{"id":690,"date":"2009-07-13T08:59:08","date_gmt":"2009-07-13T13:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=690"},"modified":"2016-12-17T03:41:48","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T09:41:48","slug":"in-florence-slow-down-and-enjoy-the-gelato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/07\/in-florence-slow-down-and-enjoy-the-gelato\/","title":{"rendered":"In Florence, slow down and enjoy the gelato"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Hotel<\/em><\/em>

Hotel Savoy (Courtesy: Anthony Grant)<\/p><\/div>\n

By Anthony Grant<\/em><\/p>\n

Few destinations evoke images of slowness and beauty the way Florence does. There\u2019s something about the way this Italian city is cradled in the lush Tuscan hillsides and about the richness of its Renaissance past that\u2019s still such a force here you can practically taste it. And art, art everywhere, beginning (or ending) with\u00a0 Michelangelo\u2019s gleefully in the buff David: we\u2019re talking hardcore gorgeousness here.<\/p>\n

Florence doesn\u2019t have, and probably never will, a particularly hopping restaurant or nightlife scene, preferring to beat to its own, resolutely Renaissance, drum. In fact, for gay nightlife, aside from a few standbys like YAG B@R<\/strong> and Piccolo Caffe<\/strong>, it\u2019s a non-scene, and Florentines looking for one take the one-hour train ride north to Bologna. You can too, but between the Uffizi Gallery<\/strong>, Pitti Palace<\/strong> and frescoed cathedrals, or just lingering in the lap of luxury at a well-located hotel like the Savoy<\/strong><\/a>, there\u2019s plenty to keep you anchored in Florence for a few days or more.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"View

View of the Duomo from the Hotel Savoy's rooftop gym. (Courtesy: Anthony Grant)<\/p><\/div>\n

Choose your Florence hotel<\/strong><\/a> carefully and bear this in mind as you do: with a few exceptions, Florence\u2019s historic heritage is best left to its museums and streets. You won\u2019t findanything the least bit old-fashioned about the Hotel Savoy, which sits squarely on the Piazza della Repubblica<\/strong>, this close to the Duomo<\/strong> and a short walk from the the Ponte Vecchio<\/strong>. Their restaurant, L\u2019Incontro<\/strong>, is one of Florence\u2019s best and also has a terrace on the bustling but car-free piazza. You can sip Negroni cocktails to your heart\u2019s content,\u00a0 and feel very much the center of attention. The guestrooms at this Rocco Forte property have uplifting bathroom mosaics and crisp Italian linens<\/strong> and there\u2019s even a rooftop gym where you can work out with the Duomo at your feet<\/strong>. Right across the street is Gilli<\/strong>, an atmospheric caf\u00e9 that\u2019s been around a bit longer than Starbucks \u2013 since 1733, to be precise, and they make a mean cappucino for a nice price.<\/p>\n

If your appetite for the Renaissance knowsno bounds, you should definitely navigate your away through the dense patchwork streets to the Four Seasons Firenze<\/strong>, which is a 15th-century palazzo recently converted into a hotel. It\u2019s like a museum \u2013 a very, very luxurious one. Even if you don\u2019t stay there on your Italy vacation<\/strong><\/a>, stroll around the lush Gherardesca gardens<\/strong> which form the property\u2019s backyard, or make an appointment at the luxe spa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the city center you\u2019ll find no shortage of shops selling marbled paper and leather goods. But if you want something with flair for your home, check out Flair<\/strong> on the Piazza Scarlatti, or for lighting, scented Sicilian candles and such, Lungarno Details<\/strong>. If you need your Prada fix, head over to the Via Tornabuoni, where the big Italian luxury brands are clustered.<\/p>\n

\"Hotel

Hotel Villa San Michele (Courtesy: Anthony Grant)<\/p><\/div>\n

For post-shopping or post-touring relaxation that doesn\u2019t involve Campari, I\u2019d suggest a nice lunch at the sleek but affordable Caffe\u2019 Slowly<\/strong>, in the Via Porta Rossa, or downtime at Soulspace<\/strong>, a chic new day spa replete with Turkish baths and a garden<\/strong>; it\u2019s near the very famous church of Santa Croce.And for a day-in-the-country feeling, lunch at Hotel Villa San Michele<\/strong><\/a> in Fiesole, in the green hills above Florence, is an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n

As far as restaurant picks, if truth be told, I rarely get past the gelato in Florence, and if you sidle up to the counter at Perch\u00e8 No!<\/strong> for tantalizing scoops of white mint, creamy coffee crunch or strachiatella (chocolate chip), you\u2019ll get my drift. The gelateria\u2019s name translates as \u201cWhy Not!\u201d Indeed.<\/p>\n

Related Orbitz resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n