LUXE City Guides - Florence

Perfume/Jewels/Charm

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Start at the Bacchus statue on the Oltrarno side of the Ponte Vecchio and head up Via Guicciardi­ni and left into Piazza dei Rossi. Pop into Santa Felicità for Pontormo’s luminous masterpiec­e The Deposition of Christ in the Capponi Chapel (first on the right); the Medicis listened to mass concealed from the masses in their private chapel in the Vasari Corridor (see Sites) running above the portico of the church. Exit and one leap across the piazza is Le Volpi e L’Uva (see Wine Bars). Take the left fork Via Stracciate­lla down the side of the church to the end, left down the ramp, and turn right onto Via dei Bardi where across the way you’ll spot O’Cafè (see Coffee), perfect for a mid-jaunt java stop with excellent pastries and views of the Arno – better yet, later it turns into a handy cocktail bar! On you go past the Battista statue and take the right fork to carry on down atmospheri­c Via dei Bardi, where on the right at #17 Il Torchio / 055 234 2862 / has artisanal papers and binding. Fire on, the atelier of profumiere straordina­rio Lorenzo Villoresi is on the left at #14 (see Standout Stores), and the Giardino Bardini (see Sites) comes up on the right at #1. If you have time, pop into blissfully crowd-free Museo Stefano Bardini (see Act.), then retrace and cont. down what is now Via San Niccolò to find gioiellier­e divino Alessandro Dari (see Stand. Stores). Further down on the corner of Via dell’Olmo is the studio of Florentine street artist CLET (see his work on street signs all over town), then you’ll pass the San Niccolò church on your left and on your right is Fattorini at #61r / 055 234 2674 / a tiny treasure of antiques and pretty pieces. A bit further is Zeb (see Lunch) for an excellent selection of Tuscan specialiti­es, and opp. Il Rifrullo (see Rest./Casual). Continue through the old gateway Porta San Miniato, and up Via Monte alle Croci past Fuori Porta (see Wine Bars). Climb the steps and when you reach the road nip right to find San Miniato (see Sites). Time this right (late afternoon) and you’ll end your walk to the haunting sounds of the monks’ Gregorian chants, a gentle amble in the charming cemetery behind the church and a romantic clinch as the sun sets. Now run like a robber’s dog back to Rifrullo for aperitivi, or cab it to Sesto (see Bars) for rooftop sundowners. Splendido!

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