Bel San Giovanni

Bel San Giovanni - the Beautiful St. John . This is how Dante used to describe in the Divine Commedy our Baptistry consacrated to St. John the Baptist. One of the oldest building in town and the best example of romanesque art in the old downtown.

Here millions of florentines have been baptized, even Dante!

Since Sunday October 25th 2009 Baptistry and Duomo can get back to breath, cause our new mayor, Matteo Renzi, decided to close the entire square to the traffic - no more buses, cars, taxis, scooters... nothing! Just bikes and people walking around.

Could you believe that before that date 2100 buses passed by every day... 2100.

In terms of art, Baptistry is a real gem - outside incredible marble inlaid, inside spectacular gild mosaiques. A visit is a must. Not mentionning the outstanding doors casted by Ghiberti, well known all around the world.

Amazing mosaiques

Representation of Hell

Paradise Doors, casted by Ghiberti

Who belongs these heads?....

Dinner @ BSJ

As written in the main description, I'm not only a guide, first of all I'm a Fiorentina that lives her city, and just LOVES to go out for dinner... So, give you some tips for your restaurant choice is my goal now.

BSJ - most known as just J- is a beautiful restaurant located in the south side of the river, exactly in Borgo San Jacopo, from where it takes the name. It is overlooking the river,with an amazing huge window. There are just a couple of tables right close to it, and you have to fight for them. In the summer there is also a private balcony, where only 2 tables are, and max only 8 lucky people are allowed.

In terms of atmosphere, is one of my favourite in town - not too casual, not too pretentious and elegant, hip enough for Florence, in 2 words relaxing and romantic.

The service is oustanding, very attentive and carefull, but not too much as in other places.

The food is a good mix between traditional and inventive cuisine, portions are fine, not too big like easy Trattorias neither invisible like Nouvelle Cuisine spots. Wine cellar is pretty impressive, if you wish to choose - if not, I highly suggest you to let the Sommelier, Salvatore, take you by hands and suggest you the best options for your food. He's the best.

Ah, the chef is a lady, a real lady, Beatrice Segoni, she's a great chef, plus so much fun!

I was there many times, but last one was to celebrate my anniversary - a nice table was set for up, and a nice surprise at the end...

I don't eat fish, but there is a nice choice of fish food if you like. My choice was:

- Cristaiate (like Maltagliati, an hand made pasta squared cut) with hare meat sauce and Taggiasche olives

- Beaf fillet with mushrooms

My boyfriend had:

- Catalane style lobster

- Tortelli stuffed with sea bass

- Stracotto (stew) with fried cabbage

As starters, they served us a mini Polenta with meat sauce.

As dessert, a nice cake with lots of fruits on, with heart-shape! So cute.

You can see the photos, the food was excellent.

And it's not too expensive, I cannot tell you the exact price cause I didn't pay, but the a 3-course dinner is about 50-60 Euro, than depends on your wine obviously.

It's one of my favourite place in town, I definitely suggest you!

BSJ

Borgo San Jacopo 62/r

055 281661

Open only for dinner - closed on Tuesdays

Classic Walking Tour

Florence could be visited in so many ways... it all depends how much time you can spend in town, if you are interested in any particular museums, if you are a guide book person or not...

However, having a private Guide gives you a completely different flavour to your trip, add a new dimension to things, and really makes you understand and appreciate the city.

One of the way, and one of the most popular tour that I do, is the Classic City Walking Tour; we will walk around the city center, skipping the big and famous streets that you can easily explore by yourself, and entering into the deep heart of Florence.

Trying to keep a chronologically way, I'll explain you the Roman origin of Florence, how the city was considered the Tuscan Manhattan during the Middle Age, and finally talking about the Renaissance, visiting the tipical nobleman house, seeing how incredibly Brunelleschi builded the Cupola, surely mentionning the Medici and their relationship with Florence.

Tour lasts 3 hours normally, but it can be surely longer, including some entrances into churches/museums.

San Miniato al Monte

San Miniato al Monte is definitely one of my favourite spot in town: a beautiful church rich of history and a breathtaking view of Florence. And also a super romantic place!

The history is quite interesting: it is dedicated to San Miniato, an armen merchant who got killed during roman persecutions against christians in the 3 century a.d. Exactly he was beheaded in the Roman Amphitheatre, which was in the Santa Croce area, but the legend says that he didn’t die right away, but took his head and walked up on the hill where he used to pray, and where he decided to rest forever. And that’s exactly where the church was build starting from 1018.

Is a magnific example of romanic art, one of the best preserved in Florence: the characteristic façade with geometrical and fantastic designs obtained with white and green inlaid marbles, the calm and solemn interior where the inlaid marbles continue, and there are beautiful examples of various art styles: the gilded mosaic in the apse, very similar to the one on the façade, showing us the medieval way to represent religious figures as static icons; the Crucifix Chapel, by Michelozzo, that used to protect a miraculous crucifix; the Chapel of Portuguese Cardinal Jacopo of Lusitania, a Renaissance pearl that mix painting, sculpture and architecture; the Sacristy, hosting one of the first cycle of life stories of San Benedetto, all frescoed by Spinello Aretino, a later Giottesco.

Everywhere you will see eagles with spread wings holding a torsello, which is a bale of wool cloth: it’s the symbol of Calimala Guild, the cloth merchants guild, one of the most powerful, who had the control and financed the construction and the art decoration of the church.

In the past financing civil and religious architecture, as well as protecting artists, by the Guilds or by private merchants or rich people, was similar to our current marketing:it was a way to advertise and to show everybody powerfulness and richness.

Once finished the inside visit, and after have taken million of picture of the panorama (if you sit on approx the third bench of the right nave and the main door is open it will be a GREAT pic)have a look on the monumental cemetery, where a lot of famous Italian and Florentine people are buried: Mario Cecchi Gori, Spadolini, Collodi which is the writer name of Pinocchio, and many more.

Walking down the stairs and turning right you will reach in 5 minutes Piazzale Michelangelo, another amazing panoramic point of the city. Build at the end of 19 century, together with the beautiful Viale dei Colli, the promenade for rich people carriages, today is attacked by tourists masses. Fortunately is big enough to hold everybody, and Firenze is beautiful any time of the day, so you might find a little spot on the muretto to take a picture and breath the town.
The quite questionable monument in the centre is a pastiche, mixed materials (bronze and marble)that represents copies of wellknown Michelangelo’s sculptures: the worldwide famous David, and the 4 statues of Medici tumbs that you can admire in the New Sacristy of San Lorenzo (Dawn, Dusk, Day, Night).

It would be nice if you have time and energies to walk down through the steps in the wood of Rampe, and you end up in San Niccolò district, a very local and authentic one.

The beautiful inlaid façade

Fantastic marble inlad

Even a zodiac is represented

Where San Miniato rest

Statues that hold the Gospel support

Lots of eagles, symbol of Calimala

San Benedetto frescoed cycle

Four evangelists' symbols

Breathtaking panorama!

Caffè Cibreo

Today I want to introduce you to one of the most famous places in town: Cibreo. I wish to talk right now about the Caffè, which is one of the section, because the Cibreo is like a little community in such a nice area as Sant'Ambrogio, and it consists of the Restaurant, the Trattoria, the Caffè and Teatro del Sale, a bit different, you have to be membership and be there at 07,30 pm cause there is a show during the dinner. The Trattoria and the Caffè are a bit more easy going and less expensive, but no possible to reserve.

The Caffè is very cosy, romantic, small, cute. We got the same menu of the restaurant, which is explained by voice by the very nice and kind waiter, Joseph. Weird menu, at the very first point I didn't have a clue about what to chose... Let's get the party started.

Mixed antipasti: crostino with typical Tuscan liver patè, ricotta cheese mousse, tripe salad (...couldn't eat tripe...sorry), tomato jelly.

First course: ricotta cheese flan with meat sauce, delicious! My friends got a Ribollita, typical tuscan soup, very solid made with bread and lots of vegetables. It was pretty liquid, but tasty.

Second course: ah, wrong choice... I got chicken neck stuffed, served with home made mayonnaise... wrong cause it was served cold... and it arrived with the full chicken head lying on the dish...disgusting, I barely handled to eat it. But my friends loved it. My partner got something that he actually enjoyed a lot, but I could even look at it: lamb brain...

Dessert: fortunately here they gained 100 points, they served us the 4 required portions plus another one,and they were ALL incredibly good. Especially my cheesecake with orange jam, and the chocolate cake, yummi!

The total bill was 186,00 Euro, considering the two bottles of red wine, caffès and sweet dessert wines was pretty acceptable. The service was very good, even if they were pretty busy.

Go there if you are pretty easy with food and you like basically everything, cause it's not the normal tuscan Trattoria, you wont find pasta, neither bistecca or regular florentine stuff.

Caffè Cibreo

Via del Verrocchio 5/r

055 234 58 53

To book the restaurant call 055 234 11 00

Welcome!

First of all, welcome to my "place".

This blog is for all of you, who is searching for information, suggestions, opinions about my super wonderful city...

Firenze

I have always lived here, and I do know this town pretty well. Even knowing it and working as a guide, everytime I wonder around the city center it's such a unique sensation... I hope to help you loving it, and if you do have questions, don't hesitate!

Enjoy it all!