Florence

Here are some notes on Florence – mostly about wonderful things that people and guide books tell you too little about. 

 First of all, I suppose you have to go to the Uffizi and see the David but I think that both of these activities are a waste of time.  They are incredibly crowded – even if you reserve your tickets ahead of time – and you can’t really look at the art – it’s basically like being herded through a supermarket, shuffling at top speed while trying to look at each box and jar.   The Duomo and the baptistery doors are somewhat better as experiences – and easier and quicker too.  The Laurentian library and the Medici tombs are interesting – but I don’t really like Michaelangelo or sculpture all that much. 

Here what I love in Florence –

 At the same time – since they are around the corner from one another – you should see the monastery of San Marco where Fra Angelico lived and where there are scores of his fabulous frescoes – this is a do not miss.  And then right around the corner is a tiny cloister – this is a ‘best kept secret’ – nobody goes there – It’s the Cloister of the Scalzi – the Chiostro degli Scalzi.  This was a cloister for a confraternity dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  They met and walked barefoot (Scalzo) around the cloister as they prayed for the poor and those condemned to death.  Andrea del Sarto, the late Renaissance painter who was a follower of Raphael, was the brother-in-law of one of the brothers and he “decorated” the cloister (which is tiny – about the size of my living room) with gorgeous trompe l’oeil monochrome frescoes of the life of St. John.  It’s sensationally wonderful and you’ll be there all by yourself.  BUT you have to call first to make sure that the young woman who looks after it for the city will be there.  The address is 69 Via Cavour and the phone number is 055 2388604.  Just call and make a date – or sometimes they’re open Mon, thurs, Sat from 8:30 to 14:00.

 Also north of the Duomo (as are the above) is the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, also on the Via Cavour near the Piazza S. Lorenzo.  In the Palazzo is a small chapel – really small – whose walls are covered with Benozzo Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi with Cosimo de’ Medici in the procession.  It’s a magical sort of Where’s Waldo fresco and, once again, you’ll be all alone there.

 South of the river – really the nicest part of town – are several things not to miss –

 First, there is (just across the Ponte Vecchio) the church of Santa Felicita – just to the right as you walk in – behind an iron railing – is Pontormo’s “Deposition of Christ” a masterpiece of mannerism and just a fantastic work.  You will have to put a coin in the light box to see it and when the light goes on ….  Wow.  Many people think it’s the single greatest work of art in Florence.  I may agree.

 Also on the oltro’Arno is Santo Spirito which is my favorite church in Florence and also my favorite neighborhood.  There’s a very good and very well-priced restaurant right on the square – the Borgo Antico.  We had lunch there twice – the phone is 055 210437 but I don’t know if you can make a reservation.  Just show up and wait a minute and you’ll get a table.  There are various markets that take place in the square – I don’t know which days – but there’s a lovely food market.  Also, a little further south of the square is a lovely café – the Caffe Notte (on the Via delle Caldaie) and it’s sort of an “antique row” – fun to look around in shop windows and shop for clothes and shoes and stationery.

 I think you will love Florence if you can resist the temptation to go to the things you think you should see – where you will be packed in like a sardine (we were last there in March and it was still jammed) – and go to these wonderful less-travelled places.  You can always lie –you loved the Uffizi, the David was amazing – and no one will ever know….