Tavola Rosso » italy

Chianti Classico – Firenze – Memories

Mark Stoltz — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:40:58 +0000

The birthdays of me and my wife fall sixteen days apart; mine the fifteenth of August and her’s the thirty-first. Instead of celebrating only on our actual birthdays we have declared a two week long celebration. What does this mean in terms of wine? It means we have a great excuse to pull out some special bottles.

With a nice little Italian dinner made and my mom in attendance we opened a wine we bought at a wonderful enoteca in Florence a year and a half ago: a 2003 Monterponi Chianti Classico riserva.

Twenty months ago we drank the non-reserve from Monterponi at dinner with our good friends the McIntyres. The manager of the restaurant and wine shop recommended the reserve when we asked him about a good bottle to bring home with us. The wine was excellent: perfectly Italian, just enough dryness but full of deep berry flavors that Sangiovese gives. This was not a simple wine, as I would have a drink, continue in conversation, then stop to have another drink thinking ‘wow, this is really good.’

Like many of the great wines from our memory the Monterponi brought us back to a place and a time – Florence at Christmas, with friends and a table full of great Tuscan food. Therein lies the beauty and charm of wine: it helps us remember truly joyful times.

5Terre

Sean O'Connor — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:05:07 +0000

Earlier today I was reading through Rick Steve’s take on vacationing to Italy’s Cinque Terre and caught myself day dreaming back to the two times I have visited the region. One of them was 8 years ago this April. Time flies, that is for sure. These five towns are one of the must sees in Italy, one can only imagine what it was like before it became a national park style tourist attraction.

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Tavola Rosso Florence Travel Guide

Sean O'Connor — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:36:13 +0000

Florence is a special place for many reasons, and I share many great memories of this town with both family and friends. The ancient city is unchanged, yet very different than it was during the days of Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, da Vinci, and Dante. The streets and the buildings seem immovable and that they will live on in eternity. The people of the city have evolved with the influence of other cultures, but have retained a soul that is distinctly unique.

Please enjoy this guide to the city, and share your own experiences in the comment section.

Getting Around Florence

Top Florence Day Trips

Dining in Florence

Where to Stay in Florence

Tourist Attractions in Florence

Andiamo!

Florence – Getting Around

Sean O'Connor — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:54:18 +0000

The grand old city of Firenze can really only be enjoyed in one way – walking. Bring your most comfortable walking shoes and set off on foot for the entire day.

Here is a link to some of my favorite spots, if you are starting your day arriving at the train station.

The historic center of Florence is easily covered from end to end in a half hour of walking. Additionally, very few of the streets in the city center are setup for any sort of meaningful movement of automobiles. Traffic moves slowly, and there is simply no where to park.

If you want an adventure, rent a moped for the day and cruise around the perimeter of the city or up to Fiesole. Bikes are also a unique option, and can be rented easily.

Firenze: Top 5 Hotels

Sean O'Connor — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:41:16 +0000

This is the first post in a Best Of Firenze series. Stay tuned for dining, nightlife and day trip recommendations.

Florence is without a doubt one of the world’s favorite cities. From the renaissance art and the Tuscan views, to the world class food and the quaint, walkable city centre, the city Florence is enjoyable for a day, a week, a year, or a lifetime. But, where to stay? Here’s our top 5 recommendations, with something for all budgets.

Hotel Fiorentina(*): A great location, clean rooms, and a friendly staff make this old Gonzaga haunt an easy place to call home for a couple of days.

Hotel Medici(**): recently remodeled, you can not beat the views of the duomo and baptistry from their rooftop terrace.

VRBO: A vacation rental can be a great way to go. Stay close to the San Lorenzo market, and buy groceries to cook your own feast in your own vacation kitchen.

Grand Hotel Minerva(****): Located right on Piazza Santa Maria Novella you can stumble to lunch at La Spada or run to the train station to catch your train out of town.

Hotel Savoy(*****): This place is straight class. You’ll want to pull up in a Ferrari or something fancy as they might not park your Fiat Punto.