From cultural treasures to where to eat & drink
TEMPLE'S GUIDE TO FLORENCE
Written by Temple St. Clair
Temple Looking over Florence
Dear Friends,
If you are in Florence now or planning to go, I wanted to share a few of my personal favorite places. These places make up part of the fabric of my day-to-day life there. I go back to them over and over again, in between working with my artisans and living in the hills.
1. Cultural Treasures
MUSEO NAZIONALE DEL BARGELO
IMAGE COURTESY OF MUSÉE DEL BARGELLO
Via del Proconsolo, 4
Open daily 8:15 AM - 1:50 PM (
Closed on 2nd and 4th Sundays and 1st, 3rd, and
5th Mondays)
Home to some of my favorite masterpieces, including Donatello's bronze David, vibrant Della Robbia ceramics, and the famous competition panels by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi for the Baptistery doors. A must for anyone who loves the power of sculpture. This was my sons' favorite when they were small, filled with wonderful mythological stories.
GIARDINO BARDINI
Pictured — TEMPLE WALKS THROUGH THE GIARDIONO BARDINI
Via de' Bardi, 1
Open daily 10am - 7pm
This hidden garden, perched just below the old city walls in the Oltrarno, offers one of the most intimate views of Florence. At the top, a lovely loggia invites you to pause for a refreshment or aperitivo. A Bardini ticket also grants entry to the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace, making it a perfect way to meander back into town. I love this garden in every season, and wandering through Boboli is one of my favorite commutes.
LA SPECOLA (MUSEO DI STORIA NATURALE)
Pictured — IMAGE COURTESY OF MUSÉE DEL BARGELLO
Via Romana, 17
Open 9am - 5pm
(Closed Mondays & reservations required
to see all the wax models)
This hidden garden, perched just below the old city walls in the Oltrarno, offers one of the most intimate views of Florence. At the top, a lovely loggia invites you to pause for a refreshment or aperitivo. A Bardini ticket also grants entry to the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace, making it a perfect way to meander back into town. I love this garden in every season, and wandering through Boboli is one of my favorite commutes.
II. WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
CINQUE E CINQUE
Piazza della Passera, 1
Lunch: 1 - 2:30pm; Dinner: 7:30 - 10pm
(Closed Monday & Tuesday)
A cozy spot in the heart of the Oltrarno, perfect for a relaxed, simple lunch or dinner. It offers a non-traditional Italian menu of vegetarian dishes. This is typically where you’ll find me at lunch when I’m in town working with my artigiani. The Focaccia with Stracchino, a Ligurian specialty, is not to be missed (and secret: you can ask for a small one). And I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but here I love the Biancomangiare con Cioccolato, basically a panna cotta made from almond milk with a dark chocolate sauce – divine! Say Ciao! to Silvio, the owner, for me.
Pictured - THE INTERIOR OF CONQUE E CONQUE
DALLA LOLA
Via della Chiesa, 16R
Lunch: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 - 2:30pm;
Dinner: Wednesday to Friday, 7:30 - 10:30pm
(Closed Sunday & Monday)
A newer favorite in the Oltrarno, opened by the offspring of Camillo, one of my longtime go-to spots. The team at Dalla Lola offers fresh, seasonal cooking in a lively space not far from Santo Spirito. I love the miso gnocchi, an innovative departure that somehow still feels right at home in Florence.
Pictured — STAFF AT DALLA LOLA
IL SANTINO
Via Santo Spirito, 60/R
Open daily 11am - 11pm
The love child of the fabulous Santo Bevitore next door, Il Santino is ideal if you’ve missed the strict Florentine lunch hour or need a casual aperitivo spot. They serve delicious light bites. A good stop between visits to the frescoes at the Carmine or Santo Spirito. Lunch time at most restaurants is from 1:00 to about 2:30 PM — Basta!
Pictured — IL SANTINO'S GREAT FOOD
BRAC
Via dei Vagellai, 18/R
Lunch: 12:30 - 3pm
Dinner: 7:30 - 11pm
(Closed Tuesday)
Not your typical Florentine trattoria. Brac is a bookstore and vegetarian restaurant on the Duomo side of the river, near the Galileo Science Museum. I love the fresh, creative dishes and remarkably poetic wine list; one of the owners has a literary flair. It’s an artsy, imaginative haven, a perfect break in a day of discovery.
Pictured — INTERIOR OF BRAC
I'd love to hear if you have a chance to visit any of these places. Florence is where my heart is, in many ways my true home, and each of these spots is part of my personal experience there. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do.
Live life beautifully,
XO Temple