Hooray, travel is fully back on the agenda, and there’s nothing better than a short city break to reignite the senses and immerse yourself in a different cuisine and culture. In our opinion, early spring and early autumn are the best times to visit Florence, better known to Italians as Firenze. That way, you avoid the soaring temperatures and tourist crowds. It’s always good to have personal recommendations when travelling and, lucky for us, we have the
insider scoop from Laura, who shares her top spots.
Where to eat: ‘It’s hard to narrow this down, but I love
Cibrèo for dinner. The restaurant is family-run and they have a real passion for the alchemy of Florentine cuisine. For lunch,
Tre Panche, at Hotel Hermitage, which has a beautiful terrace with incredible views.
For something sweet, you can’t beat the gelato at
Gelateria la Carraia, with a view over Ponte Vecchio.
Whenever I go to Florence, I have to bring some food back from
C.Bio (I highly recommend the Ragu and Sugo al Pomodoro della Nonna).’
Where To Shop: ‘For beautiful additions to your homeware, don’t miss the collection of splatter pottery at
Merceria Mazzanti.
Lisa Corti has an amazing collection of fabrics for homes and a ready-to-wear collection. A trip to the iconic flagship store
Luisa Via Roma is a must, to see everything from fashion to homewares.
Finally, I can’t go to Florence without going to
Santa Maria Novella Farmacia, the oldest pharmacy in the world, which has been crafting beautiful fragrances, remedies and herbal products since 1221. In particular, I stock up on
Rosa Novella Scented Wax Tablets, which infuse your drawers with fragrances of petitgrain, rose and sandalwood – they make the prettiest gift, too!’
