Where to Stay in Florence!

The outdoor leather market in Florence, (Hint, your best deals are NOT found there.)

Ciao Bellis!

As you can see by my articles lately, I have been all over Italy and loving every minute of it.

I did want to stop and put finger to keyboard once again to talk about Florence.

Last night I was having a conversation with one of my favorite friends here in the South. He was telling me how expensive it was to visit Florence and he is right! It can be prohibitively expensive unless you know someone there and can stay with them.

If you don’t know anyone, there is a way to stay in a home or apartment with facilities you don’t normally get in hotels and for a fraction of the price.

If you review my previous blog posts on Florence, you will note that I included many photos of the view from my apartment. I had an apartment in the Oltrarno area. (Oltrarno means “Beyond the Arno” or the other side of the river Arno.)

View from my living room in Florence

When you look at a map, you can decide that it is too far from the center of activity and give it a miss however, Florence of the renaissance is very small. Yes the city has spread out over the centuries but everything that most people go to Florence to see is in a very small radius.

After having visited Florence and seen the number of people in the historic center (Centro Storico) I prefer the Oltrarno because you can get out of the crowds and view Florence from the exterior.

Once you cross the Arno, you have magically gone from Florence devoted to tourism which is nice, to Florence for those who live there which I love.

Here you find the home made take out food that is a true meal. I bought chicken with mushrooms, potatoes, peas and spinach for 12 Euros. Since I was alone, it lasted me for three meals. I ate breakfast in the apartment and lunch I bought as take out and ate it on my balcony because there was no prettier place in the city than the balcony overlooking the Arno.

The apartment I stayed in was just above a fabulous gelateria.

Gelateria

The added benefit was that I bought drinks from the store for a fraction of what it would cost in a restaurant. I could eat what I wanted when I wanted and if I got overwhelmed with all the people, I had an entire apartment to myself where I could retreat and chill.

As you know, I was in Florence specifically for the purpose of finding the highest quality Italian leather handbags. There was little on the internet so I had no choice but to get boots on the ground and find the perfect supplier.

When I arrived, I had no idea where to find this mystery supplier. I mentioned this to Maria who is the young lady who rents out the apartment.

Maria and her brother own an optical shop in Florence and her family owns a farm just out of town. They farm olives there and Maria helps work the land.

Maria offered to take time from her busy schedule to help me track down my elusive handbag maker. The day she came to collect me for our jaunt, she had spent the entire morning on the tractor. She told me all about how the weather had been so unpredictable that year that her family gave up on the olives and focused on repairing things and making sure the fences would keep out the deer and hunters who occasionally came by.

It was fascinating to catch a glimpse of a slice of a life that is at once modern and still had ties to tradition. I really enjoyed our afternoon out.

Prior to our day out, I had located a family run handbag manufacturer. I had seen the owner, standing just outside his shop wearing a leather apron. There are so many shops there and not all of them feature high quality and pride in craftsmanship. I halted my bicycle immediately and went in. I loved this man instantly because he did not want to sell me a bunch of handbags and leave it at that. He urged me to take it slowly and look at all the handbags in Florence, Only then would I now what a treasure I would be getting in purchasing from him.

Handbags

On that note, he sent me back out on the streets with homework. I was to closely check out each bag of each supplier and judge whether the workmanship was good. After he had showed me what to look for, it was easy to see that his handbags were special.

Maria and I paid a return visit where Maria translated beautifully for me. By the end of the visit, we had arranged for him to meet my Chasing La Bella Vita partner and arrange a purchase.

After our success, Maria took me to Il Rivoire for cake! Il Riviore is located on the Piazza De La Signoria in the middle of the old town. It is a magnificent piece of architecture. The floors are a gorgeous green marble and the bar a rich blend of chocolate colored wood and white marble that speaks of strong coffee and delicate pastries in a timeless setting.

As we walked home, Maria told me about her life and her travels. It was wonderful to get a glimpse of a life on the other side of the world from where I grew up.

In addition to our tour, Maria provided me with tons of information about what sights to see, where to eat, and answers to any other questions that arose during my visit. She was always available by email and the answer to any question I had would be waiting for me when I logged on again.

Later, when my husband arrived to join me, he loved the apartment too. He actually walked there from the train station with his little rolley bag bumping along behind him.

Florence, Arno

Florence is a beautiful city. It is well known for its leather manufacturers. Many of these leather workers have family businesses that have been in the trade for centuries.

If you are visiting Florence to shop for leather, the open air leather market and even some of the shops are not the best value. Please read my next article on how to find quality leather goods in Florence. In the meantime, Start thinking about taking a trip there. It is a magical city and, now that I have introduced you to Maria and her apartment, You can have a beautiful trip there without spending a lot of money.

Chris and Maria

Ciao for now!!!

XO Chris

Apartment link:

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