fighting the flu and the winter blahs in florence

Yes, winter can really get you down and being in one of the most beautiful cities in world doesn't change that reality.  This winter in Florence has people all over the city suffering with various incarnations of the flu.  In our little apartment we're just completing our third round.  I don't dare to hope that it's the last.  According to most Italians it just hasn't been cold enough this year....a breeding ground for bacteria.  Well whatever the reason, we're all more than ready for spring.

Despite being surrounded with beautiful architecture, fascinating history and wonderful art, I've been feeling uninspired as far as blog content this last month.  So to bridge this little gap, I thought I'd take a look at one of my favourite things in Florence: the Ponte Vecchio.  I know, not really off the beaten path but it is lovely and so definitively Florentine.  Most of these shots were collected in warmer months so this post also serves as a little reminder of what we have to look forward to.  Here's hoping it's soon!

Ponte Vecchio on a sunny summer day

The Ponte Vecchio is one of Florence's most popular tourist destinations, but on any given Sunday afternoon you'll also find it jammed with locals.  It's the only surviving merchant bridge in the city and is lined on either side with jewelry shops.  In fact, this is the only bridge in Florence not destroyed by the retreating German army during WWII.

History Lesson:  originally this bridge was home to medieval Florence's butcher trade, the byproducts of which were tossed into the Arno below.  When the Medici rulers moved to Palazzo Pitti on the south side of the river, the smell from the butcher's trade offended them during their daily crossing.  The butchers were evicted in favour of jewellers who remain in place to this day.   

Looking down at Ponte Vecchio from Piazzale Michelangelo

Jewelry on Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio, nothing but jewelry shops on either side, all the way across...

The other side of Ponte Vecchio

While the views from the Ponte Vecchio are lovely, when I'm crossing the Arno each day from another bridge, I love to glance over at the Ponte Vecchio's exterior.  The shops that line either side seem to be cobbled together from this perspective.  It's all a little higgeldy piggeldy (technical term) as far as width, depth, height, colour and even window style.  Luckily, the three central arches create a focal point and a rest for the eyes.  The corridor running above the shops also helps to tie everything together visually....though not the intention when it was constructed.  

History Lesson #2:  The Vasari Corridor runs from Palazzo Pitti, across Ponte Vecchio and ends at the Uffizzi Gallery (originally Florence's offices of state).  Not content with cleaning up the butcher's trade along the bridge, the Medici's didn't want to mingle with the common rabble when heading to work each morning.  The corridor was constructed above street level to connect the palace with the offices.  Where necessary, existing tower homes were (forcibly) given up to the project.  Only one owner was powerful enough to resist and you can see where the corridor turns to avoid it on the south side of the bridge.

The Vasari Corridor where it jogs around the Mannelli tower, supported with exterior buttresses

Vasari Corridor heading toward Palazzo Pitti.  Notice how it cuts right through this tower.

Vasari Corridor running from the Ponte Vecchio to the Uffizi.  This portion is supported by a series of arches, creating a loggia.  The left turn at the end is where it connects to the Uffizi.

Looking west on Ponte Vecchio.  Bellissimo!

Well there you have it, a lovely little piece of Florence.  Sometimes I go out of my way to walk across the Ponte Vecchio.  It really never fails to make me smile, and sometimes you find a surprise in store....like the shot below.  We came across these butterflies adorning the bridge in early November, en route to the Uffizi.  Elly, of course, was delighted and insisted we go home the same way for a second look.

Paper butterflies with wings the shape of Tuscany strung across Ponte Vecchio...part of an art installation.

a white tower, and other things...

Just before the holidays, Sandro and I took a little day trip to Pisa.  It's an easy trip from Florence and neither of us had visited before - unless you count seeing the top of the tower from a train 20 years ago.  I've always heard that a stop in Pisa isn't worth the time....nothing to see besides the famous tower.  I should really stop taking advice like this to heart.  Pisa is a lovely little city, similar to Florence in it's setting along the Arno river.  A little quieter and certainly less flashy architecturally, but a nice place to spend a day or two...  

The Arno River in Pisa.  The colourful buildings definitely contrast with the neutral stone facades of Florence.

Remains of a Roman bath in Pisa

Of course the main attraction is certainly the leaning tower, but en route to that, Pisa does offer some other sights.  The remains of a Roman bath house sit at an intersection just inside the old city walls.  I'm a huge sucker for ruins - the Anthropology major in me I guess.  Part of the structure is actually still intact here - smaller than you would imagine but beautiful.  I love the patina of the terra cotta brick and the soft mossy covering.

Now, as you approach the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), you can see the top of the tower and a piece of the Duomo.  From this distance it seems familiar and rather unimposing.  I was feeling at this point like this was a simple hit on our checklist while visiting Pisa.  Next stop lunch....

Approaching the Piazza Dei Miracoli

Well, they don't call it the Piazza of Miracles for nothing.  As we got closer I realised "....oh my god, the whole thing is white!"  As many of you know, I have a secret love affair with white.  I'm envious of (much tidier and likely childless) people with pristine all-white living rooms...and I've owned more than a couple pair of white jeans in my time.  Needless to say, Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli made me gasp a little.  Every building rising out of what might be the most manicured and vividly green lawn in Italy is clad entirely in white marble.  

Il bello Duomo, leaning tower in the background to the right.

The Piazza looking toward the Baptistry

The architectural composition of the buildings is stunning and the blend of white and soft grey marbles so harmonious.  It stands in contrast to the ornate stone detailing of the buildings....a foil for the architecture.  The thing that really doesn't come through in photographs though is the luminous effect of the white marble.  It's almost ethereal and other-worldly.  The grassy surroundings contribute to this feeling too, offering a natural and peaceful grounding to the Piazza.  So different from the cobble-stoned hustle and bustle of Florence's Piazza del Duomo.

The tower itself is like a fantastical wedding cake.  Tiers of arched layers reaching for the heavens offset by simple soft grey mosaic patterning.  The tilt unfortunately takes away from the beauty of the design....but when you stand up close and look up you can focus on the architecture and admire the artistry.

The Tower - stunning in white marble with subtle grey detailing. 

The subtlety of the mosaic detailing on the tower contrasts nicely with the layers of ornate arches

A better view of the lean...

The Piazza and it's surrounding streets are grounds for discovering all sorts of little design treasures.  This is probably true of most of Italy, but some tiny details really stood out for me here.  Stamped designs on pavers in the Piazza and seemingly random inlays along a stretch of wall down the street.  It's details like this that draw you in.  True of any good interior too...

Even the walkways get a little decoration...

Details on a wall close to the Piazza.  I love these geometric inlays and mosaics.

Our day trips are never complete without a well researched stop for lunch.  This is Sandro's territory....and Pisa did not disappoint.  La Grotta (The Grotto) is on a little side street and offered up fantastic fresh pasta in a fairly unique setting.  Anywhere else the plaster "grotto" ceilings would have made me roll my eyes....but in Italy you can somehow get away with this kind of thing and everyone just thinks its charming.  And maybe it is....

La Grotta - Sandro's restaurant of choice

Restaurant Interior - should have expected it from the name!

"He who drinks wine lives longer than the doctor who forbids him to."

All in all Pisa is well worth the visit.  While it's not packed full of museums and must see artistic treasures, it has a quiet charm of it's own.  That said, the Leaning Tower and it's companions at the Piazza dei Miracoli are certainly amongst the most stunning architectural sites in Italy.  Someday I'll have my white living room and Pisa's white tower will most certainly be on the inspiration board when I'm planning it.

Soaking in the sun along the Arno....a nice December day!

Last look....paving pattern outside the Pisa Stazione.  There must be a fabric with this pattern on it somewhere!   Maybe in white and gold?  See, already planning the room....

christmas in florence!

Despite the chilly temps and the rain, rain....and more rain...Christmas could easily become my favourite time of year in Florence.  The tourist crowds have virtually disappeared and the locals have reclaimed their city.  The piazzas in il centro are suddenly full of Italians and the streets and stores have become (amazingly) easy to navigate.  There are Christmas markets full of handmade gifts all over the city and more varieties of panettone than I've ever seen!  The best part though, are the outdoor decorations that have literally blanketed the city....

 Daytime in Piazza del Duomo, complete with tree but minus the crowds!

Shopping on Via del Calzaiouli with Christmas lanterns strung above...

Street performers at the Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce

Mountains of panettone!

Getting drunk on gelato....apparently just as fun in December.

The lights and decor started going up mid-November all over Florence.  The larger Vias were the first to be treated and I exclaimed "oh, look how pretty that's going to be...!".  But to my delight, the decor just kept expanding.  First, to side streets all over town....then the big tree and nativity scene in the Piazza del Duomo...and displays of all sorts in every Piazza.  They don't mess around here.  Obviously, all of it is best viewed after dark when the miles of twinkling lights guide you through the streets.  Here are some of my favourites....

Evening in Piazza del Duomo.  So pretty!

Bello Ponte Vechio all lit up for the holidays.  Kind of magical how the stars seem to float above the bridge.

More lights....Via de Ginori.

What is so lovely about it all is that no two streets are the same.  The lights are generally strung the width of the street between buildings, but the variety seems endless.  Stars, globes, lanterns, arcs, sheets of light, and carpets cascading down the length....you discover a new treasure around every corner!

...Borgo Albizi.  The placement literally draws you down the street.

....a zig zag pattern on Borgo dei Greci...

In keeping with the predominant aesthetic here, there is nothing matchy or overly planned about any of this.  Like the best design and decor (and the city itself) it all has the feeling of having evolved over time.  The lights are all white....no colours here...but the motif, placement and repetition is ever changing.  Like a home filled with things that the owners love, nothing feels overdone.  Instead it has a sense of being effortless and reflective of the city itself. 

Christmas lanterns at night on Via del Calzaiouli

Lantern closeup...

Via del Corso.  Love the ribbon of light speckled with stars - it carries on down the whole length of the street!

That's not to say that there's nothing flashy going on...Italians are certainly fans of more than a little bling.  The key is restraint.  Like the way the Florence Duomo has been allowed to dominate the architectural landscape, a few choice streets and bridges definitely stand out with wow factor...but the simple colour scheme and toned down decoration on adjoining streets allows for maximum impact.  The same way that too many focal points in one space creates visual clutter while highlighting a single element creates harmony.  Each installation here says Festive and simply elevates the loveliness of this already beautiful city.  Obviously I dig it! 

Via Romana, leading to Palazzo Pitti....

Via Maggio's inverted trees...

Piazza della Republica.  The carousel is always there, but now complete with giant Santa, or as Elly now calls him: Babbo Natale.

Art projections on the facade of Basilica di Santo Spirito

It can be tough to maintain your holiday traditions being so far from home and from friends and family. We've tried to keep some small rituals for Elly's sake (I toted our Christmas stockings...handmade by Granny....here from Canada.) In the end though, I think Christmas in Florence will forever be a treasured memory for us.  Living in a city like this can't help but influence so many aspects of life and certainly our approach to the holidays will be transformed by our Christmas in Italy...next stop, Roma!

...the best thing about the holidays....a happy girl ;)  Elly's first gingerbread house!

a day in the country

This fall, my sister Kate and her guy Chad spent a couple of lovely weeks with us here in Florence.  Despite a few rainy days and some unexpected closures, fall is a great time to visit Italy.  The masses of tourists have subsided and you've practically got every museum and town to yourself!  One of our most memorable days with Kate and Chad was spent in the Tuscan countryside in a little hill town called San Gimignano.  During high season this place is packed with people, but we managed to visit on a crisp sunny day in early November...

The main entrance into the medieval walled town - love the curves in the small buttressed arches at the top!

San Gimignano is known as the Town of Towers.  A dozen or so of the town's original 72 tower houses have been preserved, giving it a uniquely beautiful skyline (most towers in other Tuscan towns including Florence have been destroyed by war, urban development or decay).  The San Gimignano towers are a result of family rivalries during medieval times when they competed to build the tallest tower. Today, it's a picture perfect hill town packed with medieval architecture, artisanal shops and great restaurants.  Something for everyone in our little group!

early November in Italy - sunny day and empty streets!

Check out the herringbone pattern of the paving stones!  Love it.

Though there's no shortage of charm or quality of restaurants and artisans in San Gimignano, what is truly breathtaking are the views of the Tuscan countryside surrounding the walled town.  A small detour from the main streets will take you out along the town walls...and the feeling that you've walked into a postcard.  Seriously.

Beautiful Tuscan hills.

Hills and rooftops - the fall colours meld so perfectly with the terra cotta....

Sisters.  I miss her already.

A trip anywhere with the Morton sisters is not complete without a little shopping.  San Gimignano is full of jewellers, leather makers, cheese and salumi producers....but in search of a lunch spot we stumbled into a shoe store.  I know, hard to believe.  Kate had been searching all over Florence for the perfect pair of boots - she found them (and handmade too) in San Gimignano. 

Kate's new hand-made shoes.  Pretty sweet.

Piazza della Cisterna - such a beautiful variety of textures and colours in the stone

Of course, Sandro had to scour the town (literally questioning merchants) for the best place to eat.  He reappeared to guide us down a side street to a tiny little Trattoria with a huge wine cellar...their speciality, a Tuscan favourite - cinghiale, or wild boar.  Kate and I weren't so brave, but Chad and Sandro went whole hog ;) on the parpardelle con ragu di cinghiale.  They seemed pretty happy.

Kate and Chad - lunch in San Gimignano

After our Tuscan lunch - and I suspect a play from Sandro and Chad to prevent any more shopping - the four of us climbed the 200 steps to the top of San Gimignano's only public tower.  The views from here are even more stunning than from the town walls...

Views from the top of the tower.  Truly like a postcard.

looking down on two of the remaining San Gimignano towers with rooftops and hills behind

The main piazza from above

A San Gimignano bell tower....and the Tuscan countryside.

Back down the steps, we had just enough time for gelato before catching our bus back to Florence.  To date, this remains our best gelato experience in Italy.  Everyone has their favourite combination -- mine, pistacchio and cioccolato.  Yum.  The perfect end to a perfect day.

....my hubby...I just love this picture ;)

San Gimignano from outside the town walls

Admittedly, this is my least design-related post so far, but the history, colours and textures of this beautiful town just needed to be shared.  A presto!