Tuscany – Living La Dolce Vita-”The Sweet Life” Italy is where it happens

Dez’s Hidden Florence Italy Adventure

If the stones of Florence could talk, they would speak of love affairs and murderous plots, jealousy and treacherous consequences. The narrow, bricked streets would still echo with the footsteps of the famous artists who once called Florence home, for it was here that creative masters like Michelangelo, Donatello and Brunelleschi gave birth to the Renaissance.

Thousands of visitors crowd into the medieval center of Florence each year, hoping to glimpse the work of these artisans. Yet there is much more to see in Italy’s former capital. Just across the river Arno, on the city’s left bank, lies the other side of Florence—the Oltrarno. The hidden Florence.

 With its winding streets lined with bakeries, barbershops and apartments, the Oltrarno offers a glimpse at the Florence of the past. Some streets, such as Via Toscanella, have not changed much in the last 500 years.

“The Oltrarno is off the beaten track of mass tourism and it’s my favorite.”

“The area presents Florence at it’s best: a classless society where artisans and patricians still live and work side by side.”

In order to go beyond the city’s touristy surface, it helps to step into the past. The Oltrarno first came into fashion in the 12th and 13th centuries, when noble families and wealthy merchants built family palazzi (palaces) in the area. For all that trendiness, though, it took a 15th-century murder to get the Medici, the ruling family at the time, to move into the neighborhood.

Duke Alessandro de Medici, who ruled Florence and made his home at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in West Florence, had a known weakness for women. His jealous rivals put that to use in 1537. While the duke waited in bed for one of his secret trysts, an assassin arrived instead of a lover. The amorous duke was stabbed to death, and his 18-year-old cousin Cosimo de Medici was named leader of the city.

Unlike Alessandro, the young Cosimo was faithful to the woman he loved. His wife, Eleanor of Toledo, was beautiful, but in constant frail health. Hoping that more sun and fresh air would heal her, she convinced her husband to move into the Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno. The couple and their 11 children eventually made the palace their home, expanding and improving the grounds.

Today, Palazzo Pitti, with its sweeping approach and awesome size, is undoubtedly Florence’s most “palatial” palace. The residence, with its eight museums, is the largest museum complex in the city, and one could easily spend days there. The most unique Pitti museum is the Galleria Palatina. With its intimate feel, it houses works by Raphael and Titian as well as interesting exhibits such as the Sala di Bani, the lavish bathroom designed by Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister.

Although the move to Palazzo Pitti did improve Eleanor’s health, it meant that the duke had to commute to his offices at the Uffizi (originally built as government offices, but now home to works of Rembrandt, Raphael and others). Like his dead cousin, Duke Cosimo had enemies and he was always looking over his shoulder. Someone had already placed barbed spears in the water near his favorite diving spot, so the duke wasn’t taking any chances. He asked his court architect, Giorgio Vasari, to come up with a covert passageway into town.

Vasari designed a covered walk and a series of secret tunnels on top of the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous bridge. At the time, Ponte Vecchio was home to several hog butchers, and the smell offended the duke’s fine nose. The solution? The hog vendors were tossed out, and jewelers invited in their place. Today, the bridge remains filled with jewelry vendors and only the stones remember the hogs.

During WWII, fleeing Germans blocked access to Ponte Vecchio by bombing nearby buildings, but the bridge itself survived. With its picturesque location across the River Arno, Ponte Vecchio is the perfect place for a dreamy afternoon stroll and attracts many romantic couples.

Romance is as much a part of Florence’s Oltrarno as the stones that line its streets. Nineteenth-century English poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were no exception. Although Barrett’s father disapproved, the secret lovers spirited off to Florence, where they settled in the Oltrarno at the Casa Guidi. Their home, which is now a museum at Via Maggio n 9, contains original furnishings, love letters and an extensive collection of their books and writings.

One of the most romantic spots in Oltrarno is the scenic Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti. With its fountains, lush greenery and lovely flower gardens, the Boboli was—and still is—an island of tranquility. The gardens’ beauty is a direct result of Duke Cosimo and his frail wife, Eleanor. The couple spent hours with the famous architect Tribolo selecting fountains, gardens and statues; they did such a good job, that the Boboli design eventually became the basis for royal gardens all over Europe.

The multitude of statues in the Boboli and the rest of Florence is no coincidence. The Florentines of the Middle Ages and Renaissance carried statuary into battle, and until the last century, many believed that spirits were imprisoned in uncarved stone. The only way to free the spirits was to sculpt the stone into statues.

Michelangelo was taught Neo-platonism—a philosophy that regards the body as a trap for souls longing to return to God. Many believe his works demonstrate this idea, with human figures longing to break free from the stone that imprisons them.

Although known for his sculpture, Michelangelo was also a poet, painter and architect whose legacy can still be seen in Oltrarno. As a teen, he spent hours in Oltrarno’s Santa Maria del Carmine’s Brancacci Chapel drawing the frescoes of Masaccio, a master of Renaissance painting. In nearby Santo Spirito (Holy Spirit) Church, a mysterious crucifix—a wooden sculpture featuring a nude Christ—was discovered in 1963. Experts debated its origins for 38 years, until July 2001 when they determined it was the work of the then 18-year-old Michelangelo. The muscular detail (the artist was allowed to study anatomy on corpses exhumed from the church cemetery) was a signature of the artist’s work.

Such treasures are not surprising in a city like Florence, where the world’s top artists once lived. The streets of the city ring with the constant footsteps of visitors from all over the world hoping to experience the work of these masters.

Remember, though, not to be afraid to leave the crowds behind to see the Florence that is off the beaten path. After viewing the artistic treasures of the central city, we will make our way to the sultry Arno River. Follow the footsteps of Duke Cosimo as he stole over the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltarno, never once imagining how the Florence of his lifetime would forever change history.

A piece of that extraordinary era can still be found in the Oltrarno, for it is here-in this quiet neighborhood of window boxes, cobblestone streets, tower houses and medieval churches—that the stones of the past are still waiting to reveal their hidden stories.

This is just a taste of what Best of Both offers on the next journey to Italy. Join Dez on her off the beaten track and her amazing hidden Florence!

Tip 1: Your Medical Records and Information: Don’t Leave Home Without Them

• If you have ever lost your glasses or needed emergency or even routine medical attention while you were away from home, you know how helpful it is to have your health records (your doctor’s notes and test results), immunizations, allergies, medications and dosage, even familiy medical history, and personal medical history. Family Health Library can put all of that information online so that it is available from anywhere and anytime you might need it.

Tip 2: ‘Friendly Bacteria’ for the Lactose Intolerant Vacationer

• Eating yogurt before you travel is a great way to help cope with bacterial infestations. However, if you are lactose-intolerant, yogurt is not an option.
• Try ‘probiotics’ capsules instead. They are available in most stores that sell vitamins, as well as your health food store. Look for ‘acidophilus’ on the label. Good preparations will contain various *active* strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium longum.
• These probiotics help your system to fortify its own natural defence against the bacteria found in the water supplies, fresh fruits, uncooked vegetables, etc. of foreign countries.

Tip 3: Departure Taxes

• Find out before you depart whether there is a departure tax, and how much it is. Some countries do charge a small fee, and will not let you board your flight without first paying it. It is best to reserve that amount of cash, as credit cards and other forms of payment are not accepted.

Tip 4: Another Use for UPS Envelopes

• On most trips I collect business cards, receipts, and other small pieces of paper. I take a UPS International Manifest envelope which is really a ZIP LOCK bag with adhesive on the back and glue it inside a file folder (You could always use a one gallon Zip Lock bag and attached it to the folder). This way all of the papers remain secure, in one place, that I can easily find upon return. In addition, the folder holds larger items such as maps, menus, larger photos, etc. that we may collect. Once home, the receipts are removed, and all other materials remain in the folder, labeled and filed for future reference. This also helps me assist others going to the same area. I merely retrieve the folder with all of our maps, menus, hotels, etc.

Tip 5: Antibacterial Handwipes a Necessity

• ALWAYS bring antibacterial handwipes. They are good for refreshing yourself on a dry airplane and you can wipe your tray table before eating off of it. I also like to put one over my hand when in airport bathrooms!

Tip 6: Are Your Personal Papers in Order?

• Make sure your will and personal papers are all in order. If something were to happen to you while traveling, it’s good for your family and heirs to know where your will is, where your insurance papers are kept, where the safe deposit box keys are, etc.

Tip 7: Duplicate Important Documents and Cards

• Go to a copy machine, take everything out of your wallet, put it on the copy machine, and copy it (front and back) 3 times. Leave one set home and store the outher 2 in a secret place in your suitcase and carry one. If your wallet is ever stolen, you will know exactly what you have lost and will have all the telephone numbers to call to cancel credit cards and the credit card numbers, etc. at your fingertips. Make 3 sets of your passport if not more.

Tip 8: Aromatherapy Recall

• Ever wish you could make your memories of a holiday more vivid? Consider this: Most of us have had the remarkable experience of being presented with a simple odour and finding ourselves mentally transported to a time in our lives when we were exposed to that same smell. Next time you are planning a trip, drop by a chemist and test the various essential oils to find one you like (consider what aromatherapy qualities they have too – apparently some are of particular benefit to travellers, ie., helping to prevent travel illness or jet lag). Remember to choose one you haven’t had a great deal of exposure to already and use it often during the fun times on your holiday. Then later, years down the track, you can pull out the old bottle and take a wiff while looking at your snaps and you might feel like you are there once again!

Tip 9: Buying Your Airline Tickets Online and print out luggage rules, extra charges rules, change fees, etc

• Buy your airline tickets online! But, beware! Sometimes it’s a hassle but it can be worth the trouble! I had an airline in a tizzy due to a published fare I had seen online the night before. There was a fare to the Caribbean for under $550 U.S. I tried to book online and their system was down. I called the airline directly, and of course the rate was higher. I then went back online and tried again and same thing, system failure. Should I have waited until morning to try again? NOOOOO! I did and guess what?!?! I called the airline and of course was sent to several operators until one was savvy enough to put me through to tech support. The airline stated that there was never a fare for that rate to my destination from the night before. I should have PRINTED OUT that page and it would have been honored by the airline the next day due to the fact that there really were tech problems on the site. Use that wacky printer of yours if you can’t book online, and then with your proof … demand that the rate be honored! Print, Print, Print. It will keep them on the ball.

Tip 10: Does Your Home Look Lived In?

• If you are worried about your house not looking lived in while you go, it is very simple and inexpensive to change that. Firstly, redirect your mail to a friend or family member’s home (make sure you check with them first!) and secondly, you can purchase – quite cheaply from any major department store – lamps and radios that have timers on them. You can set them to turn on at times in the evening so from the outside it looks like there is someone home. (Don’t forget to set the radio to a talk back show so it’s more talk than music – makes it more real). This is definitely a cheaper way to take care of things than installing new wiring for expensive timers on the household lights.

Do you have any travel tips?
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