Modern Florence

Published on Monday, April 2, 2007, by Aida Mollenkamp / Edit Post

Modern Florence
Until five years ago, a visitor had the choice of staying in an older, luxury hotel or a humble pensione—only one level above a hostel. Boutique hotels with modern design were unheard of. Not anymore. The following are several of the most interesting new places to stay in Florence.

If you prefer to room in the busy centro storico yet want a calm spot to lay your head, stay along the Arno at the Continentale. This contemporary hotel is part of the stylish Lungarno chain owned by the Ferragamo family. With can’t-lose views of the river, the city’s skyline, and the famous cathedral (or duomo), it’s supermodern yet tasteful (kind of like an Italian W Hotel).

The Borghese Palace Art Hotel can’t be beat for its location: steps from the duomo in the middle of a palazzo. That said, it feels tucked away and restful. A former palace once inhabited by Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s younger sister, it’s been updated with fun new pieces: a pewter bench placed on 300-year-old marble floors, for instance.

People may tell you to avoid Piazza Santa Maria Novella, home to the Santa Maria Novella church, which houses Masaccio’s Holy Trinity (the first paintings to have used Western perspective). And yes, the historic square was once overrun with loitering beggars and pigeons. However, the area was recently made an area pedonale, or pedestrian-only zone, and is now cleaner and more upscale. The recent opening of the high-design J.K. Place has played a major role in the piazza’s revitalization.

The UNA Hotel Vittoria is located in the Oltrarno, the boho neighborhood that also houses the biggest fashion and fresco restoration schools in all of Europe. At UNA’s popular bar, you’ll find struggling artists and older, painstakingly dressed professionals socializing, not unlike you’d come across in Manhattan’s East Village. As the funkiest hotel in the edgiest district of Florence, UNA has décor that is reflective of everything right and wrong with Italian design: loud, overdone, but somehow endearing (think Stanley Kubrick meets Boogie Nights).

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POST A COMMENT |18 Comments

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  • My vote is for Il Coriandolo on Viale de'Amicis, I/r. Chef Marco is one of the best. Just tell him Michelle and Raffaele sent you from Boston! You're in for a treat!

  • I was in Florence a few weeks ago and Il Santo bevitore was my favourite restaurant during my entire stay in Italy! Vibrant atmosphere and delicious food. I also liked La Casalinga but it is more a traditional trattoria.

  • My wife and I just returned from Florence and found this list helpful. I will agree, that some of the restaurant reviews are maybe a bit off. We ate at Il Santo Bevitore, and it's good, not great. Maybe even just ok. Maybe it's declined? We certainly ate much better for about half the price elsewhere. (La Casalinga for one, nearby)
    Il Latini def feels like a Florentine medieval times tourist...+READ

    My wife and I just returned from Florence and found this list helpful. I will agree, that some of the restaurant reviews are maybe a bit off. We ate at Il Santo Bevitore, and it's good, not great. Maybe even just ok. Maybe it's declined? We certainly ate much better for about half the price elsewhere. (La Casalinga for one, nearby)
    Il Latini def feels like a Florentine medieval times tourist wise, but the prices aren't high and the food was surprisingly good for what feels like it could just be a churn and burn. I had rabbit, and it was truly excellent. That said, cross the Oltrarno, and find a nice local place that will have the same food, without the tourist hordes backed up at the front door seven deep.-COLLAPSE

  • This made me so nostalgic! I studied in Florence a number of years ago, and have enjoyed returning many times since. I also second what Shape of Lies said about the bread--saltless bread is what makes Tuscan bread famous, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

    I lived in the Oltrarno, and agree that you can't go wrong exploring the area. The place that gets my vote is Borgo Antico, right in the...+READ

    This made me so nostalgic! I studied in Florence a number of years ago, and have enjoyed returning many times since. I also second what Shape of Lies said about the bread--saltless bread is what makes Tuscan bread famous, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

    I lived in the Oltrarno, and agree that you can't go wrong exploring the area. The place that gets my vote is Borgo Antico, right in the Piazza Santo Spirito. It is my all-time favorite restaurant, and I dream of their perfecty thin-crusted pizzas, creative meal-sized salads, and delectable salads. They have outdoor seating for much of the year, and it's the perfect way to enjoy the night life on the piazza.

    Trattoria Garga was always one of my favorite places to splurge, and I don't think I ever had a bad meal there. Their house salad was always one of my favorties--basic, but a perfect melding of flavors.

    I love this article as a guide, and also a way to reminisce, and hope to see more in the future!-COLLAPSE

  • I'm a bit surprised by the articles description of the bread. My goodness, ss foodies you guys should know better.

    Tuscan bread HAS no taste, that's how it's made and what makes it so unique. It's why it's so good in the bread soup, and why you can make a delicious sandwich with one thin slice of prosciuto or lay a layer Nutella on it for a full chocolate cake flavor.

    As a lucky student who...+READ

    I'm a bit surprised by the articles description of the bread. My goodness, ss foodies you guys should know better.

    Tuscan bread HAS no taste, that's how it's made and what makes it so unique. It's why it's so good in the bread soup, and why you can make a delicious sandwich with one thin slice of prosciuto or lay a layer Nutella on it for a full chocolate cake flavor.

    As a lucky student who lived with an Italian family in Siena, we ate that wonderful tasteless bread with every meal.
    I've been trying to find that tough spongy bread in the USA ever since. Turns out you can only get it in Tuscany and the quality has to do with the milling process.

    So don't be dis'n my favorite taste memory. You'll never have a better experience than a picnic with Tuscan bread, olives, cheese and ANY local wine. Yum, wish I could join you.-COLLAPSE

  • Going there in the Fall, thanks for the article!

  • You completely missed the point about Il Latini. No matter what you order, the cost is the same. The Bistecca is close to the best in the city, and yes, the wine is lousy, but the atmosphere great, and it is a fun night. Order the steak, and you will have the best prie/quality ratio in the city.

    Also, some of the observations on other restaurants are, to say the least, controversial.

  • I'm super picky about food and can tell you that IL LATINI is very good for its humungous steak. It's excellent.

  • It might help some to know that the Italians do not call it Florence. To them it is Firenza! Beautiful town and the Ponte Vecchio bridge is a wonder to behold. You might like to know that they have built a replica of the bridge in the new community of "Lake Las Vegas", an upscale community and resort built on an artificial lake in the Nevada desert. It was formed by building a 900 foot dam and...+READ

    It might help some to know that the Italians do not call it Florence. To them it is Firenza! Beautiful town and the Ponte Vecchio bridge is a wonder to behold. You might like to know that they have built a replica of the bridge in the new community of "Lake Las Vegas", an upscale community and resort built on an artificial lake in the Nevada desert. It was formed by building a 900 foot dam and piping in water from lake Mead! It's only 17 miles from Vegas!
    Harry-COLLAPSE

  • Excellent guide to the high...and low lights of Florence! Thanks for the insightful recommendations!...Looking forward to my next visit.

  • My wife and I have been to Florence 4 or 5 times -- we like it for hanging out -- when our kids (25 and 27) joined us they liked it for the excitement and adventure of a city this large, active and beautiful -and- for hanging out all night...they found some fun clubs and piazzas...the piazzas for them were more fun than the clubs since they met people from all over the world while there at night....+READ

    My wife and I have been to Florence 4 or 5 times -- we like it for hanging out -- when our kids (25 and 27) joined us they liked it for the excitement and adventure of a city this large, active and beautiful -and- for hanging out all night...they found some fun clubs and piazzas...the piazzas for them were more fun than the clubs since they met people from all over the world while there at night. I am glad to see you highlight cities like Florence...and -- for your readers to share their thoughts and experiences about their trips to these cities.-COLLAPSE

  • This is fantastic! I'm traveling to Italy for the first time next month - thank you!

  • Wow, very well written article. I hope more cities can be profiled like this.

  • Thanks! I will def use this fabulous info for my next trip!

  • Good info and nice design!
    I never heard about Chow before, but a friend told me about it and it seems all my friends knew about Chow except me:)
    Thanks

  • nice....... makes me wanna go there. tx

  • Outstanding and incisive review for the vicissitudes of a classic destination.The article is a paradigm to update travelers on the newest attractions.Thanks for the infoJ

  • WOW!! What a extensive and informative article... I printed it immediately for my next trip to Florence... Even though, I have explored Florence before, there were many new ideas and tips, which I will include in my next visit..

    Thanks
    M