In the final instalment of our four-part Italy travel series, we end up in Florence, the Tuscan beauty that is as known for its high-brow art as it is its humble cucina povera (peasant food). As much as Michelangelo’s David is seen as a masterpiece, a simple tripe sandwich from the Mercato Centrale is respected by Florentines as fine example of craftsmanship. A supremely walkable city with much to offer on either side of the Arno river, we convinced ourselves that copious amounts of meat and gelato could easily be burned off strolling from destination to destination.

Check out our travel guides to Rome, Venice and Bologna.

Day one

2pm: We are lucky to snag a hotel situated right behind the majestic Duomo, in a quiet side street that is home to a few excellent trattorias, modern delis and the good-but-ubiquitous Grom gelateria. For a late lunch, when the prospect of a filling dinner beckons a mere hours later, a brief stopover at Enoteca Coquinarius, a rather excellent wine bar, is perfect. Imaginative carpaccio dishes, crostini and charcuterie platters are their main selling points, and we while away a few hours sipping on excellent Tuscan wine and pecking at swordfish carpaccio with red grapefruit and pink peppercorns, and a heaving cured meats platter.

Enoteca Coquinarius, Via delle Oche 15r, 50122, Florence, Italy

4pm: Just off Via del Calzaiuoli, Florence’s main drag, is a tucked away gelateria that answers our thoughts: Perche No! (Italian for “why not!”) convinced us to stop for a quick iced treat, and we were rewarded with creamy gelato infused with innovative flavours. Fior di latte con miele e sesame (cream with honey and sesame) is a wondrous combination, though we’d avoid the “rice mousse”, which is as vile as it sounds.

Perche No!, Via dei Tavolini 19r, 50122, Florence, Italy

9pm: The region of Tuscany is known for their meats, among them the classic bistecca fiorentina (T-bone or porterhouse steak) from flavoursome Chianina cattle, and wild boar dishes. Do not come to Florence without booking a table at Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco (literally, the osteria of the white boar) where such meats are a specialty. Look out for the iconic drawing of a small boar, or better yet the crowd of hopefuls waiting for a walk-in table. This small restaurant is set at the base of what was a 12^th century tower, and boasts a medieval look with exposed brick, archways and ironworks hanging here and there. Order the papardelle al cinghiale, a flat pasta cloaked with tender boar ragu, a house specialty that is rich, hearty and with a gamey flavour. When in season, the taglierini with white truffle is another exceptional order.

Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco, Borgo San Jacopo 43r, 50125, Florence, Italy

 

Day two

10am: If you wake up early enough to beat the crowds at the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze to view Michelango’s David in all its glory, then make a journey to the Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo to recuperate. Located near the main train station, it’s worth coming by here on the way out to pick up excellent Italian produce and products, from olive oils to porcini. Of all the stalls peddling Italian wares, we rate Conti, a century-old family-run business with the freshest fruit and vegetables and most knowledgeable staff. Taste a huge variety of olive oils and balsamic, and be sure to pick up a few bags of intensely sweet organic sundried cherry tomatoes and a few jars of pungent black truffle salt.



11.30am: Of course, markets are some of the best places to eat and rub elbows with the locals, and Da Nerbone is a classic that is equally popular with tourists. This old-school market diner serves comforting Tuscan “peasant” food. The thing to get here is the panino bollito (boiled beef – here, brisket – in a crusty roll, topped with salsa verde and, if you want, a spicy sauce), or the lampredotto (tripe – from the fourth stomach of the cow – slow-cooked until soft and tender). Ask for the sandwiches “bagna”, meaning the bread is dipped briefly into the intensely flavoured beef cooking broth before being assembled. The communal tables across from the stall are first-come-first-served, so get in the queue while a friend stakes out a seat. 

Conti and Da Nerbone, Mercato Centrale, 50123, Florence, Italy

2pm: In the quieter streets east of the Uffizi Museum is a wonderful little ice cream parlour named Gelateria dei Neri, a family-owned and operated place rivalling our favourite in Bologna. If available, go for the croccantino, a wonderfully textured gelato shot through with caramelised hazelnuts and almonds. Sit-in, and admire the amusing photographs on the old-fashioned, green wood-panelled walls of a travelling “Neri” ice cream cup taken at iconic spots around the world.

Gelateria dei Neri, Via dei Neri 22, 50122, Florence, Italy

6pm: One cannot leave Florence without having bistecca alla fiorentina, and Da Il Latini is one place for it – make a booking or face the scrum for a table at dinnertime. While we actually preferred the steak at Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco, Il Latini’s version is smokier and more intense; with a litre of chianti classico on the table (with the sly instruction: “Have as much as you like, you’ll only be charged for what you drink”), there couldn’t have been a better way to end our gastronomic journey. 

Da Il Latini, Via Palchetti 6r, 50123, Florence, Italy


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