If you have the flexibility to vacation in the winter, don’t just head towards the sea and sun. You should consider a vacation to Florence, Italy! I have to say, as a resident here, winter is one of the most delightful times for a variety of reasons! First of all, hotels, and airfares can be found at much lower prices than in the heavily traveled months during the summer. Secondly, this beautiful city is easy to maneuver without the “anthills” of people who come to visit during “the season”. That makes shopping, eating at some of the best restaurants, visiting the museums, and just sitting in the cafes drinking a hot chocolate or a glass of wine easier and oh so pleasant!
November is the rainiest month of the year. In November, the summer’s grape harvest and olive harvests are finished and there are markets everywhere to taste the Vino Novella and the New Olive Oil. The bright fruity taste of the new wine and the dark green peppery pungent flavor of the new oils are tastes that I look forward to every year.
Around the first of December, the Christmas lights begin to appear. Each narrow street has a different type of light, and the already romantic cobblestoned alleyways take on new life. Temperatures are usually still mild, and the stores “dress” their windows for the holidays. There are many free concerts in the piazzas and churches, and the German Christmas Market makes an appearance during the month. All of the churches set up their nativity scenes, and the smell of roasted chestnuts is heavy in the air. On the weekends, locals come into Florence to celebrate, have dinner, and shop. New Year’s Eve in Florence is a real special event with different types of musical concerts in each piazza like rock, jazz, and classical. Fireworks are abundant, and so is good cheer!
In January, after the holiday madness, the streets become gray and quiet and the museums have gone from sparsely visited to empty. The silent empty streets are a marvel to walk in, and temperatures still are very manageable. Florence is a walking city so you can stay warm just visiting all of the sites and taking a break in a café or bar, lingering over a nice long lunch, visiting museums, or browsing the many boutiques and artisan shops.
Traveling in the winter allows you to enjoy Florence from a really different perspective. The pace of the trip and absence of tourists opens a whole new realm of possibilities. Rent an apartment for a week and live like a local. Visit the Farmer’s markets in the morning and buy your fresh vegetables, fish or meat for the evening meal. Tour a museum in the morning and then go for a nice long lunch in the afternoon. Shop on Tournabouni Street or cross the river to visit the artisan shops in the Oltrarno. Stop in a bar for an appertivo, and then make your way home in the evening to fill your home with the fresh scents of garlic, and the other fresh ingredients you purchased that morning. After dinner, take a “passiegatta” (stroll) through the city and have a coffee at a local café. Linger in the piazza to hear the sounds of the street musicians playing classical guitar before making your way home.
Whatever season you decide to visit Florence, you will have a wonderful time. Visiting in the winter is one of the best kept secrets of we who live here!
Submitted by Karen Mills. Karen Mills is an American Expat who has been living “la dolce vita” as an expat since 2010. You can read more about her adventures in Florence, Italy, other Italian cities and towns and other countries at www.Anamericaninitaly.com.