toscanella e Via dei Velluti where a stone base depicting a lion rampant sits. The "Marzocco" is a symbol of the Florentine Republic and a warrior that takes its name from the God of Mars, the protector of the Roman Florentia. The Marzocco created by Donatello carved in marble is now viewed at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. This ancient trattoria originated after World War II when the Florentine delicacies were thriving. A traditional Florentine tavern, wine shop, deli and cheese shop as well. A very popular place to eat among the locals as well as tourists and the elite of Hollywood. A staff that is friendly, kind and a restaurant that welcomes a tone of genuine Florentine made dishes, hospitality and an atmosphere that you can only experience at Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni.

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