SPENDING ONE DAY... IN FLORENCE ...
Unbelievable ... I was already awake at 6 am after tossing and turning in bed all night, anxious to start an exciting day. I had been fantasizing and mentally retracing the route that I had carefully studied on the train, but by 7 am I was already impatient. I opened the window and went out on the balcony. The view was beautiful, the warm, romantic light of the morning illuminated the sky of Florence.
I went down to the breakfast room and knowing that I would cover kilometers on foot a little later, I wisely chose to eat some breakfast, and it gave me something to do as I waited. What a great idea! ... A large white table was laden with so many exquisite things; tortes, cookies, cheese, fresh fruit. Finally at one point I said to myself “It's time to go” ... I drank my usual morning liter of green tea, I gathered my things and I started off.
To say the least, I started out from a privileged location, the hotel where I had spent the night, a delicious white gem on the banks of the River Arno called Home Florence. It is just a few hundred meters from Santa Croce, the first stop on my Florentine itinerary. It was now 9 am, and considering that the doors of the basilica would not open until 9:30 am, I took the opportunity to have a good look around from outside the hotel. Gothic has always been among the architectural styles that I prefer, and I must admit that the Holy Cross, at least in Italy, is perhaps one of the finest examples of this historic style. During my exploration as I admired the facades I came across a nice little group of tourists ... weird to be in Florence?!?!? They were Spaniards, from Madrid, so I quickly dusted off my Spanish, which I hadn’t used for a few years and I jumped into a pleasant conversation about the beauty of this great city.
After an interesting visit to the Holy Cross, I wanted at all costs to conclude this portion of my visit with a passage to the tomb of Ugo Foscolo, in memory of my high school... I headed to the Museum of the Bargello, which I believe to be, especially for lovers of sculpture, one of the most interesting museums in Florence. I was in entranced in contemplation for at least 15 minutes, standing before the bronze of David by Donatello, and also in front of Michelangelo's Bacchus at that moment, reflecting and meditating on the majesty of Italian art in general and the priceless talent of our artists.
The morning program was not finished yet, I had decided that I should got to Piazza della Signoria and climb to the top of Torre Arnolfo. On a blog I read about the breathtaking view I could enjoy from there, and I was not disappointed... except for the dizziness and hunger I was feeling by 12:30 that began to make itself felt. I have to admit that I could feel the climb in my legs, maybe because I am not as young as I used to be, as the height of the Arnolfo Tower is 95 meters, but it was a vision I will never forget, Florence from above cannot be described, there are no words, it is a charm.
At that point, having already visited Santa Croce, the Bargello and having climbed Torre Arnolfo, I sat for a while on a step in the Piazza della Signoria and I realized that I deserved a good lunch. I consulted my little black book where I found a magic note written years earlier, when an old friend who had studied architecture in Florence had recommended a wonderful tavern he found to be delightful, right in the center of the city. I reached Via dei Cerchi and I saw it, I had arrived at the Osteria dei Buongustai, (Osteria for People Who Love Interesting Food). It’s a casual place and the service is very good, just like I like it. I read the specials on the blackboard and I opted for the crepes with pecorino cheese and a good glass of red wine. Divine! I could have eaten more but I didn’t want to be too full because the day was still young. The pause at the osteria was regenerating and pleasant. At one point, while I was waiting for my crepes I could not avoid hearing the conversation between a comic waiter with a very nice Florentine expatriate from Canada sitting right next to me. Maybe it was the Tuscan dialect or maybe my curiosity; the gentleman was telling the waiter, who he had always known but had not seen for many years, how he found his city upon returning after this long absence. The situation was too funny and I just could not stay out of the conversation and I found myself there another hour with another glass of wine talking to these two cute characters as if I knew them all along.
After a healthy chat, I said goodbye to my new dear Florentine friends with melancholy and I headed down to the Church of Orsanmichele. I was curious about this church because of its history; I had read somewhere that it was originally a place where there was a market for grain and cereals, then was converted into a church that accommodated the fine arts of the famous ancient Florentine guilds. To climb to the upper floors of the church I passed the Palace of the Art of Wool (precisely one of the seven Florentine arts), crossing a corridor built back in 1569. Closing my eyes for a moment I imagined the seventeenth-century scene in Florence in its full splendor. Who knows how it would have been...
I was beginning to become tired but I had to get to the Duomo. Clearly I was late and would not be able to enter the cathedral but I was still in time for the Bells of the Baptistery. I enjoyed the Duomo from outside with the evocative evening light and the warm and reassuring sounds of the ancient bells.
Satisfied and with my eyes still full of art I began to walk aimlessly. I decided to be guided by instinct, as I often do when I wander the city. It was time to experience Florence as a Florentine.
I think I lost the sense of time and space but remember that at one point I happened in front of a strange place, it seemed special, absolutely inviting. A romantic style. From outside I could catch a glimpse of flowers, objects, stylish accessories, it all looked a little retro and had an interesting set design. I was in a place called The Ménagère. Once inside I felt involved in a dreamy atmosphere. I sat down and I asked for a cocktail. I started reading their materials and discovered I was in the first hardware store in the city opened in 1896 and turned into an incredible concept-restaurant complete with a bistro. I had discovered a corner of Florence that I liked a lot, I felt comfortable, very satisfied.
I started walking and after a few minutes I found myself at the entrance of the Central Market in Florence, I had a lapse, as I remembered that in the morning at the hotel, while eating breakfast, a very kind waitress told me of how recently the Market had been the subject of a major redevelopment project and had advised me to visit it. There I was, by chance arriving just at dinner, in the midst of so many cute craft shops, the air a mix of smells and scents, around so many colors and so many voices and music. I was spoiled by choice; bread, cheeses, fresh pasta, chocolate, wine, beer, there was even a cooking school. Many people around me, so beautiful, relaxed, who had finally paused after a day's work. I loved it there and I spent the entire evening between talking and tasting.
The next morning I was leaving, I had spent less than 24 hours in Florence but they were intense hours, precious hours, in a city that I never get tired of and that always makes me feel welcome, a city that makes me a richer person for having been there once again.
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