Last week one of my best friends and I got invited to spend a day and a night in Florence to celebrate THE TREASURES OF THE BUCCELLATI FOUNDATION, 100 years of goldsmith art history at the Palazzo Pitti. The exhibit showcased a selection of over one hundred works, including jewellery, works of gold and silver designed by Mario and Gianmaria Buccellati. My favorite pieces were the gorgeous bracelets, brooches and tiara, worked in ‘tulle’ or ‘honeycomb’, the real and distinctive trademark of the House of Buccellati. To say it was breathtaking is an understatement. It got me wanting to shop for gold jewelry when I returned home for sure.
Apart from taking in all of the sparkle, we had an amazing trip. I’ve been for Florence a couple of times, but both times it was driving in from another part of Italy where we were staying, so to actually stay in Florence was a real treat, as was, well, eating and drinking our way through the city.
Where We Stayed
You’d be hard pressed to find this great of a location in Florence. The Savoy is about a 5 minute walk from the Ponte Vecchio and the staff were super warm and welcoming. We had the most amazing suites which were the perfect place to relax after a long day walking around the city.
Where We Ate
For lunch, and if it’s a beautiful day, I recommend getting a table outside overlooking the beautiful bridges and river. The Harry’s Bar in Florence is definitely not as fancy as the one here in London, but it’s good to make a reservation because it can get quite busy. Order a bellini (obviously), the beef carpaccio and their homemade pasta.
We were actually on our way to another restaurant and we popped into the St. Regis to see what it was like. The staff was so welcoming and the surrounding were so incredibly gorgeous that we decided to stay and have dinner. If you do go during the colder months, the Winter Garden is a must. I can not describe how lovely it was. After cocktails at the bar, we had a lovely bottle of Brunello, and pasta of course!
Where We Cocktailed
The Westin Excelsior, SE·STO ON ARNO
If you’re in Florence MAKE SURE you go for a drink here. The view is INCREDIBLE and you can see the entire skyline of Florence. We had champagne and espresso martinis to start off our evening.
A Random Irish Pub… yes I just wrote that..
Ok, don’t make fun of me here, but we got this golden tip from a local. There is an Irish pub that has a single balcony with two seats overlooking the Basilica di San Lorenzo, the wine is not that good, but the view was absolutely stunning. Next time I would order a mix drink but it is definitely worth the trip. It’s right around the corner from The Savoy, and you’ll easily be a able to spot it. It was the perfect end to the night.
A HUGE thanks to John Kelly at Buccelatti for organizing the most perfect trip ever, and of course to my Florence partner in crime, Shanyan Koder.
THE TREASURES OF THE BUCCELLATI FOUNDATION
From Mario to Gianmaria, 100 years of goldsmith art history
FLORENCE, Palazzo Pitti, From 2nd December 2014 until 22nd February 2015
All photos were taken by yours truly, so if you’d like to use them, please ask for permission first- thanks!
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