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Florence, Italy

Beyond its stunning art and architecture, Florence is also a rewarding destination for those in search of world-class wines and cuisine. Native Florentine Laura Masi gives us the scoop on what not to miss.

A Local Foodie’s Guide to Florence

For many, Florence is synonymous with Italy’s most iconic art: The city’s churches, palaces, and palazzos are full of celebrated paintings, sculpture, and architecture that demonstrate its Renaissance heritage. But Florence is also the capital of Tuscany, renowned for delicious wines and hearty cuisine to delight even the most discerning of foodies. Stroll through the city’s markets, or take an aperitivo at contemporary eateries serving modern takes on Italian classics.

Content creator and Florence native Laura Masi is the ideal local guide through it all; this storyteller was born in Florence, still calls it home, and has unparalleled relationships with the town’s chefs and artisans. She joins us here to share her favorite spots for delicious gelato and culinary tricks—as well as hotels dripping with history, thoughtful modernity, and details to make you want to linger longer.

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Sophisticated lodging at The Place Firenze

Where to Stay

For a contemporary vibe, try The Place Firenze from the Capital One Premier Collection: a townhouse hotel next to Santa Maria Novella that cultivates a sophisticated but home-like atmosphere where you’ll want to stay a while, over an artisanal cocktail. And about that cocktail: as you glance at the enviable drinks others are enjoying, you’ll see that the beautifully-prepared Smoked Negroni is the stuff of dreams.2 And if you’re here on a weekend, enjoy the communally served Sunday brunch: a destination for well-heeled Florentines.

Palazzo Vecchietti, from the Capital One Lifestyle Collection, is a converted sixteenth-century palace with only 14 rooms, allowing for an intimate experience and customized service.3 The rooms are spacious, making you feel like you’re living in your own Florentine apartment.

If you love a good view of the water, check out Hotel Lungarno, a Premier Collection property set on the banks of the Arno River near the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. Most rooms offer stunning river views from private terraces; some even include pieces from the hotel’s stunning twentieth-century art collection.

Florentine tradition is often happily punctuated by modern amenities at its sumptuous hotels—many housed in historic buildings rich in artistic flourishes. The Hotel Regency is a perfect example: The converted mansion’s 32 rooms are adorned with original Renaissance art and architectural features such as stained glass. Though the hotel is centrally located, relaxing with an aperitivo in the quiet courtyard helps the city’s tourist crunch feel miles away.

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Works of culinary art at Nuggolo

Where to Eat

“Your very first food experience in Florence must be the street food, and panino al lampredotto is the king of Florentine street food,” Masi says about the epic grilled sandwich with lampredotto, a type of tripe. Small shops serve this along most of the city’s streets, but Masi’s favorite is Bambi, a family-run deli that has been perfecting the tripe-making craft and their signature sauce for more than a hundred years.

When you visit Bambi, budget time to shop the Mercato Centrale that it calls home. You can source your own ingredients in this bustling San Lorenzo marketplace, where produce vendors and fishmongers hawk their freshest wares to visitors and locals alike.

Grab lunch at Trattoria Mario, which Masi says is “the perfect place to eat all the dishes of our food traditions: pappa al pomodoro, ribollita, peposo, the steak!” Indeed, that steak is considered by many foodies to be the best in the city, and the ragù is another specialty to try here. (Only steps away from the Mercato and Piazza di San Lorenzo, this beloved spot can get crowded, Masi warns, so plan ahead with a reservation.)

For a modern take on local ingredients, save an evening for the minimally appointed Nugolo, where Michelin-trained chefs celebrate, among other ingredients, the humble tomato with playful dishes like tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella milk. Also, on Masi’s must-try list: the chicken thigh, currently served with a hazelnut mayonnaise; and crème caramel of livers and capers.

Finally, make sure to save room for dessert at Vivoli, Florence’s oldest gelateria, where almost everything on the menu is grown on the owner’s family farm. Masi particularly recommends the “Buontalenti flavor, made with panna and cream, which is named after the Florentine artist.” And when made as an affogado, doused with espresso—a traditional Italian dessert—life doesn’t get any sweeter.

The expansive vineyards at Colle Bereto

Where to Explore

It all begins with history. “You can’t discover Florence if you don’t first visit all of the places that make the city the most beautiful in the world,” Masi says, referring to the iconic Renaissance examples that serve as the city’s richly textured backdrop: Brunelleschi’s Il Duomo, the Santa Maria Novella basilica, and sculptures by Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.

Modern history, too. Once you’ve checked off those must-sees, rent a Vespa or bicycle and glide over to the less-touristy neighborhoods to see how Florentines really live. Masi’s favorite districts are Sant’Ambrogio and Oltrarno, where you can experience the original workshops of Florentine artisans.

Continue along the less-trodden path and take a cooking class with Cesarine. This service puts you right at the kitchen table of a bonafide Italian home cook, with the goal of preserving time-honored culinary traditions (like sustainably using all the parts of the animal when cooking). Here, you can learn how to twist and press gnocchi and tagliolini for the best kind of souvenir—a lesson you can take back to your own kitchen.

After you’ve meandered through Florentine alleys and piazzas, Masi suggests an escape to the open fields and rolling hills of the idyllic Tuscan countryside. “Our food culture is tightly connected with our country origins,” Masi notes. What better way to explore the countryside than spending a day at Colle Bereto Azienda Agricola, an organic wine estate with gorgeous undulating vineyards. After a tour of the grounds and the wine cellars, luxuriate in a wine tasting while taking in picturesque views of the nearby village. You’ll, of course, find world-class pours of Chianti—the signature grape of this region—but the vineyard’s tasting menu also includes superb pinot noirs and merlots.

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A Local's Perspective on Florence

Whether sampling gelato or making homemade pasta at a cooking class, Florentine Laura Masi leaves no culinary stone unturned in her home city.

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