Here’s An Opinion On:
Florence Shopping and Eating: Dining in Florence’s Oltrarno District
by
Lek Boonlert
Standing outside the Biblioteca Nazionale Firenze, one is reminded why Italy is know for its famous academia. The looming bell tower and high entranceway arches offer a stunning visual affect for tourists and locals alike. Inside, the main study room seems to expand beyond infinity leading into ancient texts that have been lost in the modern world of technology. Century’s old ideas mirrored with crusty brown book covers mesh with contemporary works of fiction and oversized atlas collections. The library is located along the Northern bank of the Arno River not far from the Uffizi Gallery, which is home to some of the world’s most famous art works.
Just across the river on the South side are some of the best restaurants in the Oltrarno District. One of the better restaurants in the area is the Quattro Leoni. The Quattro Leoni is best known for its traditional Tuscan cuisine. Pastas and pine nuts mixed with fresh mushrooms are classic to this region. Whereas truffles and oils are extremely costly specialties back home, here they are part of the average daily meal. Patrons to this restaurant boast that it is one of the best values for money around and is especially cherished during the summer months when patio seating offers beautiful views of lovely Florence. Reservations are a must here in the evening dinner hours as Quattro Leoni’s reputation has become massive, though it is typically closed on Wednesday.
Housewives everywhere can relish in a good home cooked meal at the Oltrarno District’s La Casalinga. By name, La Casalinga actually means ‘housewife’ in Italian and the restaurant lives up to its name with outstanding home cooked cuisine. Ribolita in Italian means to re-boil and La Casalinga is famous to all Florentines as the place to go for this special Tuscan dish. Ribolita has a number of main ingredients that make it the special dish that it is including day old bread. In common terms you might know Ribolita as vegetable soup or the more posh sounding name of minestrone. Other ingredients include cannelloni beans, onions and a variety of other inexpensive vegetables that one might find in a peasant’s kitchen cupboard. Though La Casalinga is closed on Sunday, it is open every month of the year except August and is always full.
If you are looking for a meal on the lighter side or perhaps an early night glass of wine, then you might want to try Fuori Porta. Located a short stroll away from the stunning Piazza Michelangelo, this ancient wine bar in the heart of the city has an impressive array of wines and cheeses. Served with freshly sliced deli meats and perfectly grilled bread, also known as crostini, with some of the best cheese in the region. Fuori Porta also offers beautiful outdoors seating though there have been mixed reviews about the service. As with many European cities, native English speakers from places like the United States and the United Kingdom may face more scrutiny from the average customer service representative in Italy as well as France. The best thing to do if you are concerned about being treated with civility and respect is to learn a phrase or two of the native tongue. It is probably a good idea to learn how to pronounce your favorite foods or let someone you know that you are allergic to something.
The Oltrarno District is also a good place to look for hotels in Florence, as you will be able to find stunning river views and reach a destination of your choosing quite quickly.
Lek Boonlert is an editor and content reviewer at
DirectRooms
and is responsible for all
Hotels in Florence
content.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com