Postcards from... Booklet 2022

Just 20 minutes drive from the centre of Florence, Il Salviatino is a stunning 15th century palazzo sitting majestically atop the Fiesole hills overlooking Florence. Surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens and a 2-tier swimming pool, this is a wonderful retreat for those looking to explore Florence from a relaxing distance. Within, the hotel is a wonderland of meticulous restoration and opulent living blending Renaissance grandeur and 21st century convenience to provide the utmost comfort and luxury. Gourmet dining and an indulgent spa round off a class act. If you are looking for the hotel with“A Room with a View” onto Florence below, then you would have to place the small, owner-run Torre di Bellosguardo high on your list. Set just outside the ancient hamlet of Bellosguardo (‘beautiful view’) on a hillside to the south of Florence and a 15-minute walk downhill to the lively Santo Spirito neighbourhood. The Renaissance villa ,offering just 16 rooms, stands in magnificent grounds with views over the whole city. You would be joining an impressive guest list stretching back to the 1920s, who have appreciated this cool, leafy retreat especially n the hot, summer months. Nestled in 20 hectares of lemon and olive groves and on a lazy bend of the Arno River, lies the historic Villa La Massa. With its peaceful, rural setting some 20 minutes upstream from Florence, Villa La Massa will appeal to those seeking the best of both worlds. This Medici villa is to all intents and purposes a country resort, but in easy distance from Florence's artistic treasures. 37 rooms and suites decorated with baroque furnishings and a goodly number of four poster beds are distributed between the historic main building and a number of outbuildings giving a real sense of space and exclusivity to guests. Dining al fresco is a joy beside the spacious pool. Just 20 minutes drive from the centre of Florence, Villa San Michele, is couched in the hills below the village of Fiesole. Originally a 15th century monastery, this boutique hotel has been thriving since the 1980s, and its stunning façade is attributed to Michelangelo himself. Offering a selection of lavish suites and rooms, this restful retreat channels the opulence of a bygone era with sumptuous fabrics, beautiful marble bathrooms and lush gardens to explore.The sweeping views of the city from the gardens, most of the rooms, the restaurant and the pool are magnificent, and the temperature up here is several degrees cooler in the height of the summer. Nestled in20hectaresof lemon andolivegroves andon a lazybendof theArno River, liesthehistoricVillaLaMassa.With itspeaceful,ruralsettingsome20minutes upstream fromFlorence,VillaLaMassawillappealtothoseseekingthebestofboth worlds.ThisMedicivilla is toall intentsandpurposesa country resort,but ineasy distance from Florence's artistic treasures. 37 rooms and suites decoratedwith baroque furnishings and a goodly number of four poster beds are distributed betweenthehistoricmainbuildingandanumberofoutbuildingsgivingarealsense ofspaceandexclusivity toguests.Diningal fresco isa joybeside thespaciouspool. Candeli,nearFlorence Outof town residenceon the riverbank Villa LaMassa Belmond Villa SanMichele Fiesole Hillsidehideaway Just20minutesdrive from the centreof Florence,BelmondVilla SanMichele, is couched inthehillsbelowthevillageofFiesole.Originallya15thcenturymonastery, thisboutiquehotelhasbeen thriving since the1980s, and its stunning façade is attributed toMichelangelohimself.Offeringa selectionof lavish suitesand rooms, this restful retreat channels theopulenceofabygoneerawith sumptuous fabrics, beautifulmarblebathroomsand lushgardenstoexplore.Thesweepingviewsofthe city fromthegardens,mostoftherooms,therestaurantandthepoolaremagnificent, and the temperatureuphere isseveraldegreescooler in theheightof thesummer. When theheat isonhead for thehills When theheatmakesone’sappetitewane,Florentinesgo todinner in thehills beyond the city. Locatedononeof themostpanoramic terracesofFiesole,La ReggiadegliEtruschi (onceamonasteryand latera tearoom) is todayoneof the mostexclusive restaurants in the citywithbreathtakingviewsoverFlorence. Gourmetsandwiches Soyouare right in the thickof theaction,you’vepoppedoutof the UffizziGalleryandareabitpeckish,butyou fear that there’snowhere decent togetaquickbite ...wrong!You couldfinda restaurant,butall you reallywant isagourmetpaninoanda refreshingglassofwine ...goodnews...pop into Ino.Located just steps from theUffiziGallery inFirenze, the15yearoldpaninoteca serves inventivepaninimade withauthentic regional ingredients,whichare sourced from small- scale farmsdirectlyby theownerand founder,AlessandroFrassica. His creationsare sogood thathehas featuredonnationalTVand in 2022 came second inanationalpollof sandwichmakers. Can Imakeaproposal? TheGoldenView restaurant is situatedon theveryedgeof the riveron theOltrarnowithunparalleledviewsof thePonteVecchioand theVasari Corridorof theUffizzi.Whilst themain restaurant ispretty special,why notbookaprivatediningexperienceon the terraceand let the senseof occasionwork itsmagic,and ifyouhave forgotten the ringdon’tpanicas you candash toFratelliPicini jewelery shopon thebridge! Trufflesand sparkles Locatedamong thedesigner storesof chicViaTornabuoni,Procaccihasbeena classicFlorentinewateringhole since 1885.Nowownedby theAntinoriwine- growing family, ithas retainedan elegant,old-fashionedair.Sipaglassof Antinorihouseproseccoor Italy’sfinest sparkles fromFranciacortawhilst nibbling their irresistible trufflepanini. Villa La Massa Villa San Michele , a Belmond Hotel Il Salviatino Torre di Bellosguardo VillaCora is,quite simply,magnificent.Built in the1870sbyBaronOppenheimer forhiswife, this ravishingpalacesitsatopahilloverlooking theBoboliGardensand epitomisesthegrandeurandopulenceofthebaroquestyle.Whetheryou’resipping a chilled cocktailon the stunning rooftop terracewith itspanoramic viewsover Florence, or enjoying themanicured gardens that surround the hotel, you’re guaranteed tohaveanunforgettablestay.Theonlyhotel incentralFlorence tooffer sucha facility,VillaCoraboastsa largeoutdoorpool inthepark,allowinggueststhe uniqueopportunity tosoakup theTuscansunwhilebeing in theheartof thecity. ThePickofFlorenceHotels Highly recommended luxuryhotels both in thecentreandoutof town NearBoboliGardens,Oltrano,Florence Ravishingpalace BrunelleschiHoteloccupiesanenviableposition right in theheartof themedieval quarterof thecity. Just stepsaway from theDuomo,whatwasonceamedieval churchwitha circularByzantine tower isnowa sumptuousboutiquehotel that has itsown smallmuseum showcasing thebuilding'shistory.Tuckedaway ina beautifulprivatecourtyard,BrunelleschiHoteloffersguests theuniqueexperience of feeling pampered in a serene and secluded retreat, while having the architectural and culturaldelightsof Florence righton theirdoorstep.Dinnerat the in-houseMichelin-starred restaurant ishighly recommended. HotelBrunelleschi Villa Cora Tuscan Treats When it’s time to takeabreak from theartandarchitecturehereare somesuggestions forabitof Florentinehospitalityandaglass or threeofsparklingproseccoora heartyChianti. PiazzaSantaElisabetta,Florence Baroquesplendourmeets the21stcentury the rollinghillsandvineyardsofChianti is righton thedoorstep,andother Tuscanart towns suchasPisa,SienaandLuccaareaneasydriveoutof the city. Florence'scompact sizemeanseverything isveryclose,withmostof the main sights lyingwithinwalkingdistanceofoneanother.This isbecause thecity sits ina relativelynarrow riverbasinwithhillsoneach side restricting the spread.A seriesofbridgesacross theArno link thehistoric centrewith theOltrarnodistrict. Spending timeon ‘theother side’makesawelcomeescape from the surgingcrowdsaround theusual sightsof theDuomoandPontevecchioas wellas theUfizziandAccademiagalleries.Veryclose to the southernendof thePontevecchioyouwilldisciver thegrandiosePittiPalace,whichhouses many importantartcollections. Justbehind,youwillalsodiscoverheBoboli Gardens,oneof thecity’s largestparks,whereyoucanwanderamong centuries-oldoak trees, sculpturesand fountains.Themoreyou strayaway from the river themoreyouwilldiscover theartisan soulof thecity since it hasbecome thearea towhichmanyof thesevery specialised industries relocatedascurio shopsbegan todominate thenorthernbank.Thewhole areaaround thePiazzadiSantoSpirito still thrumswithartisanal traditions likebook-binding,handmade jewelleryand shoes.And ifyouwant the postcardviewontoFlorence thenyouneed toclimb thehills toPiazzale Michelangeloand theChurchofSanMiniatoalMonte. YoucouldvisitFlorenceatany timeof theyear,but thebest times toevade both thecrowdsand theheatare late spring (March to June)andearly autumn. (September-October).All inall, this isoneofEurope’smost civilised longweekenddestinations. A glittering repositoryofworks from thegoldeneraof theRenaissance,Florence isoneof theworld’sgreat artcities.With the strikingandharmoniousbuildings ofBrunelleschi, frescoesbyGiottoandGhirlandaio, canvasesbyBotticelliandBronzino,and sculptures byMichelangeloandGiambologna, there is somuchexquisiteart andarchitecturewithin itsancientwalls thatyoucoulddedicate years rather thandays touncoverallher treasures. Andyet there isalsoa livingcity toenjoy, fullof fashionboutiques,quirky shopsand qualityartisanworkshops. Itmayhavea richartistic legacybut it isalsoahotbed for contemporaryartandculturewhich reflectsacommunitydisplayinganelectric,heartfelt mixofoldandnew. As forentertainmentandgastronomy, the streetsarebrimfulof restaurantsandbarsandas the sun sets revellerswill soondiscoverabuzzingnightlife scene.Furthermore,dependingonyourcultural schedule, theopportunity toescape to