During the last few months of 2022, Florence was bustling with new openings and hot spots. Here are some highlights of what to check out in the city.
Chic Nonna
An extraordinary culinary proposal is offered by Michelin-starred chef Vito Mollica, the culinary director of the fine-dining restaurant Chic Nonna, located in the beautiful and storied Palazzo Portinari Salviati. Inside each of the five rooms where the tables are distributed, guests can admire the frescoes that portray the Odyssey of Ulysses by the 16th-century Florentine painter Alessandro Allori. One of these inspired the five-course vegetarian tasting menu. The wine list includes about 300 bottles, and pastry chef Tim Ricci is in charge of sweets, as well as an extensive selection of teas and coffees from around the world.
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Chic Nonna
Via del Corso, 6 – 50122
Tel. +39-05-5535-3555
chicnonna.com
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De’ Bardi
After five years of work, which brought to light pieces of art and other discoveries, the De’ Bardi restaurant has opened its doors. The restaurant is located in the residence of the De’ Bardis, one of the most prestigious families in Florence during the Middle Ages, so that guests will feel immediately immersed in Florentine history. There is a cocktail bar and the restaurant area has been carefully restored to preserve the authenticity of the building. The tables rest on glass so diners can see the original floor from the Etruscan age. “Il mio Baccalà [cod] alla Livornese” is one of the special Tuscan dishes available.
De’ Bardi
Via De’ Bardi, 27 – 50125
Tel. +39-05-5387-3142
debardiflorence.com
La Spa
A few steps away from the Duomo and Via Tornabuoni, visitors can regenerate themselves at La Spa, the biggest spa in the city, which includes two thermal pools and is within the exclusive Helvetia & Bristol hotel. The spa is unique as it is located where the Capitoline baths of the Roman Florentia once stood. The Roman origins are the fil rouge of this place, reflected in the names given to each room and also in the ancient concept of Roman baths based on the idea of alternating hot and cold temperatures. While relaxing in the pools, it is possible to admire the work of artist Felice Limosani, who created suspended video art representing digital landscapes. “Massaggio della Rinascita,” the Aquamotus, “La Grande Bellezza” and “Relax & Bubbles” rituals are just some of the services included in the exclusive Signature Treatments.
La Spa
Via dei Pescioni, 8 – 50123
collezione.starhotels.com
For bookings:
+39-05-5266-5626
Pineider
Florentine taste, refinement and craftsmanship come together in the new Pineider boutique. The company’s new location in its hometown opened last August, on the Arno River between Via de’ Tornabuoni and Ponte Vecchio. In the same period, the Tuscan brand, which has been owned by the Rovagnati family since 2017, launched both the store in Via Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli and a corner inside Milan’s Malpensa airport in the international flights section. This underscored the importance of its Italian roots but also its cosmopolitan strategy after the inauguration of stores in New York and Singapore in 2021. Founder Francesco Pineider opened a stationery shop right in the center of Florence in 1774. At the beginning there were only hand-engraved prints and monograms but then — following another great Tuscan tradition, the leather industry — leather products were added. Writing instruments came later. The large windows overlooking the street show Pineider’s heritage, framed by wooden and decorated floors, chrome and brass details.
Pineider
Lungarno Acciaiuoli 72r – 50123
Tel. +39-05-5284-655
pineider.com
Seletti
This is the first flagship store of the Italian brand, which has chosen Via della Vigna Nuova for the opening. The Brigolin Baschera architecture and design studio, which has been collaborating with Seletti for a long time, perfectly portrayed its Pop and revolutionary soul. The signature black-and-white pattern covers the floor, while the sculptures and design collaborations that the brand has produced over the years are displayed on the walls. Case in point: The partnership with ToiletPaper Magazine, whose images cover part of the ceiling, juxtaposed with a painting of a blue sky that contrasts with the graphics. All this combines to embody Seletti’s motto: “Revolution is the only solution.”
Seletti
Via della Vigna Nuova, 89r – 50123
Tel. +39-05-5802-7346
seletti.it
“Elliott Erwitt Photographs”
The famed pictures of the photographer Elliott Erwitt will be on show at Villa Bardini until Jan. 22. The exhibition, curated by Biba Giacchetti together with Erwitt himself, comprises 70 images from his private life, but also close-ups of celebrities, including a candid Marilyn Monroe, and key moments of history. It is a celebration of the long career of Erwitt, who is now 94 years old. Dogs, one of his favorite subjects, are also central, such as the shot of a chihuahua in a sweater for a footwear ad, where Erwitt wanted to portray the animal’s viewpoint. Furthermore, there is an exclusive video by the filmmaker Hudson Lines in which the photographer, from the privacy of his own home, talks about himself.
Villa Bardini
Costa San Giorgio, 2-4 – 50125
Tel. +39-05-5294-883
eventi@villabardini.it
villabardini.it
“Escher”
Florence isn’t short on initiatives dedicated to contemporary art. Among these is an exhibition that has broken all visitor records and is dedicated to Maurits Cornelis Escher, one of the most influential Dutch artists of the 20th century. It’s hosted by the Museo degli Innocenti, in collaboration with Arthemisia, which has for years been a point of reference for major art presentations. The museum is inside the Istituto degli Innocenti, a few minutes from Piazza San Marco and the Duomo. The eclectic creativity of Escher spanned art, mathematics, science, physics and design and the exhibition features more than 200 works divided into eight sections. The third is the one dedicated entirely to Italy and in particular to Tuscany, where he arrived in 1921 with his family and then returned alone, since he was so fascinated by the region. The show also features some of his most iconic works, including the “Mano con sfera riflettente” (1935), “Metamorfosi IlI”‘ (1939), “Giorno e notte” (1938) and the “Emblemata” series.
Museo degli Innocenti
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, 13 – 50121
Tel. +39-05-5098-1881
mostraescher.it