Palazzo Pitti, great lunch, walk through Oltrarno, dinner and operatic selections

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Pitti Palace: Built by the Pitti family but they never lived there because they made the mistake of taking part in an unsuccessful insurrection against the Medici, and were bankrupted.

Purchased in 1550 by the Medicis, the Palace was chosen by Cosimo I de‘Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo as the new Grand Ducal residence, and it soon became the new symbol of the Medici’s power over Tuscany. Eleanor‘s renovations took two years.

It also housed the Court of two other dynasties: the House of Hapsburg-Lorraine (after the Medici from 1737) and the Kings of Italy from the House of Savoy, from 1865. The palace still bears the name of the original owner, banker Luca Pitti, who started construction in the mid-1400s. The guide wasn’t impressed by the changes made by the Hapsburg and commented several times on an area being “Hapsburged”.

GREAT LUNCH at 4Leoni: pasta stuffed with pear and cheese, such a nice surprise, then Ossobucca, yummy, and lemon sorbet for dessert. 4Leoni had been on our list to try so this was a nice surprise.

Guided walking tour of Oltrarno, the older artisans section of town, including Piazza Santa Spirito. Returned to hotel for a rest before dinner at Tamero: Tamerò was born in 2012 in the premises of a historical body shop in Piazza S. Spirito in Florence. Mike tried the tagliatelle with wild boar and I had carbonara. Part of the antipasti included chicken liver pate on crostini which we enjoyed

after dinner, we walked down to Santa Monaca church for operatic selections. The church, now deconsecrated, is home to cultural events, exhibitions and concerts. no video, pics, or recording was allowed but we really enjoyed it—the sound went right through you!

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Photos

Mike on way to Pitti
Left hotel early to stop at Unico Firenze, a local artisan shop, for some items!

Palazzo Pitti
Made of local rock. Original construction was only the middle three doorways (7 windows above that).

Main entry room
“The White Room”

Trompe l’oeil
There was a lot of it on the ceilings.

Malachite Table
Mined in Russia, malachite was sent to Italy for art, then sent back to Russia and sold. Not this piece though

Walk around Oltrarno
Frescoes

Buttresses
A way to get more space on the upper floors

Basilica di Santo Spirito
Inside, great Renaissance architecture

Susan enjoying antipasti
Unexpectantly so!