WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.600 Florence is one of the most visited cities in Italy, 2 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:06.320 but most people see about one square kilometer of it. Today, 3 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:09.800 Francesca of Florentine Guide takes us across the river, into 4 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:11.960 the Aison workshops and up to the hill where the 5 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:15.000 city's Iris Garden opens for just a few weeks a year. 6 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:17.480 This is what a real day in Florence, one of 7 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:19.480 the world's most beautiful cities, looks like. 8 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:30.960 Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan told Italy. The travel podcast to 9 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:34.520 where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes, 10 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:39.000 hills and coastlines of Bela, Italia. Each week, your host 11 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:41.840 Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search 12 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:47.640 of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course 13 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.759 a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy 14 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:54.719 and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place. 15 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:08.439 Jao Dudi and Ben Venuti, Welcome to episode three hundred 16 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:11.640 and twenty six of the Untold Italy podcast. I'm Katie, 17 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:15.400 your host and founder of Untold Italy. Now I know 18 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:18.840 what you might be thinking. Oh Florence, She's surely she's 19 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:21.840 covered Florence before, and yes, of course I have many times. 20 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:24.519 But today we're doing something a little bit different because 21 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.560 as part of our Perfect Day series, where I ask 22 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.680 people who actually live in these cities to map out 23 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:33.719 how they would spend a glorious day in their city 24 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:36.319 as a visitor. It's not a press trip, it's not 25 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:38.920 a standard tour. It's a real day, the way someone 26 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.840 who knows a city deeply and who loves it would 27 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:44.120 actually approach it if they were to show a friend 28 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.640 around and give them the very best of their city. 29 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:52.239 And today's gest is Francesca Emini, a licensed Florentine guide who, 30 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.599 despite traveling the world and visiting many places, has an 31 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:00.760 unshakable love for her city. Francesca studying foreign language literature 32 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.280 and cultural anthropology right in the heart of Florence when 33 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:07.680 she was growing up, and she's worked on cruise ships 34 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:10.599 with NGOs across the world, but in the end, she 35 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:13.879 kept coming back to her own city, because that is 36 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:17.039 what Florence does to people. If you know, you know 37 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:22.080 Franjessica has that beautiful, lyrical Italian way of describing her city, 38 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:24.360 and this conversation made me just want to get on 39 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.680 a plane straight away. A quick note before we start. 40 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.840 As we curate our episodes here on Untold Italy, I'm 41 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:33.800 always thinking about how we can help you enjoy your 42 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:37.280 trips to Italy, whether you're traveling independently or on a tour. 43 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.759 It may be practical information or something esoteric and beautiful 44 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.000 like our episode today. The best way I know how 45 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:48.520 to help you enjoy Italy is to introduce you to locals, 46 00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:53.319 the real people, tour guides, artisans, hotel owners, the Untold 47 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:57.400 Italy team and fellow travelers. We do not keep our knowledge. 48 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.520 We like to share it far and wide, So if 49 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.960 you were pre ciate that approach, it would be wonderful 50 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:04.120 if you could leave us a lovely review. We so 51 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:08.360 appreciate it and read every single one. So now it 52 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:10.680 is time to meet Francesca and take you on a 53 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:13.280 journey to one of the world's most beautiful cities and 54 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:20.120 one that keeps drawing travelers back again and again. Ben Venuto, Francesca, 55 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.199 Welcome to the Untolevidshlee podcast. 56 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:26.759 Very very happy to be here with you. 57 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:31.840 Yes, and Francesca is joining us from beautiful Frenze or 58 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:35.639 Florence And how is everything in Florence today, this beautiful 59 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:36.240 spring day. 60 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.319 Well, to be honest to these are a little bit 61 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:45.000 cloudy days, but it's springtime, so everything is now very colorful, 62 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:49.000 so all of us are happy and waiting for the 63 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.360 very sunny days. But it's spring time, so we are happy. 64 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:57.560 Now. The hills are very beautiful. It's the right moment. 65 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:00.360 For that, so sometimes we need them, I love, but 66 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.199 that's part of the game. It's the best moment of 67 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.639 the year probably to be to be influenced in Italy 68 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.919 in general, but influence in particularly. 69 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:10.520 For me at least. 70 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:14.120 It's very interesting, actually because a lot of visitors like 71 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:17.160 to come now in autumn or fall, don't they. But 72 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:20.240 I agree with you. I think spring is really the 73 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:23.879 best time because everyone's really fresh and ready to go 74 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:28.639 for the new season, and everything looks absolutely beautiful with 75 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:33.319 all the flowers and everything. Yeah, I really love spring. Actually. 76 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:36.959 Yeah, then depends a little bit the popose of your 77 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:41.240 traveling as well, because it's true every season of the year, 78 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:46.720 to be honest, is as his magic, but now it's 79 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:50.720 probably the very It's not considered that my town's name 80 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:51.720 it's Florence. 81 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:54.600 I mean that comes from Flora. 82 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:58.120 I mean this town was dedicated in nothing less than 83 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:03.800 to the goddess of nature and wishing to us success 84 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:07.759 and beauty blooming in an eternal spring time. 85 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:11.560 So that's what we really in this moment we can experience. 86 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:18.240 Oh cheta, of course, Flora Florence. I learned something new 87 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:22.240 every day. Thank you for Jessica. And it's such a 88 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:25.439 beautiful time because it's the time of the lilies, isn't it. 89 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.399 And that's a very special time in Florence. 90 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:32.839 It tastes now, that's really the very special time. There's 91 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:36.160 a garden dedicated to Irish, which is the very first 92 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:38.399 original symbol of my town, this. 93 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.120 Beautiful purple color flower. 94 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.600 So now we have iris, but not only that, we 95 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:48.680 have hysteria. We have all these nice purple colors all 96 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.560 over and the Irish can be admired in a very 97 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:54.639 special garden, the Irish Garden, and it's. 98 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.079 Open only in this specific period of. 99 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:01.439 The year, so from the twentieth fifth of April to 100 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.519 need of me, because that's the real peak of the 101 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:08.120 season for this for this flower here, and you find 102 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:13.000 them not only in beautiful specific gardens people, I mean, 103 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:16.920 we have competitions for making the most beautiful ones. I 104 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:19.920 mean Ebrodus making all these special things. But you find 105 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:24.759 along the toll roads anywhere. So it's so beautiful now 106 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:26.879 and so earl again to nice flower. 107 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:30.759 But gorgeous, aren't they? I think it's very special. We 108 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:35.199 run some tours in Tuscany in the countryside and people 109 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:37.639 go to a beautiful iris farm where you can just 110 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.959 see the whole hills. 111 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:43.800 Blame of the Yeah, sure, it's amazing, it's amazing. 112 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:46.560 Well, we're going to talk a little bit more about 113 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:51.079 more detail about beautiful feelings for today's episode. But before 114 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:55.560 we do that, Francesca, please introduce yourself to our listeners 115 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.199 and tell them about your story, how you came to 116 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:00.959 be a tour guide and your passion and for your city. 117 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:05.079 I've been always working in the tourism since I was 118 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:05.800 very young. 119 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:08.160 I love a lot of traveling. 120 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:13.000 One of my very first stors was working on a sheep. 121 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:18.480 I work as a volunteer for no governmental organizations on 122 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:23.800 children's projects abroad. I work a lot in different cities 123 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.920 in the world, but at the very end, I was 124 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.639 always back home, so where I study and I completed 125 00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:33.120 my studies. That's another privilege of my town. You can 126 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.759 really whatever you decide to study. We have all the 127 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:41.240 universities here, so and I graduated here in Foreign Languages 128 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:46.839 and Literature and cultural anthropology. My thesis was already on 129 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:50.480 my passion oriented on the ground tour in Toscany during 130 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:56.319 the Lorentz dynasty age, and then I had the opportunity 131 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:00.279 to become a licensed specialized guide. At the beginning, I 132 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:02.240 thought it was going to be a little bit boring 133 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:05.639 for me, very adventurous or used to. 134 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.279 Always to be on the move and everything. 135 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:12.600 And then I discovered that was really something so incredible. 136 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.639 So now for me it's really my passion. 137 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:20.720 Of course, because I love art and history, but it's 138 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.199 not only that. My city has really saw a lot 139 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:28.959 to offer and to add the possibility to share all 140 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:35.519 that beauty every day with different people, and it's just 141 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:40.200 for me, it's the best things I could have happened 142 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:40.840 in my life. 143 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.159 So I'm really very happy of that. 144 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:45.879 I know, sometimes in this job you think, oh, does 145 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.200 someone pay me to do this? It's amazing, isn't it. 146 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:49.879 Yeah, No, it's true, it's true. 147 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:52.879 Sometimes I really did know and be little bit because 148 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:56.399 as I like to say, with the guides, we suffer 149 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:59.679 with you or we enjoy with you and because to 150 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:03.840 be it's always such an incredible experience. So when I 151 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:08.480 finish and I have to say goodbye, sometimes it's very sad. 152 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:13.039 So it's really it's something beautiful. 153 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:17.519 It is such an incredible city. Is there something about 154 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:20.600 Florence that it's just apart from the fact that it's 155 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:22.519 your home? But what is it about the city that 156 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:25.600 you love so much? It really has everything, and I 157 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:27.679 can rattle off a lot of things, but it's really 158 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:30.639 lovely to hear from a local of what you feel 159 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:31.639 about your own city. 160 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:35.120 Well, let's say that sometimes we make fun with my 161 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:37.960 friends in Rome or Milan. You know, these big towns 162 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:40.480 they look at us a little bit like up down, 163 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:43.440 a little bit like the provincial. Our town is not 164 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.440 that big, but we don't complete about it. I mean 165 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.799 we the local people, I mean almost all of us, 166 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:52.039 the people of Florence, me in particularly. Well they really 167 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:55.360 love is that the town is not really that big, 168 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:59.519 because if you want the very all the town, it's small, 169 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:01.519 walk everywhere. 170 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:03.360 I mean, it's not that odd. 171 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:08.080 And doesn't matter way you leave if you have a scooter, motorbike, 172 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.600 as most of us, in ten minutes or. 173 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:14.600 By bicycle twenty let's say, but where do you leave? 174 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:18.720 You are intel in one of the most beautiful cities 175 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.720 in the world, with the eyes, concentration of works of art, 176 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:30.720 persparameter in the work, full of history, music, theater, cultural events, 177 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:33.399 traditional interventional doesn't matter everything. 178 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.080 And at the same time, if you had the. 179 00:10:37.080 --> 00:10:41.159 Same ten minutes in the opposite direction, you find yourself 180 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:46.120 on these wonderful hills. So I mean, we are surrounded 181 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.240 by this magic and you can just easy see it 182 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:53.840 under an olive tree, read a book in peace in 183 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:57.679 this little corner of paradise in the country side of Tuscany. 184 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:02.039 So there's nothing for me more beautiful than this to 185 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.240 be in town, but to have always inside this gorgeous, 186 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:09.480 beautiful vision, which is more or less what you can 187 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.519 still say in the works of what do you see? 188 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:16.200 The museum is amazing, That's what I like the most. 189 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:17.000 It is. 190 00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:19.000 And you were saying to me the other day that 191 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.840 and I didn't notice that the whole area of Florence 192 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:26.000 outside and the hills are part of the UNESCO World 193 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.639 Heritage Area, which is very special. 194 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:31.039 That was a very great idea. 195 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:33.480 I mean, what happens because most of the times are 196 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:37.320 the art of towns to be protect but here the 197 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:44.360 countryside and the way the area was created with these 198 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:50.960 beautiful gardens and cultivations, it's any major of what is 199 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:54.759 a little paradise actually, So it was work to be 200 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.799 protected as a une veritage site. And we're very happy 201 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:02.240 because we can see walk in these places. I say 202 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:05.519 we can because most of the people they think towns 203 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.000 they are nice for visitors, they are made for visitors, 204 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:11.360 and honestly, I'm very happy that people they can share 205 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:12.559 the beauty of this place. 206 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:15.000 But also for us the local people. 207 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.240 Now is the time because the good weather, they nice 208 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:19.600 springtime temperatures. 209 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:21.720 We like to hide up on the. 210 00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:27.279 Hills because it's a mix of these incredible beautiful nature. 211 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.840 And on the way you find. 212 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:33.480 The Galileo Galileil, or you find a place where Tchaikowski 213 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:36.679 used to live, or the place or where you can 214 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:39.720 talk to the children, the place where Leonardo da Vinci 215 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.720 try to fly, and all these kinds of things. So 216 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:47.120 it's always to be in a sort of dream sometimes 217 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:49.799 and that's something that we love too. 218 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:53.240 That's a very special things. Yeah, we're very happy that 219 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:54.279 all that. 220 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.200 It's a real treasure, not only the city, it's the 221 00:12:57.399 --> 00:13:01.399 whole place and these ballet is really magic. 222 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:06.080 Yes, yeah, it's It's quite unique actually, because even in Italy, 223 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.080 where you do have so many beautiful cities, even the 224 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.320 outskirts can be quite industrial. But yes, as Francisca says, 225 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.600 in Florence, you can easily just have that experience where 226 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:20.320 you're up in the hills and Francisco. I don't know 227 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.759 if you've watched this movie, but it's one of my favorites. 228 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:28.879 It's a room with a view. Do you know this one? 229 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:33.399 Yes, sometimes we explore as well the CD and the 230 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:39.519 suburbs of my town or Toscany, just following spatial tread 231 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.399 the one of movies because toscan influence. They are really 232 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.480 the set of men movies. And this one, it's fairly special. 233 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:50.000 I like always to suggest moving during my tours because 234 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:53.919 there are many giving yous a glance of things quite special. 235 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:55.559 Yes, this is very nice. 236 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:00.720 Yeah, it's very nice. One with Helena bottom Cart she's 237 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:06.919 movie now right, but she's just her transformation. Let's take 238 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:09.480 a quick break, bold, brief and back before you know it. 239 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.360 For on the go, curated travel tips, restaurant recommendations and 240 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:19.639 fun things to do in classic and hidden spots across Italy. 241 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:23.159 Download the Untold Italy app link in the show notes. 242 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:29.440 But I think it really demonstrates nicely how you can 243 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:33.120 go into the countryside and then go down into Florence 244 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:36.159 and you see down into Florence. If you haven't seen it, 245 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.759 I do talk about this a lot, but I just 246 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:41.279 love that movie because it just captures the essence of 247 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:45.080 Tuscany and Florence so well. Oh wow, yes, I can't 248 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:46.559 remember the last time I was there, but I just 249 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:48.840 every time I talk about Florence, I think, oh, I've 250 00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:51.080 got to go back soon. 251 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:52.080 We'll do that. 252 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:55.799 But today we're going to do something a little special. 253 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.840 Now we know we can't see everything in Florence. We 254 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:02.000 can't even screw watch the surface, we can't even go 255 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:05.519 close to it in one day. But I'm doing a 256 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:07.960 bit of a series where I ask locals how they 257 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.000 would spend the perfect day as a tourist in their 258 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:14.039 own cities. So it's kind of to give people the 259 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.879 idea of what are some of the more local things 260 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:20.360 that you could do or something different to experience than 261 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:26.240 maybe say in Florence. We know the Academia, the David Statue, 262 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:30.080 the Fitzi Gallery, the Dwarm and you have to see those. 263 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:32.600 Of course they're popular for a very good reason. But 264 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.039 fanchess girl, if you were to take us on a 265 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:38.279 day around Florence, how would you do that? 266 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.600 Well, let's say there are many perfect these you can 267 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:46.080 have influence. I mean, I know that the Sea of Florence, 268 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.559 you can really experience that in one day, just to 269 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:51.720 pick and have a sense of its beauty and maybe 270 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:55.720 thought you're seeing on something of particularly interest, or you 271 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:59.679 can see it week and you can see every day 272 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:05.320 means something extraordinary, something worthy of a front page or 273 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.600 any guide book to another city in the world. And 274 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:11.960 I'm not exaggerating. It's really like that. 275 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.039 I can prove it to you. 276 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.000 But let's say that when you really have one day, 277 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:21.080 a real full day at your disposal, and not only 278 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:25.320 I mean for first times, but not only it's always 279 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:29.720 nice to maybe to see a few of the very 280 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:33.360 well known Eyeli It's maybe, but there are so many, 281 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:37.799 as you would say, hidden priceless gems that I think 282 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:41.879 that that's what I usually I like to say, maybe. 283 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:44.480 If it's always. 284 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:48.360 Easier to meet people in a place that there is 285 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:52.360 central and it's honestly very beautiful to start. I like 286 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:57.320 to start talking about my town from the main religious area, 287 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:01.279 which means the Duomo, the cathedral. And if you start early, 288 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:05.680 that's another secret. But let's say if you start eight 289 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.319 thirty nine maximum, you will find the city is still 290 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.680 health and sleep. So it's nice because you can really 291 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:17.880 start understanding what was fluence when everything starts changing, and 292 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:24.400 maybe having a nice coffee in one of these historic places, 293 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:29.359 or then we can wait to the next stop, which 294 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:32.240 for me to suba would be one of the places 295 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:34.480 I like always to see. 296 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:37.440 It's the area of Santa Maria Novella. 297 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:41.720 Maybe fine, there is very small little family round bar 298 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:46.079 where you can taste the coffee, I mean serve with 299 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:48.640 a smile, because we say it's not a good coffee 300 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:51.240 if it's not served with a good smile. And together 301 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:56.920 with the boudino Theresa, maybe one of our special nice 302 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:02.319 alternatives to the cross in the morning. We like a 303 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.119 lot of these kinds of things that could be a 304 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.680 nice way to start. And the area on the area 305 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.279 of the Santa Maria novela, it's not only the gorgeous church. 306 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:15.960 We can talk about all the greatest artists and architects. 307 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:20.160 But there's a pharmacy, which is another fablous things where 308 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:23.759 it's really worth a thing to have a look and 309 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.839 maybe buy something, because this is a very special place 310 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:31.000 where they are still producing according to the ancient tradition, 311 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:37.039 recipes of the Dominican friers, madicines and beauty products and 312 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.519 all these kinds of things, and the atmosphere of the 313 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:43.079 place when I entered there, I always think about this 314 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:46.200 place where it used to be the show Colatery of 315 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.000 Florence in seventeen hundred during the Grand Tour. 316 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.160 It was, you know, the meeting place of all different 317 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.039 for the near. 318 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:58.400 Communities, having their drinking their chocolate because at the time 319 00:18:58.519 --> 00:19:01.960 the bars that didn't exist not yet, so it's really amazing. 320 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:05.279 And then from the this is only on the way 321 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:06.400 to my favorite place. 322 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:09.200 What I would like all the ways to suggest people 323 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:13.720 to do is to legally the Bason tracts and find 324 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:18.079 areas such as on Niasanti. There's a very beautiful church 325 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:22.319 called the Old Saints on Ni Santi church. People they 326 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:27.359 go there in order to visit the the Spucci family. 327 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:29.279 Chapels, talking about historical facts. 328 00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:32.559 Of course, American Spucci or to see the tombs of 329 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:37.759 the famous art is the painter. But for me, these 330 00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:42.079 incredible old church one of the oldest, honestly informants we 331 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:46.640 talk about thirteenth century, even if then transformed completely throughout it, 332 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:51.400 the century is in a fantastic unique by Rock they 333 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:55.480 create a church. For me, the atmosphere when you enter 334 00:19:55.559 --> 00:20:00.680 that so usually in this special silence or someone sometimes 335 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:03.759 playing the organ, and then you arrive at the end 336 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:07.960 of the ale and you will be surprised. Just turning 337 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.000 a little bit your head to your left, you see 338 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:17.759 an incredible, beautiful work by job to a crucifix fourteenth century, 339 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:22.400 which for me is the quintessence of spirituality. 340 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:24.160 And when I say that, believe me. 341 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.680 I'm used to work with people coming from all over 342 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:31.319 the world, different cultures. I'm really talking about pure spirituality, 343 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.640 not only a religious symbol. 344 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:37.960 And when you see these crucifix and this. 345 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:42.039 Cross that the artists and the genius idea to paint and. 346 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:44.920 Not brown as usually but blue. 347 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:49.680 A lap is laxly blue color which is so intense, 348 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:53.559 giving us at the same time this idea of death 349 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:57.839 and salvation I mean pain and hope at the same 350 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:01.599 time you lose all sense of time and space, and 351 00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:04.839 you find really one of these magic moments, and they 352 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:08.640 say it's hard to be found somewhere else in the world. 353 00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:11.119 It's really a mazing. This is one of the places 354 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:15.079 where I like to take people because we can learn 355 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:20.799 and discover so many things. The Synopius, this beautiful refectory, 356 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:24.440 the Last Supper by Gilan Dalliens. 357 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.720 But it's really the atmosphere. 358 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:30.920 World is really changing everything, according to my opinion, my 359 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:32.880 way of looking at this thing. 360 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.240 It is so beautiful, and people just walk past, don't 361 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:39.000 they They're just walking past down the. 362 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:44.519 Front, not going. They don't know actually talking about it. 363 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:48.720 One day, a full day experience. It's a privilege already 364 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.720 for many people because unfortunately maybe they spend only a 365 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:55.640 few hours and they only walk in between the cathedral 366 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:58.039 in the old Palace, which is nice, but of course 367 00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:00.200 you lose a little bit of the music. 368 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.200 Of the place, as I would say. 369 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:07.359 And for sure, another place where you can really feel 370 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:13.480 a different kind of atmosphere is the Ultrano. A nice 371 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.519 thing would be to cross the river, to go across 372 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.200 the other side, the southern side of the river, what 373 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:25.200 we call Ultrano, and visit the Church of Santo Spiritu, 374 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:31.880 which is a very special Renaissance, one hundred percent Renaissance 375 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:36.880 church designed by Bruneileski, nothing less for the Augustinian friars, 376 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:42.160 and where Michelangelo had his experience, so the first experience 377 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:46.799 of as anatomist, dissecting mothers and all these things, and 378 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:51.480 where he left a very special present to these fires 379 00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:55.279 and a crucifix, a wooden crucifix unique in Michaelangelo's work. 380 00:22:55.880 --> 00:23:03.039 Another example of these Florence at the end of fourteen hundred. 381 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:09.559 See in the Renaissance, Michaelangelo so young had many pointer references. 382 00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:13.680 I mean he could have taken expiration for making his 383 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:20.599 specifix looking or copying Brunelliski beautiful crucifix or the beautiful 384 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.960 one made by Donatello, And instead of copying to art masters, 385 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:30.240 he chose his own way revolutionory. 386 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:32.240 I mean people that. 387 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.960 Were asked to be revolutionery at the time, and the 388 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:38.599 artists are the then protagonists at this time. The one 389 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:42.079 that changed not only is style and not but a 390 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:45.160 way of thinking. So all these things you can still 391 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:50.119 really feel in these places. Beautiful cloisters, I mean, it's 392 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:50.799 just amazing. 393 00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:53.720 And then the Altano is full of little markets, so 394 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:56.920 just outside the church, the daily market. 395 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:59.599 Where we can really just buy a piece of cheese 396 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:03.480 or whatever we want and then go maybe to see 397 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:07.440 one of the artists, because the ultraado is where we 398 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:13.559 can really preserve probably one of the most precious heritage 399 00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:18.519 of my town craftmen. So they are still there in 400 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:26.079 their beautiful workshops, in little, small, tiny shops and at work. 401 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:30.920