Weekend in Florence

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  Gardens at Villa San Michele Florence

  © April Hutchinson

One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Florence’s gently compact size makes it less of a challenge than Rome, yet every corner still holds a breathtaking feat of art or architecture.

A trip into the historic heart allows you to tick pretty much all the major sights in one go, including the most famous, the Duomo. Nothing quite prepares you for the first sight of it - you will have seen the photos of its dome towering over the Florence skyline, but its sheer size is breathtaking as you first round the corner into Piazza del Duomo.

Treasures of Italy

One of the most impressive projects of the Renaissance and the largest dome in the world at the time of its construction, the Duomo and the red, green and white marble of the cathedral’s intricately-patterned external walls are truly memorable and one visit that will always be worth fighting through inevitable tourist throngs for.

Not of the same scale but equally camera-magnetising are the doors of the opposite baptistery, thought to be the oldest building in Florence. The gilded shimmering east doors are incredibly beautiful - replicas of what took Lorenzo Ghiberti 27 years to create, with their depiction of 10 scenes from the Old Testament.

It will probably all start to get a bit much by this stage, so head back behind the Duomo for a crescent of cafes serving classic al fresco Tuscan fare. There you can charge your batteries ready for the neighbouring Museo dell’Opera di Santa del Fiore if you fancy it, holding treasures from the cathedral complex. Otherwise the Piazza del Signoria awaits and the incredible statues frozen in the shady Loggia dei Lanzi.

Seeking something simpler after all these glories, I wandered the back streets window-shopping in paper stores and bookshops away from the heat of the day, stopping off in Coronas Café for a quick water and gelato on Via Calazivoli before making my way back into the open-air museum that makes you stop every few minutes for another picture or breath-catch.

The summer is understandably chaotic and to be avoided if you can’t bear to be in crowds and like to walk at your own pace. In May, the crowds were just bearable and the sun bore down ferociously. I waited until gone 4.30om, having heard the usual awful tales of two-hour queues to get into the Galleria Uffizi, but given it wasn’t to close its doors until 6.30pm, this gave enough time to take a leisurely gawp at the highlights such as Botticelli's Venus and still end with a rooftop drink at the café.

With shade finally descending on most of the baking streets, I wove my way back to the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze for a seasonal peach bellini in the gardens for a perfect dusk end to a day before an equally perfect evening dinner dinner at Il Palagio where the Violette Bubble dessert was one of the most divine things I have ever tasted.

Perfect Four Seasons

The Four Seasons is based around Palazzo della Gherardesca which dates back to 1490 and was home to the Medici family for hundreds of years. The wealth of frescos, prized art, ancient statues and other relics such as original Chinese wallpaper in one of the Noble Suites make staying here like spending a night in a museum. No other hotels in Florence can match the embarrassment of riches found here.

The hotel is hidden behind high walls on Borgo Pinti, a short walk from the Piazza San Marco and the historic heart of Florence. With its treasured locale in 11 acres of garden, the hotel feels privileged and pretty and less city hotel, more country retreat.

And these are not just any gardens merely planted for the hotel’s opening. They date to 1472 and are among the oldest in Florence. Statues are dotted amongst shady sequoias and hidden spots provide options for blissful wedding moments. A small troupe of cats roam the grounds territorially, safe in the knowledge they were here before the hotel and must be protected, adding a homely feel to the hotel.

Day two brought a morning in the hotel’s spa where I tried a New Beginning Body Wrap, which left my skin feeling fresh and youthful. The spa is a separate building across crunchy gravel from the hotel, past the pool where shady daybeds hide guests with heads buried in books as partners lap the sizeable pool. The spa is crisply light and white inside, designed by Pierre Yves Rochon, so it has a much more residential feel to it than the usual zen-like spa with Asian paraphernalia and candles burning.

The spa has struck up a relationship with Officina Profumo Farmaceutica de Santa Maria Novella, which dates back to the 13th century and is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, using traditional herbs grown in the hills surrounding Florence.

Treasure chest

Palazzo Medici Riccardi (Via Cavour, €7) comes recommended as a little place to stop off on the way into town. It’s away from the crowds, but still full of treasures, with a tiny chapel covered in frescos at which a maximum of only 15 people can view at any one time. There follows a slightly strange collection of dummies wearing traditional costumes until you work your way around to the Madonna and Child, a vibrant masterpiece of Filippo Lippi suspended in glass. Luca Giordano’s frescoed gallery next door is equally ethereal. Take a rest in a quiet courtyard and contemplate the jumble of highlights before heading back on the tourist trail.

Another day, another square and onto the Piazza della Republica ringed by al fresco restaurants for a quick bite to eat in the sun, including L'Incontro, the restaurant at stylish Rocco Forte Collection hotel, The Savoy, watching the world go by over a bowl of tagliolini with fresh tomatoes and basil.

After a post-lunch gawp in the glossy boutique windows of Via Tornabuoni and Via Strozzi, the final stop in Florence was for the obligatory photo of the Arno river and the Ponte Vecchio. It’s worth crossing the river via the quieter Ponte Santa Trinita and browsing the boutiques of Borgo San Jacopo on the opposite bank of the Arno before shuffling your way back past the gold shops and jewellers on the Ponte Vecchio.

Florence is not a big place, and quicker than you can say Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (on Via del Scala), you will have made your way to another Florentine legend, dating back to 1221 when the Dominican friars first started the pharmacy. You can visit the store and its museum - if you haven’t already had chance to try the Four Seasons’ spa of course.

Another option for a Florentine weekend is the beautiful Villa San Michele, the Orient-Express hotel that sits high on the hills surrounding Florence. The hotel has a shuttle that runs down to the city every 20 minutes and for the sake of these views, it’s worth the 15-minute distance from the busy heart of the city.

Hilltop hideaway: Villa San Michele

A former 15th century monastery, with its magnificent façade designed by Michelangelo and its lobby a former church, this place packs a really memorable punch. Charmingly simple, the garden suite I had was perfectly cool for summer’s days - if not a little chilly at night, with all those stone floors and just a blanket between me and the night - and a view of dreams out over the hotel’s abundant gardens and down to Florence.

An outside patio is hedged off from your neighbours and leads down the terraces, or you can meander up to the pool and lounge with a drink to the soporific sounds of fountains and surely one of the best views in the world.

As day’s-end canapes are served with more Bellinis on the terrace, candles come on as the evening cools down yet the atmosphere heats up and dish after incredible dish appears at the Loggia. You would rest happy if your last moments were a Tuscan summer meal at the Villa San Michele Loggia with family and friends.

If the food inspires you to try making it yourself, then the Villa San Michele’s cookery courses run from April to October with chef Attilio Di Fabrizio (from €170 per person per session). The hotel can also arrange personal shoppers in Florence, courses in floral artwork, trips into the caveau with sommelier Domenico Napolitano, or bike tours in Florence, the Chianti wine area and the former Etruscan town of nearby Fiesole.

By April Hutchinson

Locations: Florence, Italy