Without question, Florence is the most important city in Tuscany, but more than that, it is a city of unparalleled significance in both Italy and Europe. The spiritual home of the renaissance, it also has plenty of restaurants,
My favorite hotel in Florence is the Four Seasons. Around 150 years ago, the building was the mansion of a rich Florentine, but has since been renovated and converted into a hotel, frescoes and all. In fact, they did such a good job that Four Seasons now considers the hotel to be the best of its brand in Europe. That it most certainly is. We do have a couple of Four Seasons in Turkey, and they’re pretty good, but the Four Seasons in Florence is something else. The hotel boasts a 15th-century garden that stretches for over an acre – something that is welcome in a crowded city like Florence. And if you stay in one of the luxury rooms, you can’t help but feel like an Italian aristocrat. My recommendation to you is to stay in the hotel’s “Gallery Suit,” which is bedecked in frescoes that cover the walls and ceiling. The room also has a view of the Giardino Gherardesca, an expanse of green that is sure to impress you in the same way. There’s even an enormous tree in the center of the garden in which 30 people could easily stand under and be hidden from view.
IL PALAGIO
The hotel also has a fantastic restaurant called Il Palagio, which is headed by the extremely talented chef Vito. The restaurant, which has two separate sections for both summer and winter, serves delicious dishes at every meal, including brunch. And although the wine cellar is spectacular, it won’t take a bite out of your wallet. Instead, you pay only about two times the bulk price – a far cry from the three or four times the bulk price that you usually pay at a fancy place like this. And better than that, you need not be a hotel guest to dine at Il Palagio. Still, given the garden, restaurant, wine cellar and the spa, you wouldn’t go wrong in staying here for a night. The Four Seasons has another modern building in its garden that is separate from the historical main building. If you’re looking for a less expensive stay, this is the place. Paul, who is the most talented concierge I have ever seen, can manage everything for you. If you stay at the Four Seasons, I strongly recommend you go straight to Paul and surrender yourself to his skills. A fixer who knows everybody in town, Paul can immediately step in whenever you want to book a place.
ENOTECA PINCHIORRI
Enoteca Pinchiorri is not only the best restaurant in Florence, it’s also one of the best in Italy. A three-star affair, the Pinchiorri is an extremely elegant place and, if I may say, a little bit on the snobby side. A simple, three-course meal will run you 250 euros and that’s without any wine. If you do want to imbibe, that will set you back a whopping 500 euros per person. Leaving this aside, the place, wine, food and service are remarkable.
CIBREO
Another suggestion in Florence is Cibreo, a family business where the prices are more down to earth. There are, in fact, five Cibreos now in Florence, all of which belong to the same family, and all within walking distance of each other and serving in different styles. One is more in the style of a café, with wooden tables and no reservations required. The other – the one I will recommend (while acknowledging that the first Cibreo is a good place for a spot of lunch if you’re planning to stay in Florence for a while) – requires reservations and boasts a well-functioning service. You’ll soon realize that Cibreo serves up a different taste when you see that there’s no pasta served – a seemingly massive oversight, given that you’re in Italy! (However, there is a Cibleo Tortelli e Ravioli just next door.) More than that, there is also no Florentine Steak, another popular dish in the city. But you will be extremely satisfied and will want to come back again, and you will be curious to try the other four!
ANTINORI
Leave aside the restaurants for now and come with me to a couple of wine houses. One belongs to the Antinori family, the biggest wine producer in Italy. Today, the third generation of the family produces wine – although the members of this generation are estranged from each other to the point that they have become rivals. Regardless, the family members who preserved the name Antinori have wineries in Italy and overseas. In the environs of Florence, the closest is in the Badia region, a place about 20 minutes away in which Cabarnet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes are cultivated. Antinori has a small winery here in which you can taste their product, eat some food and find almost every range of wine for purchase. After a bit of breakfast is a great time to arrange a visit to the vineyards, watch the winemakers at work and have a wee taste. The restaurant is also the perfect place to take a break and enjoy a light lunch.
CASTELLO DI MONTAUTO
My second suggestion is Castello di Montauto, a 30-minute drive away in the San Gimignano region. What’s at the end of the road is wonderful, but the journey itself is worth an after-breakfast trip because the roads and views are mesmerizing. Castello di Montauto is a small and modern winery with a wonderful garden that makes an excellent place for a light, noon-day meal. If you have two mornings in Florence, definitely make an effort to take in these two wineries