Florence Local Customs

I think only in Florence you can taste a lampredotto sandwich. Lampredotto is the final part of the cow's stomach and has a dark brown colour. I know it sounds not very attractive, but is really one of the most interesting thing to experience in Florence. I started eating lampredotto just a few years ago ( before I thought it was simply disgusting) and I can assure you it's delicious. If you prefer you can ask for a Sbucciato wich is the lampredotto withouth the white skin (which is the fatty part ). The bread is dipped in the broth and the sandwich is served with a hot red chili sauce or a a green parsley sauce.

First settlement on the banks of the Arno River was founded as a colony of the Etruscan city of Fiesole in about 200 BC when the Romans spanned the Arno River with a bridge. It was built on the foot of the hill of San Giorgio but destroyed in 82 BC during the Roman civil wars. The Roman colony was established in 59 BC. The inhabitants surrounded the town by first circle of walls and called it Florentia.

Speculations connected the name to the Latin for the Flowery meadow on which the town was built, or from the word florens, meaning to flourish. Or it may have derived from the Ludi Floreales, the spring games held to honor the goddess Flora. Later in the Middle ages it became Fiorenza (after Latin fiorente) and then Firenze. In 1001, the Margrave Ugo transferred the region?s capital from Lucca to Florence. In 1078 Countess Mathilda of Tuscia supervised the construction of new fortifications, and in the year of her death (1115) granted Florence the status of an independent city.
The florin, 1st minted in silver in 1325, and soon after in gold, was used as common currency across Europe.

The political rise of Cosimo de' Medici, later dubbed Cosimo il Vecchio ("the Old"), was to some extent due to his family's sympathies with the smaller guilds.

Legend claims that the Medici family were descended from Averado, a Carolingian knight. He killed a giant in a battle near Florence. During the fight his shield received 6 blows from the giant?s mace. Charlemagne allowed Averado to represent the dents as red balls on his coatt of arms. Others say the balls has been exalted origins ? they were cupping glasses recalling the family?s origins as doctors (medici). The Medici fortune had been made by the banking prowess of Cosimo's father, Giovanni Bicci de' Medici who became banker to the Pope, and Cosimo used the power conferred by wealth very well. Through his patronage of such figures as Brunelleschi and Donatello, Florence became the center of artistic activity in Italy.
You know the rest of the story.

the shopkeepers of Ponte Vecchio keep the locks to their stalls all chained to some lantern at the bridge. seems like they are not too trusting.... I only wonder how each of them finds the right lock again, given the vast amount!

Remember most of Europe observes siesta. During the hours of 2pm to 4pm, many stores will close (owners will eat, relax, sleep, etc.).

However, though many stores do this, most of the touristy shops will remain open. Just don't be surprised when stores close or if owners give you the "evil eye" around 2pm. :)

I was lucky enough to visit Florence during the Easter period.

This picture was taken on Good Friday quite late. The procession came from the Mercato Centrale area and ended at the San Lorenzo.

Inside the churches are beautifully decorated with flowers - very family and church orientated.

According to tradition you can ensure yur return to Florence by rubbing the shiny polished snout of Il Porcellino, the bronze 'Little Pig' in Florence's Mercato Nuovo, and then throwing a coin into the fountain (I didn't believe in the coin throwing myself!).

Update March 2004
It might be true though - it's almost a year later and I've not got plans to go back yet :-)

ven though it had been months after the Iraq war when I came to Florence, the spirit of the antiwar movement was still very present and visible. There was hardly a street where the rainbow-colored pace-flags did not send out their message for peace.

While found in the rest of Italy, the concept of standing at the bar is more the rule in Florence. This is part due to the spatial problem in many Florence cafes and bars, it also has to do a bit with the culture.

Generally most bars and cafes offer two tarrifs for standing and sitting. It is generally NOT worth the 200% markup to sit down, mainly because the service you get is not inline with the price difference.

There are many cafes and bars that do not charge to sit down, I am n0t writing them down here, but just try and pay attention when you are there, they are generally smaller and look like they have seen better days.

It is NEVER worth it to pay 5 Euros for a cappuccino!

Often times, when you are a regular in a bar/caffe, you get out of paying the higher rate, so oft times loyalty does pay off. If you do frequent a place quite a bit and don't notice the service getting better the more you go, you might consider going elsewhere.