In the fall of 2019, we spent a couple of days in Florence. It was before anyone was worrying about Covid 19. The city was over run with tourists. The piazza surrounding the Duomo was crowded with an international crowd shoulder to shoulder all snapping selfies before the iconic marble structure. In the heat of the midday the crowd was frenetic and to us, overwhelming.
We are staying in a hotel (Residenza Giotto) right across from the bell tower. We love it there. The balcony is tucked away from the street, but opens to a grand view of the Duomo and to a wonderful ( and nearly deafening) sound of the bells.
They resound throughout your being. We sit on the balcony both late at night, listening to the busker playing accordion below and again for breakfast in the morning. We are high above the crowd.
Today, we stroll comfortably through a calm relaxed piazza. There are certainly people, but the crush has not yet returned. The beauty of Florence shines . The walk to the Ponte Vecchio is energizing.
With a smaller crowd, the chance to window shop the many stores selling Italian pottery, jewelry, t-shirts, leather bags, etc, or the cafes serving a Spritz or espresso is movie- like. In the past we have squeezed into the alcove of the Hotel Lungarno whose outdoor bar glimpses the Arno River offering a picturesque vantage point to view the bridge and snap a photo.
Today it also offers an open table so we stay for a Conte Pinche, the 2022 winner of the best cocktail award ( a fresh take on a Negroni) . As we sit, sipping our cocktails, a lone scull glides through the water rowing past. Ah! La vita dolce
We had eaten at a family run restaurant years ago and decided to go back for some traditional authentic dishes. Trattoria La Casalinga was a great spot on a lovely spring evening. We had a corner table in the outdoor courtyard. The restaurant quickly filled with a mix of tourists and locals. The fettunta with white beans was delicious. Glad we spent the night in Firenze.
Our plan was to visit the large market of Florence before catching our train to Lucca. the market is an experience which always leaves us wanting to cook! Vegetables so fresh and colorful. Breads crusty and shaped in every possible way.
The butcher cases display every part of the animal sometimes so recognizable it is shocking to our American sensibilities. Pigs look like pigs, chickens have heads and feet, and the goat… looks a little like scene from The Godfather – plastic bag over head, eyeball bulging, tripe and parts unknown… well maybe I will not cook those!
You can get a sandwich or a meal at many of the stalls. Last time we were here, one in particular had a line wrapping around the square. The La Primeria is has several varieties of fresh pasta to choose from.
Six or eight sauces are available, and the chef cooks it all to order for you. It is a little like creating a sandwich at a takeout Subway shop only not… instead, I’ll have the tagliatelle with the porcini, cinghiale, aglio, olio and pecorino. Mouthwatering yum!
But Lucca is waiting! To the train and we are off!
Maureen and David’s Travel Blog 