Elite Traveler May-June 2018

EXPLORE FLORENCE GUIDE TO FLORENCE

THE GUIDE Working year-round as a guide, the in-demand Veronica Blomkvist of Access Italy is fluent in Italian, English and Swedish. Although Florence is a navigable city and well-established tourist destination, having Blomkvist guide you through the hidden alleyways and down the narrow streets marks the difference between a boutique gelato-making-and- tasting experience at the best gelateria in town versus dropping into the shop on the corner and hoping the pistachio lives up to its online hype. accessitaly.net

During World War II, the Germans bombed every bridge in the Tuscan capital except one: the Ponte Vecchio, which Hitler spared, alleging it too beautiful to destroy. Home to over 600 years of exceptional artistic activity, Florence’s city center was deemed a Unesco World Heritage site in 1982, with the annotation that “the greatest concentration of universally renowned works of art in the world is found here.” The home of both Leonardo da Vinci and Carlo Collodi — the creator of Pinocchio, the wooden boy who is unable to tell a lie without snout consequences — Florence is indeed a multifaceted artistic city. Set in the northern part of Italy, its landlocked locale forced early inhabitants to create a hearty cuisine that could be repurposed or reheated for several days, a prevalent propensity still found in Tuscan dishes. From Michelin-starred restaurants to dominant fashion houses, all have found a home in the old palaces and architecturally brilliant buildings. With the Arno River halving the city, crisscrossing the winding streets of San Niccolò to the old market of San Lorenzo has become a pastime for locals and tourists alike. While Florence’s long summer evenings are lovely, it’s best to avoid peak season and opt for spring or early fall, when the city is still bustling, but the crowds are manageable.

by Alexandra Cheney

PLACES TO HAVE…

A PERSONALIZEDMULTI- COURSE DINNER Four Seasons Florence Secret Dinner Experience Step inside the 15th-century former palazzo of Leonardo da Vinci and savor uninterrupted views of the Palazzo Vecchio and the Duomo. Stand on the penthouse terrace and raise a glass to the setting sun as Michelin-starred chef Vito Mollica creates a private, custom four-course dinner for your party of up to 20 guests. Enjoy Mollica’s pheasant ragout, cavatelli pasta or cacio e pepe with red prawns and marinated baby squid. Looking for something off-menu? Ask Mollica to create a course using his favorite ingredient: baccalà. Starting at $5,500. Only available to Four Seasons Florence guests. fourseasons.com/florence

A THREE-MICHELIN-STARRED MEAL Enoteca Pinchiorri Words such as ‘discovery’ and ‘laboratory’ distinguish the fine-dining experience that occurs at Enoteca Pinchiorri, the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Florence. With courses including acqua e cioccolato and bombolone di pecorino , translated as ‘water and chocolate’ and ‘doughnut of pecorino cheese,’ respectively, head chef Annie Féolde has solidified her reputation as an experimental fusion cook with a focus on singular ingredients prepared multiple ways. Skip the see-and- be-seen dining room and take dinner in the 120,000-bottle subterranean wine cellar of sommelier Giorgio Pinchiorri. enotecapinchiorri.it

TRADITIONAL FLORENTINE CUISINE Enoteca Fuori Porta A stone’s throw outside the city gates, Enoteca Fuori Porta finds the soul of Tuscan cooking by honoring its provincial roots. Take its blended ribollita, a silky yet hearty soup made with cannellini beans, Tuscan kale and day-old bread that’s a staple of the local diet. Add a bottle or two from the owners’ impressively curated 400-bottle cellar and experience the beloved tradition of an enoteca (wine bar). Don’t arrive expecting gastronomic fireworks: Enoteca Fuori Porta’s charm lies in its wood-paneled coziness and house-cured meats. This eatery is best enjoyed over a long lunch, but get there before 1pm to secure a table. fuoriporta.it

The incredible view of the Duomo from

the Four Seasons Florence’s

secret dinner