Poke your nose into Florence...
PINOCCHIO’S BIRTHPLACE STILL HAS FAIRY-TALE APPEAL. SARAH MARSHALL TAKES A LOOK
FROM Disney’s classic 1940s animation to the two new movies released this year, we never tire of hearing about the little wooden puppet who just wanted to be a real boy.
Florentine author Carlo Lorenzini, who wrote under the name Carlo Collodi, was a journalist and satirist commenting on the impact of Italy’s unification in the mid-19th century when he penned the original Pinocchio but his story inadvertently became a classic fairy tale.
Years in the making, Guillermo del Toro’s new Netflix version of offers a very different reflection, by touching on some of the darker themes explored in the original text. Set in fascist Italy, it features the voices of Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton.
Whichever take on Pinocchio you prefer, the city of Florence proudly proclaims the marionette as one of its famous sons, alongside Dante and Da Vinci.
Shopfronts are stuffed with magnets, toys and badges, while several venues are named after key characters.
Many of the original cafes and bookshops associated with Collodi, who was born (and died) in the Tuscan city, no longer exist. But it’s still possible to visit locations on a short tour with guide Claudia Durante. Besides, there are many more great reasons to visit Florence. Here are a few of them.
A hotel with one of the city’s oldest towers Thought to be almost 1,300 years old, the Pagliazza Tower is part of the luxurious Hotel Brunelleschi and now houses a gourmet restaurant and museum, where there are also remains of a Roman Bath.
Dine on the rooftops
Roof terrace restaurant Angel is a young, vibrant addition to the Florentine dining scene. Church bells chime in tune with a soundtrack of soul and jazz by the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, and the menu is as breezy and refreshing as the open-air space.
Dine on tuna tartare with a Jackson Pollock splash of beetroot, or black ravioli stuffed with ricotta and tiger shrimps.
Mains around £21; hotelcalimala.com/angelroofbardining
Cocktails laced with gold Perfect for watching the sunset, when the River Arno glows red, Caffe dell’Oro is located below the Palazzo Vecchio. The Negroni cocktail was invented in Florence, but here, you can order a version with a twist.
The venue’s signature offering features bergamot and white vermouth topped with flecks of gold. Match it with a bowl of wasabi and truffle crackers.
Cocktails around £15; lungarno collection.com/caffe-dell-oro/
Shopping is a historical experience
Built inside a monastery, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is often described as the oldest pharmacy in the world.
Today, the elegant shelves stock a beautiful selection of soaps, perfumes and toiletries. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth visiting to admire the opulent interior.
Visit eu.smnovella.com
Plenty of haunts for Pinocchio fans
First editions of Pinocchio, originally serialised in an Italian newspaper, are displayed alongside hundreds of toys and memorabilia at the new Museo del Giocattolo e di Pinocchio, in Via dell’Oriuolo.
Treasures amassed by historian and collector Giuseppe Garbarino give an intimate insight into author Collodi’s past, and demonstrate the popularity of the wooden puppet in his home city.
Visit museodelgiocattolo.it