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Author: mcowan | Total views: 27 Comments: 0
Word Count: 1096 Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:50 AM

Favourite Florence Experiences In My 35 Years Of Visiting

I fell in love with Florence's art, architecture and views as a backpacker in the early 70s, lived and fell in love with a Tuscan there in the late 70s and now revisit Florence every year.

Here are some of my recent old and new favourite experiences for lovers of wine, shoes and beauty in my favourite Italian city.

33 Years Of Amazing Shoes In The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum

When I arrive in Florence, one of my first pleasures is browsing the shoe store windows and occasionally buying a pair. In all these years, somehow I didn't got to the Ferragamo Museum until 2008. The Ferragamos' 700 year old Palazzo Spini Feroni on Via Tornabuoni at the Arno River houses their retail store and museum downstairs.

The museum shows you an amazing array of shoes Ferragamo made from 1927 to 1960, the year he died. He was the "shoemaker of the stars" with clients like Audrey Hepburn and the Duchess of Windsor.

This incredibly creative man made everything from shoes with wedge heels with five layers of light green, gold, orange, magenta and burnt orange suede and gold leather straps to a high red platform sole embroidered with jewels in Baroque designs. Other shoes look like they came out of medieval courts or The 1001 Nights.

The astounding range of colours, colour combinations, fabrics and flamboyant designs totally delighted my playful, creative side. I felt like a kid in a toy store, except I couldn't touch the shoes. A place I'll enjoy every time I'm in Florence from now on!

Visit the Ferragamo web site, click on "museum", "current exhibition" and "past exhibitions" to see slide shows of lots of shoes!

I strongly recommend reading Salvatore Ferragamo's excellent, inspiring autobiography, The Shoemaker of Dreams. He tells you how, from his small town in southern Italy, through war and financial hardships, he persisted with his passion for shoes and feet and created the international business he dreamed of. It will make your visit to the museum much more meaningful.

The Salvatore Ferragamo museum opens from 10:00 to 6:00, closed Tuesdays. Entrance on Piazza Santa Trinita. Cost 5 Euros.

Three Florence Wine Bars: Down Home Style, Full of Local People

At Zanobini on Via Sant'Antonino 47r in the San Lorenzo market a simpatico wine making family runs the small stand up bar with a good variety of wines by the glass. They sell their own wines as well as a huge selection of Tuscan and wines from all over Italy. No food or seating.

Zanobini is my long time haunt just steps from where I sold sweaters at an outdoor stand in the San Lorenzo Market years ago. I stand near the bar slowing sipping a glass of Vino Nobile or Morellino di Scansano and taking in the down to earth atmosphere as Florentines stand around me shooting the breeze.

I Fratellini is literally a hole in the wall on Via Cimatori 38R, just up from Piazza della Signoria off Via Calzaiuoli, a main street connecting Piazza del Duomo with Piazza della Signoria. Lots of wines by the glass and hearty sandwiches. You drink and eat standing on the sidewalk or sitting on the curb. With my glass of Chianti in hand, I joined young travelers, couples with babies and older people sitting on the curb chatting to each other. A quintessential Florentine experience!

All'Antico Vinaio at Via dei Neri 65R just behind the Uffizi heading towards Santa Croce, has a good by the glass wine list, sandwiches and quick hot dishes like lasagna and about 10 seats inside. I lingered over a generous amount of Vino Nobile and a delicious Tuscan porchetta sandwich in this unpretentious, friendly spot.

2500 Irises Show Their Colours On A Hill Overlooking Florence

If you love irises like I do, and you're in Florence from late April to the third week of May, head up to the iris gardens below Piazzale Michelangelo. Every spring for one month, the Iris Garden shows off its 2500 kinds of irises in stunning displays of colour.

As I admired the colour combinations and textures of the irises around the olive trees and took picture after picture, I gazed at magnificent views of Florence far below. I felt I'd found a peaceful refuge, away from the noise and crowds.

The iris is the symbol of Florence. The International Iris Competition, held since 1954, runs for five days. An international jury judges the entries. The awards ceremony is in Palazzo Vecchio.

To get there, take a bus or enjoy a 20-30 minute walk from the city centre, across the Arno and up to Piazzale Michelangelo, taking in views along the way. Reward yourself with a gelato at a bar off the piazzale. Ah, simple joys!

Church of San Miniato Al Monte: A Special Florentine Friend

Ever since I first went to Florence, I've visited the 11th century church, San Miniato Al Monte, a few steps along the road from the Piazzale. It crowns a hill top and has magnificent panoramas of the city and beyond.

I first visited San Miniato to admire the white and dark green marble geometric patterns of its facade, its delicate 13th century frescoes, light hearted, mythical Romanesque beasts inlaid in marble, brilliant Byzantine mosaics on the dome, crypt with arches recalling Cordoba's Mezquita Cathedral in Spain, and colourfully painted rafters high under the roof.

After I'd looked in awe at the church's artworks, I'd sit on a pew in the back for about 30 minutes and survey the splendor around me. I'd find myself feeling calm and relaxed with my thoughts wandering. Soon my questions got resolved, foggy ideas got clear, insights I needed appeared and I'd leave feeling lighter in my heart and soul.

Now on my first day in Florence I climb up to San Miniato. I sit on the wall outside to marvel at the views, walk up and down inside to revisit its treasures and sit down peacefully, when tour groups aren't visiting, on a back pew. My questions and thoughts surface and my old friend always comes through with wise insights for me.

Despite the ever increasing crowds and traffic, I'll enjoy Florence over and over for a lifetime, returning to my old haunts and being happily surprised by new experiences and places I chance upon every time I visit.