Florence blog

Gianni Schichi is the name of a Florentine that we know from the 30th cantica of Hell in Dante’s ‘Comedy’, which only later received the adjective of ‘Divine’ as a way of highlighting its many virtues. Nothing or close to nothing do we know about him except that, according to the poet, he ended up in Hell for boasting about a legendary ability to take over personalities.

In some way or another, in Florence, Dante and Schichi’s native city, it’s hard not to feel possessed by the spirit of both, made to shudder by the invincible lyrical impulse of hermetic-gnostic nature that you can breathe in every corner of the City of the Arno. That comes, paradoxically, through the cult to the more physical side of the matter and the unconscious desire to overcome the limits of the mask that we wear every day to become other rich beings in becoming, adventure and possibilities.

Perhaps due to this mercurial character embodied by Gianni Schichi, which is the perfect reminder of the essentially polyhedral character of our nature, it only comes up in important works of art, such as Dante’s poem or the small opera of Puccini that, part of a triptych whose every component serves as an allegory of the Comedy, carries its name.

Precisely, ‘Gianni Schichi’ by Puccini contains what’s probably one of the most romantic songs of all time, ‘O mio babbino caro‘, in which the character of Lauretta threatens to throw herself in the river from the Ponte Vecchio if her love is in vain. It’s not surprising that this type of song mentions this beautiful bridge, famous for its jewels, gold and crafts that are sold, and for offering a unique view of the sunsets on the Arno.

Also romantic in virtue of the legend is the Piazza de San Lorenzo, in whose market they say that Dante saw Beatrice for the first time when he was nine years old, falling in love with her at first sight forever more, an occurrence without which the history of western culture might have been considerably different and we wouldn’t now have the ‘Divine Comedy’ or ‘Gianni Schichi’.

However, there would still be beautiful and evocative places such as the Boboli Gardens (http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html), where it would be hard not to feel that one has been admitted into an enchanted world. An extension of the admirable Palazzo Pitti, perhaps the best example of civil renaissance architecture, it offers one of the best views of Florence among cared-for winding paths, seductive fountains, among which Neptune’s Fountain stands out, slender cypress trees, heady flowers, formidable statues and even an amphitheatre and an artificial island surrounded by a lake.

Paul Oilzum

Finally, the purists of the romantic impulse won’t be able to resist visiting the gothic church of the Santa Croce, inside of which, facing the overwhelming artistic treasures, Stendhal suffered, in 1817, the unsettling vertigo that characterizes the syndrome that carries his name and to which everyone who rents apartments in Florence are exposed to.

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Florence is known for its history. Many people know the Renaissance and the monumental amount of classics that emerged from this magnificent city including: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Dante. But Florence also embarks on modernity, and many attractions go beyond the traditional, while offering locals and tourists, many ways to enjoy the nightlife, contemporary art and current band concerts, among others.

Florence is also a city of students from all over the world, which makes its nightlife to be diverse and vibrant. Over the current sounds, clubs and bars are changing transmissions according to the interests of their young and giddy audience. Like other cities in Italy, fashion and style are part of everyday’s life, in this emerging youth scene, which is not afraid of taking risks with the most “hipster” of the moment, and fashionable sounds Pitchfork recommended. Bars, clubs and zones “underground” are at your disposal without exploring with some curiosity and enthusiasm.

You can spend whole nights traveling from cocktail to cocktail and from bar to bar, tasting tapas and food from the most exotic and diverse type. Unlike other European cities, spontaneity is a typical resource in Florence, it is not enough to make a safe plan on how to end the night, a target can lead to another and so unexpected you embark on an intense and colorful festival. Much information is at your disposal in bars and streets, from flyers, fanzines, posters, can be guided by the secret routes and modern Florence.

One of the classic places for concerts in Florence is the Palasport, where some of the most interesting bands of the moment are presented in spectacular concerts. People like Marilyn Manson, Eric Clapton, The Cranberries, The Cure, Bob Dylan, Iron Maiden, have offered concerts at this legendary concert place.

Among the most important clubs you can visit, there is the H202, where techno music is the daily bread. In the H202, you will find a very young community of local and international students who do not lose the opportunity to leave everything on the dance floor until four in the morning. Another inevitable choice of the night in Florence is the Meccano club, with two endless dance floors, ambient lighting and fanciful cocktails, this disco guarantees house music, techno and R & B. During the summer one of its tracks are outdoors, where you have access to a night of dancing fresh and inviting. The non-stop action continues on Tenax, another temple of techno and progressive house. In addition to huge dance floor, Tenax are some of the best alternative concerts in the city.

Alexa Ray

Get apartments in Florence and enjoy its young and modern scene. The clubs, bars and nightclubs are the best in Italy: party nights and endless action guaranteed.

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Translated by: Hans
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