How to craft your ultimate Florentine Christmas

Bec Astley Clarke MBE at TheItalianCollector.com knows how to buy gifts. “Gift something beautifully designed, made in Italy, and with a life story and a provenance that calls to mind the beautiful past that made it. A piece of signed artwork or a signed Murano glass vase by a renowned designer. Obviously, I love vintage and antique design pieces, not only are they unique gifts but beautiful pieces that will be treasured forever. We are in Italy…There is charm and beauty at every turn. Look for pieces with a story such as something reclaimed from an old hotel or palazzo, made by hand and signed and dated if possible.”

Stay caffeinated

Love coffee, but don’t know what’s in your cup? Head to specialty coffee experts Ditta Artigianato’s Scuola del Caffè on their Sant’Ambrogio premises to learn more about the beans, extraction methods, and ethical and conscious consumption. Plus, it makes for a well-fuelled holiday teambuilding experience among friends and colleagues! 

Take a tour and tasting behind the blue door of the Biscottificio Antonio Mattei Museum and Cookie Shop with DestinationFlorence.com. Dating back to the 1900s, seize the opportunity to munch on crumbly Mantovana cake and brutti ma buoni cookies, while stocking up on biscotti di Prato in the world-famous blue paper bags. 

The tipple to try 

All vin brulèed out? We hear you. Head over to Binomio Firenze down the road from Santa Maria Novella station for a winter-warming San Mary cocktail. Concocted by head bartender Sofia Sufi Abdi, Patrón Silver tequila, red wine, nutmeg, lime and sugar are shaken together for a sophisticated festive feel. Garnished with a mandatory sprig of rosemary! Equally impressive is the Mexico-Italia, a smoky margarita with an Italian twist, at sophisticated Meze on the ground floor of Hotel Calimala. “Mezcal’s depth meets the bright bitterness of Aperol, balanced with a splash of Cointreau, fresh lime and the sweetness of simple syrup,” the resident bartenders inform us.

In a city like Florence, it follows that foodies get creative with presentation. One of our favourites is award-winning Xin Ge Liu, whose fashion design education at Polimoda is apparent in her gorgeous Dream of Red Chambers antipasto, twigs hanging with fried prawn delights, at her eponymous restaurant Il Gusto di Xin Ge. If cheese is your thing, arrange a private tasting with international judge Kristine Jannuzzi, whose grazing boards are works of art. 

​​Hang it on your wall

For an original artwork to hang on your four walls, head to one of Street Levels Gallery’s two exhibition spaces in via Palazzuolo and via Melagnano. Established in 2016 from a conglomeration of Florentine street artists with the aim of legitimizing and challenging ideas around street art by taking it into the gallery space. Amongst their ranks are Clet, whose playful street signs have been dotting the cityscape for years, and Kraita317, who exhibited his work at Museo Novecento earlier this year in a show curated by Street Levels Gallery director Sofia Bonacchi.

While quintessential Italian sweet treats are everywhere this season, you might be missing a taste of home. Head to award-winning Nordic Wild Buns Bakery for gingerbread cookies, saffron-marzipan buns and Lussekatter (Santa Lucia buns), Melaleuca for mince pies and cinnamon buns, Sugar & Spice for frosted cakes made to order, Mama’s Bakery for sugar cookies galore, red velvet cake, pumpkin and apple pies, and Valù Bakery is prepping Christmas pudding, English fruit cake, mince pies, gingerbread houses, chocolate Yule logs and more. Get creative with Jackie’s Bakery’s Christmas DIY Cookie kit, while for store-bought mince pies and shortbread, try Enoteca Alessi.

Invest in leather

Whether it’s a well-made belt from Cellerini or a bag for life from Il Bisonte, buying a present from either established store is an opportunity to learn about Florence’s long-standing leather industry.  

Living in a country where eating out is one of the main reasons for moving here in the first place, we can get lazy on the cooking front. Refresh your culinary skills in the New Year by taking a Piccola Cucina cooking class and meal with Angie Niebles Moss. “I like to create an inviting atmosphere with Italian music in the background, so that everyone can immerse themselves in the Tuscan lifestyle. There’s a layer of magic. After spending the afternoon together, it’s like you’re eating at a friend’s house.” 

Smell like yourself

“Choose a scent that says something about yourself, not what someone wants to say about you,” says master perfumer Michele Marin, who’s originally from Verona, yet has lived in Florence for nearly 20 years. “I’d rather go naked than wear an essence that doesn’t reflect who I am. A scent means expressing yourself when you’re up close next to somebody. You have to try a scent on your own skin: some suit, others don’t.” Twice a finalist at the Art and Olfactory Awards, Michele recently went solo, creating a line of diverse and intriguing perfumes inspired by the gardenia plant in Florence, Venice and Paris, and Dubai. Available at L’O’ Firenze. 

“The turn-down service is where luxury meets intimacy, transforming a stay into a deeply personal experience. Beyond the traditional chocolates and slippers, think outside the box. For a city property leave tickets to exclusive cultural events or for a coastal one, leave a handwritten note on stationery embedded with seashell motifs, alongside a tiny vial of locally sourced sea salt,” is the recommendation provided by Barbara Lo Giudice, communication director at five-star luxury Hotel Savoy. “Hosting in the countryside? A petite bouquet of wildflowers tied with silk ribbon is a charming gesture. Attention to personalization is key: perhaps a guest’s favorite book waiting bedside or a playlist curated based on their preferences. Luxury lies in anticipating desires before they’re spoken.”

Calligrapher extraordinaire Betty Soldi loves to put a pen to all things Christmassy. “My favourite things are personalizing just about everything…Your own handwriting on something elevates it to being thoughtful.” Betty, who’s worked for Fortnum and Mason, Belmond and a host of renowned clients, recommends writing out wishes on large sheets of paper that become the wrapping, adding velvet ribbon galore. “I also love writing thank-you messages directly on bottles using a Sharpie to take as a present for home dinners.”